CAMH – Teaching Greenhouse

Construction of a new teaching greenhouse of approximately 820 sq. ft. (76 m²) at CAMH, 1001 Queen Street West, Toronto. Contract value: $450,000. Procon Group Inc. delivered the building complete — foundations and structure, glazed enclosure, building services, specialized greenhouse systems, barrier-free access and site works — on an existing hospital campus.

Scope of Work

• Site preparation, hoarding, traffic control and tree removal
• Winter excavation and winter-pour preparation
• Forming, reinforcing steel, concrete, granular and backfill
• New footings, foundation walls and slab-on-grade
• New brick masonry base
• New aluminum greenhouse structure with double-pane glazing
• Underground water, natural-gas, electrical and communications services tied into existing campus buildings
• Greenhouse heating unit, exhaust fans and thermostatic control
• Plumbing, irrigation, mist system, floor drainage and a washing area with utility sink
• Interior fit-out: teaching studio, multi-level growing benches and work tables
• Electrical distribution and lighting
• Barrier-free access, including curb cuts and an automatic door operator
• Site works: new asphalt walkway, curb modifications, grading, swales and restoration

Delivery

Winter construction. Excavation and concrete placement were carried out in winter conditions, requiring site locates, winter-pour preparation and protection of the new work.

Campus services integration. Water, natural gas, electrical power and communications were trenched underground from separate existing campus buildings and connected to the new structure.

Constrained site. The greenhouse was built adjacent to a retained heritage storage building, beside an active driveway and fire route, requiring coordination of access, hoarding and restoration.