The Halifax Farmers’ Market is the oldest market in North America. Incorporated in 1740, the Halifax Farmers’ Market has occupied 13 different locations, but none so prestigious or fitting as the new location on the Halifax Waterfront. Located near the newly restored Pier 21, the new Seaport Market has expanded its capacity to accommodate the growth in attendance the market has seen over the last few years. As sustainable and local agriculture grows in popularity, the Halifax Farmers’ Market has seen an increase in demand for the limited space at their previous location, the Keith’s Brewery.
As the need for a new space became more and more apparent, the Seaport Market began to take shape. Designed by Lydon Lynch Architects, the new building is LEED Platinum Certified, the first building of its kind to reach this certification level in Atlantic Canada. The building reflects sustainability in every aspect of its design; from the solar panels and windmills on the roof, to the rooftop gardens, rainwater collection system, and solar lanterns on the main floors. This building consumes 50% less water and 80% less power than traditional buildings of a similar size.
This tremendous feat was achieved with the help of the NORDIC® W Series to heat and cool the building. Using a total of seventeen 650 foot drilled wells, the NORDIC® heat pumps had the capacity to keep the building comfortable all year long in a sustainable manner. The wells themselves are located underneath the recycled concrete sidewalk while the machines are on the second floor. This complicated job was well executed using local installers and drillers resulting in optimal performance of the geothermal system while keeping investment dollars within the local economy.
The installation at the Seaport Farmers’ Market in Halifax is just one example of products from Maritime Geothermal helping buildings and communities become more sustainable through lower carbon emissions and electricity use.