OUR NEW
MOTHERHOUSE
After
long and prayerful consideration, and careful planning, we moved into
our new Motherhouse in March 2009.
The 55,000 square foot building is situated on a 6 acre parcel
of land severed from the original property. In keeping with our
commitment to a harmonious relationship with the earth and care for
the environment, in 2011 the building was the first LEED certified
building in Peterborough.
It is home to 45 Sisters, including 12 in the fully-equipped Infirmary
wing.
With the new
Motherhouse, we have joined
Greening Sacred Spaces to work with other faith
communities in assisting all faith
communities with both the educational and spiritual dimensions of
greening, as well as the "how-to" side of reducing the faith
community's footprint. It is programme to help faith communities
be open to deeper spiritual quests and practical ways to live into a
new sacred balance with creation. We need to both heal the planet from
our excessiveness and to learn new sustainable practices that are
harmonious with the wondrously evolving web of life. The organization
behind this programme is Faith & the Common Good , an
interfaith network of religious communities learning from, and
appreciating each other, as we all work together on issues of the
common good. It has "networked" with a variety of faith communities,
interfaith organizations, and many civil society organizations all
seeking to address current ethical issues and work towards the common
good in Canada and globally.
The Chapel is the heart and centerpiece of the
building, with its bright and welcoming openness.
We welcome many from
the community to our Sunday Eucharistic celebrations.
The Sisters also enjoy the dining room, gathering
room, library, beauty parlour, lounges, a quiet room and an exercise
room. The Congregation’s
leadership team and administration are also found in one wing of the
building.
The Gathering Room incorporates stained glass
panels from the original Motherhouse.
A number of features have been incorporated into
the building, so that its impact on the environment is reduced:
-
Walls and rooflines are reflective to
reduce heat gain;
-
Where appropriate, windows are angled to
maximize light and minimize heat;
-
Canopies over windows reduce heat gain;
-
Green roof covers one section (irrigated
with rainwater) and thermoplastic reflective roofing helps reduce
heat gain on the other parts;
-
Windows feature low-e glazing;
-
State of the art heating/cooling system
(incorporating energy recovery ventilation) with sophisticated
controls, allows room-by-room control;
-
Generous use of natural light, along with
energy-efficient lighting and lighting controls cut electricity
usage;
-
Low flow toilets, faucets and shower-heads
keep water usage to a minimum;
-
Landscaping features low-maintenance
native and drought-resistant plants.
To learn
more about how the building was designed and constructed to meet the
'Gold' Leed standard, go to:
"Sisters
of St. Joseph... Creating a Leed
Gold certified residence".
