First Ever High-Rise EnerPHit Retrofit in Canada Will Create More Affordable Housing for Seniors in Hamilton

Working with ERA Architects and the whole design team, JMV Consulting is the Passive House consultant for the Ken Soble Tower Retrofit project. As seen below, CMHC has announced major funding to help turn this project into reality.

Through the NHS Affordable Housing Innovation Fund the federeal government is investing close to $3.7M and has a financial commitment of $6.3M through National Housing Co-Investment Fund for the Ken Soble Tower transformation. Other partners involved in the project include the City of Hamilton and the Federation of Canadian Municipalites. This project by CityHousing Hamilton, the retrofit of the 17-storey, vacant and unhabitable apartment building, with Passive House standard, will provide 146 new affordable appartments for seniors.

The Ken Soble Tower transformation will showcase how multi-residential postwar structures may be rehabilitated to the Passive House standard. It will result in significant reductions in energy consumption, greenhouse gas emissions and energy intensity of the building. The Passive House standard reduces operating costs for buildings, which contributes to increased affordability for tenants.

https://www.cmhc-schl.gc.ca/en/media-newsroom/news-releases/2019/first-ever-passive-house-high-rise-retrofit-canada-create-more-affordable-housing-senior-hamilton?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=cmhc_ca_Organic&utm_campaign=NEWS-Org

Delivering Lab in a Box Building Science Workshops

Nelson Training - Mock ups.jpg

On March 8, Joshua Vanwyck was in Nelson delivering BCIT’s new CESA 1050: ZEB Introduction to Building Science, Airtightness, and Assembly Details course. The day focused on the basics of air barriers, envelope assemblies and hands on practice building up a air tight assembly. Twenty five builders, architects and building officials participated also sharing their experiences.

Thank you to the Community Energy Association for hosting the event and BCIT’s Learning Centre for Zero Energy Buildings for developing the course material and Lab in a Box.

The Nelson Star also covered the event in advance: https://www.nelsonstar.com/news/nelson-workshop-will-update-builders-on-energy-efficiency-techniques/

Photo by Patricia Dehnel from CEA.

Ken Soble Tower Retrofit sets sights on EnerPHit Standard

JMV Consulting is working with ERA Architects to take an aging 17 storey CityHousing Hamilton apartment tower and transform it into a Passive House Retrofit. Built in 1967, the tower has 146 units which will be converted into affordable senior housing. The target of the project is to reduce carbon emissions by 90% and reach the EnerPHit standard of 25 kWh/m²/yr heating, 25 kWh/m²/yr cooling and 120 kWh/m²/yr in total primary energy use.

JMV consulting is the Passive House Designer on this project. For more information about the project, or Passive House Certification for large projects: contact us.