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Sustainable Design

At MTA, sustainable design is rooted in a profound respect for the land — what existed before, how buildings interact with the site, and where materials are sourced.
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Our sustainability outlook begins with the belief that the most responsible buildings are designed to endure, adapt, and operate efficiently over time. We believe in the integration of sustainability and design, where choices are always performance-driven and research-informed.

Sustainability is not a one-size-fits-all solution. We collaborate with clients to develop unique approaches for different projects, scales, typologies, budgets, priorities, and communities. Our strategies include careful material selection, passive strategies, and systems integration.

Purposeful and responsive design

Every design feature has a function and responds to the surrounding environmental conditions.

Bespoke, human-centred solutions

Our process considers how people will use spaces while maintaining environmental and fiscal responsibility.

Bright modern open interior with wooden beams, gray modular seating, indoor plants, large windows, and a staircase with glass railings leading to upper floors.

Zero Carbon Operations

The path to zero-carbon operations starts with an integrated vision for a high-performance building. From the beginning, we consider energy performance to shape orientation, envelope, and systems. We establish a carbon budget and sustainability strategy with purpose, carrying these high ambitions throughout the design process. By making the architecture work hard, we reduce the energy required to operate the building.

Modern lounge area with large floor-to-ceiling windows, orange cushioned chairs and sofas, wooden tables, and natural wood ceiling.Modern atrium with wooden beams, glass railings, a central vertical wooden panel, indoor plants, and gray lounge seating with a person using a mobile device.

An operational net-zero carbon institutional building with daylight harvesting, solar chimneys for passive ventilation, deep-water cooling and heating from Lake Ontario, and rooftop solar panels.

An operational net-zero carbon office and workplace with natural daylighting, automation ventilation systems, geothermal heating, a rainwater harvesting system, green roof, and rooftop solar panels.

A 100% electric, climate-controlled archival facility that maximizes air handling unit efficiency and optimizes fan power.

Mass Timber Design

As a natural and renewable material, mass timber centers low-carbon construction in the design. We understand the use of timber as part of a broader climate solution that includes hybrid systems, prefabrication, support for local manufacturing, and transferable innovation. This approach is grounded in material honesty, where structure, source, craft, and environmental responsibility are expressed as part of the architecture.

Modern communal lounge with wooden paneling, large windows, tables, chairs, and people sitting and standing.Two people standing on a sunlit corridor with large wooden beams and floor-to-ceiling windows, one person pointing outside.Modern two-story school building with large windows surrounded by children playing outdoors amid autumn foliage and landscaped gardens.Modern interior with wooden slat wall, glass railings, and a blurred person walking on the upper floor.

A 10-storey mass timber residential building with affordable units, ground floor retail, and shared amenity space.

A 2-storey mass timber facility for university campus operations, with exposed wood framing.

A 10-storey mass timber tower, the first assembly occupancy builiding of its kind in North America.

A replacement for the existing school on site, the Toronto District School Board’s first mass timber project.

A 3-storey mass timber workplace that integrates offices with commercial opportunities.

Sustainability Frameworks

Sustainability frameworks and certifications are a shared language for building owners to demonstrate leadership in high-performance design. Our experience spans some of the most rigorous standards, from LEED Platinum to Zero Carbon Building Standard certifications. We also work with local and federal public policies, such as the Toronto Green Standard and the Federal Greening Government Strategy with experience in policy compliance and development.

Modern single-story building with large glass windows surrounded by a grassy field with flowers, trees, and people enjoying the outdoor space.

A visitor centre located in a national urban park, certified under the Zero Carbon Building Standard.

The first academic building in Canada to achieve LEED Platinum certification.

A campus services facility targeting Zero Carbon Building Standard and LEED Gold certification.

Regenerative Site Integration

MTA approaches each place as a part of a broader ecological system, creating resilient buildings that respond to and strengthen the natural conditions around them.

People walking and standing on a paved plaza in front of a modern building with large glass doors surrounded by greenery and trees under a clear sky.Curved building facade covered with colorful rectangular glass panels reflecting trees, with tall grass in the foreground and a blue sky with clouds above.Modern building with slanted concrete wall, a railing, grass, and a cloudy sky.

A visitor centre in a national park with plantings of native trees and plants to provide habitat for wildlife and pollinators, carefully located to minimize impact on the valley slope.

A regional museum that incorporates native plant species, directs a nearby waterfall to flow gently past the main entry, and uses stormwater for greywater systems in the building.

A national museum that immerses into the surrounding landscape of the Ottawa River with its sloped green roof.

Retrofit and Reuse

The reuse of existing structures provides cost and carbon benefits while allowing us to preserve the cultural significance of a building. Our approach to renewal considers performance, life cycle value, and long-term stewardship.

Interior of the Supreme Court of Canada featuring a large open atrium with a spiral staircase, multiple people standing and talking, and light streaming through a glass ceiling.Modern building with vertical wooden slats surrounded by trees and people walking and sitting on the grass.

A renovation of an existing secondary school facility, transforming the former hockey area into a student hub.

A rehabilitation of a federal landmark in Ottawa with heritage elements, converting the building into a temporary swing space.

An expansion and upgrade of the existing museum to better display and care its collection.

Select Awards

AZ Award, Environmental Leadership for Limberlost Place
2026
Research & Innovation in Architecture Award
2023
Future Project Awards Sustainability Prize
2019
Excellence in Urban Sustainability
2005