Vancouver celebrates certification of tallest Passive House building in BC, a future arts and culture hub

We have received certification for a new seven-storey Passive House project that is the tallest in the province. Located at 825 Pacific Street, this facility is an all-electric, near zero-emissions building that will be operated by a not-for-profit arts and culture organization.

A design approach with the environment in mind

Passive House is an internationally recognized certification for ultra-low energy buildings with a design approach that uses minimal energy through more insulation in walls, windows, doors, and roofs.

These buildings generally require 90% less heating energy and 60% less overall energy than typical buildings in Vancouver. They also provide year round comfort, better indoor air quality, and lower operating costs as the thicker insulation reduces energy bills and removes the reliance on fossil fuels to deliver heat.

Passive House projects in Vancouver

The 825 Pacific Street project uses an electric air source heat pump to efficiently deliver domestic hot water heating, along with heating in the winter and cooling in the summer.  A heat recovery ventilator filters indoor air, helping to protect occupants during smoke events.

We currently have approximately 10 Passive House projects in development or recently completed, including Firehall 17, Gastown’s Water View and Portside childcare centres, and the Marpole Community Centre.

All of these buildings will have the benefits of the Passive House standard, indoor comfort with as little energy consumption as possible, with design flexibility and only slightly higher construction costs that will translate into big savings in operations costs.

Our commitment to zero emissions

By pursuing the Passive House standard in new buildings, we support local industry capacity in designing, building, installing, and developing supply chain for these buildings and the associated improved energy systems.

Since 2004, we have implemented green building programs and policies to support retrofits, new building standards, and innovation in design. Effective July 2016, the Zero Emissions Building Plan prompted a commitment that all City-owned and managed buildings would be built to a zero emissions standard.

Learn more about our Zero Emissions Building Plan

Quotes

Mayor Kennedy Stewart

“Vancouver’s new Passive House arts and culture hub is an exciting new space in our city, made possible by Community Amenity Contributions. This new affordable space means more artists will be able to create and tell their stories instead of worrying about their rent,” says Mayor Kennedy Stewart. “It also aligns with our efforts to reduce carbon pollution and do our part to respond to the urgency of the climate crisis by moving away from burning fossil fuels to heat our buildings and produce hot water, while also making buildings more resilient.”

Craig Edwards, Manager of Energy and Utilities, City of Vancouver

“By requiring the building to be designed and certified to the Passive House standard, and use no fossil fuels, this project will produce nearly zero carbon emissions in its operation”, says Craig Edwards, Manager of Energy and Utilities, City of Vancouver. “The building will meet the City’s requirement that all new City-owned facilities are constructed to a zero emissions standard, helping the City lower the carbon pollution of our City-owned portfolio of buildings, and act as a demonstration project to show how others can design and build commercial buildings to achieve near zero emissions in their operation.”