THE CONSTRUCTION TECHNOLOGY REVOLUTION: A Catalyst for High-Performance Buildings and Industry Transformation
By Passive House Canada CEO, Chris Ballard
Passive House Canada is happy to introduce the annual Passive House issue of SABMag which profiles recently completed Passive House-certified projects from across the country.
BIRD’S WING DUPLEX: Creative spatial design makes for flexible living
By Allison Holden Pope
Located in an established single-family neighbourhood on the west side of Vancouver, this project takes advantage of recent zoning changes to create an energy efficient duplex, with lock-off suites, combining thermal efficiency and spatial flexibility, within an architectural expression that is both minimalist and contextual.
MOSAÏQ COMMUNITY HOUSING: Urban infill delivers comfort and affordable living
By Marc Thivierge
The construction of the affordable housing complex known as “Mosaïq” is part of a much larger multiblock redevelopment set in the urban core of Ottawa’s Little Italy. The program called for a significant increase in density while designing to the stringent sustainability provisions of Passive House (PHIUS).
BUILDING NX RETROFIT: A first for Passive House certification
By Holly Jordan
Building NX was constructed in 1989 as the main library for Humber College, also serving as the gateway to its North Campus. When the main library and entrance moved to the Learning Resource Commons, the five-storey concrete structure became an office area for faculty.
THE WELLINGTON: Good design and high performance break stereotype of affordable housing
By Stephen Kopp
Located at the historic intersection of Union & Wellington streets in the heart of Saint John, The Wellington is a 6-storey mixed-use development, with ground floor commercial space and 5 upper floors containing a total of 47 affordable and market rate apartment units.
A FRAMEWORK FOR REGENERATIVE DESIGN
By Colin Rohlfing
According to the August 2021 report from Working Group 1 of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (WPG-1), ‘it is only possible to avoid warming of 1.5 °C or 2.0 °C with associated catastrophic impacts, if massive and immediate cuts in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are made’ before 2030. In short, we have less than eight years to drastically reduce global carbon emissions and avoid the direst impacts of climate change.
INTERVIEW WITH – Irene Rivera and Esther van Eeden: Designing the Passive House Putman Family YWCA
Irene Rivera, associate architect, and Esther van Eeden, director of high-performance buildings, at Kearns Mancini Architects in Toronto (kmai.com), were part of the design team of the Passive House certified Putman Family YWCA in Hamilton which received the Technical Award in the SABMag 2023 Canadian Green Building Awards, www. sabmagazine. com/2023-winners-sabmag-canadian-greenbuilding- awards
VIEWPOINT – RIGHTS OF NATURE: Pathways to legal Personhood for the Fraser River Estuary
By Avery Pasternak and Kristen Walters, University of British Columbia and Raincoast Conservation Foundation
“Imbuing the estuary with legal standing and personality captures the estuary’s intrinsic value as a living organism, beyond what resources it can provide to support economic growth and industrialization.”