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Category: Building Standards: Net Zero/Zero Carbon/Living Building Challenge/PassiveHouse/WELL

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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: 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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(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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Getting MURBs to Net Zero: The Expanding Role of Energy Simulation in Design

Integrating envelope design, heat pumps, energy storage, renewables 

By Chris Flood

Multi-Unit Residential Buildings (MURBs) occupy a critical place in Canada’s urban decarbonization strategy. These high-density residential forms are growing rapidly in every major city and represent a large share of new construction floor area. They also embody a paradox: MURBs can be more energy-efficient per capita than low-rise housing, yet their dependence on centralized heating and cooling systems, complex envelope geometries, and dense electrical loads present substantial challenges to achieving net-zero performance.

Against this backdrop, energy simulation is evolving from a compliance exercise into a design intelligence tool. For decades, simulations were deployed at the end of design – largely to demonstrate NECB or ASHRAE 90.1 compliance to regulators. Today, forward-looking design teams are integrating simulation from the earliest concept stages. This transition is enabling more robust decision-making around electrification, heat pump system selection, code compliance, and carbon reduction strategies.

This article explores the shift in the role of simulation, the pathways for electrification in MURBs, and how integrated modelling is helping teams navigate code complexity, manage grid impacts, and deliver projects that balance cost-effectiveness with sustainability.

From Compliance Tool to Design Intelligence

Historically, simulation models were “back-end” tools. A building was designed, and then a model was created to prove that it complied with minimum standards. The process was often siloed, with little feedback between the energy model and the architectural or mechanical design.

That paradigm is changing. Several factors are driving this evolution:

1. Code escalation: NECB 2020 introduces tighter envelope and system requirements. Provincial frameworks such as the BC Energy Step Code and the Toronto Green Standard demand not just compliance, but tiered performance improvements.

2. Electrification pressure: Cities and provinces are phasing out fossil-fuel-based heating, forcing design teams to compare heat pump strategies head-to-head.

3. Carbon accounting: Owners and regulators are increasingly prioritizing greenhouse gas intensity over raw energy use.

4. Grid constraints: Utilities face strain from coincident heating loads during cold snaps, making demand-side management and load shifting critical.

In this environment, simulation is being leveraged iteratively and strategically. Models are now decision-support engines, allowing engineers to test design concepts before they are fixed, explore alternative technologies, and quantify lifecycle cost and carbon outcomes.

Reducing Design Heating Loads:

The First Lever

A key insight from simulation-driven design is that load reduction often trumps system efficiency. A poorly insulated or leaky envelope forces even the best heat pump to work harder, inflating equipment sizes and utility bills.

Strategies to Reduce Heating Loads

1. Envelope Optimization:

  •  High-performance glazing with low U-values and tuned solar heat gain coefficients (SHGCs).
  •  Continuous insulation strategies to minimize thermal bridging.
  •  Airtightness testing and detailing to reduce infiltration.

2. Internal Loads Management:

  •  High-efficiency appliances and LED lighting.
  •  Smart zoning and control strategies to avoid over-conditioning unoccupied spaces.

Getting MURBs to Net Zero: The Expanding Role of Energy Simulation in Design: Integrating envelope design, heat pumps, energy storage, renewables. One heat pump product, the Nordic W Series Commercial heat pump is a geothermal water-to-water system engineered for large buildings. Designed for radiant in-floor heating and fan coil coilin, this heat pump offers capacities from 9 to 81 tons and supports open or closed loop configurations with reversible heating and cooling and integrated phase protection.

Chris Flood, a mechanical engineer with more than 20 years’ experience within the building services industry, is vice president, Canada, for IES.

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25 St Clair Avenue East Rehabilitation

Deep green retrofit a flagship model of fed’s sustainability commitments

By Charles Marshall

The rehabilitation of 25 St. Clair Avenue East in Toronto is a flagship project for the federal government; signifying its intention to reduce operating carbon emissions across its real estate portfolio while supporting the health and wellbeing of building occupants. The project demonstrated the viability of deep green retrofits for government stakeholders and the real estate industry at large.

Deep green retrofits are major projects that remake an existing building with the result of saving 30-50% or more in operating energy and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions while targeting improved environmental quality and outcomes for human health. Achieving our climate action goals, such as Canada’s pledge to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, will depend on substantial reductions from the real estate sector. Deep retrofits represent an achievable approach to substantially reducing GHG emissions while improving quality of life for building occupants and the members of the surrounding community.

URBAN CONTEXT

25 St. Clair Ave. E was chosen as a candidate for rehabilitation because of its central, transit-connected location and the significant remaining service life of the existing structure. The east-west orientation of the building lends itself very well to the implementation of passive design principles, including a reduced window-to-wall ratio.

The building is exceptionally well connected to public transit, including the Yonge subway line and the St. Clair streetcar line. The retrofitted building also provides exemplary infrastructure for cyclists; with over 120 bicycle parking spaces; as well as shower facilities. All parking is located below grade. EV charging stations are provided, with more roughed in to meet future demand.

Street trees and planters have been provided on St. Clair Avenue to reduce the urban heat island effect  and contributing to streetscape improvements. These trees require no permanent irrigation systems. A 110 cubic meter stormwater cistern conserves runoff from storm events to reduce strain on municipal infrastructure and release of untreated stormwater into waterways.Both the north and south facades have generous windows, providing daylight and views for building occupants.

A feature stair on the north side allows light to permeate into the building and at the same time, provides a vertical ‘neighbourhood’ for circulation and socializing. The compact form of the building contributes to air tightness and lowered heating and cooling loads, enabling the deployment of low-carbon energy systems.

New walls, windows, and roof surfaces were constructed to remake the façades and allow for appropriate levels of daylight and environmental quality, and to upgrade significantly the thermal performance and air tightness of the building envelope. Glazing surfaces were optimized to maintain thermal comfort and energy efficiency while providing ample daylight; thermally broken punch windows and curtainwall systems with triple-pane glazing were installed to target extremely low U-values for vision glazing.  Solid wall sections were provided with 200mm of semi-rigid insulation and thermally broken cladding supports to achieve an effective RSI value of 4.9 W/m2K. 

BUILDING SYSTEMS

Building systems are designed to complement the highly thermally efficient building envelope and minimize the energy required to provide comfort while eliminating combustion on-site and minimizing operating energy and carbon emissions.

Ventilation is provided from central dedicated outdoor air systems (DOAS), improving air quality and reducing the energy required to heat and cool ventilation air. MERV 14 filters remove pollutants and contribute to improved air quality. Ventilation units are sized to exceed the minimum requirements of ASHRAE 62.1 while outdoor air quantities are modulated according to the reading of zone level CO2 sensors.

The DOAS system includes a dual-core regenerative heat recovery unit for very high efficiency. A geo-exchange field is connected to a ground coupled heat pump chiller that will direct heating and cooling water throughout the building as required, including water-side heat recovery.

The design team at Geo-Xergy Systems worked with the architects to create an integrated heating and cooling solution.

The combined system leverages the available energy of the ground source system to provide the highest efficiency in both heating and cooling, while also carefully managing the energy source to ensure it operates reliably over the life of the building.

Project Credits

  • Architect  DIALOG
  • Owner/Developer  PSPC / Government
  • of Canada
  • Constructor  Urbacon
  • Project Manager BGIS
  • Landscape Architect  DIALOG
  • Civil Engineer  LEA Consulting Ltd.
  • Electrical engineer  DIALOG
  • Structural / Mechanical Engineer  DIALOG
  • Building Envelope Consultant 
  • RDH Building Science
  • Commissioning Agent  WSP
  • Renewable Energy Systems  ZON Engineering
  • Ground Source Energy Consultant
  • Geo-Xergy Systems
  • PhotoS  Scott Norsworthy

Charles Marshall, P.Eng. MBA LEED® AP BD+C is partner Engineering & Sustainability at DIALOG.

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High-performance windows for high-performance building

An overview of current practice

The Sundance Housing Co-op in Edmonton underwent a Deep Energy Retrofit using an EnergieSprong-inspired model—Dutch for “energy leap”—focused on dramatically improving the efficiency of existing homes. Spearheaded by ReNu Engineering, the retrofit included prefabricated panels, airtight construction, and electrification to approach net-zero performance. The DUXTON Windows & Doors triple-glazed low-E, argon filled fiberglass windows, for a centre-of-glass R-8, were key to the building envelope upgrade, offering exceptional thermal performance in cold climates. Not only does a Deep Energy Retrofit give a huge facelift to your building, but it also boosts comfort, reduces long-term maintenance and energy costs, and shrinks your environmental footprint—making it a smart, future-ready investment. duxtonwindows.com

The 52-unit apartment development for Halton Region, by Cynthia Zahoruk Architect Inc. and built by Schilithius Construction, is situated in Kerr Street Village, Oakville. The four-storey building is designed to meet Passive House certification standards and tailored to accommodate seniors, promoting the concept of aging in place. All units are fully barrier-free. INLINE Fiberglass PHI Certified windows, designed and manufactured in Canada, contribute to the  success of the project through superior insulation, high-performance glazing, and exceptional airtightness. inlinefiberglass.com

The Wilson Residence, Port Carling, ON is designed to perform in cold climates with ENERsign’s ultra-efficient windows. Built for Passive House and high-performance buildings, ENERsign’s  triple-pane glazing, airtight construction, and superior insulation provide comfort, durability, and energy savings—especially in cold climate. With cutting-edge technology and sleek aesthetics, the windows strike a balance of sustainability, performance, and design. enersign.com

Timbre & Harmony in Vancouver, BC is a newly completed Passive House affordable housing development. The project features two, six-storey L-shaped buildings that achieved an average airtightness of 0.38 ACH50 resulting in a 56% reduction in thermal demands. Innotech Windows + Doors manufactured and installed 375 Passive House Institute certified windows and doors for the two buildings. Architect: Ryder Architecture, General Contractor: Etro Construction. innotech-windows.com

The only hybrid casement window in Canada with an impressive energy efficiency rating of U 0,79 W/(m2 K), the Passive House Series x by Isothermic Windows & Doors is designed to align with carbon-neutral, LEED, and Passive House projects, and to meet the challenges of the ever-changing environment we live in. PHIUS, PHI and AW certified, the Isothermic system is perfectly tailored to suit the North American style. Available now across Canada.    

Translucent daylighting systems by KALWALL are the most highly insulating in the world, improving indoor environmental quality, reducing a building’s carbon footprint, and bringing measurable energy savings to owners and tenants. The KALWALL® 175CW translucent insulated glazing units (TIGUs) allows mixing and matching with other infill glazings and claddings for various façade design possibilities. KALWALL 175CW TIGUs are nominally 1-3/4” and fully thermally broken. kalwall.com

La Cime: Elevating Passive Design with High-Performance Windows – Perched atop Mont-Sainte-Anne, La Cime is a striking example of sustainable architecture, where NZP Fenestration’s passive windows play a key role. Designed to maximize energy efficiency, NZP high-performance windows ensure superior insulation, harness solar gains, and enhance indoor comfort while offering breathtaking views. Blending elegance with cutting-edge technology, they help La Cime achieve Passive House standards, proving that sustainability and modern design go hand in hand. nzpfenestration.com

This Panorama, BC prefab project was built to Passive House standards with an impressive blower door score of 0.38ACH50! It uses VETTA Windows’ triple glazed, PEFC certified wood windows, slides and doors, custom crafted in Poland for unparalleled home comfort to last a lifetime. The windows, ELITE E92 Tilt & Turn with German steel multi-point locking, are PHIUS certified and PHI validated. Lower-level glazing is laminated with R2 rated security resistance. Project Partners: Justin Sherry Design Studio, Collective Carpentry, thinkBright Homes, and Gergely Cserhati, Owner/Builder. vettawindows.com

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Certified Series Project – A Case Study and cladding types

In a recent project in Cape Breton where Certified Series was employed, material selection was driven by durability, and aesthetics, as the environmental influences are unforgiving in this region. A high-performance ceramic cladding system (TONALITY) is featured on the façades of the Nova Scotia Community College, Waterfront Campus (NSCC) started in late 2021.

Collaborating with the architectural teams, EA was able to ensure critical details were included to mitigate the tireless influence of weather on the structure. Drafting and engineering were completed by EA, the system provider. A façade installation team was assigned but did not have specific experience in high performance rainscreen, nor ceramic cladding systems so they were successfully trained and guided through the entire installation process by EA.

Halfway through the construction of the campus, Hurricane Fiona paid a not so warm and fuzzy visit. With only half of the façade assembly in place, and the rest wide open, the façade withstood the might of the tempest and not a single ceramic tile was disturbed. The success of withstanding this significant hurricane was the combination of suitable materials, collaboration and system-focused design and installation.

Not so long ago the greater importance of walls vis a vis thermal performance was recognized as part of the entire building envelope. Now the façade envelope is referred to as the Primary Passive Environmental Control System. Walls are important, and Certified Series provides a pathway to compliance and system longevity that speaks directly to our pursuit of sustainability. The NSCC project was completed in 2024 and has since won first place in the 2024 RAiNA (Rainscreen Association in North America) Awards for design and technical excellence in the New Construction category.

Jeff Ker is Senior Technical Advisor, Engineered Assemblies (founding RAiNA member). Photos: Julian Parkinson.

Other cladding types

The 2,980 sq.m two-storey École Saint-Martyrs-Canadiens has a steel-frame structure and thermal wheels with heat recovery to minimize energy costs. The EQUITONE cladding, installed as a rear-ventilated rainscreen, is a high-density fibre cement facade material consisting of cement, cellulose and mineral materials reinforced by a visible matrix, which can be transformed in any size or shape for crisp, monolithic details. https://www.engineeredassemblies.com/systems/certified-series

Located in Florida’s Lake Sheen community (Orlando), this custom home sits in a hurricane zone, demanding a facade that is durable, UV-resistant, and long-lasting. Trespa® Pura® NFC in Aged Ash was selected for its high durability, colourfastness, and sustainability. Beyond durability, the intent was also to create a beautiful space that could last for decades. Manufactured using patented electron beam curing (EBC) technology, Pura® siding has a smooth, closed-surface for exceptional resistance to impacts, weather and sunlight while also being easy to clean.engineeredassemblies.com/materials

Scanroc is a ventilated facade system with a proven 30-year track record of application and successful testing in Europe. The Scanroc system is engineered to reduce embodied carbon and operational carbon in buildings. It consists of KlinkerStone© BRICK™ (or concrete tiles) fastened to a metal frame structure which, in turn, is attached to the exterior wall and insulated to lower significantly a building's energy consumption. The system offers reliability, durability, ease of maintenance, efficient manufacturability, and environmental sustainability. www.scanroc.systems
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Certified Series

Photo: The high-performance ceramic (TONALITY) cladding system is used on the façades of the Nova Scotia Community College, Waterfront Campus (NSCC).

Toward an industry standard of rainscreen façade performance

By: Jeff Ker

When discussing façade solutions with a client I never raise the subject of warranty, unless I’m specifically asked about it. Why? I focus on the performance and relevance of the material in the proposed environment. Success of a material is never about warranty. Full stop.

While the overwhelming majority of quality façade solutions have a reasonable warranty, the fact remains that when a high-quality façade system experiences a failure it is traditionally a result of a design or installation error and not a manufacturing shortcoming. Let me expand on this.

When materials are designed into a project or installed in a manner that contradicts manufacturers recommendations, they run a higher risk of experiencing some form of compromise. Failure to comply with manufacturers’ recommendations traditionally results in no warranty coverage. So what good is warranty when materials are not designed in or installed in compliance with manufacturer’s warranty requirements?

How do we avert this potential catastrophe? The first step would be to implement a process that clearly defines a pathway towards warranty compliance. The second step would be to follow it. Certified Series by Engineered Assemblies Inc. (EA) provides such a pathway by responding to the need for transparency, due diligence, and proper installation.

Certified Series was created to address this issue as almost 100% of cases where a façade material experiences a failure, the end user is left holding the repair bill. Without any warranty coverage, a bill in the amount hundreds of thousands of dollars, in some cases, is not a light subject. Neither is the failure of the building’s primary passive environmental control system.

It is the intention that Certified Series will become an industry standard offering a superior program of delivery and ensuring that all RVRS (Rear Ventilated Rainscreen Systems) system installations are conducted properly and that the façade manufacturers’ warranty requirements are met. Here are a few features of Certified series:

A) Due diligence and transparency are values that can easily be compromised during construction. This compromise can be avoided with a program such as Certified Series where client/Architect, GC, façade installer and system provider are united and share a common methodology through the inclusion of a software program to share shop drawings and progress photos. This allows users to review and provide guidance on any course corrections from as early as design inception to substantial completion.

B) Drafting and Engineering are provided by the system provider as resident technical authority. Further to this they provide a review of the shop drawings to the installer with comprehensive installation training and site inspections.

C) Photographic evidence of the progression of the installation is directed by icons on the shop drawings and required on a regular basis for upload to the aforementioned software platform. This way, all parties have the capacity to review and provide confirmation or recommendations vis a vis adherence to approved shop drawings.

In many ways, Certified Series is a pathway to sustainability. Ultimately the program is a process guiding the material through design and installation in a manner that meets the successful intention of the manufacturer, to reach its expected lifespan, or better. While Engineered Assemblies also takes steps to qualify certain regional specific conditions (seismic, maritime or unique matters of building dynamics) the pathway to compliance is delivered, reaching the highest performance obtainable.

The façade is the outer “armour” of the building’s Primary Passive Environmental Control System. It is the foremost line of defence against the single biggest and substantial dictator – the environment. If breached, all the invested integrity within the envelope is in jeopardy.  It’s imperative to appreciate that durability is not a material property. It is a function of a material and its relationship to its environment. This brings us back to the fundamental principles of material selection, design and installation.
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