Queen's Building Design Standards

Queen’s Building Design Standards provide assistance to consultants and contractors during the planning, design and construction phases of the University’s maintenance, renovations and new capital projects.  

These guidelines do not relieve a consultant from any professional responsibility, duty or due diligence to design elegant, functional, efficient and low maintenance spaces.

In some instance, Queen’s has identified preferred equipment or specific requirements that ensure ease of maintenance and compatibility with current equipment on campus.  These standards are not intended to be the only acceptable solution.  Queen’s expects consultants and/or contractors to consider modern and innovative ideas, materials and methods.  Any proposed alternative ideas are to be submitted in writing to Isabelle Nault, Manager Architecture and Design, for consideration as an exception to the guidelines. These proposals are to include the rationale and/or supporting calculations to demonstrate the equivalent or superior performance of the proposed solution.  The exception request will be reviewed and either rejected or accepted. The standards may be updated subsequently.

These documents provide Queen’s specific design standards only, and are not intended for use, in whole or in part, as a specification. Do not copy the standards verbatim in specifications or in notes on drawings.  

The standards are intended to be read in conjunction with the applicable codes and regulations, and are in no way are to be considered to override those requirements. The codes and regulations represent the minimum acceptable standard. Where the technical design standards differ from the applicable codes and regulations, the more stringent requirement shall be applied.

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