Winners selected in CleanBC Better Buildings competition
Press Release
July 4, 2019
VANCOUVER – Eleven building projects have been selected as winners in a juried competition to support the design and construction of energy-efficient buildings.
“By using more clean energy and using it more efficiently in our buildings, we’re taking action to improve air quality and reduce energy costs for British Columbians,” said Michelle Mungall, Minister of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources. “Part of our CleanBC plan, the Net-Zero Energy-Ready Challenge, is showcasing best practices in building design and providing support to leading innovators across the province. Congratulations to all of the final winners.”
The Net-Zero Energy-Ready Challenge (NZERC) is one of many CleanBC programs aimed at making buildings all over the province less polluting, more comfortable and energy-efficient. Net-zero energy-ready buildings are designed and built to be so efficient that they could meet all or most of their own energy consumption requirements with renewable energy technologies.
Since the competition was announced in October, 51 expressions of interest were submitted, naming more than 170 different organizations as proponents, suppliers or partners. In January 2019, 16 of those projects were selected as winners of the design incentive portion of the NZERC. The winners were then asked to submit more detailed applications for the construction incentive portion of the competition.
The $2.5-million program provides up to $390,000 in financial incentives to offset a portion of the cost to build to the highest energy performance standards.
Winners of the NZERC will showcase their winning designs and share design best practices at an open house event to take place later this year.
CleanBC is a pathway to a more prosperous, balanced and sustainable future. The Province’s CleanBC plan includes raising standards for new construction and encouraging energy-saving improvements in homes and workplaces.
CleanBC was developed in collaboration with the BC Green Party caucus and supports the commitment in the Confidence and Supply Agreement to implement climate action to meet B.C.’s emission targets.
The final 11 winners of the NZERC Construction Incentive are as follows:
- Corvette Landing, Esquimalt, Standing Stone Developments
- The Narrows, Vancouver, 51565 BC Ltd
- Vanness, Vancouver, Community Land Trust
- OSO, Golden, Viddora Developments
- 825 Pacific, Vancouver, Grosvenor Americas
- UVic Student Housing/Dining, Victoria, University of Victoria\Skeena Residence , Kelowna, UBC Properties Trust
- SFU Parcel 21, Burnaby, SFU Community Trust
- 2150 Keith Drive, Vancouver, Bentall Kennedy
- Peat Commons Phase 2, Langford, Peat Commons Inc.
- Carrington View – Building A, Kelowna, Highstreet Ventures
Quotes:
George Heyman, Minister of Environment and Climate Change Strategy –
“Our government is committed to making the buildings people live and work in more comfortable, more affordable and less polluting. The Net-Zero Energy-Ready Challenge is helping drive world-leading innovation and inspiration in the building and design industry that will help us make every new building built in B.C. net-zero energy-ready by 2032 and support good jobs for today and tomorrow.”
Selina Robinson, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing –
“Not only are these buildings meeting and exceeding our environmental targets, but many are creating much-needed housing for people throughout the province. We’re also seeing a number of developers using mass timber construction in order to achieve net-zero energy performance, which is why we are also making changes to the B.C. Building Code to encourage more mass timber buildings in B.C.”
Christian Cianfrone, executive director, Zero Emissions Building Exchange –
“The number and diversity of projects pursuing the highest level of the BC Energy Step Code under the Net-Zero Energy Ready Challenge confirms that we have the expertise and solutions to build low-carbon buildings today. We look forward to extracting the lessons learned from these early adopters and further building capacity to accelerate cost-effective solutions for future projects.”
Quick Facts:
- The Province has set a goal that all new buildings in B.C. must be net-zero energy-ready by 2032. In partnership with industry, utilities and local government stakeholders, the Province developed the BC Energy Step Code as a pathway to reach that goal.
- The Net-Zero Energy-Ready Challenge is administered by the Integral Group and is funded through the Innovative Clean Energy Fund for $1 million and Forestry Innovation Investment for $200,000, for a total provincial contribution of $1.2 million. Additional funding of more than $1.3 million is provided by Natural Resources Canada.
- The NZERC program was first launched by the provincial government at a seminar held at the Urban Development Institute on Oct. 10, 2018.
Learn More:
More details about British Columbia’s commitment to better buildings can be found at https://cleanbc.gov.bc.ca/
For more information about NZERC, visit: https://betterbuildingsbc.ca/new-construction/better-buildings-bc-program/
A backgrounder follows.
Contact:
Kent Karemaker
Media Relations
Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources
250 952-0628
BACKGROUNDER
Information on winners of CleanBC Better Buildings competition
The final 11 winners of the Net Zero Energy Ready Challenge Construction Incentive are as follows:
Corvette Landing
Project location: Esquimalt
Building type: High-rise residential and commercial
Project owner: Standing Stone Developments Ltd.
Project architect: Lang Wilson Practice in Architecture Culture
Expected occupancy: 2020
Project description: Corvette Landing is a 12-storey, mixed-use development designed as a catalytic project that advances urban densification in the Township of Esquimalt. Targeting Passive House certification, Corvette Landing will create attractive and affordable homes supporting a community with a range of incomes and demographics. It includes both affordable rental and affordable market homes. Corvette Landing’s design focuses on strengthening community and resilience by celebrating the movement of people. Circulation paths create a central node of activity that weave common areas, amenity, retail, dwelling units and garden roof decks. Planned and developed as a panelled and prefabricated mass-timber hybrid building, Corvette Landing will combine a low carbon footprint with a high level of liveability.
The Narrows
Project location: Vancouver
Building type: Low-rise residential and commercial
Project owner: 51561 BC Ltd.
Project architect: Cornerstone Architecture
Expected occupancy: December 2021
Project description: Targeting Passive House certification, the Narrows is a high-performance, mixed-use development in East Vancouver that combines a commercial first floor with five wood-framed residential floors above. The project will bring 45 market rental homes to the Vancouver community. Designed as an affordable, family-friendly development, the Narrows merges environmental and social sustainability in the heart of Greater Vancouver.
Vanness
Project location: Vancouver
Building type: Low-rise residential
Project owner: Community Land Trust
Project architect: ZGF Architects
Expected occupancy: 2021
Project description: Vanness Avenue is a 106-unit, pre-fabricated social housing project that will address the need for both sustainable and affordable housing. Targeting Passive House certification, this development will feature a 100% electric mechanical system, a highly efficient building envelope, and low-flow plumbing fixtures and fittings. Located nearby to a SkyTrain station, residents of this project will have easy access to sustainable transportation throughout Metro Vancouver. This housing project is also in proximity to multiple schools, parks, and grocery stores, further improving the well-being of its residents.
OSO
Project location: Golden
Building type: Low-rise residential and commercial
Project owner: Vidorra Developments Ltd.
Project architect: Dennis Maguire Architect
Expected occupancy: December 2020
Project description: OSO is a net-zero energy-ready, high-performance development targeting the top step of the BC Energy Step Code. It will combine commercial space with 54 residential units, an outdoor café structure and common seating. The project aims to demonstrate that high-performance net-zero energy-ready buildings can be built for close to the same cost and complexity as a code compliant building. OSO will be built primarily with locally sourced wood products to lower the embodied energy in the building components. Social well-being has also been prioritized in the design of this development, with particular attention paid to sound-proofing, the provision of a community garden, as well as a ski and bike maintenance facility.
825 Pacific Street
Project location: Vancouver
Building type: Office building/ institutional
Project developer: Grosvenor Americas
Project architect: IBI Group Architects (Canada) Inc.
Expected occupancy: June 2021
Project description: 825 Pacific Street will be one of the first non-residential Passive House buildings in British Columbia, providing future developments with an example for design, constructability and costing. The building ownership will be transferred to the City of Vancouver, which intends to create a multi-purpose arts and culture hub, with affordable and suitable presentation, studio production space and office space for multiple artists, as well as arts and culture non-profit organizations based in Vancouver.
The University of Victoria – Student Housing and Dining Facility, Buildings 1 and 2
Project location: Victoria
Building type: Mixed Uue residential
Project owner: University of Victoria
Project architect: Perkins + Will Architects
Expected occupancy: September 2021
Project description: Targeting Passive House certification, the University of Victoria’s student housing and dining facility will set a new standard for student housing, campus life and sustainability, and will bring 782 beds to the campus community. The project has prioritized greenhouse gas emissions reductions and features a fully electric commercial kitchen and dining facility. This development is near sustainable transportation, prioritizes pedestrian access, and supports inclusivity and accessibility for all students. Buildings 1 and 2 will also incorporate Indigenous design elements to create opportunities for learning, and to promote mutual understanding and respect. The project is also targeting Canada Green Building Council’s (CaGBC) LEED v4.0 Gold standard for New Construction.
The University of British Columbia Okanagan (UBCO) – Skeena Residence
Project location: Kelowna
Building type: Low-rise residential
Project owner: University of British Columbia
Project architect: Public Architecture and Communication
Expected occupancy: August 2020
Project description: Targeting Passive House Certification, the University of British Columbia Okanagan’s Skeena Residence will bring new student housing to the campus community. The Skeena residence is located close to the campus transit bay, offering students easy access to sustainable transportation. Beyond Passive House building standards to reduce energy and GHG emissions, Skeena incorporates LEED environmental sustainability standards toward the achievement of sustainable sites, water efficiency, materials and resources, indoor environmental air quality, and innovation. The building will also support a “living lab” research project at the UBCO faculty of engineering that will compare Skeena residence with a conventional UBCO residence.
Simon Fraser University – Parcel 21
Project location: Burnaby
Building type: Low-Rise Residential
Project owner: Simon Fraser University Community Trust
Project architect: Local Practice Architecture + Design
Expected occupancy: Summer 2020
Project description: Targeting the top step of the BC Energy Step Code, Parcel 21 brings affordable, rental housing to Simon Fraser University that is specifically tailored to students with families. Designed with Happy City’s “Happy Homes” principals, it offers neighbourhood features to nurture a diverse spectrum of community connection, such as a common courtyard, shared commons on every floor, a natural playground and outdoor dining space. Parcel 21 is primarily wood framed and makes use of Forest Stewardship Council-certified locally-sourced timber. This building also supports the shift to lower carbon transportation methods through resident bike storage, proximity to local bus routes, and integrated electric vehicle and electric bike charging capacity for all units.
2150 Keith Drive
Project location: Vancouver
Building type: Office building
Project owner: Bentall Kennedy
Project architect: Dialog
Expected occupancy: Late 2021
Project description: Targeting the top step of the BC Energy Step Code, this innovative mass timber office building features a high-performance building envelope and mechanical system, as well as open daylight spaces designed to promote employee productivity and well-being. This project also provides a new structural design typology for tall mass-timber buildings in Canada through its unique lateral force resisting system, consisting of perimeter timber-braced bays and interior cross-laminated timber shear walls. Adjacent to a SkyTrain station and bike path network, the project will offer occupants multiple transportation options. The project is also targeting LEED Gold and Salmon Safe certification.
Peatt Commons – Phase 2
Project location: Langford
Building type: Low-Rise Residential
Project owner: Peatt Commons Inc
Project architect: Jack James Architect
Expected occupancy: September 2020
Project description: Peatt Commons Phase 2 brings purpose-built below-market housing to Langford. It is positioning itself as part of a new, walkable downtown community in Langford. The project uses an innovative mass-timber design that considerably reduces the building’s carbon footprint and thermal bridging, while providing highly effective seismic force dissipation. Targeting the top step of the BC Energy Step Code, Peatt Commons Phase 2 will create a replicable design that advances energy efficiency and carbon sequestration in the building process to increase occupants’ comfort, lower energy costs and to reduce lifecycle GHG emissions.
Carrington View – Building A
Project location: West Kelowna
Building type: Low-rise residential
Project owner: Highstreet Ventures Inc.
Project architect: WD Fisher Architecture
Expected occupancy: May 2020
Project description: Carrington View Building A combines modern, highly liveable architecture with innovative sustainable design principles to provide low-carbon, market rental units. Targeting the top step of the BC Energy Step Code, this 100% electric, combustion-free building will include on-site solar power generation. Carrington View is also targeting Built Green Canada Platinum certification and CaGBC’s Zero Carbon Building Standard.
Contact:
Kent Karemaker
Media Relations
Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources
250 952-0628
IBF5
