Sustainability
Our goal when undertaking a project is to maximize a home’s sustainability without increasing costs to the budget and adding value features that make a difference. This ethos is the most influential factor when making all decisions about a project from design through to finish built form. It also insures our mandate of a light environmental footprint, a durable home with logical and functional features that meets a family’s daily demands.
Surfside prefers experienced, unbiased, third party professional consultants supporting and confirming our best building practices. Many competitors employ a strategy of simple self promotion and “green-washing” or “high efficiency” claims. This extra commitment to use the Energuide and LEED rating systems allows the consumer more confidence when making a decision to purchase one of our Homes.
Home Energy Modeling
Embracing new software technology in our process is a key component to why we can offer a high level of sustainability at or near current maket priced homes. Using energy modeling software such as HOT 2000 in the design stage allows us to target areas of heat loss and prevent poor energy performance of a home through usage simulation. This technology allows us to then calculate the costs associated with higher efficiency and determine if those costs are justified before construction. After the home is completed, it goes through a final test by an auditor which results in an ENERGUIDE rating. This number is proof and gives confidence to the new homebuyer that our home’s building envelope performs efficiently. All of our projects, both new construction and large scale renovation, have a minimum ENERGUIDE rating of 80. To give some perspective on that rating, less than 1% of Canada’s housing stock would measure at that level. Click on the link below to view the last rated project summary sheet with a rating of 85.
• EcoEnergy Report • E3 Eco Report
LEED
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design
Surfside has been at the helm of two LEED Platinum certifications, the highest rated level. The last project received a score in December 2010 that was the highest ever received for a single family home in Canada at 110 points. For more information on LEED Canada for Homes click on the website below. www.canadagreenhomeguide.ca
Passive Design elements of an envelope
• Overhangs for shading that prevents solar heat gain and waterproofing
• Passive solar design: siting , orientation of the house to the sun during the day
• Passive ventilation for BC climate conditions , window/sunroof openings for cross ventilation
• High Performance Building Envelope
What is it and why is it a key factor for Sustainability?
The building envelope is comprised of the outer elements of a building—foundations, walls, roof, windows, doors and floors. Prime functions of the envelope is to provide moisture, solar , indoor air quality and thermal control to the Home owner. If the house operates efficiently and still functional over a long time period then the energy to build it along with the costs remains embedded over that time. That in itself is a huge factor to defining what is a sustainable house.
Features-Benefits of an Envelope
A super insulated wall assembly:
retains heat while lowering mechanical heating demands and costs
An air tight envelope:
prevents easy loss of heat and energy costs to re-heat
Breathable walls are durable walls:
wet in winter able to dry in summer, prevents mold
House wrap approach:
acts like a GORE-TEX® jacket, waterproof but still breathes
Rain screening and flashing details:
insure water stays on the outside, prevents mold
Low e/argon windows:
prevents solar heat gain into the house in the summer and allows the Sun’s heat to be retained in the winter