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Stinson Transport Center, Montréal Transit Society (STM)

The Island of Montreal’s transit authority (Société de transport de Montréal, or STM) manages an extensive network of subway stations and bus routes, serviced by transport centres for vehicle maintenance and repair. Strong growth in demand for public transit led the STM to expand its fleet by 300 vehicles, creating the need for an additional transport centre.

The design intent was to weave the project into the surrounding urban fabric, integrating building, site and landscape into a singular and cohesive ensemble. It drew on contextual components such as the industrial language of neighbouring factories, actively participating in the streetscape and helping the overall rejuvenation of the sector.

Sustainability:

The ecological footprint of this large transport centre was of particular concern to the client. Certified LEED Gold, a Quebec first for this type of building, the project features a multitude of sustainable design strategies:

Internal circulation of buses to minimize greenhouse gases and carbon monoxide emissions
Compact building footprint in spite of internal circulation
Permeable surfaces to reduce rainwater runoff
Optimization of daylight for all interior spaces, reduction of artificial lighting by 75%
Green roof and light-coloured roof membranes on about half the roof and a white roof on the rest, to avoid heat islands
Water retention on-site reduces strain on city sewer system and is used to wash vehicles (75% of the water used is reclaimed water)
230 transplanted trees and 600 new trees
Use of regional materials whenever possible, demolition waste recovered for reuse
State-of-the-art “regent eco” mechanical system
Redesigned parking lot helps to reduce total circulation by up to 285 km and 51 kg of CO2 by car, every year
Approximately 85% of heat produced by the vehicles and maintenance area is reused by heating and air conditioning systems
Energy savings of some $925,000 per year

With its reduced ecological footprint and low maintenance fees, the client can save more than $925,000 per year. Optimized internal circulation is time-saving. The working environment was also designed with employee safety and overall health in mind, which should reduce medical leaves and on-site accidents.

The Stinson transport centre is a prototype for the STM; it will become the benchmark for all future facilities of the corporation. It is the first such facility to provide internal circulation for both normal buses and double-length buses. This is a radical departure from previous projects, where outdoor bus transit from garage to workshop or to street was the norm: a very high standard for any transit authority.

The clever design helped mitigate the negative perception of a 24-hour transport facility, by hiding from view most of the bus circulation and reducing noise and pollution. The roofscape provides a visually engaging landscape for citizens and the building’s occupants.

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