When Avalon approached Gravity to design their latest net-zero townhome project, the team was very excited. Gravity believes that net-zero homes are not just something to expect from the future, but are something we should expect in the present. Avalon shares this aim. “Our goal has been for some time to build net-zero homes at no additional cost to homeowners,” said Chris Williams, Vice President of Avalon Master Home Builder. Avalon built their first net-zero home in 2003 and continues to meet the net-zero and net-zero-ready standards from the Canadian Home Builder’s Association. When discussing this Arbour Lake project, Ryan Scott, the CEO of Avalon Homes, said that “this is the first time we’ve applied that (net-zero standard) on a larger scale.”
“Avalon Master Builder has been a pleasure to work with. It is very inspiring to work with a developer that has such clear goals about building net-zero homes,” said Trent Letwiniuk, Principal and Co-owner of Gravity Architecture.
Emerge Arbour Lake features 87 units across seven buildings and includes both net-zero and net-zero ready units. The upper units in this stacked townhome development are completely net-zero, while the majority of the units on the ground level are net-zero ready. The solar panels on the roofs of the seven buildings capture enough solar energy for the upper units’ energy consumption and some of the lower unit’s energy consumption. Special considerations have been given to the transformers as there are restrictions on both how much power can be taken from the grid or put back onto the grid at any one point in time. The engineers on the net-zero projects consider the maximum capacity of the output of the panels and the maximum load which the transformers can handle at any point in time where the solar panels are operating at or near maximum output capacity. Due to these limitations, it is planned for 65 percent of the homes in Arbour Lake project to be completely net-zero, which covers all of the upper units, and 30 percent of the lower units.
Taking into account the large swings in the cost of utilities, Avalon Homes installed heat pumps into the townhomes, in addition to the solar panels. This decision was strategic and meant to encourage renters of this development to be mindful of how much energy they consume. Avalon also wants to offer their renters more out of a rental by including an incentive program for tenants who consume less energy overall. Additionally, this development has no gas connection and only relies on electrical energy to power the homes, including all of the appliances.
As leaders of the industry in net-zero development, Avalon suspects other builders will follow suit. “When we look at the building codes in 10 years, we’re all building near net-zero,” said Scott. Williams and Scott both foresee codes being changed to incentivize near net-zero and net-zero homes. Avalon believes in “future-proofing” the homes they build, and being net-zero is what currently sets them apart from other developers in Alberta. With standardized building codes coming into place for net-zero homes, how net-zero homes' energy consumption is labelled will also be standardized. “Why can’t you do it today; why wouldn't you do it today?” said Scott. He believes there are many reasons other than the obvious environmental factors for renting or buying a high-performance home.
For the residents, superior indoor air quality and sound attenuation are additional benefits beyond net-zero efficiency. This is accomplished partly with an HVAC system where each unit has a heat recovery ventilation system (HRV) and air handler. Smoke, pollen, and other allergens are filtered out more than in a typical home, making it more comfortable to live in. Further, the windows used in the project are triple-paned. This not only makes the home perform better from an energy perspective but provides greater sound isolation from the outside world.
Architecturally, accommodating the solar panel requirement on multiple buildings on an unusual parcel shape required simplicity in the roof design that was achieved with a simple gable roof. This ensured the successful installation of the required number of solar panels.
From a site layout perspective, prioritizing a range of unit sizes was important to the Avalon team during the design process, as they wanted to grow a community with renters at every stage of their lives. Additionally, the design incorporates a separate front door and private outdoor amenity space to make every unit feel like a separate home.
One of Avalon’s programs – Net Zero for Zero Dollars allows homebuyers and renters to purchase or rent a net-zero home from Avalon for no additional cost. “What a home buyer or renter’s cost increases for a net-zero home, is compensated for with a lower cost of utilities,” said Williams.
“We are proud to be a part of this project with Avalon,” said Stephen Barnecut, Principal and Co-founder of Gravity Architecture. “We love being a part of a team that is committed to looking after the big picture both for the residents of this project and for our planet.”
For additional information on this project, visit its project page here.