Page 85 - Designing Ways 271

Before: Sideyard
Photo credit: Dewson Architects

code and zoning requirements, thus maximising the healthy, yet
limited budget.

The design team managed to fit a number of sustainable features,
such as:
• Passive ventilation that allows for air-conditioning-less cooling
on all but the hottest days.
• Building an airtight envelope to minimise cooling and heating
loads. The home ended up having an ACH (air changes per
hour) of less than 1, vs. the code-minimum of 2.5.
• Reusing as much of the foundation as possible to minimise cost
and reduce the embodied energy of the project.
• Designing a high-performance envelope, with little to no
thermal bridging, high insulation ratings, and triple glazed
windows that allow breathtaking views into the ravine while
greatly reducing heating and cooling losses. These windows are
covered with heavy roll-down blinds at night that further reduce
losses.
• Turning the main orientation of the house from the street to the
shaded side yard, increasing the connection to the outdoors, and
limiting solar gain on the southwest-facing façade.
• Using materials such as the durable cement cladding that will
Aerial view require little maintenance and last for decades.
Photo credit: ©2021 RVLTR / A. Marthouret

Side yard from the ravine
Photo credit: ©2021 RVLTR / A. Marthouret

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