Region of York Emergency Medical Services Headquarters

The Corporate Mandate was a building that would foster a sense of pride for the Paramedics, demonstrate Sustainable leadership in the community, and provide a healthy and friendly work environment where the medics could call it their “home”. Architects worked closely with the user representatives to refine and complete the Functional Programming and Space Requirements. 
The design of the site included traffic studies for Ambulance access and exit to the site compound.

Public and secured site access were significant design factors towards Access Control to the site. Orientation of the building took into account the vehicular criteria as well as consideration to mitigate solar gain, optimizing the views for occupants, and acknowledgement of site security. YREMS HQ houses two floors of offices, meeting rooms, multi-purpose rooms, staff kitchen/lounge, wellness centre, facilities for processing and storing legislated records, supplies warehouse, and ambulance garage - complete with a washbay and three light-duty repair bays. The building also includes a state-of-the-art Simulation Room which is unique to all Paramedic headquarters across Ontario. A 911 Communications Room is incorporated in the administrative operation department.

Sustainable innovations include building orientation to minimize solar glare for office environment, in floor heating, durable building envelop, heat recovery and free cooling, green roof and solar (farm) panels, storm pond for green roof irrigation, infrared sensors at urinals & water closets (low flow), and hands free lavatories.