Net Zero. Environmental, Social, and Governance (otherwise known as ESG). Green buildings.
While these are buzzwords that are ever-growing in popularity within the real estate development sphere, at Wilden Living Lab we’ve been well ahead of the trend for years. We’ve been steadily along the pathway to net zero since 2016. In case you haven’t heard of our work yet, allow us to re-introduce ourselves and share how Wilden Living Lab is taking real steps towards building the Next Generation Home.
Watch the video: Pathway to Net Zero
Who are we?
We’re pioneers, researchers and eternal learners.
Through the Green Construction Research & Training Center partnership of UBC Okanagan and Okanagan College with major research partners AuthenTech Homes, FortisBC, and the Wilden Group – the Wilden Living Lab was born, along with the support of Genesis Building Controls and Total Home Solutions.
Our research initiative is dedicated towards building Net Zero homes in a way that is both innovative and practical. It’s not just a theoretical lab though, far removed from the realities of home building and urban design. It involves real people, living real lives in very-real homes.
Since the initial project launched in 2016, we’ve been researching the energy use of homes that were built to different codes; with this data then used to implement practical procedures and solutions for future projects.
What motivates us?
Keeping the status quo isn’t something we aspire towards. We strive to push the envelope, challenge the norms of the building industry and build a better future for our communities.
The BC Energy Step Code was designed to provide builders and developers with attainable targets, measured in “steps”, with the goal to improve overall energy efficiency. It was first made enforceable in 2017, and as of 2023 the BC Building Code requires that there be at least a 20% improvement in energy efficiency for new buildings.
But while Step 2 and Step 3 are satisfactory for some developers, as partners of the Wilden Living Lab, we always aim for more. We envision development practices that make Step Code compliance less of a stress factor for those in the building industry.
“Step 5 should no longer be the exception, but the default”, shares Karin Eger-Blenk, CEO and co-chair of The Wilden Group.
What are some steps we have taken towards reaching Net Zero so far?
We are proactive, collaborative and practical in our pathway to Net Zero.
In January 2024 we hosted the first annual Net Zero Now seminar that explored how we can build residential homes to a low-energy standard that some might even consider “radical”. This event proved so successful that we plan to host another seminar in 2025.
Through our partnership with a UBC research team and FortisBC, we continue to explore lower-carbon energy sources such as Renewable Natural Gas.
Wilden Living Lab, along with FortisBC, is also actively studying strategies to manage peak energy demand, which means the highest amount of energy customers need at a certain time, in the future.
From solar panels, to the role of residential batteries, new and exciting advancements can help bring us one step closer to building “future-proof homes”. Watch as Gilles Lesage of Total Home Solutions and Landon Alridge of SkyFire Energy delve deeper into how these technologies are helping support Canada’s carbon neutrality targets:
How can I learn more?
There is always something new to learn, and we’re here to learn alongside our partners, residents and community members. It will take curiosity, collaboration and commitment to truly get us all to Net Zero.
Sign up today for the Wilden Living Lab Newsletter to stay up-to-date with our latest research and projects.
