SUSTAINABLE.TO Architecture + Building and Greenbilt Homes were recently honoured by Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation’s (CMHC) Healthy Housing Recognition Program for their efforts in building healthier homes.
The two collaborated to design and build the Willowdale Passive Solar House, a single detached house located at 84 Norton Ave. in Toronto.
The house was designed to meet the energy-stringent German Passive House Standard to achieve maximum passive solar heating by optimizing site orientation and window location, and incorporating thermal mass into the design.
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The design also includes innovative shading techniques on windows to avoid summer overheating. It combines an upgraded building envelope with a high level of airtightness, advanced HVAC systems, active solar systems to generate renewable energy onsite and attention to material selection for improved indoor air quality, resource and energy efficiency, environmental responsibility and durability. The home is targeting a LEED Gold status.
“Passive housing design is the next level of sustainability, and this house shows that it is a realistic goal,” said Greenbilt president Mike Manning in a release.
“All the materials we used are widely available. What’s different is the way we put them together in this project.”
CMHC’s Healthy Housing Recognition Program honours builders and others in Ontario who use CMHC’s five Healthy Housing principles. These principles include: occupant health, energy efficiency, resource efficiency, environmental responsibility, and affordability.
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