The Province will advance the goal of meeting the vast majority of British Columbia’s new electricity demand through conservation by providing $100,000 to the Canadian Passive House Institute (CanPHI) West.

This funding will support increased training and certification opportunities for construction and design professionals so that they can build the most energy-efficient buildings in the world, right here in British Columbia.

The grant from the Province’s Innovative Clean Energy (ICE) Fund will help sponsor and subsidize introductory or certification courses in Passive House design principles offered by CanPHI West for up to 200 qualified professionals in British Columbia.

Minister of Energy and Mines Bill Bennett made the announcement today at the North Park Passive House - a six-unit condominium project under construction in Victoria and the first market condominium in Canada being built to international Passive House building standards.

The international Passive House standard is the one of the most rigorous and advanced building performance standards in the world, achieving reductions in heating energy of up to 90% compared to other buildings.

Passive House design principles focus mostly on enhancing the building envelope with thicker walls and additional insulation, and include the most energy-efficient ventilation systems, doors and windows on the market.

Combined, these measures reduce energy costs for homeowners, contribute to decreased provincial energy demand and also contribute to the province’s greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets.

While the Passive House system of construction is now typical for new construction in Europe, it is not yet well-understood by architects, engineers and builders in Canada and requires specialized training and experience.

CanPHI West is a membership based not-for-profit corporation dedicated to providing Canadians with the knowledge and tools to design and construct buildings meeting the international Passive House Standard. It offers a selection of specialized courses to architects, engineers, tradespeople, planners and homeowners in Passive House design and construction.

B.C.’s ICE Fund supports energy efficiency and conservation projects, programs or initiatives that will assist the Province in meeting its energy and environmental priorities.

(flickr.com)

Quotes:

Bill Bennett, Minister of Energy and Mines -

“The ICE Fund grant to the Canadian Passive House Institute West will help more architects, engineers and builders gain the training and experience they need to design and build the most energy efficient buildings in the world.

“Ultra-efficient new homes and buildings lower electricity bills for consumers by reducing their energy use and keep rates low by avoiding the need to build new generation facilities. This funding will reduce electricity demand helping BC Hydro achieve its goal to meet 78% of new demand through conservation by 2020.”

Rich Coleman, Deputy Premier, Minister of Natural Gas Development and Responsible for Housing -

“We are encouraging builders to use the latest building materials, more insulation and the most energy-efficient doors, windows and ventilation systems possible, whether they are renovating an old property or in new construction. Through this approach, we can lower demand for energy and help British Columbians to reduce their energy bills.”

Mary Polak, Minister of Environment -

“Energy use in buildings represents approximately 11% of British Columbia’s greenhouse gas emissions. Construction of homes and commercial buildings to high-performance energy-efficiency standards such as Passive House can significantly reduce overall provincial GHG emissions and help us fight climate change.”

Scott Kennedy, chair, Canadian Passive House Institute (CanPHI) West -

“The Province’s training support for high performance building design and construction is the first step in a path to a more sustainable built environment which supports the provincial economy while providing a higher standard of indoor air quality and comfort. CanPHI West is delighted to be assisting in the achievement of these objectives by providing training to construction industry professionals.”

Adam Fawkes, architect, Hughes, Condon, Marler Architects -

“As the architect for the North Park multi-unit residential Passive House project in Victoria I found that completing the one-week training course offered by CanPHI West was an essential first step. The Passive House standard is based on sound building science that can be applied to almost any building type. I foresee that Passive House will contribute to the improvement of the building stock in B.C. similar to the market transformation benefits that we have seen with LEED.”

Learn More:

Canadian Passive House Institute West: http://www.canphi.ca

Media Contacts:

Jake Jacobs
Media Relations
Ministry of Energy and Mines
250 952-0628