CMHC Initiatives

Arlene Etchen, CMHC Senior Research Consultant

CANADA MORTGAGE AND HOUSING CORPORATION

EQuilibrium is a national residential design-build-

demonstration initiative to challenge builders and

developers across Canada to act as environmental

stewards by:

� Designing low-impact affordable, healthy, highly energy and resource efficient housing

� Resulting in low-to-no housing related environmental impacts on water, land and air

� Facilitating public demonstrations, performance monitoring and reporting.

CMHC’s EQuilibrium Sustainable Housing Initiative

A collaborative initiative between Natural Resources Canada’s CanmetENERGY and Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation

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Goals of the Initiative

� Fund and support developers to improve performance in designing and developing sustainable communities

� Demonstrate how the neighbourhood scale offers unique opportunities for integration across systems

� Measure, showcase and share what works

A collaborative initiative between Natural Resources Canada’s CanmetENERGY and Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation

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Scope of the Initiative

� Joint Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation / Natural Resources Canada CanmetENERGY initiative until 2012

� $4.2 million in technical and promotional assistance for six neighbourhood development projects across Canada

A collaborative initiative between Natural Resources Canada’s CanmetENERGY and Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation

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Resources

� Approximately $550,000 per project� Activities that improve environmental

performance through research and design modifications

� Monitoring, commissioning and showcasing

A collaborative initiative between Natural Resources Canada’s CanmetENERGY and Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation

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Integration Across Six Themes

1. Energy

2. Land Use and Housing3. Transportation4. Water, Waste Water and Storm Water5. Natural Environment6. Financial Viability

A collaborative initiative between Natural Resources Canada’s CanmetENERGY and Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation

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Six Projects to Receive Support

To date, one project has been announced:

� Station Pointe, EdmontonDeveloper: The Communitas Group Ltd.

A collaborative initiative between Natural Resources Canada’s CanmetENERGY and Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation

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Description:� transit-oriented development

in Fort Road community —renewal project on former industrial land

� over 1,400 m2 commercial/retail, daycare, community facilities

� 220 affordable and market homes: townhomes, mid/high-rise apartments

� project is in planning phase

Station Pointe, Edmonton

A collaborative initiative between Natural Resources Canada’s CanmetENERGY and Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation

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Proposed features:� within walking distance of

a LRT station/bus terminal

� 75% reduction in building energy use

� treat 100% of wastewater on site for re-use in toilets and irrigation

� 100% stormwater diverted

Station Pointe, Edmonton

A collaborative initiative between Natural Resources Canada’s CanmetENERGY and Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation

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� Visit ecoACTION.gc.ca for updates

Or send inquiries to …� EQuilibrium.Communities@NRCan-RNCan.gc.ca

To Stay Informed:

CMHC Resources

To learn more about CMHC, Canada’ s National Housing Agency, visit our website at cmhc.ca or call 1-800-668-2642

CANADA MORTGAGE AND HOUSING CORPORATION