In Yellowknife — the capital of Canada's Northwest Territories — January temperatures average -27C. So warm, low energy housing isn't just about cutting carbon, it's about staying alive.
This four-unit development, designed by SMPL, was mostly assembled in a factory to minimise time on site in the freezing cold. The units score an 82 in Canada's EnerGuide rating system, putting them in the second highest category available, while the super-insulated walls boast an R-value of 35. SMPL say they use 65% less energy than conventional Canadian homes. The units are VOC-free too, and feature sustainably sourced bamboo flooring.
They're not too shabby looking either.
Lenny Antonelli is deputy editor of Passive House Plus. He also writes regularly for the Irish Times, and has contributed to a variety of other publications including the Sunday Times, the CS Monitor, Village, the Sunday Tribune amd the Dubliner. He is currently working on a radio documentary on Ireland's oceans.
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