In light of the recent wildfire crisis in northern Alberta, it’s a good time to examine the fire-resilience of your home. Vancouver Island is no stranger to this type of disaster; a massive wildfire in 1938 produced heavy smoke enveloping nearly two-thirds of the Island. With drought conditions increasing in severity each summer, there’s no reason to believe that it can’t happen again. [Read more…]
Canada’s EnerGuide: the energy cost of your home
What is the true energy cost of your home? How do you go about calculating it? If you’re trying to cut your carbon footprint in planning a building project, where do you find reliable information?
Whether you’re a prospective home buyer, planning a renovation, or work in the construction or realty sectors, here’s something you definitely should know about. Canada’s new EnerGuide system is a wide-reaching initiative by the federal government. It will provide the world’s most accurate system for determining the energy efficiency of a home. A report by a trained third-party inspector can now provide the total annual consumption and greenhouse gas emissions of any house. It’s high time that such considerations become integrated in a meaningful way to the construction and real estate industries. More info at:
http://www.nrcan.gc.ca/en…/efficiency/housing/new-homes/5035
‘Damn Near’ Passive House, then and now
Three years ago, Roy deVries approached us about helping him to design a future-friendly new home in Kaslo, BC. He affectionately nicknamed it the Damn Near Passive House because strictly speaking, it was not intended to be a certified PH design. However, we set out to make it come as close as we could. [Read more…]
25 Years: A Backward Glance
A quarter-century is a significant milestone in one’s working life. This year marks the 25th anniversary of my design practice, and I can’t help reflecting on the long and winding road that brought me to this time and place.
It seems natural that I’d follow in my architect dad’s footsteps, having watched his designers and draftspeople in action when I was a boy. [Read more…]
‘Greystoke Seven’ Revisited
A few years ago before relocating to Courtenay we had the opportunity to design a larger-scale urban infill project. Greystoke Seven is a seven-unit townhouse project in a rapidly densifying part of Victoria. It has three units facing the street and four more tucked in behind with vehicle access to garages from a central courtyard. [Read more…]
Keeping Cool Naturally: Low-energy solutions
As our national holiday approaches, so do the hottest days of summer. Let’s talk about low-energy ways to keep cool without turning up the air conditioner. [Read more…]
- « Previous Page
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- …
- 7
- Next Page »
