The Chemical Sciences Building has a Governor General’s Medal in Architecture, one of the country’s highest awards for outstanding architectural design. The building is a campus environment of innovative building designs that complement Trent’s beautiful natural setting and the legacy of Ron Thom. The building is a promenade, both architectural and natural, that brings one into repeated contact with the Otonabee River, the central focus of Ron Thom's Trent University campus. It is directly linked to the ground floor of the existing science precinct and to its second-level circulation system. The promenade weaves between these two levels, presenting views of Trent's unique river landscape to students as they move through the campus and the building. In addition to the Chemical Science Building’s aesthetic strengths, many environmental considerations were also incorporated into the design. The project employs low-flow variable air volume fume hoods to minimize heat loss in the building. Heat is recovered from the fume hood exhaust system to achieve an exceptional level of energy efficiency. Green roofs and natural cleansing of all storm water complement its environmental approach.
