Pitquhirnikkut Ilihautiniq/Kitikmeot Heritage Society’s (PI/KHS) focus is on Inuinnait – a distinct regional group of Inuit living in the Central Canadian Arctic. Their goal was to create a cultural campus built to reflect Inuit design, architecture and needs. To bring this idea to life, PI/KHS partnered with SAIT’s Green Building Technology Access Centre (GBTAC), one of the centres in the Applied Research and Innovation Services (ARIS) Hub.
In partnership with PI/KHS, GBTAC played a pivotal role in creating Kuugalaaq, a first-of-its-kind modular cultural workspace in Cambridge Bay, Nunavut. This initiative seeks to bridge traditional Inuit knowledge with sustainable building practices, addressing the challenges of constructing energy-efficient infrastructure in Arctic conditions. Kuugalaaq serves as a hub for traditional activities, local innovation, and renewable energy testing while targeting high-performance building goals.
The Canadian Arctic is an incredible place of people, culture, and beauty colliding with climate change impacts and technology advancements. Kuugalaaq is a true collaboration - bringing together old and new, merging traditional and innovative ideas and solutions to benefit northern communities.
Melanie Ross
Research Chair, GBTACKey SAIT contributions
- Conducted a feasibility study and energy model, which helped make key decisions.
- Lead community monitoring project to collect data on building performance and energy efficiency in the Arctic.
- In 36 months, GBTAC worked with PI/KHS to go from initial design to Kuugalaaq, a cultural campus in use.
Feasibility study and energy modelling
GBTAC’s work began with a comprehensive pre-feasibility study to explore the viability of constructing a green-energy-driven facility. Early findings revealed gaps in data regarding the performance of sustainable materials in Arctic conditions and challenges in navigating local supply chains and infrastructure.
A feasibility study is an analysis conducted to assess the practicality and viability of a proposed project or solution. It evaluates various factors to determine whether the project can be successfully implemented. The study identifies potential risks, benefits, and challenges, providing key insights that help make informed decisions.
This feasibility study for Kuugalaaq focused on the building's energy performance, construction methods, and long-term sustainability to ensure it met the community’s needs while remaining cost-effective and resilient in the Arctic environment.
Energy modelling is the process of simulating and analyzing the energy performance of a building or system. It helps predict how a structure will consume energy over a theoretical year under different conditions and design scenarios, allowing for optimization of energy efficiency. By inputting variables such as building design, materials, climate, and energy systems, energy modelling can identify areas for improvement, and assess the impact of various energy-saving measures.
View feasibility report (PDF)
Building design and construction consultation
The design was a collaborative process between Cambridge Bay Elders and cultural experts, GBTAC, and northern and southern industry professionals - Reimagine Architects and Williams Engineering Canada. GBTAC was able to further render the built design into a site-specific model, allowing for visualization of how the building would be positioned within the landscape of the cultural campus.
The design also included strategic features such as south-facing windows and a large solar PV awning system to prevent overheating in the summer and generate electricity.
Building and community monitoring
GBTAC is leading a community monitoring project in Cambridge Bay, Nunavut, aimed at collecting data on building performance and energy efficiency in the Arctic. After hearing from local homeowners and builders who were interested in monitoring their buildings, we saw a unique opportunity to help develop a much-needed database of building practices in the region. With support from Infrastructure Canada’s Research and Knowledge Initiative and in partnership with Aurora Energy Solutions and local community members, we are monitoring six community buildings that represent a range of conventional and advanced construction methods. Our research focuses on tracking energy usage, water consumption, indoor air quality, and the performance of mechanical systems, allowing us to better understand how different building strategies respond to the challenges of the Arctic environment.
The project began with extensive community engagement to identify common issues with building performance, such as high heating demand, humidity, and mold growth. Based on this feedback, GBTAC developed a comprehensive monitoring plan that includes installing sensors to measure energy consumption (both fuel and electricity), water usage, thermal transfer, and moisture movement, as well as evaluating ventilation system performance.
Over the course of a year, GBTAC will capture data across all four seasons to provide a complete picture of building performance in extreme Arctic conditions. This data will help compare different construction approaches and offer recommendations for improving energy efficiency and building sustainability in the region.
Kuugalaaq project timeline
2019: Partnership formation
The foundation for the project was laid in 2019 with the formation of a partnership to conduct a pre-feasibility study for a green energy-driven facility. However, the challenges of limited data on sustainable materials and technologies in Arctic conditions soon shifted the focus toward a more practical pilot structure.
2021: Pilot design, feasibility study and community engagement
By 2021, PI/KHS began designing a modular cultural workspace, emphasizing renewable materials and energy-efficient technologies. Extensive community engagement, including meetings, workshops, and interviews, ensured the structure reflected local cultural needs and traditional knowledge. Inuit Elders and experts played a pivotal role in shaping the design, incorporating principles of heat flow, light management, and vernacular architectural elements.
2022: Training and preparation
Construction training sessions were held at SAIT in May 2022, bringing together project partners and local industry representatives. These sessions emphasized knowledge sharing and capacity building, laying the groundwork for the structure's assembly. The workshop sessions also involved sharing of cultural practices and important social and environmental context for the project, see the article Nunamiutuqaq (Building from the Land) Bridging Culture and Climate Sustainability through Architecture in the Canadian Arctic published in the Journal of the Society for the Study of Architecture in Canada.
2023: Design and construction
Construction of the cultural campus began in 2023. Designed as a cultural hub, it supports traditional activities such as hide preparation, tool fabrication, and sewing. Throughout its use, the building’s energy efficiency, material durability, and cultural functionality are monitored and adjusted to meet project goals.
2024-2025: Monitoring and analysis
The grand opening of Kugaalaaq took place on September 6, 2024. The structure will undergo close monitoring until September 2025 to ensure alignment with energy goals and community needs. Insights gained will inform future projects and contribute to broader knowledge of sustainable northern architecture.
About PI/KHS
Pitquhirnikkut Ilihautiniq / Kitikmeot Heritage Society (PI/KHS) is an Inuit-directed research centre based in Cambridge Bay, Nunavut. Incorporated in 1996, PI/KHS has spent 25 years dedicated to the renewal of Inuinnait culture and the Inuinnaqtun language, and to innovating through the wisdom and experience of Inuit. Its mission is to preserve and renew Inuinnait knowledge, language, and culture for the benefit of all Inuit. Its vision is to concentrate and connect the resources, expertise, and technology critical to Inuinnait cultural and linguistic survival.
All photo credits to Pitquhirnikkut Ilihautiniq : Kitikmeot Heritage Society. Photography by Margaret Thompson and Chris Arko.
Thanks to the team
- Melanie Ross, Research Chair, GBTAC
- Ben Hildebrandt, Principal Investigator, GBTAC
- Tyler Wilson, Principal Investigator, GBTAC
- Kelsey Chegus, Operations Lead, GBTAC
- Lillian Pas, Project Controller, GBTAC
- Alex Kodyra, Research Associate, GBTAC
- Leo Lu, Lab Technician, GBTAC
- Tom Jackman, Principal Investigator, GBTAC
- Amanda Robertson, Sr. Project Coordinator, GBTAC
- Hayley Puppato, Project Coordinator, GBTAC
- Jeremie Ryan, Project Coordinator, GBTAC
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SAIT is located on the traditional territories of the Niitsitapi (Blackfoot) and the people of Treaty 7 which includes the Siksika, the Piikani, the Kainai, the Tsuut’ina and the Îyârhe Nakoda of Bearspaw, Chiniki and Goodstoney.
We are situated in an area the Blackfoot tribes traditionally called Moh’kinsstis, where the Bow River meets the Elbow River. We now call it the city of Calgary, which is also home to the Métis Nation of Alberta.