The Grey Bruce Health Unit building has been recognized with an award for the use of architectural copper in the design and construction of the facility.
The Copper in Architecture Awards are sponsored by the Copper Development Association Inc., out of New York. The GBHU building which opened in September of 2008 won the 2009 award for new construction.
The building features a distinctive vertical copper cladding over much of the exterior. The patina of the copper will evolve to the familiar and characteristic green colour. A copper panel wall assembly consisting of 850 m² (9,000 sq. ft.) of 20 ounce flat lock copper panels (5,550 kg. or 12,000 lbs.) installed in a staggered pattern adorn the building.
Canadian Brass and Copper of Concord, Ontario supplied materials.
Designed by Salter Pilon Architecture Inc. in association with Lett Architects, other special recognition the building has received include the Canadian Urban Institute Brownie Award for brownfield rehabilitation, Natural Resources Canada ecoEnergy Award, a Cultural Award by the City of Owen Sound and a Gold Designation in Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design from the Canadian Green Building Council.
The Grey Bruce Health Unit serves an area comprised some 8,587 square kilometres and is home to more than 158,000 residents.
The Public Health Act of 1884 established the first boards of health. By 1900 there were over 800 small public health units in Ontario including several locally autonomous boards across Grey and Bruce Counties. The Owen Sound Public Health Department originally formed in 1911.
Grey-Owen Sound joined with Bruce in 1989 and following municipal restructuring in 2001 was re-named the Grey Bruce Health Unit.
The GBHU has multiple funding streams including roughly 20% of their revenues from municipalities, and nearly 60% from the province.
