Dana Nigro, Wine Spectator –

LEED Winery Projects in North America

Wineries in the United States and Canada have adopted environmentally friendly design in their new buildings

Stratus Vineyards

Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada

Silver certification, earned May 2005

When this winery in Niagara-on-the-Lake opened to the public in 2005, it was unique in many ways. It was the first building in Canada to earn LEED certification (from the Canada Green Building Council). It was the world’s first LEED-certified winemaking facility, covering the production areas, cellar, hospitality center and offices. The geothermal energy system, with individual temperature control for each room, was rare at the time in Canada. The company’s Toyota Prius, used for local wine deliveries, was still a novelty. But just as interesting are the design details: The tasting room is housed in a glass cube to use daylight, yet on the south and west sides of the building, the windows are narrower to minimize heat gain from the sun. A translucent interior wall lets some natural light from other rooms into the cellar. Since Stratus’ owner is Teknion furniture magnate David Feldberg, even the offices got lots of attention, with all furniture certified to be low in volatile organic compounds. Renowned consultant Paul Hobbs is now working with winemaker J-L Groux on Stratus’s red and white blends.