Home of tomorrow is here

Photo: Wilden Living Lab Homes

Two homes in the Wilden neighbourhood are a part of a real-world study on sustainable homebuilding.

The study compares energy usage patterns of identical structures built with different energy-efficient technologies. 

The initiative is collaborating three-year learning and research projects by Wilden developer, Blenk Development Corporation, AuthenTech Homes, UBC Okanagan, Okanagan College and FortisBC.

Gilles Lesage, operations manager of Total Home Solutions, tested the house on insulation levels, airtightness, windows and door types and space and hot water heating systems.

The Home of Tomorrow had a great rating, scoring an exceptional EnerGuide rating of 47 gigajoules (GJ) per year and greenhouse gas emissions of only 0.3 tonnes per year in the energy audit. In comparison, the Home of Today, which was built to current building code standards, has a rating of 110 GJ/year and GHG emissions of 3.0 tonnes/year.

Lesage attributes the efficiency rating to the sustainable construction of the Home of Tomorrow.

“This project shows the impact that’s made when homes are built with efficiency in mind right from the planning stage,” says Danielle Wensink, director of energy conservation and management for FortisBC. “We believe it’s well worth supporting forward-thinking projects like this that advance energy-efficient construction in the region.”

The project has been named a finalist in four categories of the annual Tommie Awards. The winners will be announced at the Tommie Awards Gold Gala on Jan. 28.