The six storey East Vancouver Heights residential rental building, a daytime exterior view of which is shown here, is one of the largest buildings to earn Passive House certification in Canada

The Heights

Location: Vancouver, B.C.
Completion: 2017
Photo credit: Christian Laub, Eighth Avenue Developments

Size
5,600 square metres

Structural Engineer
Weiler Smith Bowers Consulting

Structural systems
Light frame
Mid rise
Passive House / High performance

Project materials
I-beams/I-joists
Lumber
Plywood

Canada’s largest building to earn Passive House certification

The Heights residential rental building, at the time of completion, was the largest building to earn Passive House certification in Canada and demonstrates the adaptability of traditional wood-frame construction to a new generation of high-performance buildings.

The 85-unit mid-rise in the Hastings-Sunrise neighbourhood of East Vancouver met a rigorous, ultra-high standard for energy efficiency, one that would use 80 per cent less energy than a code minimum equivalent. These long-term energy cost savings mattered for the developer because the rental building was built under the City of Vancouver’s Rental 100 Program. The program offered increased density, reduced parking requirements and a waiver of community amenity contributions in exchange for guaranteed rental apartments for a period of at least 60 years, which meant that operating costs mattered.

Lofty standards without the lofty price tag

A Passive House building has a highly insulated and airtight envelope, triple glazed windows, heat-recovery ventilation and an air change rate reduced to the minimum level required in order to maintain healthy indoor air. Over time, the increased capital costs of these measures are offset by the reduced size and cost of mechanical equipment and the savings in operating energy. The architects made a business case to the owner that these measures would cost no more than a conventionally designed building and heating system, and that energy bills would be 90 per cent less than a regular building. Their objectives fit with the City of Vancouver’s energy conservation goals.

Wood is a no-brainer for Passive House

Wood is ideal for Passive House construction, in addition to being the most economical construction material for this size and type of building. Wood is a natural insulator that minimizes thermal bridging and contributes positively to the overall performance of the building envelope. The building has conventional wood light-frame 2×6 exterior walls, interior walls, I joist floors, and plywood sheathing and decking. The only non-standard aspect of construction is the secondary 2×4 wall that parallels the exterior walls. The gap between the walls means an overall depth of insulation of 300 millimetres. The Heights sets a new standard in occupant comfort and energy efficiency for rental buildings in British Columbia.

Crews were brought up to speed

Passive House certification has only been available in Canada since 2014, and some contractors and tradespeople were unfamiliar with its requirements. The architects worked with the construction crews to ensure workers understood new site requirements and Passive House-specific procedures, such as sealing and taping of all joints for air-tightness. The construction company also sent several members of its crew to train at the High Performance Building Laboratory at the British Columbia Institute of Technology.

Mid-Rise 2.0 Innovative Approaches to Mid-Rise Wood Frame Construction, a case study developed by WoodWorks BC

With the advent of new mass timber panel products, the opportunity has arisen for developers and design teams to explore new forms of wood construction, including hybrid mass timber/light wood frame construction.

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