EcoSmart Blue Heron Haus

Blue Heron Haus

Net 0 Targeted Home for Kent & Darcy Earle

For this passive solar design the goal was to deliver an affordable simple Net Zero energy home at approximately the same cost as a traditional build. This was achieved by integrating project management and construction services with a high level of owner involvement.  By utilizing simple energy efficient technology together with a passive solar design, hopefully we have reduced the building loads enough that the 6 kW PV system will produce as much energy as the home consumes. The home is simple in design enabling material use and construction efficiency.

The views of the South Saskatchewan River are amazing

The technical solution includes a double wall high performance-building envelope that is 16 inch thick with passive house quality fibreglass triple glazed windows, Energy Star + appliances, in floor heating, LED lighting, HRV, wood stove and an electric boiler.  There is no cooling other than with natural ventilation provided by opening windows and screen doors.

LEAN  

²  Design to a Target Cost

²  Hand Picked Team with Vertical Integration of Services

²  Pull Planned the Project (6 Month Construction Schedule)

GREEN

²  Leadership: Net 0 Passive Solar Demonstration Project

²  Connection to Nature: The views of the South Saskatchewan River are amazing

²  Simple Design: Exposed concrete floors, basement walls

²  Education: Passive Haus Tour, Awesome Website http://blueheronhaus.com/

²  Economics: Net 0 Energy with a Positive Return on Investment

Murray Guy ... mguy@i-designs.ca     Builder  www.eco-smart.ca

Interview: https://youtu.be/-YIXofePkVI     Lean Training:  www.LeanLab.ca

EcoSmart Prefab GREEN Net 0 Targeted Duplex

 EcoSmart Prefab GREEN Net 0 Targeted Duplex

1602 Edward Avenue, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan

Our goal for this project was to demonstrate that we could build beautiful unique Net 0 homes that are economically viable. By vertically integrating construction services and utilizing a prefab wall system we reduced the cost of construction. By utilizing passive solar and an integrated design we hopefully have reduced building loads enough that our 6 kW PV system will produce as much energy as we consume.

The technical solution includes a high performance-building envelope that is approximately 12 inch thick with triple glazed windows, Energy Star + appliances, Nest thermostat, LED lighting, ERV, heat pump hot water heater and a 95% efficient condensing furnace.  There is no cooling other than with natural ventilation provided by opening windows, screen doors and our BIG ASS fan.  For Side B we utilized the same technology other than there is no PV system, an HRV instead of an ERV and a gas hot water heater.

LEAN  

²  Prefab Wall System

²  Hand Picked Team 
² Integration of services including PM, CM, Design and trade services to reduce cost

GREEN

²  Leadership: Net 0 Demonstration Project

²  Density: Infill Project close to City Core

²  Transportation: Close to work, bike paths, river and bus routes

²  Passive: Passive solar design principles

²  Economics: Net 0 Energy with a Positive Return on Investment
²  Furniture: Recycled, Cradle to Cradle, Local, rapidly renewable materials

 www.i-designs.ca     mguy@i-designs.ca    www.eco-smart.ca

Lean Project Training: www.leanlab.ca

LEED Archive U of S Gets GOLD

College of Law gets GOLD

This project is truly remarkable in that the College of Law were totally committed to sustainability enabling them to raise the most capital of any U of S college.   Local law firms and donors rallied to support the sustainability features of the project that include a green roof and beautiful climate tolerant landscaping that contribute to the quality of the space.  The day lighting and views contribute to productivity and the finishes are durable as this facility was built to have minimal maintenance and built to last a long time!

By adopting a fully Integrated Design process our team was able to deliver a LEED Gold project. This was achieved by designing with passive solar principles to take advantage of natural lighting while managing solar heat gain with shading devices.  The energy efficient mechanical system is a passive design with displacement and natural ventilation, radiant heating and cooling that uses 55% less energy.  Other high lights include sustainable education on building features and an agreement between the college, designers and facilities to adopt sustainable expectation for temperature control.  Why would we spend additional capital for 10 days of shoulder season temperature fluctuations when we could open a window?

Sustainable Project Highlights

²  College of Law’s commitment to Sustainability and LEED

²  Celebrating First Nations Culture with the addition of Native Law

²  U of S First LEED Project … Gets Gold

²  Excellence in promoting the Green features of the building

²  Exceptional fund raising due to sustainable features

Technical Features

²  Green Roof and Climate Resilient Landscaping

²  Passive design including day lighting, natural and displacement ventilation

²  55% less energy including innovative high capacity radiant panels

²  Sustainable expectations for Thermal Comfort

²  Quality of space and durability of finishes

www.i-designs.ca

Build Saskatchewan Green 2015 Nuggets

Saskatchewan Wild Fires

At the Build Saskatchewan Green conference we learned from 

Paul Hanley that we are already using 1.6 planets for 7.9 Billion people and that we are heading to 11 Billion by 2100. We need a get started with a new way of living!

Daniel Wallach that people in Greensburg RALLIED around a worthwhile cause to rebuild a town in Kansas that was total decimated  by tornado, and built it back up as a GEM that produces more energy than it consumes.

CMHC & Affinity Credit Union that there is a Business Case for Green

Laura De Carolis (Municipal Climate Action Center) We need to GET GOING .... we need ACTION!

Murray Guy (me)   Yes we can build Net 0 building at Net 0 additional cost using the latest LEAN & GREEN thinking as demonstrated on four current Net 0 projects.

Paul Blazer that Lean design & construction is enabling him to build a beautiful LEAN & GREEN Rammed Earth home for approximately the same cost as a traditional build.

Alfred Waugh that when we go back to basics of how we used to build building.  We can build cost effective beautiful buildings with natural elements, comfort and simple systems.

And from our Tree Hugger journalist  with attitude keynote Lloyd Alter we learn that if we design not so big, passive and with good design that Smart thermostats get bored as they have nothing to do! 

Awesome conference, Thank you to all that made this event possible.

I dedicate this article to all of the GREAT work of the Tree Huggers, we need you! 

Murray Guy @Lean_tobe_Green, mguy@i-designs.ca  www.i-designs.ca  

Lean & Green Project Facilitator Course