This certification is intended to recognize excellence and leadership in the field of sustainable building. This news comes as the renovated historic residence celebrates its first anniversary of being open to the public, thereby marking a double victory for the environment and heritage. 

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“Maison Robert-Bélanger is a project that is particularly near and dear to my heart, because it simultaneously reflects our history, our community and our commitment to the environment. This magnificent building combines heritage and modernness, thanks to its sustainable restoration. The house probably becomes the only building over 220 years old to obtain this certification in Canada! I would like to extend my warmest gratitude to all the partners and teams who contributed to this success. I invite the public to visit this historic residence and participate in the activities taking place there, in order to discover this place that brings people together—a testimony to both our heritage and our vision for the future.” 
Alan DeSousa, Mayor of Saint-Laurent 

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The residence and grounds were completely restored, renovated and upgraded to meet current standards, while respecting their heritage character in order to evoke their agricultural past. 

From the outset of the project, Saint-Laurent set itself the goal of achieving the first level of LEED® certification through the design and responsible rehabilitation of the building. This was a major challenge, given the historic nature of the building. In this light, preservation of the site as well as compliance with construction methods and standards were complex issues to take into account. 

Saint-Laurent successfully met the CAGBC’s sustainability requirements, thereby surpassing the initial objective and achieving LEED® Silver status. The evaluation criteria are grouped into categories as follows: 

Ecological development of the site 

• Preserved natural environment 
• Location providing immediate access to bus routes and a bicycle path 
• Numerous green spaces to combat urban heat islands 
• Flooring materials facilitating water infiltration at the site 
• Planting of low-maintenance, low-watering native species 
• Vegetable-growing areas, including an ancestral kitchen garden 
• Recovery of rainwater from the roof for watering purposes 
• Secure parking spaces for bicycles and upstairs changing/showering facilities for active transportation users 

Efficient water management  

• Real-time measurement of drinking water consumption 
• Site drainage by reusing natural site slopes and retention basins on-site 
• Water-saving plumbing fixtures 

Energy efficiency 

• Geothermal system including two wells for heating and cooling the building 
• Centralized control system to better manage energy consumption 
• Interior and exterior lighting using LED fixtures 

Selection of materials 

• Locally sourced materials 
• Water-based finishing products with low volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions 

Indoor environmental quality 

• Open spaces to promote access to natural light 
• Operable windows to facilitate natural ventilation 
• Materials and products with low VOC emissions 

The work was completed in 2023 and the building has been open to the public since September 30, 2023. Since then, the borough’s partner organization VertCité has occupied the first floor of Maison Robert-Bélanger. Throughout the year, VertCité organizes environmental education activities for the general public as well as managing the community vegetable gardens located on the grounds. At the same time, Saint-Laurent offers a variety of cultural and recreational activities, aimed at a broad range of people, in order to promote community involvement and sustainable development. 

The more than 7,030 square metres of land on which the residence is built is a key site within the Saint-Laurent biodiversity corridor. Located on Chemin du Bois-Franc, this area is at the heart of one of the five intervention sectors identified as part of the corridor due to its high ecological and historical value and its potential for ecological connectivity with the Ruisseau Bertrand greenway ecoterritory. 

The restoration work on Maison Robert-Bélanger was carried out with financial support from the Gouvernement du Québec and Ville de Montréal under the Entente de développement culturel de Montréal. In addition, the landscaping was done thanks to support from the Gouvernement du Québec and the Communauté métropolitaine de Montréal (CMM) as part of the Trame verte et bleue du Grand Montréal financial assistance program. 

The project to save this historic residence, including the mediation component, won the Opération patrimoine de Montréal 2023 award in the Redonner vie (“bringing back to life”) category.