Passive Solar & Net Zero

Bridging the gap between rigorous energy standards and refined coastal design, 242 Shore Lane redefines the potential of sustainable modern living. Introduction: The Future of Coastal Living As British Columbia moves toward more stringent energy regulations, the residence at 242 Shore Lane on Bowen Island has…

A comprehensive overview of external and internal shading strategies for optimizing passive solar design and maintaining comfortable indoor temperatures year-round. Homes designed for passive heating and cooling offer noticeably lower utility bills, not to mention increased comfort and security during power outages…

The main principles of Net Zero house and Passive Solar house can be applied to the same house. We've decided to compare them, as a way of getting to the bottom of the issue. The Net Zero Energy home. The concept of the Zero Energy home is appealing in its simplicity: a residence that generates as much renewable…

Architect-designed modern & minimalist homes always attract attention - especially ones that are super efficient, stunningly beautiful and that ooze quality - But Le Refuge is all that and more - It's Affordable too. The tiny house movement is on the far end of the scale of a very encouraging and growing trend…

The S1600 Modern prefab kit eco home provides a Stylish & Affordable green home for young families looking for great Value, Comfort & Healthier Living. Affordable prefab eco homes are a growing green home building trend across the US and Canada, as you may have already seen on our pages or in the press. Economies of…

The first home in British Columbia to meet Passive House standards also doubles as affordable housing for Whistler families, proving that building energy efficient homes can be affordable as well as sustainable. The Rainbow Duplex in Whistler is the first Passive House in BC The passive solar design and orientation…

The Toronto Healthy House was built in 1996, completely independent of municipal water, sewer and electricity systems. Here is a look back at it, with some tips on optimizing an off-grid home. In 1996, this off-grid house designed by architect Martin Liefhebber was one of two concept homes selected by the Canada…

Recounting the trials — and joys — of building a Canadian home to meets the "Passivhaus" standard. First, the background to this Passivhaus My partner and I are geeks. Our idea of a romantic dream was to build a house so well insulated you could heat it with a hairdryer. For added fun, we wanted to do this on a…

A certified Passive House in North America & Canada can be certified by the Passive House Institute PHI or PHIUS, the US certification system. Discover the differences to decide which Passive House certification is best for you. What is Passive House certification? The term 'Passive House' was once obscure jargon…

The Windsor Park Net Zero House in Edmonton won 2017 Canadian Green Building Award in the technical category, proving that green building a home is both possible and beautiful. As owners of this net zero energy home construction project , we acted as both the designer and general contractor. The objective for the…

Mark Hutchinson, Vice President of Green Building Programs at the CaGBC, speaks about the new Zero Carbon Buildings Initiative. SAB: What does the CaGBC hope to achieve with the Zero Carbon Buildings Initiative? Mark Hutchinson: The CaGBC launched the zero carbon building initiative in 2016 to champion the move to…

Ecohome has a number of awards for building groundbreaking sustainable homes, but Passive House projects on this scale are breathtaking in the way they are pushing the boundaries - Hats off to Architect Tom Wright. Vancouver, Canada established their place as a leader in reducing carbon footprints of cities and…

Sky Group attempting to reach status of Net Zero Carbon by the year 2030, and their new Carbon Neutral studio will help them reach that sustainability goal. The Sky Group claims that their new UK studios will be the most eco-friendly and sustainable TV and film production hub in the world . We tend to believe that…

The Ice Box Challenge compares Passive House construction to standard code-built construction by measuring the volume of melted ice after weeks in the sun. A Passive House uses very little energy to stay warm and comfortable, regardless of the season and regardless of weather conditions. The requirements for Passive…