The patented TcLip™ is a key component of the holistic SYSTEM2 approach. Used alone, or together with our SYSTEM2 approach, the TcLip™ helps achieve the thermal performance required by various building codes in North America. NEW: Passive House Certified.
Translucent Insulated Glazing Units
Introducing KALWALL® 175CW
Zero Carbon Building Standard and LEED
Building-in-Review
A record of projects certified under ZCB Standards and LEED in 2023
The 6th Annual Passive House
Canada Conference
The Narrows
Understanding of details gained from experience
Enclosures for High Performance and Passive House Buildings
Design, installation, long-term benefits
Windows for High-Performance Enclosures
An industry up to the challenge
Exterior details for High-Performance Enclosures
Rear-Ventilated Rainscreen and Cladding Types
Cheko’nien House
Energy efficiency, resilience, and emission reductions on a grand scale
Embassy Commons
Barren site revitalized for supportive housing and community service
Cold Air Distribution
A novel approach to meeting Passive House cooling loads?
To be most productive, one needs to be comfortable first. Add superior light quality and views to the outdoors along with natural ventilation to enhance indoor environmental quality and people thrive. Daylighting done right has been proven to increase productivity, reduce absenteeism and improve mood. Kalwall works hard so employees can work smart.
Only Kalwall offers the power of beautifully balanced daylighting. Unlike other glazing products on the market, Kalwall provides predictable, glare-free daylight that blocks harmful UV-A and UV-B rays while transmitting the full spectrum of visible light for perfect color rendition within interiors.
Translucent Kalwall panels provide perfectly diffuse daylighting that evenly bathes spaces in natural light, meaning fewer lights on during the day. Our high recyclability and low embodied carbon ratings are planet-friendly. Even better, our best-in-class thermal performance means you get superb daylight without any solar heat gain. That means savings for electrical and cooling costs, which is good for both your bottom line and the environment.
Member Canada Green Building Council
SABMag is a proud member and official media partner of the Canada Green Building Council.
VISIT www.sabmagazine.com
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Back in 2008, we published an article on CSA Z782, ‘Guideline for Design for Disassembly and Adaptability in Buildings (DFDA). Like McDonough and Braumgart’s’ recently published Cradle 2 Cradle, DFDA appeared to offer a compelling strategy for reducing construction waste and ultimately decoupling economic activity from the consumption of finite resources.
However, the complex parameters that determine circularity have proven difficult to implement fully, without either the ‘carrots’ of incentives, or the ‘sticks’ of regulation. In Vancouver, new bylaws were required to enforce the disassembly (rather than demolition) of older homes, the value coming in the character or quality of materials (specifically old growth wood) found in these structures. Across Canada, the recent focus on embodied carbon has increased the number of buildings (most particularly large concrete structures) being retained and upgraded to contemporary standards, so extending their service life. In many cases, these projects come with the risk of exposure to toxic materials such as lead and asbestos.
The lessons learned about the imperative of using high quality, healthy materials; comprehensive and transparent specifications; the benefits of simplicity and flexibility of structures; the reversibility of connections - now form the basis of a design strategy for new buildings. Without reducing our focus on preserving the past, we must also turn our attention to the future in much the same way as the European Union has done.
While maintaining its emphasis on local materials to minimize the inherent carbon footprint of global supply chains, the EU has focused on the idea of Buildings as Material Banks for future generations to draw upon. One such material bank is Modaster, an online database for building materials and products. It includes environmental and healthy material declarations, ease of disassembly and reuse, as well as many other specifications.
The database is now used in five European countries, including Germany which recently registered the first ever whole building in which every material and product has been certified by Modaster. EDGE Sudkreuz is a 30,000 sq.m office and retail complex constructed using the CREE system, a modular mass timber and concrete hybrid structural system that reduced the embodied carbon by 50% relative to traditional high-rise construction.
Now it’s our turn!
Jim Taggart, FRAIC EditorMay 14-18, 2024, VancouverRAIC Conference 2024
For information and registration raic.org/conference
May 22 to 24, 2024, Niagara Falls – OAA Conference with the theme of Housing: Pushing the Envelope.
For information and registration https:// oaa.on.ca/whats-on/conference
June 5-6, Toronto – CAGBC Building Lasting Change
For information and registration https:// www.cagbc.org/learn/attend-an-event/ building-lasting-change/
17 TO 19, 2024, UNIVERSITY OF VICTORIA - PASSIVE HOUSE CANADA CONFERENCE 2024
Focusing on innovation, market acceleration, and ecological regeneration, the conference will feature case studies, policy discussions, and workshops on the integration of Passive House standards with ecological and health-centered design principles, setting a new benchmark for the future of the built environment. Also available online. For information and registration https://conference.passivehousecanada.com/
The Amexon Development Corporation is a finalist in the Building Industry and Land Development Association (BILD) 2024 Green Builder of the Year Award which recognizes the builder who best demonstrates outstanding leadership in green building practices.
The Green Builder of the Year Award finalist nomination follows on the heels of Amexon's The Residences at Central Park project winning the Ontario Home Builders' Association Project of the Year (People's Choice Award) in 2023.
The 12-acre mixed-use community project, adjoining the East Don Parkland in Toronto, incorporates a range of industryleading green features and building practices, including EV charging stations in all parking areas for residents, visitors and retail venues.
Visit SABMag's Directory of Sustainable Products and Services for Sustainable, High-Performance Building [sabmagazine. com/product-directory/ ] where products are organized by Product Category and by LEED Category. Examples of featured listings include:
ACO SystemsIncreasingly extreme weather must be counteracted by more complex and sophisticated drainage concepts. ACO achieves this with intelligent system solutions which have a dual purpose: protecting people from water, and water from people. Every ACO product safely controls the water as it passes along the chain to ensure that it can be ecologically and economically reused in a viable way.
Molok® Deep Collection™ system
- An award-winning semi-underground waste containment system. Twenty years in North America and emptied by crane, Molok® containers are space saving, efficient and odour free.
Airfoam Industries
- Airfoam Industries is a proud North American manufacturer of high-performance building envelope products. With insulation solutions for residential, commercial, and industrial applications.
Arriscraft - Using only natural materials, Arriscraft manufactures superior stone that delivers the aesthetic and performance qualities of quarried stone. Arriscraft offers full-bed stone, thin-clad solutions and brick products, plus natural limestone quarried in Ontario.
CFP Woods, Cayaki Charred WoodCAYAKI specializes in interior & exterior charred siding. Raw material is sourced and made in Canada utilizing Red & White Cedar which are two widely renowned wood species for their rot-proof, as well as insect and weather-resistant properties. The market leader in knowing how to properly char and apply a wide range of eye-catching colours and textures.
475 High Performance Building Supply - 475.Supply is a trusted source for building envelope knowledge and materials: Pro Clima airsealing, Gutex wood fiber board insulation, Lamilux skylights, Brink heat recovery ventilation, and more. Plus, download free Smart Enclosure guides today!
Canada BrickLocated in Ontario, Canada Brick manufactures an impressive selection of residential and architectural brick, including modern and traditional colour ranges and several premium finishes. Canada Brick has manufactured brick locally for 70 years and is a smart option to buy Canadian.
CBC Metals and Processing/ VM Zinc - Muntz Metal, Architectural Bronze, Silicon Bronze, Coppers, Brasses, Aluminum; Stainless Steels: Satin, Hairline & Mirror; Coloured Stainless Sheet: Black, Bronze, Brass & various others. Anodized Aluminum; and CBC EZ Metal (matte finish Stainless for Roofing & Cladding). Technical service available in English et en Français.
The Langley Group/Filterra - The Langley Concrete Group of Companies is the largest independent precast operation in Western Canada. Product lines dedicated to Stormwater Treatment include Oil Interceptors, Stormceptors, Jellyfish Filters, and Filterra.
Furnishings - A recognized leader in the development and manufacture of municipal grade outdoor furniture. Using recycled plastics and metals, Wishbone products speak innovation through design that is aesthetically pleasing and functional.
Assemblies - EA imports and supplies world-class lightweight façade materials and substructure assemblies including our patented, Canadian-made TcLip™. Experts in rearventilated rainscreen (RVRS), EA provides design assistance with the SYSTEM2-v2 Design Guide available for download on our website.
FABRIQ architecture - FABRIQ architecture is a Montreal based firm that delivers innovative and sustainable design solutions for clients in the public and private sectors. Currently have eight major LEED projects certified or underway.
Get your product or service listed in the SABMag Directory for national print, web, digital and newsletter visibility.
Ask for details ... dgriffith@sabmagazine.com.
Live Roof - LiveRoof is the premier pre-vegetated modular green roof system available across Canada. Regionally grown modules with vegetation specifically selected and tested for your climate by the horticultural professionals at LiveRoof. Wind uplift tested according to CSA A123.24-15. Contact us for specific rooftop stormwater management solutions.
- Premier TANK. Premier WARRANTY. Premier SYSTEM. Roth North America provides water cisterns, rainwater harvesting tanks, septic tanks, and more, consisting of an inner layer of FDA approved virgin HDPE, two inside layers of PE for improved stability, plus one outer layer of black and UV-stabilized PE. Low profile, 100% watertight, and Lifetime corrosion protection.
KALWALL® 175CW is the first in a series of new translucent insulated glazing units (TIGUs) which allows you to mix and match Kalwall with other infill glazings and claddings for limitless façade design possibilities - without sacrificing performance.
KALWALL 175CW TIGUs are nominally 1-3/4" (44mm) and fully thermally broken. Daylight your building with Kalwall installed in the curtain wall system of your choosing and enjoy unparalleled versatility, durability and performance that outperforms conventional vision glazing in almost every way.
HIGH-PERFORMANCE GLAZING LIKE NO OTHER KALWALL® 175CW was specifically developed for seamless compatibility with third-party curtain wall systems. While all Kalwall panels offer best-in-industry thermal performance and solar heat gain control, KALWALL 175CW offers high-performance glazing unlike anything in the industry. It allows you to:
• Create perfectly bright, comfortable spaces without sacrificing daylight autonomy.
• Mix and match Kalwall 175CW with double- or triple-glazed units, spandrels and other claddings for the best of both worlds. Plug and play wherever you need to daylight with confidence.
• TIGUs offer privacy/modesty and are bird-friendly.
• Eliminate the need for secondary control systems.
• Low maintenance panels are graffiti and vandal resistant.
Kalwall 175CW panels are available in both 1-way and 2-way grid patterns, orthogonal (90 degree) only (no diagonal mullions or muntins internal to the panel). Trapped panels are still possible. All 175CW grid-cores use a thermally-broken I-beam (TBI). The thermal break is approximately 3/4" (19mm) wide and utilizes our low conductive FRP as the web material.
Our 3D simulation software uses daylight modelling to customize a solution for your unique needs. You’ll receive the museumquality daylighting™ you expect—whether your project is a retrofit or you’re thinking ahead to a future-fit solution.
KALWALL TRANSLUCENT GLAZING UNIT (TIGU)
The Shoji-reverse grid pattern, one of the various patterns available.
First company in Canada to build a LEED Gold-certified commercial building, MONTONI has over 4.2 million sq. ft. of LEED-certified buildings today, and is aiming to achieve nearly 7 million sq. ft. of additional LEED certification, as well as 2 million sq. ft. of BCZ certification for its current projects.
Our ambition: To build a sustainable legacy that will make future generations proud.
A real estate corporation dedicated to sustainable development
Ì 587 Avonhead Rd - Building A Mississauga, ON, Carttera Management Inc.
Ì Agrandissement Rayside Labossière, Montreal, QC, Rayside Labossière
Ì BC Government NetZero Carbon
Neutral Conversion, Williams Lake, BC, Real Property Division
Ì CT REIT - Dufferin Distribution Centre, Calgary, AB, Neoteric Architecture Inc
Ì École secondaire Sainte-Anne, Lachine, QC, College Ste-Anne
Ì FortWhyte Alive Buffalo Crossing Visitor Centre, Winnipeg, MB, FortWhyte Alive
Ì Louis-B Mayer, Laval, QC, Triovest
Ì Maple Meadows Phase 4/5, Maple Ridge, BC, Nicola Wealth
Real Estate
Ì Market Lands Mixed Use Building Winnipeg, MB, UWCRC 2.0 Inc
Ì MIFO, Orléans, ON, Mouvement
D'Implication Francophone
D'Orléans
Ì Neil Campbell Rowing Centre, St. Catherines, ON, Niagara 2022 Games
Ì Northeast Scarborough Community & Childcare Centre Scarborough, ON, City of Toronto
Ì RF Candiac société en commandite, Candiac, QC, Rosefellow
Ì Ronald McDonald House, Halifax, NS, Ronald McDonald House Charities Atlantic
Ì Royal Roads University - Rose Garden Cottage, Victoria, BC, Royal Roads University
Ì Tamperguard Head Office, Dorval, QC, Tamperguard / GroupDC
Ì Thunder Bay Art Gallery Waterfront, Thunder Bay, ON, Thunder Bay Art Gallery
Ì Township Wide Recreation Centre King City, ON, The Township of King
Ì UAP, Siège social, Montreal Montreal, QC, UAPRO Inc
Ì UBC Gateway, Vancouver, BC, UBC Properties Trust
Ì Vortex International Office Building Addition, Pointe-Claire, QC, Vortex international
Ì Westboro Beach Pavilions and Park, Ottawa, ON, National Capital Commission
Ì 531 Wellington St. N., Kitchener, ON, AET
Ì 100 Yonge Street, Toronto, ON, KingSett Capital
Ì 1090 Homer Street, Vancouver BC, GWL Realty Advisors Inc.
Ì 1177 West Hastings St., Vancouver, BC
Ì 2011 Joly, Montreal, QC, Forum Asset Management
Ì 240 Markland Drive, Etobicoke, ON,Carttera Management Inc.
Ì 2655 Bristol Circle Oakville, ON, Fiera Real Estate
Ì 3500 Steeles Ave. East Markham, ON, Fiera Real Estate
Ì 355 Wilkinson, Dartmouth, NS, East Port Properties Limited
Ì 395 Southgate Drive - Alectra Utilities, Guelph, ON
Ì 4087 Harvester, Burlington, ON, Fiera Real Estate
Ì 450 March Road, Kanata, ON, Fiera Real Estate
Ì 455 Abbott, Vancouver, BC, Forum Asset Management
Ì 483 Bay Street - Recert., Toronto, ON, Northam Realty Advisors
Ì 483 Bay Street - Recert., Toronto ON, Northam Realty Advisors
Ì 495 Wilkinson, Dartmouth, NS, East Port Properties Limited
Ì 495 Wilkinson, Dartmouth, NS, East Port Properties Ltd. Nova Scotia
Ì 531 Wellington St. N. Kitchener, ON
Ì 609 Granville Zero Carbon Building- Performance, Vancouver BC, The Cadillac Fairview Corporation Limited
Ì 700 West Georgia Zero Carbon Building-Performance, Vancouver BC, The Cadillac Fairview Corporation Limited
Ì 700 West Pender, Vancouver, BC, The Cadillac Fairview Corporation Limited
Ì 701 W Georgia, Vancouver, BC, The Cadillac Fairview Corporation Limited
Ì 725 Granville, Vancouver, BC, The Cadillac Fairview Corporation Limited
Ì 750 West Pender, Vancouver, BC, The Cadillac Fairview Corporation Limited
Ì 777 Dunsmuir Zero Carbon Building-Performance Vancouver, BC, The Cadillac Fairview Corporation Limited
Ì 87 Mann (The Spire), Ottawa, ON, Forum Asset Management
Ì 885 West Georgia Zero Carbon Building-Performance, Vancouver, BC, The Cadillac Fairview Corporation Limited
Ì 980 Howe Zero Carbon Transition, Vancouver, BC, The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company
Ì Amped Sports Lab, Gloucester ON, Modern Niagara Group
Ì Arthur Erickson Place, Vancouver BC
Ì Collège Sainte-Anne, Dorval, QC
Ì Complexe Canal Lachine
Montreal, QC, Gestion immobilière Quo Vadis
Ì Complexe Dompark, Montreal, QC, Gestion Immobiliere Quo Vadis
Ì 675 Harwood Buildings A & B, Ajax, ON, 675 Harwood Holdings Inc. c/o Triovest Realty Advisors Inc.
Ì 8205 Parkhill Drive, Milton, ON, Menkes Parkhill Holdings Inc.
Ì Agrivalue Processing Business Incubator Facility Expansion, Leduc, AB, Alberta Infrastructure
Ì ALRE- Laval - Nouveau bâtiment BMO, Laval, QC, ALRE Properties inc
Ì Aréna Francis Bouillon, Montreal QC, Service de la gestion et de la planification immobilière
Ì Aréna Mont-Royal, Montreal, QC, Ville de Montréal
Ì B1C1a, Brossard, QC, Devimco
Immobilier
Ì Bible Hill P-4 School, Bible Hill, NS, Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal
Ì C5B6, Brossard, QC, Devimco Immobilier
Ì Centre d’innovation adMare, Montreal, QC, Neomed Institute
Ì Daiya Foods Building - Phase 1 & 2, Burnaby, BC, Daiya Foods
Ì DIALOG Toronto Office Fit Up, Toronto, ON, Dialog Design
Ì DMH Hamilton Gateway Facility Hamilton, ON, Dhl Express (usa), Inc.
Ì École primaire Saint-Émile, QC, Commission scolaire de la Capitale
Ì EWBP Phase 2 and 3, Milton, ON, Sun Life Assurance Company of Canada c/o BentallGreenOak
Ì Grifols Canada Therapeutics
Albumin and Fractionation
Building (Zone A, B, C), Montreal QC, Grifols Engineering – Grifols Canada Therapeutics Inc.
Ì Halton Hills Buildings B1 & B2, Halton Hills, ON, Halton Hills Industrial Devel. GP I c/o Triovest
Ì Iport Caledon Buildings B, C, D, E, Bolton, ON, Triovest Realty Advisors Inc.
Ì Loto-QC, 500 Sherbrooke O. SAAQ MAMH, Montreal, QC, Loto-Quebec
Ì Maison Terra, Sainte-Annede-Bellevue, QC, Broccolini Construction Inc.
Ì North Retail District
Buildings 3 -10, Calgary, AB, Certified Brookfield Properties Developement
Ì Société en commandite Solar Condo Tour 2 et 3, Brossard, QC, dyfic Construction
Ì VIU 2, Gatineau, QC, Groupe Heafey
The LEED Platinum certified Amber Trails Community School, designed by Prairie Architects Inc. for the Seven Oaks School Division, opened in 2015. Just a few short years later, an eight-classroom addition was constructed to accommodate the growing population in the area. The addition received LEED Gold certification in 2023.
The addition is modelled after the original school design where groupings of classrooms are clustered around shared, open multi-purpose areas. The eight-classroom addition increased the capacity of the school from 800 to 1,000 students and complements the existing school’s attributes, incorporating key principles of sustainability such as enhanced building commissioning and exceptional energy performance.
Some noteworthy elements include: hydronic radiant floors controlled from the building automation system (BAS), using hot water supplied from the existing school’s central ground source heat pump (GSHP); constant volume air distribution via active chilled beams in the classrooms; and both hot and chilled water supplied from the existing GSHP system with a 20-ton upgrade to the heat pump module to provide the incremental plant capacity required for the addition.
OWNER Seven Oaks School Division
LOCATION Winnipeg, Manitoba
AREA 11,324 sf (addition)
COST $3.3 Million (addition)
YEAR COMPLETED 2019 (addition)
CONTRACTOR Three-Way Builders
CONSULTANTS Architect: Prairie Architects Inc. / Structural Engineering: Wolfrom Engineering Ltd. / Mechanical & Electrical Engineering: WSP / Landscape Architect: HTFC Planning & Design / Interior Design: Prairie Architects Inc. / Sustainable Project Management: Prairie Architects Inc. / Commissioning: Integrated Designs Inc. (now Crosier Kilgour)
The LEED Gold certified Visitor Centre situated on 16 acres of rural land in Cavendish, PEI, is the setting for Lucy Maud Montgomery’s novel ‘Anne of Green Gables’. Parks Canada wanted to improve the tourist experience with a structure that would be respectful of the historic house and would reinterpret the wood building tradition of PEI through the use of exposed engineered mass timber, a more sustainable choice than traditional post and beam.
In order to accommodate the growing communities of Mitchell, Manitoba and surrounding area, the Hanover School Division required significant expansion of the Mitchell Elementary School. The 11,142 square-foot addition includes five new classrooms; a learning commons, which opens into a large multi-purpose room; an entrance vestibule; and washrooms and service space. Additionally, outside of the LEED project boundary, a subsequent renovation to the existing school was undertaken in order to expand and renovate the kindergarten classrooms; renovate the administration and staff areas; and provide much-needed consolidation of the educational support and resource areas.
The project team worked in close collaboration with the Hanover School Division to prioritize the school’s need and determine the scope of work that would best serve the school and meet the project’s sustainability goals within the project budget.
www.rootarchitecture.ca
A narrow plan and large windows on the east side provides ample daylight and enables south-facing glazing to be shaded. Artificial lighting, although rarely needed, is controlled by daylight sensors. Large doors in the lobby can be opened to allow cooling breezes in summer. De-stratification fans used to control temperatures within the high-volume spaces are powered by the PV panels. The building averages 1 air change per hour. Recovery ventilation units are designed at 30% more than required by ASHRAE 62.1. Energy intensity reduction is about 23%.
PROJECT FACTS
OWNER Hanover School Division
LOCATION Mitchell, Manitoba
AREA 11,142 sf (new) / 8,697 sf (reno)
COST $4.5 Million
YEAR COMPLETED 2020
CONTRACTOR Gateway Construction
CONSULTANTS Architect: Prairie Architects Inc. / Structural
Engineering: Wolfrom Engineering Ltd. / Mechanical & Electrical
Engineering: KGS Group / Civil Engineering: J.R. Cousin
Consultants Ltd. / Interior Design: Prairie Architects Inc. / Sustainable Project Management: Prairie Architects Inc. / Commissioning: Integrated Designs Inc. (now Crosier Kilgour)
Modern Niagara’s transformation of the AMPED Sports Lab and Ice Complex into North America’s first arena to achieve a Zero Carbon Building Performance Standard certification proves decarbonization is achievable – even in the most challenging spaces.
Canada’s aggressive carbon reduction objectives need to be met by 2030 and 2050. As building emissions represent a significant percentage of the country’s total emissions, Modern Niagara – Canada’s leading national mechanical and electrical, building services, and integrated building technology contractor –has responded to the urgent call for a decarbonized built environment.
Ice rinks symbolize Canada’s national identity. Whether the place for hockey, exhibiting our collective values of teamwork, dedication, and resilience, or the shared space for belonging, connection, and unity, the arena represents the heart of Canadian communities. They are also among the highest energy-consuming facilities in a municipality. As such, Modern Niagara developed the position that if an arena can be decarbonized, any building in any community can be decarbonized, making arenas the ideal starting point for municipalities looking to begin their net zero journeys.
The Trades Training Centre in Dawson Creek, Canada provides workshops for the instruction of carpentry, welding, plumbing, millwright, and wind turbine technology, as well as student commons, classrooms, and offices. Tailored to the northern climate, the project inverts trades building typology to suit collaborative, multi-disciplinary trades education. Mass timber construction is used for efficiency and is exposed within the building to create practical spaces humanized by wood materials, colour and natural light. The project recently achieved LEED ‘Gold’ certification.
Dawson Creek is a remote resource town of 13,000 residents in northeast BC, dependent upon the oil and gas industry. It is very cold, with long nights and temperatures that regularly dip to -40˚C during the winter.
The project is an addition to Northern Lights College. The new building provides a clear identity for the campus, by fronting the haphazard former military base with a single long façade and addressing the town’s main road with a large coloured clerestorey along its full length - animated by LED lights that harken to the aurora borealis. Sheltered courtyards around the new building counter the sprawling pattern of a town that lacks pedestrian amenity.
Demand for heat and shelter is extreme in this northern climate. The design responds by providing a renewable campus energy system centered around a large-scale biomass boiler fueled by waste wood from the region’s forest industry. The south-facing elevation of the building was designed as a solar wall to utilise the strong winter sunlight to pre-heat intake air for the building’s mechanical ventilation system. Where conventional trade training facilities use large outdoor ‘boneyards’ for storage and training activities, this space was enclosed at Northern Lights, and the exhaust air from other fully conditioned spaces used to temper the space during cold periods.
Virox Technologies Inc., a leading chemical engineering innovator of safe, effective and sustainable disinfectants, was the first chemical manufacturer in Canada capable of developing Ecologo® and Green Seal Certified products in a state-of-the-art 68,500+ square foot LEED-certified facility, headquartered in Oakville, Ontario. Our environmental commitment goes beyond our ground-breaking disinfectant technologies and products and is reflected in our operations and building technologies.
Virox has invested in its operational sustainability with building upgrades including expansions, retrofits, and technological advancements that deliver a multitude of benefits to its occupants and the surrounding environment:
• Installing JADE™ HEPA-RX air filters remove >99.99% of airborne pathogens,
• Retrofitting all building lights to LED’s improves energy efficiency,
• Installing electric vehicle charging stations, bicycle racks, and shuttles to connect staff to city transit services encourages alternative modes of transportation,
• Enhancing our recycling program has achieved a 90% waste diversion rate. These are just a few sustainability initiatives undertaken to improve building performance, reduce operating costs, and provide a more healthful and productive environment for occupants.
As a disruptor in disinfectant technology and infection prevention, our focus on health and environmental sustainability is a legacy that we will pass on to future generations.
Discover more about our commitment to a sustainable future: virox.com
near net zero carbon and LEED Silver Certified
In a seamless collaboration between client and consultant groups, the York Regional Police, #1 District Headquarters in Newmarket, Ontario transcended initial regional objectives, aiming beyond LEED Silver to align with the York Region 2031 carbon neutral mandate. Emphasizing passive technologies like geothermal energy and enhanced envelope performance, the project retained its commitment to security, functionality, and design efficiency.
To augment expertise, the team pursued additional training in Passive House principles, enriching their existing skill set. Parkin spearheaded a culture of excellence, instituting rigorous quality tests throughout construction, including multiple blower door tests, ensuring superior building performance. While achieving zero carbon status for the building, the project remains mindful of the carbon footprint of its emergency generator required to guarantee 24/7 operation. Although not Passive House certified, the project meticulously adheres to Passive House principles, confirming the commitment to a sustainable ethos.
Located in Winnipeg’s burgeoning southwest, north of a primary motorway into the city, Buffalo Crossing is situated on Muir Lake’s south shore, the largest of five lakes formed in reclaimed clay and gravel pits abandoned by the Canada Cement Company.
The 18,000 sf two-story mass timber Visitor Centre consists of a gift shop, café, lobby, gender neutral washrooms, learning, pre-function and indigenous spaces, prep kitchen, and event space.
The marquee gateway to FortWhyte Alive’s 660 acre nature campus, offering environmental education and recreation programs, Buffalo Crossing will be a living exhibit of climate resilience, reconciliation, and stewardship, facilitating expanded programming and revenue.
Amidst wispy aspens, perched between and over granite gabion walls concealing the ‘natural garden’ beyond, Buffalo Crossing frames views towards visitors’ experience. Transparent, welcoming, Buffalo Crossing is designed to draw people in connecting them with nature.
Triangular in form with a minimal north facade with limited solar exposure, the northwest façade opens up to picturesque views, while the south façade addresses the motorway providing a strong physical presence. The upper volume shading the lower volume, stepping up at the event space. Rounded corners soften its presence within the aspen forest. Two ends of the upper volume are carved out to form balconies.
Interior features supporting indigenous culture were carefully curated including language, interpretive elements, and the Star Blanket pattern celebrating indigenous history and knowledge. The bison (buffalo) make an appearance in the Donor Wall.
Special consideration was given to south central Canada’s extreme climate with conditions ranging from -40° C and 0% relative humidity to +40° C and 100% relative humidity and future projected climate data to inform the design of Buffalo Crossing achieving CaGBC’s Zero Carbon Building Design Standard and targeting Passive House Certification - the first such projects in Manitoba to achieve these standards.
Large bird-friendly insulating glass units passively harvest solar heat during the heating season, while the overhang and operable screens, theatrically opening and closing in response to the sun, passively shade the interiors during the cooling season. Paired with a highperformance building enclosure, the heating energy demand is lowered by ~90%.
The building’s HVAC system consists of a ground source heat pump, energy recovery ventilator, and in-floor heating/cooling.
Buffalo Crossing demonstrates FortWhyte Alive’s commitment to climate action through the built environment, promoting an understanding of the natural world, inspiring actions towards sustainable living and a better future for all.
The transformation of a 16,000 sq. ft. retail space in Williams Lake into a sustainable office building represents a significant achievement. Situated on the traditional lands of the Secwepemc, T'exelcemc, and Xat'súll First Nations, this project stands as a testament to Canada's commitment to emission reduction goals.
Originally housing Sears and Fabricland stores, the building now serves as the Ministry for Children and Families' headquarters, showcasing pioneering sustainability efforts. PassivHaus design techniques were implemented, such as high-efficiency windows, enhanced thermal insulation, and thermal bridging avoidance. The project foresees a net positive energy return to the system’s grid through highly efficient systems and geothermal heating and cooling capabilities. Up to an 80% reduction in energy consumption compared to the baseline building's energy consumption was achieved.
Photovoltaic panels covering the roof offset the remaining 20% energy consumption, contributing to carbon neutrality and net-zero energy status. Notable upgrades include improved insulation and exterior cladding, ensuring both energy efficiency and aesthetic appeal. The building's interiors, inspired by LEED and WELL criteria, prioritize occupants' health and inclusivity. This project stands as a beacon of sustainability, inclusivity, and respect for Indigenous cultures and the environment, serving as a model for future developments striving towards similar goals.
www.gotad.ca
The 2024 Conference is coming to the University of Victoria, June 17-19th
By Design!
Transform the Built Environment.
Join us this June in beautiful Victoria, BC and online, to network with industry professionals from across Canada exploring how we can transform the built environment together through innovation, growth and regeneration.
For the first time ever, the entire Passive House Canada Conference will be held inside a Passive House building, and conference attendees can stay on-site to experience campus life in Passive House comfort. This year’s annual conference is a true Passive House immersion.
We are pleased to announce our keynote speaker this year is Bill Reed of Regenesis Group. A trailblazer his entire life, and a co-developer of the LEED, he is now at the forefront of the regenerative development movement. Regeneration moves beyond sustainability and restoration, examining the integrated systems of a place as an evolving whole.
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Member discounts available!
Located in the Hastings Sunrise neighbourhood of Vancouver, The Narrows is a six-storey mixed-use building with 48 residential rental suites in conventional wood frame construction over 225 sq. m of commercial uses in a concrete podium. It is located just one block east of The Heights, another mixed-use building which in 2018 became the first Passive House certified project to be completed by Cornerstone Architecture. The Narrows has been recognized by the Province as a Clean BC Net-Zero Energy-Ready Challenge Winner.
Unlike The Heights, which is located on a corner, The Narrows has zero lot line setbacks on both the east and west sides, with its south façade on busy Hastings Street, and its north façade facing a commercial lane. From a Passive House perspective, the site is a challenging one, as the lane is almost two storeys higher than the street. As well as planning complexity, this creates issues around thermal bridging, the extent and detailing of the airtight envelope, and the transition between the parkade and the occupied portion of the building.
Additional massing complexity was generated by setback steps in the building section, in part responding to City zoning guidelines (of note, the City is recognizing this issue and is moving to allow simpler massing forms). The Narrows achieves a form factor of 0.47; higher than that for The Heights (which was 0.42) but still within the range that can meet Passive House energy standards. The zero lot line condition on the two sides necessitated an innovative solution to achieve the required levels of air tightness, insulation, minimized thermal bridging, as well as providing required fire ratings.
Established in 2006, Varsa Windows and Doors, has been dedicated to crafting and delivering exceptional products. Specializing in manufacturing a wide range of Aluminum and UPVC systems including Windows, Doors, Lift and Slides, Sliders, Bifolds and more, we are proud to present products lines that are LEED and Passive Certified
What began as a manufacturing and wholesale operation has grown into a comprehensive service, encompassing sales and professional installation since 2012. Our business is built by Residential, Multi-Unit and Commercial Projects backed by top level architects and recognized builders within the industry.
Our production materials are sourced by European suppliers with renowned experience in the window and door industry. Our production plant, residing in Greece, has been in existence for two generations We take immense pride in providing outstanding customer service while delivering high-end quality products.
Our Greek heritage inspires us to infuse our craftsmanship with elegance, durability, and a touch of Mediterranean charm. Join us on this journey as we combine tradition with innovation to transform your spaces.
When designing low energy, high performance buildings, the role of enclosure design is critically important: including maximizing thermal performance through super-insulation, air tightness and the mitigation of thermal bridging; control of solar heat gain through shading and glass selection to minimize overheating risk; and natural ventilation through operable windows.
While these strategies are designed to optimize the management of heat, air and thermal performance, from an architect’s or structural engineer’s perspective, the enclosure is also crucial to the structural support and overall aesthetic of the building.
In the last quarter of the 20th century, the energy performance of buildings did not change as much as one might expect with technological innovation. With the introduction of higher performing materials, components, and systems, building forms simultaneously became more complex, with a multitude of corners and balconies. Together with the growing aesthetic demand for large areas of glazing, this negated many of the advances in performance that might otherwise have been made.
To add to this challenge, the comparative energy performance targets included in many current energy Codes and standards, where designs are modelled to achieve a percentage improvement over a prescribed reference building, have historically demonstrated little to no correlation between inservice building energy use and the percentage improvement over the baseline building that was modelled. There has been a growing realization that the modelled energy consumption during design may differ by more than 100% from the measured energy use after the building is occupied.
RDH focuses on the building science of enclosure design and believes that to move forward, we must commit to measurable targets for modelling energy use. While there will still be discrepancies between the modelled and actual energy use with this approach, the absolute performance metrics will drive design decisions which will tend to result in more consistent reductions in building energy use.
Over the past 10 years in Canada, the Passive House Standard has gained in popularity, particularly for large buildings. Passive House has absolute energy targets for space heating and cooling; airtightness is always measured empirically at regular intervals throughout the construction process; primary energy use now factors in renewables, as well as the transmission losses between the point of energy generation and the building to which energy is being supplied.
In recent years, a consensus has developed that the comparative energy performance targets are not getting us where we need to go if the goal is Net Zero Energy. British Columbia legislation through the BC Energy Step Code now relies on absolute energy use intensity targets; for which the Passive House Standard deserves some credit.
1.The exterior walls of the Clayton Community Centre, the first Community Centre in North America to achieve Passive House certification, were site built with the installation of membranes, clips, insulation and exterior finishes.
Windows are obvious critical components of building enclosures, especially those designed for the highest performance of Net Zero and Passive House. Select manufacturers and suppliers are meeting the demands of the high-performance building market which they see as only growing in the coming years.
While the Passive House Standard is voluntary, it is broadly accepted as a proven methodology to meet very high levels of energy efficiency – as much as 90 percent more than conventional buildings – and is often used by progressive building professionals to meet the requirements of performance-based building codes.
Innotech Windows + Doors in Langley, BC shares the views of most select window suppliers that building codes throughout Canada, such as the BC Energy Step Code, is giving rise to a surge in buildings, including single-family homes and multifamily high-rise buildings, designed and built to achieve high energy efficiency, if not the Passive House Standard.
Innotech serves the high-performance market and recently introduced its Defender 88PH+ XI, the first Passive House Institute cold climate certified window manufactured in North America and the first uPVC Passive House Institute cold climate certified window in the world. Both are significant achievements for the North American fenestration industry and long-awaited performance milestones for the North American Passive House building industry.
The Defender 88PH+ XI exceeds the criteria for the cold climate region (or climate zone 2) as defined by the Passive House Institute.
The fixed window has a Uw of 0.59 W/(m²K), Uw,inst of 0.60 W/ (m²K) and temperature factor of 0.77, while the operable (turn and turn) window has a Uw of 0.60 W/(m²K), Uw,inst of 0.64 W/ (m²K) and temperature factor of 0.78. Both the fixed window and the operable window achieve a Passive House efficiency class of phA for the cold climate region, while providing air tightness, water resistance and structural performance.
Inline Fiberglass in Toronto is a pioneer in the Canadian fiberglass window and door industry with the distinct advantage of controlling all aspects of design, production and quality. Beginning with the manufacturing of lineals, using the pultrusion process, to design and final assembly of windows and doors, Inline has earned its reputation for producing high performing windows and doors.
Innotech Windows + Doors is a Canadian manufacturer of high-performance windows and doors. The Defender 88PH+ System combines decades of fenestration knowledge to deliver a robust window and door system that is not only Passive House Institute certi ed, but that also delivers the air, water and structural performance required for highly sustainable housing developments.
Super low U-values
Long-lasting fiberglass frames
Beautiful aesthetics
Net Zero applications
NZP Fenestration in Longueuil, QC specializes in providing high-performance fenestration solutions for Passive House, Net Zero Energy, and Zero Carbon projects. Its Passivhaus-certified windows significantly exceed current standards with its multipoint locking system for optimal sealing, while its triple glazing achieves performance levels of up to R11.4.
NZP also offers lift and slide doors available in sizes up to 21 feet with R11.4 glazing; insulated glass swing doors with a multipoint lock system and customizable sizes; triple glazing systems; insulated frames to minimize heat loss; and customizable design to integrate into any project.
Varsa Windows & Doors in Surrey, BC offers the Passive Housecertified Rehau Geneo tilt-turn windows and doors (UPVC) composed of RAU-FIPRO®, a proprietary fibre composite material similar to that employed in aeronautic construction and racing vehicles, making it the first fully-reinforced polymer window profile system that doesn’t rely on steel for its strength.
RAU-FIPRO provides excellent acoustical and thermal performance, especially given the absence of steel which can cause thermal bridging. Available as tilt-turn, hopper and fixed configurations, with centre seal and optional thermo-modules, Geneo achieves thermal insulation values up to the stringent passive house standard.
Varsa also offers ALUMIL S91 consisting of the hinged insulated system SMARTIA s91, an alternative for frames with concealed sash and fittings. Its significantly reduced visible aluminum face width maximizes natural light along with high thermal insulation and watertightness. And finally, it is one of the few companies to have a Passive House-certified curtain wall : ALUMIL M7.
SITE | LANDSCAPING |
RAINWATER HARVESTING
ACO Systems
Visit our on-line Directory to see hundreds of listings of companies which supply products and services for sustainable, high-performance building. Listings are organized by Product Category and by LEED Category. Our LEED v4.1 Directory is created with the help of our partner:
Filterra Bioretention Systems/Langley Concrete Group
Molok North America Ltd.
Roth North America
Wishbone Site Furnishings
STRUCTURE & EXTERIOR ENVELOPE
Airfoam Industries
Arriscraft
Canada Brick
CAYAKI Charred Wood/ CFP Woods
CBC Specialty Metals and Processing
Engineered Assemblies
Fraser Wood Siding
475.Supply
International Timberframes
Live Roof Ontario
LP SmartSide
MAPEI Canada
N.A.T.S. Nursery Ltd.
Radon Environmental
Sapphire Balconies Ltd.
Siga
Thames Valley Brick & Tile
Tremco CPG Inc.
THERMAL, WINDOWS & DYNAMIC GLASS
Cascadia Windows & Doors
Duxton Windows & Doors
Inline Fiberglass Ltd.
Innotech Windows + Doors
JELD-WEN Windows & Doors
KALWALL
Kohltech Windows & Entrance Systems
NZP Fenestration passivhaus windows and doors
Unicel Architectural Corp.
VETTA Windows & Doors
COATINGS AND INTERIOR
Century Wood Products Inc.
Dulux/PPG
Eco Building Resource
Forbo Flooring Systems
ELECTRICAL | PLUMBING | HVAC | RENEWABLES
Aqua-Tech Sales and Marketing Inc.
Big Ass Fans
Daikin Applied
Ecopilot Real-Time Energy Management System
Fantech Canada Ltd
Mitsubishi Electric Sales Canada Inc.
RadiantLink In-wall Heating
Sharc Energy
Sloan Valve
Tempeff Inc.
Teritt Indoor Environmental
TRANE
Viessmann Manufacturing Company Inc.
GREEN DESIGN SUPPORT + PROFESSIONALS
Canada Green Building Council
Canadian Precast Concrete Quality Assurance
Certification Program
Efficiency Nova Scotia
Entuitive
FABRIQ architecture
Green Building Initiative
Save EnergyNB
Facades systems have always been one of the most important parts of sustainability. We are only now coming around to realize just how important. Facades, if done properly, will be a rear ventilated rainscreen. They will be part of an outboard insulated envelope and will be high performance. In keeping with that methodology, they will then be the Primary Passive Environmental Control System.
Facades have always been on the front lines so to speak. They are often the single largest building component charged with insulation in addition to being most vulnerable to the substantial dictator –the environment.
Managing the abuse the environment delivers is a holistic endeavour and is only possible with a combination of materials, good design and proper assembly. If we had to pick one ingredient to start with, ventilation is the first. Whether you have a marginally absorbent façade material or not, ventilation is always good - never bad. It helps the entire assembly maintain a handle on moisture.
Having an active plenum, as outlined in the drawing detail, ensures the circulation of air is constant in good times and bad. The plenum can only function best when unobstructed and with the combination of adequate intake and exhaust vents.
Having adequate ventilation/air flow means the substructure supporting the façade material can see a longer lifespan and the insulation can function at its maximum potential in its dry state.
Placing a secondary drainage plane in front of the insulation (behind the plenum) will further thwart the intrusion of precipitation, minimize wind washing, and provide a visually pleasing veil to hide substructure and insulation through open joints of facade panels.
When all the components are chosen and assembled in the spirit of achieving their greatest lifespan, we can avoid premature demolition and concentrate on maximizing thermal performance and moisture management. This, in itself, is a pathway to sustainability
Uninterrupted vertical plenum behind the rainscreen panel to provide ventilation and drainage of the wall system. The nominal plenum width is 25mm. Open gap of 15mm horizontally for plenum drainage and air entry at the wall base. Plenums must be screened at base (above line of sight).
The RVRS Design Guide by Engineered Assemblies is available for download in EN + FR: https://www.engineeredassemblies.com/systems.
Reduces
Quick and easy install
Efficient construction processes and shorter times than traditional systems.
Lightness and durability
Honeycomb structure that minimizes the weight of the pieces. No maintenance required.
Thermal and acoustic isolation
Significantly reduce noise from the outside and also acts as isolation against solar radiation.
Lowest water absorption and highest breaking load
Maximum resistance to exterior conditions.
Cheko’nien House is the first of two buildings that together comprise the new Student Housing and Dining project at the University of Victoria (UVic) that embodies a transformative approach to student living and community engagement.
The unique design emphasizes social connectivity and sustainability. The first two storeys house a 600-seat dining hall, a multi-purpose room for 200, a servery, and a commercial kitchen, while above a 398-bedroom student residence offers modern living spaces tailored to promote student well-being and academic success.
By Emma Cubitt
After sitting vacant for over a decade, the site of the Embassy Hotel has undergone dramatic transformation with the addition of affordable housing, community programming, and new arts and commercial spaces along a busy corridor in London, Ontario.
Originally constructed in the 1900s, the Embassy Hotel in London’s Old East Village drew crowds with live music, and housed the artist-led Embassy Cultural Hub for decades. The structure was the city’s oldest hotel still in operation, until it was lost to fire in 2009. After a decade standing vacant, Indwell – with help from Tricar Developments – purchased the land to build much-needed, permanent, supportive housing in order to address the needs of London’s homeless residents.
The COVID-19 pandemic amplified various pressures that the Old East Village had experienced for years, particularly homelessness and its associated negative impacts on lives and businesses. Redevelopment presented an opportunity to provide shelter and supports for vulnerable residents while celebrating and reinvesting in the cultural heritage of the community.
The former brownfield site now features a 4,560 sq.m threestorey structure with 11 parking spaces. Embassy Commons consists of two primary occupancies: residential and commercial. The building provides 72 new, affordable one- and two-bedroom apartments, but is functionally designed as two ideally-sized communities, each with distinct street addresses. On a purely human level, it is a place that a diverse range of tenants rebuilding their lives after experiencing homelessness and other debilitating conditions can call home.
Inline Fiberglass Ltd. is a manufacturer of high-performance windows and doors. Now available their all Fiberglass. Passive House Institute certified 3000 series window series. This combination of fiberglass and high performance provides the ultimate building envelope solutions.
The Passive House Standard was developed with the intent of designing and constructing buildings whose space heating load could be entirely met through the ventilation supply air required for adequate indoor air quality. Early examples, including the Stadtwerke Hannover Passive House estate in Hannover, conclusively demonstrated that this goal can be achieved in practice.
As Passive House expanded into climates requiring active cooling, this goal was expanded to include meeting the entire space cooling load via the ventilation supply air. However, delivery temperatures of around 13oC limit the cooling capacity of the ventilation supply air to a level that is generally inadequate for this purpose. To increase the cooling capacity, it is theoretically and practically possible to reduce the supply air temperature. Indeed, ASHRAE has developed a designer’s guide to cold air distribution (CAD), a cooling strategy to which ventilation supply air cooling belongs.
To date, CAD has been applied to industrial and commercial buildings. However, mechanical designers are uncomfortable adopting such an approach for residential buildings, due to three primary concerns:
1) The risk of condensation on the diffuser, caused by an indoor dewpoint temperature that is higher than the colder supply air temperature.
2) The risk of occupant discomfort, due to improper mixing of supply air and room air, leading to air dumping and cold draughts.
3) The risk of mould growth on the interior finish in the vicinity of the diffuser due to reduced surface temperatures.
The author has undertaken laboratory experiments to determine under what conditions CAD is feasible in residential buildings. An instrumented suite mock-up was created within two identical test chambers located within a rooftop test facility of the University of Toronto. The mock-up was intended to represent a typical residential suite room.
The investigation examined the influence of the following key parameters on the three risks noted above:
• supply air flow rate,
• supply air velocity,
• diffuser type,
• diffuser location,
• insulation thickness,
• air and vapour sealing,
• diffuser coating, and
• position in room.
This innovative solution is a funding recipient of the Phase 2 of the Building for the Future Round of the Housing Supply Challenge. This challenge, administered by Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, seeks to remove barriers to housing supply in Canada. Peel Passive House has received funding from an undisclosed source to pilot CAD in six multi-unit residential buildings across Canada. The buildings cover a wide cross section of geographic areas, climate zones, provinces, tenant demographics, small and medium size, rural and urban, and new builds, and retrofits. Beyond implementation, substantial product development is required to meet the more demanding technical specifications and to mitigate common implementation issues in construction.
Total Precast Concrete Key Attributes to Passive House Development are:
· Manufactured in local precast facilities under controlled conditions
· The whole building envelope in one composite panel; air barrier, moisture control, insulation and the structure
· Hollowcore floor slabs allow for a much lower depth to span ratio
· Hollowcore provides the lowest GWP per m2 of concrete floor area
· Precast concrete dramatically reduces the construction schedule, site congestion, noise and environmental impacts
For more information on Passive House Total Precast Concrete, visit www.cpci.ca/publications to download your free copies of the Structural Solutions Guide and the Putman Family YWCA Total Precast Concrete Publication.
