Living Lab

Client: Canadore College

Location: North Bay, Ontario, Canada

From 2022-2023, MES collaborated with Canadore College to build a unique off-grid grow lab for the college to use for food production as part of their acceptance in cohort 1 of the prestigious ImpAct-Climate Campus Living Lab project. The lab demonstrates sustainability, food security and meaningful engagement with Indigenous communities.

Background

Canadore College has been recognized as a leading institution in sustainability initiatives, being chosen as one of the ten living labs nationwide for the prestigious ImpAct-Climate Campus Living Lab Cohort 1 project.

This groundbreaking project aimed to showcase effective strategies for reducing greenhouse gas emissions in various areas, including food waste, transportation, green building/landscape, and indigenous knowledge and practices.

The Challenge

The challenge for MES was to deliver a customized facility for Canadore College to use as an off-grid food production lab and showcase sustainbility best practices. Additionally, the project aimed to reduce the carbon footprint associated with procuring fresh produce for the college’s School of Culinary Arts and Restaurants.

The Solution

MES delivered a cutting-edge modular lab constructed with fiberglass panels and powered by solar energy. This innovative facility served as a testament to the potential of sustainable construction and renewable energy sources.

The project spanned from September 2022 to April 2023, with a primary focus on sustainable food production utilizing MES’s off-grid grow pod. The main objective was to demonstrate the pod as a climate-resistant solution that reduces reliance on fossil fuels while enhancing access to fresh produce in rural and Indigenous communities.

The project also involved consulting with Indigenous communities to better understand their specific needs and challenges in accessing nutritious food.

Canadore College’s remarkable commitment to sustainability and the success of the initial project led to their selection in cohort 2, scheduled to run from May 2023 to March 2024. MES is currently constructing a second 3,000 sq ft lab on campus.

  • "I have had the pleasure of working intimately with MES for the past 4.5 years. The building construction is excellent, the details are well mapped out, and they have considered all the necessary components carefully to make sure the building does as they say it does."

    Angela Proudfoot, Project Administrator Sustainable Food & Clean Water, Canadore College