Winnipeg builder wins national competition to build energy-efficient homes

    OTTAWA, Feb. 15 /CNW Telbec/ - Skyrocketing fuel costs and the growing
impacts of climate change are leading more Canadians than ever to take a
second look at everything from the cars we drive to the homes we live in. One
Winnipeg builder is doing its part by designing a house that is healthy,
energy-efficient and affordable - a project that won a nationwide
sustainable-home competition held by Canada Mortgage and Housing Competition
(CMHC).
    "Urban Ecology" by the Winnipeg Housing Rehabilitation Corporation is one
of only 12 designs from across Canada to win the Equilibrium housing
initiative competition launched by CMHC last year. EQuilibrium housing is
designed to lower homeowners' energy bills by reducing energy consumption and
delivering electricity back to the grid. The homes will also promote water
conservation, healthy indoor environments, durability, and reduced pollutant
emissions.
    The Rehabilitation Corporation's "Urban Ecology" design will build an
environmentally-friendly semi-detached home in an inner-city Winnipeg
neighbourhood. The two units will be fully adapted to Winnipeg's climate. This
will require, for example, that the units have a combination of flat and
pitched roofs so the photovoltaic system powering them can be snow-free in
winter. The team is confident that high-efficiency appliances, low-flow
fixtures and sustainable building materials featured in their design make
"Urban Ecology" an attractive and successful EQuilibrium demonstration
project.
    A selection committee of independent housing experts chose the 12 winning
teams from a pool of 72 applicants. The winners each receive $50,000 from CMHC
to help defray the cost of building the demonstration homes, which will be
open to the public later this year or in 2008. CMHC is also providing
technical and promotional support.
    "Almost half of greenhouse gas emissions in Canada come from the
operation of buildings, so it stands to reason that if we deal efficiently
with today's built-environment, it will have a positive impact on our future,"
said Vivian Manasc, President of the Royal Architecture Institute of Canada.
"EQuilibrium is a promising example of how government and industry can work to
support a healthier and more sustainable future for all Canadians."
    Once they are complete, the demonstration homes will offer the
opportunity to measure the performance of EQuilibrium housing under real-world
conditions on a national scale. They will also help spearhead the spread of
healthy, sustainable and energy-efficient housing across Canada.

    Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) has been Canada's national
housing agency for more than 60 years. CMHC is committed to helping Canadians
access a wide choice of quality, affordable homes, while making vibrant,
healthy communities and cities a reality across the country.

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