Located next to the existing Metro Vancouver Waste-to-Energy Facility (WTEF), the WTEF Energy Centre is a 3-storey building that utilizes waste heat from the nearby WTEF to supply local developments via a pipeline with district energy heating and hot water. The building is situated in an existing cul-de-sac right-of-way in order to minimize impacts on the neighbouring Burnaby Fraser Foreshore Park and is located as close to the existing facility as possible. By pulling the building as far north and east as possible, the impact of shadowing on the neighbouring park is minimized, and additional greenspace can be provided back to the park. The building also provides bench seating for the park users, a bee meadow with native planting, a garden space for community use, as well as a storage space for garden maintenance.

The Energy Centre holds many functions including three steam to hot water heat exchangers and their associated equipment, control rooms and electrical rooms, as well as an education and learning centre. This centre will provide a space for touring groups to learn more about the inherent sustainability of waste heat energy generation, and will allow the groups to view the equipment from both the ground floor and a mezzanine level. 

The building design focuses on minimizing embodied carbon and will maximize the use of reclaimed wood in the structure and finishes. The exterior cladding is a blend of reclaimed wood siding and slats, radiating warmth while establishing a strong connection to the natural surroundings of the park. The wood slats enclose the exterior exit stairs, and wrap around to screen the hydraulic process tanks situated behind the building. The screen lifts up at the main entrance corner to create a public gesture, revealing the warm and welcoming wood tones of the mass timber (CLT + DLT or NLT) structure on the interior. The CLT structure presents a low-carbon alternative to steel or concrete, while also providing soundproofing and insulating properties. This proposal also aims to achieve a high level of energy performance through the building envelope and cladding design; passive shading strategies will be used in the south to mitigate the direct sun through the slatted screen.