State-of-the-art learning facility in Merritt, British Columbia

The new home of the Nicola Valley Institute of Technology (NVIT), also known as Eagle's Perch Campus, offers state-of-the-art learning spaces. NIVT aims to address community needs such as wellness, governance, and land and economic development. NVIT was designed to exceed the ASHRAE energy-efficiency standards by 35% by taking advantage of an efficient envelope, solar control, thermal mass, and natural ventilation. The building's strategies for employing solar control and thermal mass were inspired by elements from shelters of local native peoples; specifically, the pit house and extended teepee served as models. NVIT's wood-column structural system supporting concrete recalls pithouse poles rising up through the interior space. Read the full 12-page case study