By L. A. Savard
CHRISTOPHER SWEETNAM-HOLMES is not your typical home builder. An environmentalist first and foremost, he studied international business at Carleton University and architecture at Dalhousie, and he interned in the UK. A McGill University Management Award and a University of California at Berkeley prize for architecture complete his very cosmopolitan rap sheet. This spring, Sweetnam-Holmes will
break ground on Abondance Montreal, one of 12 Net-Zero projects recognized by the CMHC EQuilibrium housing initiative.
Don't be mistaken by his youthful appearance. Sweetnam-Holmes is not a "new kid in town" and boasts third generation status in the housing industry. "My grandfather was a bit of an innovator in the '70s with Relocatable Homes in Ottawa, which my uncles took over," he says. "I worked many summers on their sites when I was younger."
He admits that did not prepare him for his first project, Habitat 1, an eight-unit eco-condo project. "I had just finished school, and the Berkeley prize allowed me to live in Mexico for a while. There it dawned on me that there was a need in the market for housing that takes into consideration not only the environment but also health, quality of life and community concerns. Innovation in housing is not always focused on what makes our lives better. It turns out that what improves the quality of life also ties in well with environmental considerations."
Sweetnam-Holmes devised a "green-print" for the "perfect green urban home" and struck out on his own in 2003 on what turned out to be quite a learning curve. "I made plenty of mistakes," he admits, "and ran into problems." Still, Habitat 1 reached a very impressive energy efficiency level, consuming 80 per cent less energy than conventional new homes.
His second project, ÉcoCité on the Canal, a 25-unit project in the Glebe district of Ottawa, went much better. Sweetnam-Holmes worked with investors, business partners and other professionals and, he says, "we recognized there was an opportunity in the Ottawa market for good infill projects."
Green Market Drivers
While working on the project, EcoCité did extensive research into the factors that drive the green market. "There is too much emphasis on energy efficiency. To the consumer, that is a requirement, part of what he considers an intelligent choice and any quality builder's responsibility. Although the envelope is crucial to any green building, it remains invisible to the buyer," Sweetnam-Holmes explains. "Nonetheless, the Ottawa project exceeds energy efficiency standards by 50 per cent, using geothermal, radiant heating and passive solar as energy sources. It does cost more to build green, but not very much more. We estimate that buyers are prepared to pay a 10 to 20 per cent premium for a green building but, come to think of it, the choice of finishings - one tile over another - can have just as much impact on the overall cost." Sweetnam-Holmes prefers to go with a less expensive tile that is just as durable and, instead, put money in "the things that really matter."
All this knowledge fed into Sweetnam-Holmes' latest project, Abondance Montreal - a two-phase project consisting of a Net-Zero demonstration triplex, Le Soleil, and a Net-Zero-ready 17-unit project, La Terre - which offers condos, lofts and townhomes to ensure a mix of owners. "We have future-proofed La Terre," he adds. "There will be a reserve fund to make improvements in the future. The building is wired for photovoltaic and the space has been set aside on the roof." According to the eco-entrepreneur, PV panels are on a technology curve, a bit like computers: Their cost is coming down and they will soon be cost-efficient.
The EQuilibrium contest enabled EcoCité to push the envelope even further. "CMHC insisted on integrated design, a highly recommended approach in green building, but one that is not always feasible. By bringing in engineers at an early stage, rather than once the design is completed, we ended up with less expensive and higher performance solutions." The team adopted "Rona" solutions, using off-the-shelf components rather than fancy systems. The end result is user- and builder-friendly and Sweetnam-Holmes is looking into licensing the plans to make the solutions widely available.
"Take the walls, for example," he says. "We ended up with R-46 - with no vapour barrier and only two trades required - by using sprayed soya-based urethane insulation. It comes out to 12 cents a square foot more than conventional home building. "The team analysed every system with an eye to reducing requirements, first to attain Net-Zero through a combination of geothermal, solar hot water and PV panels."
Going Green 101
To Sweetnam-Holmes, building green is not more difficult - it actually makes things easier. "It requires rethinking to make things better." Geothermal is one way to go with many suppliers already in place across the country. Choosing healthy finishes and products is not only better for the occupants but also for the builder himself who is no longer exposed to hazardous substances. "Builders have a tendency to stay with the tried and true. They will go with their own experience or those of nearby builders. A lot of green products have been around for a while and have been tested in commercial settings or in custom design homes."
That being said, it is not always easy to source new products. EcoCité partners for its green sourcing with The Healthiest Home and Building Supplies in Ottawa, which acts as a "third party review". For the same reasons, Sweetnam-Holmes is a strong proponent of the LEED for homes standard that validates green building in the public eye and gives credibility to green claims. "There will be third-party resources in every region, which will make it easier for builders to comply with the standard. Also, the LEED-ND standard smoothes out some of the conflict with municipalities and between those who want development and those who oppose it."
