Inside Vancouver April 1, 2023

Reaching Step 5:

Foxridge Homes, a multi-family developer, is building its first net-zero home in an effort to test its conventional building practices. According to Nicholas Bell, the director of operations at Foxridge Homes, the company wanted to see if it could achieve the highest tier of the BC Energy Step Code (Step 5), while also achieving the standards set out by the CHBA net-zero labelling program. This kind of home is designed and built to produce as much clean energy as it consumes annually, using on-site renewable energy systems. There are two levels of the CHBA net-zero labelling program; net zero and net-zero ready. The difference between the two is that a net-zero home has an on-site renewable system already installed.

Parkside living

IMANI Development recently launched Savannah, a collection of 36 Georgian-inspired parkside three-bedroom townhomes, and one- and two-bedroom garden flats in Vancouver’s westside. Nestled directly across from Winona Park, the homes are a five-minute walk to Marine Gateway Plaza and the Canada Line. “We love the location of this development, true parkside living, quiet tree-lined street and only one block off Cambie,” says David Zigelman, principal at Framework Real Estate Group. Register at liveatsavannah.ca.

Final phase now selling

After selling out Phase 1, Sightline Properties is releasing Dhalia, the final phase of its QE Collection — Just West, Seasons and Dahlia — a trio of Vancouver west side townhome communities. Dhalia offers 46, three- and four-bedroom luxury townhomes in the Cambie corridor. It will also be home to a spacious outdoor amenity space with a variety of features including an open-air kitchen and dining table, and a kids’ play area on the northeast corner of the site. Located by Queen Elizabeth Park, Dhalia is within minutes of some of the city’s best shopping and dining districts, such as Main St., Cambie Village and Oakridge.

Free webinar on missing-middle housing

The Canadian Home Builders’ Association of BC (CHBA BC) on April 11 is hosting a Zoom presentation from 10 to 11 a.m. called ReHousing Neighbourhoods - Missing Middle Housing. The free webinar will discuss the ReHousing research project that explores how to convert single-family homes into multi-unit housing and support zoning reform to allow multiplexes across Toronto’s residential neighbourhoods. One of the guest speakers, Michael Piper, assistant professor at University of Toronto, said: “Our housing catalogue has over 50 plans for 13 of the most common house types in Toronto. We are currently applying this research through collaborations with non-profit housing creators, development advisors and the City of Toronto’s planning group: Expanding Housing Options in Neighbourhoods (EHON).” The project’s jurisdictional scan includes Vancouver and Victoria’s missing-middle initiatives. For more information, visit chbabc.org.

Did you know?

According to a March 15 generational trends report released by Mustel Group and Sotheby’s International Realty Canada, 60 per cent of respondents think their property will match or exceed other financial investments in the next 10 years.