Our Annual Guide
Canadian Directory of Products and Services for Sustainable, High-Performance Building
INTERVIEW WITH Thomas Mueller
Thomas Mueller, President & CEO of the Canada Green Building Council (CAGBC) on the state of the green building sector moving into 2026.
What was your most important takeaway for the building sector in 2025?
Restoring housing affordability emerged as the most critical challenge for the building sector in 2025. CMHC estimates Canada needs 3.5 million additional homes by 2030 to return to 2019 affordability levels. While the federal government has committed to 26,000 new units over five years—including 4,000 on federal lands—scale remains a challenge.
Affordability is not just about purchase price; it’s about the long-term cost of ownership. In 2023, 14% of households—and 18% of low-income households—struggled to maintain safe indoor temperatures due to rising energy costs. Green buildings address this issue by prioritizing energy efficiency and resilience, protecting families from higher utility bills and costly retrofits.
CAGBC is responding to this challenge to demand better more sustainable housing for Canadians. In fact, over 90,000 housing units have been certified to LEED or Zero Carbon Design and many more to other standards. If the proposed homes will be built to the 2020 building code, it would add significantly to Canada’s GHG emissions annually. The takeaway? Every new home built today must combine affordability with energy efficiency because these decisions will shape Canada’s housing affordability and carbon future.
How did the U.S. climate policy and the ongoing tariff situation impact the sector?
The U.S . position on climate change and the tariffs had wide-ranging impacts on Canadian climate policy and corporate ESG commitments. In Canada, the new government prioritized safeguarding and growing the economy over climate action. The shift in government priorities focused on embedding climate action within broader strategies for innovation, economic growth, and competitiveness. At the same time, commercial real estate sector began reassessing and recalibrating ESG commitments, focusing more on pragmatic solutions that deliver financial returns. Despite this recalibration, green building continues to be recognized for its benefits in driving business value, managing climate transition and physical risks.
The tariffs further disrupted supply chains and construction costs which were first impacted during the pandemic. Cost of construction remains a significant challenge across the industry resulting in delays or cancellations of projects. However, government support for affordable housing development through Build Canada Homes, Canada Lands Corporation and CMHC, and the support for pre-fabrication and modular construction are expected to reduce costs. Buy Canadian policies and low-carbon materials present opportunities to spur domestic innovation and manufacturing. Buy Canadian must prioritize low carbon materials to ensure we continue to reduce GHG emissions from building construction. The industry is already contributing through initiatives like CAGBC’s annual Embodied Carbon Summit, which aims to help the industry to transition to low-carbon solutions.
Where is the sector going?
Global climate change policy continues to recognize the importance of the building sector as an integral solution to reduce GHG emissions and to address physical risks. As climate impacts grow more frequent and extreme, resilience will define the future of Canada’s building sector—both for new construction and retrofits. Rising insurance costs and coverage limits are already signaling urgency to act on physical risks.
Real estate investors and lenders have also taken note and want to ensure standards are in place to protect their financial returns. Asset-level performance metrics that reduce investment risk are becoming more frequently requested by investors, especially from Europe and Asia. Credible green building certifications play a significant role by providing trusted third-party verification on building design and performance.
To support capital investment in green buildings, CAGBC supports the development of a green taxonomy approved in the 2026 budget. Through our partnership with REALPAC we have also started discussions with the real estate industry and the appraisal community to recognize investments in sustainability through valuations.
Global momentum is our side as government policy at all levels and corporate commitments continue to support sustainable and low-carbon buildings. We are going through a period of recalibration not retreat as the building sector is transitioning to practical solutions with tangible results. Canada cannot afford to fall behind as it will impact its global competitiveness, economic growth and our standard of living.
Bunkie on the Hill
Sensitive design achieves sustainability and comfort
The smallest in a collection of cabins scattered across four family properties, Bunkie on the Hill serves as a space of respite for a family-oriented client in the Muskoka region of Ontario. Tucked into the trees at the top of a steep slope, it is designed to provide a quiet space away from the action of the multi-generational family cottages below.
A contemporary interpretation of the traditional A-frame shape evokes the quintessential cabin in the woods, differentiated by shifted roof volumes. Reminiscent of the overlapping layers of rock in the landscape, the split roof design features two intersecting gables that create opportunities for window openings where the roof volumes separate.
Sustainability is prioritized through strategic material choices, construction methods, and a fossil fuel-free approach. A key challenge in advocating for sustainable design is overcoming the perception of high initial costs, despite long-term energy savings. To address this, the project integrates high-impact passive strategies with minimal active systems, reducing both upfront and operational costs.
The overarching approach was to maximize the utilization of passive sustainable strategies through design (high-performance envelope, natural ventilation, passive cooling, daylighting, solar gain), and integrate them with efficient active sustainable systems (hyper efficient heating and cooling system, low-flow plumbing fixtures, high efficiency LED lighting), as well as to rough-in for additional systems to take advantage of upcoming advances in technology (i.e. photovoltaic panels).
Complementary to this plan, a key sustainable strategy for wellbeing was the decision to integrate as many biophilic design strategies as possible. The means by which this is achieved in the house varies, from spatial strategies, visual cues, forms and materials used in the design, bringing the occupants of the home into a much more fruitful and engaging dialogue with their natural surroundings.
Simple passive and active sustainable systems were incorporated for maximum effect. The building geometry and glazing were optimized for passive solar gain during the heating season through floor-to-ceiling glazing on the south façade which also has a large overhang for solar exclusion during the cooling season, assisted by the shade of trees that surround the cabin.
Strategically placed openings on all four elevations, and venting through ducts near the ceiling of the loft for stack effect, provide natural ventilation. The two intersecting roof gables create further opportunities for window openings where the roof volumes separate. These geometric windows allow for curated views of the treetops on one side and the lake below on the other and allow natural light to flood the interior, reflecting off the light-coloured plywood walls and into every corner. The double-height main living space allows for daylight to reach the second-level loft, reducing the need for artificial lighting.
Various finishes differentiate the various planes inside – white wallboard defines the perimeter walls, internal partitions are clad in maple plywood, and the ceiling is delineated by western red cedar slats.
The Bunkie’s mechanical and electrical systems are completely integrated with the passive design strategies to achieve the most efficient methods of heating, cooling and lighting, while minimizing the cost to do so. The owners have rarely had to use the air conditioning system due to the efficiency of the natural ventilation in the house. There is no natural gas utilized in the building, thereby reducing operating CO2 emissions to near zero.
Three engineered flitch beams, consisting of a steel plate sandwiched between two wood members, minimize thermal bridging in the structural framing while also reducing the amount of steel. Exterior walls with an R-value of 42 and triple-glazed windows allow for a minimal HRV-equipped heating system. Hot water is supplied ‘on demand’, reducing potable water wastage due to wait times for hot water. The result is a fully electric, fossil fuel-free retreat. Utility bills show annual energy consumption of only 105 kWh/m2 .
The large front porch is accessed through glass sliders to create an extended living area. High-performance aluminum windows, doors and curtainwall, made in Bigfoot Door’s state-of-the-art facility in Mississauga, offer the latest technologies in European fenestration products. Utilizing engineered systems designed by Schuco International KG and high-performance glazing by Guardian Industries, the project achieves Passive House level comfort.
PROJECT CREDITS
- ARCHITECT Dubbeldam Architecture + Design
- CONSTRUCTION HLD Muskoka
- STRUCTURAL ENGINEER Blackwell Structural Engineers
- PHOTOS Riley Snelling
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UVic Engineering and Computer Science Lab Expansion
Designed to meet a net-zero carbon target
By Esteban Matheus
The University of Victoria (UVic) Engineering Expansion project is providing a new home for the Greenest Civil Engineering Department in Canada. The Department’s students, professors and researchers are addressing the most pressing global environmental challenges through cutting edge science, engineering design, and innovative solutions.
The Engineering Expansion project strives to align with this vision by being at the forefront of climate responsive design. The two new buildings embody the latest climate mitigation and adaptation strategies while also functioning as advanced tools for climate science research and learning.
The project is designed and constructed to meet a net-zero carbon target and features a regionally sourced mass timber structure. The Engineering Expansion project consists of two new buildings: a six-storey Engineering and Computer Science Expansion (ECSE) building and a two-storey High Bay Research and Structures Lab (HBRSL). As living laboratories, the buildings themselves act as research tools, with hundreds of sensors installed in the foundations, building envelope, labs and structural systems. These sensors will allow students and professors to collect data for hands-on learning and research.
Gathering building performance data in real time
The project provides new teaching and research laboratories, classrooms and office spaces to meet the growing demands of UVic’s Engineering Departments. The ECSE building features a common atrium shared with the existing Engineering and Computer Science building, undergraduate design studios, graduate student workstations, specialized labs for environmental and hydraulics engineering, building science, computational research, geotechnical and biomedical engineering. It also includes faculty collaboration spaces and offices.
The HBRSL is equipped with two 10-ton gantry cranes, a seismic testing strong floor, a reaction wall, a structural shake table, and other supporting facilities. In addition to research on dynamic loading and structural testing, the lab also accommodates large-scale geotechnical and environmental experiments.
Altogether, the facility accommodates 500 additional students and exemplifies the latest in sustainable building design.
Reducing embodied carbon with mass timber
With a significant focus on emissions reduction, the project uses a mass timber structure and low-carbon concrete to lower its overall embodied carbon emissions.
The ECSE building features a hybrid mass timber system, including CLT floor panels and steel columns and beams. This approach reduces the need for secondary steel elements compared to steel deck construction and eliminates the shoring typically required for concrete floors.
The lighter mass timber components result in lower seismic demand, reducing the overall quantity of structural steel, foundation materials and soil anchors—further cutting its carbon footprint.
The building’s CLT floor assemblies also offer better fire performance than traditional steel decks, achieving a 2-hour fire rating without encapsulation. Exposed CLT decking eliminates the need for drop ceilings commonly required in conventional steel deck construction.
The HBRSL building features glulam beams and columns and CLT floor panels. Pad and combined footings, along with a raft slab for seismic testing of the strong floor, support the glulam columns. The building’s lateral system uses buckling restrained braces (BRBs), optimizing seismic performance. Beyond the BRB system and concrete foundations, the rest of the structure is wood, further reducing the project’s embodied emissions. Mass timber’s natural fire resistance allows it to remain exposed throughout the HBRSL building, enhancing its biophilic benefits.
Project Credits
- Client University of Victoria
- Architect DIALOG
- Structural and Mechanical Engineering DIALOG
- Electrical Engineering AES
- Communications DIALOG
- Planning & Engagement DIALOG
- Landscape DIALOG
- SUSTAINABILITY + BUILDING PERFORMANCE DIALOG
- Civil KWL
- Acoustics BKL Consultants Ltd
- Building Envelope Stantec
- General Contractor Bird Construction Inc.
- Structural Steel Niik Steel
- Mass Timber Kalesnikoff Mass Timber
- Mechanical CONTRACTOR PML Professional Mechanical Ltd
- Electrical CONTRACTOR Canem Systems Ltd.
- Envelope Parker Johnston Industries inc.
- Glazing Visionary Glass Inc.
ESTEBAN MATHEUS, ARCHITECT AIBC IS AN ASSOCIATE AT DIALOG IN VANCOUVER.
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Prefabrication Feature: 253 King William Street
Factory-built modules cut construction time on site
Why Prefabrication?
The project began during Covid, when there was a desperate need for truly affordable housing. As it progressed, it became apparent that the greatest immediate need was for supportive housing.
The City of Hamilton drove the discussion on the benefits of prefabrication as it wanted rapid delivery and cost control for this project. As clients, CityHousing Hamilton has a history of researching and implementing innovative solutions, both in the delivery method (such as off-site prefabrication) and performance standards (such as Passive House certification).
Materials and Methods
Stick frame was chosen for the construction as it is less carbon intensive than cross laminated timber and has a proven track record for projects of this scale.
In fact, this became an example of two-step prefabrication, as the 2×6 stick frame elements were prefabricated in a factory by Panels.ca, and shipped in ‘flat packs’ to NRB/ATCO for assembly into volumetric modular units.
Converting the 2D units into 3D modules in the factory is a relatively recent approach to stick framing but is becoming a preferred solution. The NRB/ATCO factory is arranged in a series of workstations, with the modules being moved from one station to the next as the construction sequence progresses. NRB/ATCO first erected the frames, then installed the batt insulation, interior finishes, service lines and rigid exterior insulation, using Thermowall PH Panel by Legalett.
Before the units left the factory, they were fully finished on the interior, including fixtures and equipment. The delivery of the wall elements and other items to the factory location, rather than the project site, reduced the construction time of the project on site.
Transportation Constraints
When using off-site modular construction, transportation constraints determine the maximum width and height of the modules that can be shipped without a permit. In Ontario, those limits are maximum height 12ft (3.66m); maximum width 8ft 6in (2.59m) and maximum single vehicle length 40ft (12.2m). Over-sized loads require permits, and may also require road closures and police escorts, increasing the time and cost of transportation.
For this project the standard width of modules was 14 feet (4.27m) which required a permit and vehicle escort, but no road closures or police escorts. The module provider drove the route from the factory to the project site, to ensure that delivery would be feasible, and to determine whether alternative routes were available. NRB/ATCO also organized the appropriate permits.
It is important that the dimensional limitations are discussed with the client at the schematic design stage to ensure that the programmatic requirements of the building can be met within the cost and schedule constraints of the project.
The large ground floor multipurpose room was designed to be three modules wide, with large openings through the demising walls. These openings had to be temporarily filled in to facilitate transportation, then reopened when the modules were installed on site.
Design/Build Process
A design/build contract was suggested by NRB/ATCO, and the client agreed to proceed on that basis. The design/build format promoted up front collaboration and problem solving, between the fabricator, design team and general contractor.
While the collaborative design approach included a typical design process, the team also relied on 3D renderings to explain more intricate or nuanced details to the Passive House consultant, contractor and modular builder.
To maximize the benefits of prefabrication, as much work as possible was done in the factory. This included the mock-ups and testing carried out on all projects, modular or not, such as window mockups to confirm detailing and performance. In addition, the interconnection between units was also mocked up and tested. NRB/ATCO retained a Passive House consultant to ensure its fabrication team was familiar with the technical requirements of PH construction.
Prior to starting construction on site, NRB/ATCO and the client secured a storage and staging area close to the site which minimized the potential for delivery delays, the number and duration of road closures, and the associated disruption to the neighbourhood.
Proactive communication with the community was essential to explain the potential impacts of the project, and to minimize the objections often raised against supportive housing projects.
Approvals have the potential to be the greatest source of delay in projects of this kind. To address this concern proactively, the team developed a design process that supported coordination and conversation with the authorities having jurisdiction to secure permits and approvals as efficiently as possible. This was followed by detailed design by the architectural team and development of the construction sequence by NRB/ATCO. The building inspectors were invited to visit the fabrication shop at any time, even though the NRB/ATCO Shop is certified as compliant with CSA A-277 “Procedure for certification of prefabricated buildings, modules and panels”.
The project uses a rooftop ERV by Ventacity.
JIM TAGGART, FRAIC IS EDITOR OF SABMAG
Project Credits
- OWNER/DEVELOPER CityHousing Hamilton
- ARCHITECT Montgomery Sisam Architects Inc.
- MODULAR MANUFACTURER NRB Limited, ATCO Structures
- GENERAL CONTRACTOR Husky General Contracting
- PASSIVE HOUSE CONSULTANT Peel Passive House
- LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT OMC Landscape Architecture
- CIVIL ENGINEER Ainley
- ELECTRICAL ENGINEER DesignWorks Engineering
- MECHANICAL/STRUCTURAL ENGINEER DesignWorks Engineering
- STRUCTURAL ENGINEER DesignWorks Engineering
- PHOTOS Doublespace
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Prefabrication Feature: Harvestview Building A
FastTrack system optimizes standardized unit modules for rapid construction
By Steven Van Wyk
The Harvestview Apartments Building A is an eight-storey multi-unit residential building recently completed in Tillsonburg, Ontario. It consists of 132 units with a total floor area of approximately 12,000 square meters and utilized the FastTrack by Stubbe’s precast modular building system for its speed and economy of construction.
The FastTrack System
The Fast Track system incorporates prefabricated concrete components to streamline and dramatically speed up the design and construction process for mid-rise residential buildings. It enables developers to build more efficiently at a competitive price, by using optimized pre-designed modules that can be seamlessly interchanged.
In this way, FastTrack offers a complete solution, from design, fabrication of precast concrete components (hollowcore flooring, balconies, structural walls, cladding walls, and insulated walls) to installation, to bring a project to market more quickly.
The system significantly reduces planning and design time by using pre-designed, interchangeable modules and standardizing key systems (e.g., kitchen/bathroom layouts, stairwells and windows). Construction can be completed much faster, sometimes cutting total project build times by up to 50%, and is less affected by weather conditions.
In addition, because Stubbe's serves as a single point of contact for architectural, structural, and mechanical engineering, it simplifies the procurement process and coordination issues that can arise when multiple consultants are involved.
Whole Building LCA
To better understand the environmental benefits of the FastTrack by Stubbe’s Precast modular system, Mantle Developments conducted a whole-building life cycle assessment (WBLCA) of the Harvestview Apartments Building A. This assessment quantified the upfront embodied carbon intensity (A1 A5) of the multi-unit residential building.
The scope of the assessment was aligned with LCA regulations in North America including the Toronto Green Standard Version 4 (TGS v4). The assessment revealed a low upfront embodied carbon intensity, meeting the voluntary tier 3 embodied carbon limits set by the Toronto Green Standard V4 (TGS v4) of less than 250 kgCO2e/m2 of flooring area.
Toronto Green Standard (TGS)
Embodied Carbon Limits
In May 2023, Toronto became the first North American city to mandate lower-carbon construction materials for certain buildings under the Toronto Green Standard version 4 (TGS v4). This multi-tier standard sets limits on embodied carbon intensity, with a mandatory Tier 1 cap for city-owned buildings and a voluntary Tier 2 and Tier 3 cap for private construction. For commercial and residential buildings, Tier 2 caps embodied carbon at 350 kg CO2e/m2, while a more ambitious voluntary Tier 3 cap sets the limit at less than 250 kg CO2e/m2.
Stubbe’s FastTrack Precast System
FastTrack’s module coding is a straightforward and systematic method to navigate the pre-designed building modules. There are three foundational module types based on width measured in multiples of 38 feet. This standardized approach simplifies the selection process ensuring a seamless fit within a project’s parameters.
How it works
The pre-designed unit modules can be arranged to maximize the potential of the building envelope and meet density requirements. For example, the selection of 1, 2, and 3-bedroom plans can be combined in many ways to meet the need of a project, be that higher density or more spacious layouts.
How plans fit into modules
Modules feature different plan configurations, which is a crucial consideration when choosing your building’s floorplans. For example, choosing Plan 1B-1, as shown below, will affect accompanying plans within that specific module.
PROJECT CREDITS
- Architect Patrick David Trottier Architect
- Structural Engineer Rizz Engineering Inc
- Mechanical/Electrical Engineer DEI Consulting Engineers
- Landscape Architect paysager GSP Group
- Construction Stubbe’s Development
- Precast Concrete Supplier Stubbe’s Precast
- Photos Stubbe’s Precast
STEVEN VAN WYK IS QUALITY ASSURANCE/PLANT ENGINEER AT STUBBE'S
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L’ALBÉDO
Social housing offers multigenerational living and superior performance
By Élodie Simard
Aiming for the highest standards of social responsibility and inclusivity, this project has implemented multiple innovations that contribute significantly to the fight against climate change.
This 12-storey building, located on the Sainte-Foy plateau in Québec City, was designed with great care to house 128 social housing units as well as a childcare center (CPE) with 148 places. Part of the two lower floors form a podium dedicated to children, infants, and educators, topped by a ten-story residential tower for seniors. It is an innovative, multigenerational project.
In addition, 30 housing units are reserved for social organizations such as Vivre Grand, PECH, and Clés en main. Through shared spaces, terraces, meeting areas, community gardens, and the small, wooded area of Rochebelle, residents can share a living environment that fosters an extraordinary social fabric promoting inclusion and human dignity.
The demand for social housing in this area of the city is undeniable. La Bouée – the owner of the residential part – supported by Action-Habitation, the City of Québec, the Société d’habitation du Québec, CMHC, the Ministry of Families, Hydro-Québec, and several other key partners, has helped meet a major need—ensuring the project’s success on social, architectural, and economic levels.
L’Albédo offers vulnerable individuals the opportunity to live in a place of great comfort, designed specifically for them. A large dining hall and community services with on-site staff are available daily. The building is fully accessible both inside and out, including the rooftop terrace above the daycare center. All housing units are adaptable, allowing anyone—regardless of physical or cognitive limitations—to live there independently.
Social and technical innovation are present throughout the project. The diverse program encourages intergenerational sharing; very few buildings welcome children, people facing social integration challenges, individuals with intellectual disabilities, and seniors—all living together in harmony and kindness.
Built on a former municipal parking lot near the Intact Assurance Ice Center and the Sainte-Foy Public Market, Albédo contributes to urban densification by avoiding sprawl; while its compact form, high performance envelope and use of waste heat help to reduce the heat island effect. In addition to being close to public transit and along the future tramway route, the building promotes active mobility, offering universal accessibility with spaces for mobility scooters and electric bicycles in the building.
For the childcare center, nearby parking spaces ensure the safety of young children and provide convenient access for parents. Despite the site’s relatively high density, every available ground-level and rooftop space maximizes green areas and recreational zones for users. An optimized stormwater management system was integrated, including a retention basin, oversized piping, and rainwater collection for watering plants and gardens.
Waste management has been centralized in the building’s basement, requiring innovative coordination of shared services and costs between La Bouée and the CPE. The result is a low ground impact and simplified waste collection.
Part of the two-storey podium houses a daycare. All drywall products were supplied by Certainteed.
Project Performance
- Energy intensity (heating, cooling, lighting, equipment) = ≥ 50 KWhr/m2/year, heating 25 KWhr/m2/year
- Energy intensity reduction relative to reference building under MNECB 2015 = 42.5%
- Water consumption from municipal sources = ≥ 40K liters/occupant/year
- Reduction in water consumption relative to reference building under LEED = 36.4%
Project Credits
- Owner/Developer La Bouée, Société acheteuse de préservation et de développement de l’habitat communautaire
- Architect Lafond Côté architectes
- General Contractor Concrea
- Landscape Architect Duo Design
- Civil Engineer CIME consultants
- Electrical/ Mechanical Engineer Génécor experts-conseils inc.
- Structural Engineer CIME consultants
- Commissioning Agent Génécor experts-conseils inc.
- Energy Modelling Poly-Énergie inc./EcoHabitation
- PhotoS Joël Gingras et Christian Gingras
ÉLODIE SIMARD IS SENIOR PARTNER AT LAFOND CôTÉ ARCHITECTS.
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Solar Air Heating
Flagship projects show versatility of solar air heating
By Bärbel Epp
Canada is the global leader in solar air heating. The market is driven by a strong network of experienced system suppliers, optimized technologies, and some funding programs which are presenting cost-effective, façade-integrated systems as a practical solution for reducing onsite natural gas consumption.
Solar air heating is among the most cost-effective applications of solar thermal energy. The systems contribute to space heating and preheating fresh air for ventilation, typically using glazed or unglazed perforated solar collectors. The collectors draw in outside air, heat it using solar energy, and then distribute it through ductwork to meet building heating and fresh air needs.
For the past seven years, Canada has led the world in solar air heating adoption. The four key suppliers – Trigo Energies, Conserval Engineering, Matrix Energy, and Aéronergie – reported a combined 26,203 m2 (282,046 ft2) of collector area sold last year. Several of these providers are optimistic about the growing demand. These findings come from the newly released Canadian Solar Thermal Market Survey 2024, commissioned by Natural Resources Canada.
Despite its cold climate, Canada benefits from strong solar potential with solar irradiance rivaling or even exceeding that of parts of Europe. This makes solar air heating not only viable, but especially valuable in buildings with high fresh air requirements including schools, hospitals, and offices.
A retrofit for improved energy performance
Most Trigo Energies installations are in Quebec where funding programs are offered by Hydro Quebec, the gas utility Energir and the Ministry of Natural Resources EcoPerformance program. Trigo Energies works with partner contractors to install mostly retrofit projects where knowledge of HVAC engineering is as important as experience with solar thermal and architecture.
One recent Trigo installation is at the FAB3R factory in Trois-Rivières which specializes in manufacturing, repairing, and refurbishing large industrial equipment. Its air heating and ventilation system needed urgent renovation because of leakages and discomfort for the workers.
The majority of the new 2,750 m2 (29,600 ft2) solar façade at FAB3R covers approximately 13 % of the factory’s annual heating demand, which is otherwise met by natural gas. Trigo Energies equipped the façade with its high-performance Calento SL collectors, featuring a notable innovation: a selective, low-emissivity coating that withstands outdoor conditions.
Introduced by Trigo in 2019 and manufactured by Almeco Group from Italy, this advanced coating is engineered to maximize solar absorption while minimizing heat loss via infrared emission, enhancing the overall efficiency of the system.
The high efficiency coating is now standard in Trigo’s air heating systems and delivers a 25 to 35 % increase in yield over the former generation of solar air collectors with black paint. Testing conducted at Queen’s University confirms this performance advantage. Researchers measured the performance of transpired solar air collectors both with and without a selective coating, mounted side-by-side on a south-facing vertical wall.
The results showed that the collectors with the selective coating produced 1.3 to 1.5 times more energy than those without it. In 2024, the monitoring results were jointly published by Queen’s University and Canmet Energy in a paper titled, “Performance Comparison of a Transpired Air Solar Collector with Low-E Surface Coating”.
Selective coating, also used on other solar thermal technologies including glazed flat plate or vacuum tube collectors, has a distinctive blue colour. Trigo customers can, however, choose between blue and black finishes. Going from the normal blue selective coating to black selective coating loses about 1 % in solar efficiency.
The SolarWall® system heats incoming air at the Toronto Transit Commission McNicoll Avenue garage and maintenance facility. (Courtesy Conserval Engineering Inc.)
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interview with
Stephan Moyon, President, VELUX North America on resilient design and circularity
Q1: How do VELUX products contribute to resilient construction and improved indoor environmental quality (IEQ)?
VELUX offers innovative skylight systems that promote healthy ventilation and leverage the natural beauty of daylight to transform interior spaces. We are passionate about making products that perform better and help people to perform better. Sunlight and fresh air have dramatic effects on IEQ and occupant health, from improved mood to increased productivity. At the same time, people spend about 90% of their time indoors in the northern hemisphere. These insights inspire our team to deliver solutions that bring the health benefits of fresh air and daylight into our clients' homes, schools, and offices.
Q2: Where do you think the greatest opportunities lie in advancing resilient design and construction as a norm for the building industry?
We see a big opportunity to take advantage of what we already have. Roughly 80% of North American buildings that will be standing in 2050 have already been built. The opportunities, therefore, lie in how we can transform these spaces, adapt them to our current needs, and upgrade their performance to meet our modern energy goals. Virgin materials are diminishing in supply due to overuse, and the built environment accounts for about a third of the world’s waste. Therefore, there is a great need for our industry to take advantage of the materials which already exist, through practices like urban mining and retrofitting. By focusing strategically on circularity, we can put less strain on our diminishing natural resources.
Q3: How can circular design make cities more resilient, affordable, and livable while also lowering carbon emissions?
Circular design allows us to transform spaces and buildings to keep up with our modern needs and uses, without imposing the high environmental and economic costs of new builds. Updating these spaces to our modern standards is not just desirable, but necessary. Data, such as the statistics pulled from the VELUX Group’s Healthy Building Barometer, shows that the values of resiliency, affordability, and livability are intertwined. For example, by improving the resilience of the built environment, less energy is required to maintain and operate these spaces. There are also clear benefits to sourcing recycled materials for lower carbon emissions as well as resource independence. We inherently become more flexible during periods of international instability by drawing from the resources and materials that are available to us now.
Q4: How does VELUX incorporate circularity into its business model?
We aim to integrate circularity throughout our value chain. We start by working to source materials with higher recycled content and embedding circularity principles into the product design process. At the same time, we are reducing waste in our own operations and beginning to transition our packaging in North America to recyclable, paper-based solutions. We’re expanding these efforts with some great pilot programs in Europe, such as a take-back service for older windows. We also conduct demonstration projects that highlight our circularity approach. For example, we recently renovated one of the buildings at our production facility in Denmark to convert it into what we call the LKR Innovation House. Our team was able to reuse more than 50% of the original materials associated with the building. For our team, circularity isn't just a mantra, it’s the foundation of all our business and product decisions.
Q5: What do you think the building industry needs to do to advance its circularity goals?
I think the building industry is a sector with many challenges and even more opportunities. There are barriers to our progress, though, in our culture and mindset. The tendency has been to ask, “what’s the next project?” or “where can we develop next?” But have we stopped to assess what we already have and how we can repurpose it to serve our evolving needs? Or when we build new—how can we do so with decreased impact. Considering not just the immediate future, but also longer-term, including changes in weather, usage of space, and other factors? Industry leaders have the opportunity to benefit from the value of what we already have by recycling materials and retrofitting spaces to align with the new reality and selecting products where circularity is taken into account. We have the technologies and the knowledge at our disposal—now it’s time to put them into action.
(S) EFFICIENT HOUSE
Compact design a rethink on housing and retirement
By Maegan Murrins and Rayleen Hill
Sitting on a small lot of a tight urban street on the outskirts of downtown Halifax, the (s)efficient house overlooks a south-facing garden while keeping the east views of the industrial lands to a minimum.
The retired homeowners wanted to downsize in retirement. With 960 sq. ft. of living space on one level, the house has minimal upkeep and future accessibility potential. An additional 300 sq ft of garage space allows for the storage of cars and other items. The living space has the opposite “gull wing” roof shape allowing the main living spaces to have high, vaulted ceilings which make the compact interior feel voluminous.
The house is efficient, but the (S) in the name of the house stands for sufficient. It is not a large house, and the clients wanted a house that was just enough, no extras. It is about having not only less to heat and cool, but less to maintain. We think it is a great precedent because our culture always sells the idea of the “dream home” which tends to have lots of extras and be very expensive. It was a delight to have a client looking for elevated living that was not about excess.
The foyer area between the separate garage and living space creates the entry point to the house. The small footprint was purposely designed with a “divider” closet/dining servery creating a threshold between the front entry hall and the mudroom before meandering and opening into the main public areas of the house.
An important factor for wellness is occupant comfort related to natural daylighting and a comfortable room temperature. The large, south-facing feature window ensures adequate solar gain and natural light in winter. The home’s heat pump is set at 18c and stays at 19c to 23c depending on where it’s measured and the time of day. With windows in every room, oftentimes with dual aspects, the house requires little lighting, except at night.
Water strategies needed only simple measures involving water-conserving fixtures, thus saving the budget for more pressing issues of envelope design and the photovoltaic array. The water use in the first nine months of operating has been 14 CM for three months, or roughly 140l/day.
MAEGAN MURRINS AND RAYLEEN HILL ARE WITH RHAD ARCHITECTS.
PROJECT CREDITS
- ARCHITECT RHAD Architects
- STRUCTURAL ENGINEER SANI Engineering
- MECHANICAL ENGINEER Tate Engineering
- CONSTRUCTION Kildare Construction
- PHOTOS Julian Parkinson, jp@formatfilms.ca
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