Passive House Construction in A COLD CLIMATE - High Performance Canada Episode 4

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On a stunning lakeside orchard in Summerland British Columbia, NIDO and Red Stag Contracting team up to deliver a stylish and comfortable home for a young family. The Build Show got a great tour of some very interesting details in the high performance Step 4 home. So much time and effort went into designing a perfectly efficient envelope for these clients that not one detail could be overlooked. It came to the attention of Brett and Andrew after filming this episode that the diagonal rain screen may not have been the optimal solution for this ultra-thick, 12” wall cavity. There was a risk that this ventilation cavity could have a hard time exhausting moist air from within the wall. So, the guys took the high road and replaced the rain screen with a double layer *vertical/horizontal configuration. Well done guys! What a stunning setting for a well-built home.

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[JoshuaRes]

so appreciate that you guys took the time to discus the strapping. I have noticed this detail in other projects and was curious about how it would vent optimally.

[melvindenny]

Informative, educating. Nice to see young contractor willing to step forward. Ĺike to see house built on rainy coastal climate

[Mostviews]

The first thing I notice with the vertical strapping is if water is running down it then it will drive water towards the windows and doors.

[jacobkrzyzek]

Wish you could start showing the building details via structural/architectural drawings

[TheFunkymohawk]

Hows that compare with an ICF construction? I assume it would be close to comparable cost to build

[feelcool]

I'd like to see a passive home video for the prairies.

Here in Saskatchewan the temperature can vary 100 C° over the year. In other words, it can crazy cold in the winter, and stupid hot in the summer.

I haven't seen any real information on building for these extremes. Code is... pretty much useless.

[henrivanbemmel]

I've seen passive std homes with double wall 2 x 4 separated by 6" and the entire wall cavity is blown full of insulation. As he sais, it's hard to get decent 12" wide lumber. Using smaller dimensions, responsibly, would make the walls a fair bit cheaper to build, but also use younger trees and use them more efficiently. For the windows, I think we should consider insulated shutters at night as you can't see much outside anyway. Even with the best windows, they only lose at night. These could be engineered to be decent in appearance, but having an R30+ shutter covering all that glass at night one would think would make a difference.
A dream of mine is to see a subdivision with no services, except garbage at. Each home would be a closed loop, producing/handling their own electricity, water and sewage. Subdivisions are low density yielding limited taxes per unit area, but require miles and miles of pipe and electrical runs which cost a fortune.

[KJSvitko]

All new buildings should be designed with large roof overhangs. The large overhang provides beauty and protection from the sun, rain and wind.
Protection of the doors, windows and siding make for a more durable and comfortable home.

[robertbowman]

if your going to build a double layerd stud wall, why not build with two 2x4 and a bigger gap than two 2x6 with very small gap? Seams like a huge cost for no performance gain

[pauls]

What is the brand and model of the ERV unit? Thank you

[felixchristians]

What brand is the erv with built in heat pump from quebec?

[KJSvitko]

All homes should be built to accommodate the elderly and disabled. This will be better for everyone.
Large wide doorways and hallways make using a cane, walker or wheel chair much easier.
Bathrooms or wet rooms need to have flat floors and no shower hump or pan. A flat floor allows for easy access and drains need to provided.
Easy to use lever door and faucet handles are easier for the elderly to grip and open.
Main floors should include a master bedroom, restroom, shower, laundry and wide walk in closet with few steps to enter.
Homes should be designed with aging in place in mind.

[latitudedesign]

I understand but don't necessarily agree with the diagonal rain-screen issue, particularly in that climate. If I was the owner, builder, or designer, I'd likely advocate to keep it as is simply to avoid creating more issues with damage to the WRB during the demo, but that could have been replaced as well? Regardless, it is a great design with a very interesting wall assembly. Also, that ERV with the integrated heat pump is clutch, I'll be tracking that brand down for my own build.

[tyronetripod]

WHY DONT PASSIVE HOUSES TAKE ADVANTAGE OF LARGE OVERHANGS to shade as much of the building in the AC cooling days of summer but not so large that come oct or whenever the overhangs no longer shade near as much building and start absorbing more passive solar radiation to offset heating days of fall winter and spring?

[japt]

What about small animals (mice, bats, moles) getting under the cladding?

[francesb-p]

Are there any builders who build net zero homes near Kingston Ontario?

[solarheat]

I would have put 5cm Rockwool Comfort Board on the outside of that home.

[RobertBierma]

who makes the erv with the heat pump built in?

[WladimirGalkin]

Yes, indeed... and I thought that the "cold climate" was when -30 was crushed in November, then in December-January it added up to -45 and released in March.😁😁😁

[elelegidosf]

Says that the weather is "a little bit colder" than the coast, then says that it goes down to -20 in winter. That's not a little bit colder.