The eBuilder
Issue 10, 2009
Sir Sam Steele Sustainable Housing Development to be Certified Under LEED Canada for Homes and Power Smart New Home Program
Habitat for Humanity Winnipeg (HFHW) is constructing a 32 unit infill housing community in the Elmwood neighbourhood of Winnipeg. While HFHW has constructed energy efficient homes for a number of years, the 2009 Build marks the first time in Canada that a multi-unit affordable housing project has pursued LEED Canada for Homes certification.
The LEED Canada for Homes rating system was established in 2008 and this project will be one of the first in Canada. Previously LEED certification had to be obtained through LEED USA.
These homes will also be certified under the Power Smart New Home Program offered by Manitoba Hydro.
What is LEED?
The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System™ encourages and accelerates global adoption of sustainable green building and development practices through the creation and implementation of universally understood and accepted tools and performance criteria.
LEED is a third-party certification program and an internationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings. It provides building owners and operators the tools they need to have an immediate and measurable impact on their buildings’ performance.
LEED promotes a whole-building approach to sustainability by recognizing performance in five key areas of human and environmental health:
- sustainable site development
- water efficiency
- energy efficiency
- materials selection
- indoor environmental quality
Credits and Prerequisites are organized into these five categories. An additional category, Innovation & Design Process, addresses sustainable building expertise as well as design measures not covered under these five environmental categories.
Certain rating systems include additional relevant categories. LEED Canada for Homes, for instance, includes a Location and Linkages category and an Awareness and Education category.
Certification is based on the total point score achieved, following an independent review and an audit of selected Credits. With four possible levels of certification (certified, silver, gold and platinum), LEED® is flexible enough to accommodate a wide range of green building strategies that best fit the constraints and goals of particular projects.
The Canadian rating systems are an adaptation of the US Green Building Council's (USGBC) LEED Green Building Rating System, tailored specifically for Canadian climates, construction practices and regulations. The rating systems are adapted to the Canadian market through an inclusive process that engages stakeholders and experts representing the various sectors of the Canadian industry.
It is anticipated that the 2009 Sir Sam Steele homes will be certified at the Gold level.
What Sustainable Features Were Used in the Construction of the 2009 Sir Sam Steele Homes?
Following is a partial list of construction practices and design features used in these homes:
- Integrated design process including a design charrette;
- Compact development (number of homes in the available land area);
- Recycling and reuse of wood, metal and plastic construction waste;
- Erosion controls during construction;
- Home orientation and roof design facilitate future solar energy installation on roofs;
- Radon mitigation system (as required);
- Increased ceiling and wall insulation;
- High efficiency electric furnaces;
- Heat recovery ventilators;
- High efficiency lighting;
- High efficiency hot water heater;
- Drain water heat recovery system;
- Low flow plumbing fixtures to minimize water use;
- Front loading clothes washer to reduce water use and energy consumption;
- Energy Star refrigerator;
- Increased use of environmentally friendly construction materials;
- Landscape design features which minimize water use and limit storm runoff
In addition, the development is situated on a major bus route which will facilitate use of public transit.
Additional Information on LEED Canada for Homes
More detailed information on the LEED Canada for Homes Rating System can be found at the Canadian Green Building Council website: www.cagbc.org
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