Environmental sustainability may not be the first thing on buyers' minds when they tour Limona Construction's show home. But perhaps it should be, since 17 per cent of the energy consumed in Canada is used to run our homes.
"Most houses built to standard construction practices in British Columbia rate between 68 and 70 on the EnerGuide scale," said David Kelly, a consultant to the 91原创 Home Builders Association.
Many consumers will recognize EnerGuide as a energy-rating scale that measures energy efficiency in values from one to 100 -- one being very inefficient and 100 being a house that does not use any outside source of fossil energy fuel.
Less well known is an emerging initiative by the builders' association, called Built Green B.C., that encourages builders to offer buyers more energy-efficient and environmentally sensitive homes.
A Built Green house is not just an energy-efficient house. To qualify for a Built Green designation, a house has to meet enhanced environmental construction standards in the areas of energy-efficiency, indoor air quality, use of resources and impact on the environment.
Frank D'Ambrosio, a local architect with more than 30 years experience in urban planning and green initiatives, had not heard of the program until informed by a reporter but suggested the principles are likely similar to the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) practices. D'Ambrosio is on the Board of Directors of LEED.
"The green movement is finally hitting the mainstream," said D'Ambrosio, but warned "consumers must be careful to determine that the approach is legitimate."
The promise of energy savings is the most compelling reason to consider a house constructed to Built Green standards. In the case of a house heated by natural gas, the anticipated savings would total $597 per year, a payback on the investment in just over eight years based on the estimated $4,836 average additional cost to build a house to the higher standard, according to figures from the CHBA.
A Built Green house can save buyers money on their mortgage payment as well as their utility bill. Buyers of a Built Green house are eligible for a 10 per cent premium refund on their mortgage loan insurance, resulting in an average savings of $350, according to the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation website.
But the program appears not to be well known. When asked, Deborah Lafreniere, a broker with the Mortgage Depot said initially, "I've never heard of it." But others in her office had
One Built Green house is a showhome at 2204 Chilco Rd., found in the third phase of Limona Construction's Thetis Vale project called The Terraces. The up-market project in View Royal consists of 28 homes sitting on lots that range from 6,000 square feet to more than 12,000 square feet.
In this development, an effort has been made to keep as many mature strands of trees intact as possible. The trees encompass 40 per cent of the development, allowing the houses to blend in with the environment. Some houses also face a green belt of woodland trees and natural underbrush, about six metres wide, that rings most of the development, with the Galloping Goose Trail accessible just beyond the trees.
Residents also benefit from integrated trails that lead to a central green space and playground. Limona Construction's partners Mike Baier and John Sercombe drew on their 25-year partnership and experience to make the project as family friendly as possible. "We tried to leave it as natural as possible and respect the existing topography," Sercombe said.
Developers are given incentives to preserve green space, said Alan Haldenby, View Royal's director of development. "The Thetis Vale development has yielded significant natural park areas and plots."
Occupying almost 6,800 square feet, the show home's lot is compact. The house is space-efficient in dimensions, with about 2,200 square feet of living space. An elegant curved staircase with mission-style wood and cast-iron spindles -- a Limona Construction trademark-- sits just beyond the tiled front foyer.
A wall on the right echoes the curve in the staircase, inviting visitors toward the kitchen/family room. A 17-foot vaulted ceiling gives the living area drama and space. Three angular fixed windows allow lots of light into the space and help break up an otherwise flat wall. A bay window anchors one end of the living room.
A three-faced gas fireplace helps separate the living room from the dining room, and serves as a focal point for both. Raker windows are found in the dining room, easily hiding the fact that the room is partially below grade because the house is built into the hillside behind it. The eye is also drawn down by a contrasting, yet complementary, band of colour just above the baseboard. Unseen is a heated floor in the main level and all tiled areas on the upper floor. The bedrooms are heated by electric baseboards.
The upscale kitchen has five-inch-wide plank V-groove walnut floors, complemented by cherry wood cabinets with an American walnut stain. Light grained granite countertops serve as a contrast to the darker wood. The centre island incorporates a bar sink. At one end of the island, a floating bar top adds a finishing touch. Stainless steel appliances blend in with the overall scheme. A cosy breakfast nook is found to the side of the kitchen. A good-sized family room is attached with access to the private back patio area.
Upstairs are three bedrooms and a flex room. The master bedroom's ensuite features a soaker tub and shower combination and double sinks. One bedroom has a corner window with a wide sill that lets in lots of light. Another bedroom, made up as a nursery, features wainscoting. The flex room has sloping walls and a bank of windows, creating an airy feel.
All the showhome's window wells are deeper than usual -- a result of the builder's use of boxed windows that extend from the house, a touch seldom found in spec homes.
"Incorporating the boxed windows added a lot to the house esthetically," says interior designer Simona Baier, who helped her husband Mike design the house.
The showhome's heritage craftsmanship is evidence of a movement in which builders are starting to build houses with a more compact footprint but higher-end details. The family focus as seen in the nursery room is not accidental. "We are seeing a lot of people having children a bit older," Simona Baier noted.
DEVELOPMENT DETAILS
What: Homes built to new Built Green B.C. environmental, as well as energy-efficiency, standards
Developer: Limona Group
Builder: Mike Baier and John Sercombe, Limona Construction
Designer: Randy Clarkston, Westcoast Design
Lot Sizes: 6,000 to 12,000 square feet: showhome, 6,800 square feet
House size: 2,200 square feet, three bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms
Price: $525,000 to $675,000; showhome, $550,000
Interior design: Simona Baier & Deb Kennett
Title: Fee Simple
Schools: Eagle Ridge Elementary, Shoreline Middle School, Spectrum High School
Information: Lyle Pelter or Larry Jeff, Remax Camosun 744-3301
Website: www.thetisvale.com