Issue 05 - Spring 2011

PEARSON RESIDENCE

Modest home relies on skilled detailing and passive design

This modest 2,000sf house is located on Bowen Island, which lies at the mouth of Howe Sound, a 20-minute ferry ride from West Vancouver. The site is in a west-facing rural lot framed by a ridge of exposed granite to the north, and forest to the south and east. Due to the western exposure and bowl-like topography, the site has a distinct microclimate and can easily reach temperatures of 30oC on sunny days from early May through late September. more

LIVING OFF-GRID

The Art of woring with the Sun

Taking control of an essential
utility service, by becoming your own power provider, can be an empowering experience, especially when it is also sustainable.

Large Georgian home leaves small enviro footprint

Environment Canada reports that municipal water distribution systems leak up to 25% of the water that passes through them. While our aging infrastructure continues to weaken, the University of Victoria reports that Canada’s overall water consumption has increased by 26.7% since 1980. more

PASSIVE HOUSE ABCs

Houses that deliver heating and cooling on a shoestring energy bill

Last December while the outdoor temperature was -15oC or so, a fuse blew in our new house and the heating system shut down. I neglected to replace it until four days later when my partner Carmen asked if I had lowered the thermostat. The indoor temperature had dropped only 3oC. more

ADVERTISERS IN THIS ISSUE

Owens Corning
BASF/Walltite
Thermotech
Logix
Goodfellow
Rinnai
Sansin
Amvic/SilveRboard
Western Red Cedar Lumber Association