Metrolinx has announced that a series of recent upgrades to two GO Train stations have helped both earn LEED certification.

The upgrades at the Agincourt and Bramalea stations were delivered as part of the broader GO expansion program, and include everything from track work to enable future two-way, all-day service; better station accessibility; and amenities such as new canopies and snow melt technology along the platforms.  

The stations were also designed to be sustainable, and have now been formally recognized with LEED Gold certification.

“Our main goals in seeking LEED certification are to reduce the human contribution to climate change, protect our water resources, promote sustainable material use, enhance biodiversity and improve quality of life,” said Matt Muratore, senior advisor for sustainable design at Metrolinx. 

“LEED looks at the environmental performance of a building, including where it’s located, impacts on ecosystems, how energy and water demand is managed, material selection and indoor air quality.”

Targeting LEED certification, an important part of Agincourt GO’s design was reducing the heat-island effect.

Metroloinx said that to address this, the renovated station has a cool roof designed to absorb less solar energy. This lowers energy costs in summer and helps reduce surface and air temperatures.

“This is all part of a Metrolinx policy to support green operation throughout the life of a facility,” Muratore said.

Upgrades to the Bramalea station included numerous sustainable design features, such as: a grid-tied array of solar panels covering the parking garage roof that can generate enough energy to run the entire station off solar power, LED lighting throughout the tunnels, platforms, station areas, and parking lots; and a parkade that can accommodate electric vehicle charging stations.

In addition to earning LEED Gold certification, the station has been named the 2024 IPMI Award of Excellence winner in the design category for the parking structure building.