net positive projects

Net Positive Projects

Homes that make the world measurably better.

(v1.0, November 2013)

LEED? Passive House? Living Building Challenge? Smart Growth? TOD? Net Zero?

The real question, if you’re concerned about climate change is:

“Does your project contribute to a real and measurable reduction in your

region’s GHG emissions?”

The real question, if you’re concerned about climate change is:

“Does your project contribute to a real and measurable reduction in your

region’s GHG emissions?”

Does it have a ‘Net Positive’ impact?

How ‘good’ are your new buildings?

Code Minimum High Performance

Question 1:

Code Minimum High Performance

Better

Lots of GHGsFrom heating,

hot water,and electricity

(example: Standard 2x6)

Fewer GHGsFrom heating,

hot water,and electricity

(example: Passive House)

How ‘good’ are your new buildings?

Where are they located?

Oil-DependentLocation

(Walk Score < 45)

Typical Location (for the Region)

WalkableLocation

(Walk Score > 65)

Question 2:

Oil-DependentLocation

(Walk Score < 45)

Typical Location (for the Region)

WalkableLocation

(Walk Score > 65)

Better

Lots of GHGsFor transporting

occupants

Fewer GHGsfor transporting

occupants

Where are they located?

What do they replace?

Final question…

Green Field(Natural Site)

Gray Field(Parking Lot)

Existing Building(s)

Better


Green Field(Natural Site)

Gray Field(Parking Lot)

Existing Building(s)

Better

Here’s your opportunity to have a positive

impact!


3. What do they replace?

2. Where are they located?

1. How ‘good’ are your new buildings?

The 3 Questions for Net Positive Projects:

We’ve always found it funny that some of the ‘greenest’ homes are built on pristine fields, in

locations that you have to drive to.

Yes, that’s green guru Amory Lovins’ house…

And, yes, we’ve designed and built similar projects…

We’ve always found it funny that some of the ‘greenest’ homes are built on pristine fields, in

locations that you have to drive to.

Where is it located?

Better

Bet

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Min

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Hig

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Oil-Dependent Location

WalkableLocation

How good is your new building?

Performance+

Location= ?


Better

Bet

ter

Co

de

Min

imu

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Hig

hPe

rfo

rman

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WalkableLocation

How good is your new building? Code Min.

Building in an Oil-Dependent

Location

High PerformanceBuilding in an


Code Min.Building in a

WalkableLocation

High PerformanceBuilding in a

WalkableLocation


Better

Bet

ter

Co

de

Min

imu

m

Hig

hPe

rfo

rman

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WalkableLocation

How good is your new building? Code Min.

Building in an Oil-Dependent

Location

High PerformanceBuilding in an


Code Min.Building in a

WalkableLocation

High PerformanceBuilding in a

WalkableLocation

BADDECENT

BETTER

Let’s look at some residential development scenarios…

Let’s look at some residential development scenarios…

Project 1:Renovating an older house

“BEFORE”Annual GHG emissions from the site

“AFTER”Annual GHG emissions from the site

Project 1: Renovating / Weatherizing an existing home, in any location

?



Net Positive!




Net Positive!

Project 1: Renovating / Weatherizing an existing home, in any locationHow good? Code MinimumLocation? Any locationReplaces? An old, inefficient, building

Project 1: Renovating / Weatherizing an existing home, in any locationHow good? Code MinimumLocation? Any locationReplaces? An old, inefficient, building

Net Positive!

Project 2: Building a new house on a bare lot

(i.e. business as usual…)



Project 2: New home, on a natural site How good? Code MinimumLocation? Any locationReplaces? ‘Green Field’



Project 2a: New typical home, on a natural site How good? Code MinimumLocation? Any locationReplaces? ‘Green Field’

Increased GHG

emssions

Project 2b: Building a new ‘Passive House’* on a bare lot

(* a home so well insulated, and air tight, that it doesn’t need a furnace)



Project 2b: New Passive House, on a natural site How good? Code MinimumLocation? Any locationReplaces? ‘Green Field’

Much better, but still

increased GHG

emissions



increased GHG

emissions

Project 2 - Thoughts: Building either a new ‘typical’ house, or a passive house, on a natural lot still results in an increase in GHGs. New green-field buildings have an additive impact.

So… what you replace is important.

Project 3: Building a new house to replace an older one



Project 3a: New House, replacing an older home, in any locationHow good? Code MinimumLocation? Any locationReplaces? An old, inefficient, building of the same size

Net Positive!



Project 3b: New Passive House, Replacing an older home (in any location)How good? High PerformanceLocation? Any locationReplaces? An old, inefficient, building of the same size

Even more Net Positive!

Project 3b: New Passive House, Replacing an older home (in any location)How good? High PerformanceLocation? Any locationReplaces? An old, inefficient, building of the same size

Even more Net Positive!

…if it replaces an older, inefficient home

Project 3 - Thoughts: Building a new house to replace an older one…

…it’s much easier to be net-positive if you’re replacing or repairing an existing home.

But what about the location?

If we want to build net-positive projects, then we probably have to stop ignoring the impact of the location we choose.



Project 2a: New typical home, on a natural siteHow good? Code MinimumLocation? Any locationReplaces? ‘Green Field’

Increased GHG

emssions



Project 2a: New typical home, on a natural site >> in a rural/suburban locationHow good? Code MinimumLocation? Oil DependentReplaces? ‘Green Field’

(Even more) Increased

GHG emssions + Transport GHGs

(vs. other locations in the region)

Project 2a: New typical home, on a natural site in a rural/suburban locationHow good? Code MinimumLocation? Oil DependentReplaces? ‘Green Field’

(Even more) Increased

GHG emssions

+ Transport GHGs(vs. other locations in the region)



Project 2a: New typical home, on a natural siteHow good? Code MinimumLocation? Any locationReplaces? ‘Green Field’

Increased GHG

emssions



Project 2a: New House, on a natural site >> in an urban/walkable locationHow good? Code MinimumLocation? WalkableReplaces? ‘Green Field’

Increased GHG

emssions(but not as

many)ReducedTransport GHGs(vs. other locations in the region)





increased GHG

emissions



Project 2b: New Passive House, on a natural site >> in a rural/suburban location How good? Code MinimumLocation? Any locationReplaces? ‘Green Field’

Transport Increases

GHG emissions

+ Transport GHGs(vs. other locations in the region)



Project 2b: New Passive House on a natural site >> in a walkable neighbourhoodHow good? High PerformanceLocation? WalkableReplaces? ‘Green Field’

Net Positive? Reduced

Transport GHGs(vs. other locations in the region)

Ok. But global populations are still growing (until 2070?) meaning we’ll probably need to build more floor area and more homes…

…in addition to renovating/replacing what we already have.

Ok. But global populations are still growing (until 2070?) meaning we’ll probably need to build more floor area and more homes…

Can we add space and reduce GHGs?

Project 4: Combining new construction and renovation



Project 4a: Renovating an Existing Building & Adding on a New BuildingHow good? Code MinimumLocation? Any LocationReplaces? Part of the floor area replaces an older building

Renovated Floor Area

New (Additional) Floor Area



Project 4b: Renovating an Existing Building & Adding a Passive House How good? High PerformanceLocation? Any LocationReplaces? Part of the floor area replaces an older building

Renovated Floor Area

New (Additional) Floor Area



NetPositive!

ReducedTransport GHGs(vs. other locations in the region)

SmarterGrowth!

Project 4b: Renovating an Existing Building & Adding a Passive House >> WalkableHow good? High PerformanceLocation? WalkableReplaces? Part of the floor area replaces an older building

Project 4 Example:

23 Park PlacePassive House Renovation, New York

*(by Fabrica 718)

Project 4 Example: 23 Park Place, New York NYHow good? High PerformanceLocation? WalkableReplaces? Part of the floor area replaces an older building

(project by Fabrica 718)

Project 4 Example:

The Rose HousePassive House Renovation, Addition and Infill

*(a Lanefab project at the design stage…)

Project 4 Example: Rose House, Vancouver BCHow good? High PerformanceLocation? WalkableReplaces? Part of the floor area replaces an older building

Existing mid-century home Renovation, Addition, & Infill



Goal: (2x) existing

floor area&

NetPositive Reduced

Transport GHGs(vs. other locations in the region)


Renovation

Infill

Addition



Adding some ‘green bling’ could push it

further….

ReducedTransport GHGs(vs. other locations in the region)


Reduced GHGs(through on-site renewable energy)

Projects vs. Buildings:

- Start thinking about the performance of your Projects rather than just the performance of individual Buildings

- Projects can include combinations of renovations, replacements and new construction

What we’ve been thinking…

Location Matters:

- A code minimum house, in a walkable location, can be as ‘good’* as a Passive House in a rural/suburban location

- Where we choose to locate our new buildings can have a big impact.

* (as far as the climate is concerned)


Fleet Efficiency:

• New buildings (even ‘green’ ones) have an additive impact

• We need to improve the efficiency of our total fleet of buildings (and not just focus on relative improvements to the new ones)

• As a designer/builder we have to look at the performance of our own cumulative fleet of projects. Is our ledger net positive or net negative?


Net Positive Projects:

- If we can combine renovations to older homes, with the construction of new, Passive House type homes, then we can add square footage while having a measurably net positive impact



Net Positive Projects:

- If we absolutely have to build on a green-field site, or in an oil dependent location, then we’ll probably need to spend some money on ‘green bling’* to offset the impact of our choice of site and location.

* On site renewable power production (solar, wind, heat pump)

E.57th Solar Laneway House

Dumfries St. Solar Laneway House

Thanks!

- This is a work in progress. Please send any thoughts to [email protected]

net positive projects - homes that make the world measurably better

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net positive impact

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