Durham Consolidated Courthouse

• Location: Oshawa/Durham Region
• Project type: Design, Build, Finance and Maintain (DBFM)
• Construction started: June 28, 2007

About the project:

The Durham Consolidated Courthouse project will consolidate Superior and Ontario Courts justice services under one facility; currently, the courts operate from eight different locations.

The project includes:

• A new consolidated courthouse that is approximately 446,000 square feet
• 33 courtrooms, three motions rooms, three conference/settlement rooms and related justice services
• Six courtrooms outfitted for video remand conferencing and additional courtrooms with video conferencing capabilities
• Two remote video testimony rooms for vulnerable and child witnesses
• An Interpretation/translation facility with:
  • One jury room equipped for simultaneous translation
  • Three portable translation booths
• A facility to accommodate trials requiring additional security and multiple accused

Environmental Benefits:

• The project will rejuvenate a brownfield site.
• The new courthouse is one of the most energy efficient provincial government buildings.
• The building’s maintenance company has committed to consume 42 per cent less energy than a similar building designed in compliance with the Model National Energy Code for Buildings.
• The courthouse design complies with LEED* and BOMA BEST*.
• These standards emphasize energy management, conservation and reducing indoor air pollutants.
• The installation of ultra-low flow plumbing fixtures and a storm water collection technology will:
  • Reduce water used for irrigation by 50 per cent
  • Consume 20 per cent less water at the entire facility

Note: *LEED – Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design – Canada Green Building Council’s green building rating system
 *BOMA BEST- Building Owners and Managers Association's environmental recognition and certification program.