Dedicated to sustainable,
high performance building

SABMag 82 – Spring 2024

SABMag 82 - Spring 2024

Sponsored content: Introducing KALWALL® 175CW – the first of our new Translucent Insulated Glazing Units

KALWALL® 175CW is the first in a series of new translucent insulated glazing units (TIGUs) which allows you to mix and match Kalwall with other infill glazings and claddings for limitless façade design possibilities – without sacrificing performance. Read more …

ZERO CARBON BUILDING STANDARD AND LEED® BUILDINGS-in-review

A Record of Projects Certified under ZCB-Standards and LEED in 2023. Read more …

The Narrows: Experience hones understanding of details

By Scott Kennedy and Simon Richards

Located in the Hastings Sunrise neighbourhood of Vancouver, The Narrows is a six-storey mixed-use building with 48 residential rental suites in conventional wood frame construction over 225 sq. m of commercial uses in a concrete podium.Read more

ENCLOSURES for high performance and passive house buildings

By Brian Hubbs and Michael Wilkinson

When designing low energy, high performance buildings, the role of enclosure design is critically important: including maximizing thermal performance through super-insulation, air tightness and the  mitigation of thermal bridging;  control of solar heat gain through shading and glass selection to minimize overheating risk; and natural ventilation  through operable windows.  Read more …

WINDOWS for high-performance enclosures

An industry up to the challenge – Windows are obvious critical components of building enclosures, especially those designed for the highest performance of Net Zero and Passive House. Select manufacturers and suppliers are meeting the demands of the high-performance building market which they see as only growing in the coming years. Read more …

EXTERIOR DETAILS for High-Performance Enclosures Rear-Ventilated Rainscreen (RVRS) and Cladding Types

Jeff Ker, Engineered Assemblies

Facades systems have always been one of the most important parts of sustainability. We are only now coming around to realize just how important. Facades, if done properly, will be a rear ventilated rainscreen. They will be part of an outboard insulated envelope and will be high performance. In keeping with that methodology, they will then be the Primary Passive Environmental Control System. Read more …

Cheko’nien House: Energy efficiency, resilience, and emission reductions on a grand scale

By Alex Minard

Cheko’nien House is the first of two buildings that together comprise the new Student Housing and Dining project at the University of Victoria (UVic) that embodies a transformative approach to student living and community engagement. Read more …

Embassy Commons: Barren site revitalized for supportive housing and community service

By Emma Cubitt

After sitting vacant for over a decade, the site of the Embassy Hotel has undergone dramatic transformation with the addition of affordable housing, community programming, and new arts and commercial spaces along a busy corridor in London, Ontario. Read more …

Cold Air Distribution – a novel approach to meeting Passive House cooling loads?

By Andrew Peel

The Passive House Standard was developed with the intent of designing and constructing buildings whose space heating load could be entirely met through the ventilation supply air required for adequate indoor air quality. Early examples, including the Stadtwerke Hannover Passive House estate in Hannover, conclusively demonstrated that this goal can be achieved in practice. Read more …