Sustainable House Design

This sustainable residential building created by Scott M Kemp Architect on the south banks of the Fraser River, Canada. This house design incorporates features of sustainability and the house has achieved a LEED PLATINUM rating from the Canadian Green Building Council. Two side zones are two story elements while the central zone is a large vaulted space. The entrance is part of the ‘grand room’ – kitchen, dining and living room – located on the north side of the building facing the river and the views. Upstairs the master bedroom is facing the river with a large deck cantilevering. The ‘winter room’ is a solarium type space that is a multi-purpose space that can be used as a home office, additional bedroom or rec-room.

The house designed with high sustainability concept, that is carbon zero house. All heating including hot water is through a heat pump utilizing a closed geothermal loop system that has a heat exchange plate hanging in the river below the dock. The house is constructed with two building systems: SIP panels (structural insulated panels) and exposed timber framing. The remaining portion of the house is made up of an exposed timber framing. The framing is not, however constructed from large heavy timber sections but conventional dimensioned timbers (2×6, 2×8 and 2×10) intertwined together to create a heavy timber expression. No trees were cut to build the house. Dimensioned lumber was also used for glazing frames with sealed glazed units installed in-situ.

The prefabrication process maximized wood yield and minimized construction waste. The light colored, high-albedo metal roof mitigates local heat island effects and is used for rain water collection for grey water use. Minimal finishes reduce harmful off-gases. The building has a HRV (heat recovery ventilation). The ground floor had an exposed concrete slab with radiant floor heating. All wood was finished with a natural water base stain. The benefits are threefold: the vegetation provides natural cleansing thus improving water quality, the riparian zones provide natural habitat and 3) the plants help stabilize the slope and prevent erosion. + Photos by Darren Willis

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