Environmental stewardship is not just a hallmark of aboriginal philosophies, it has been a way of life for millennia.
The Alkali Lake people (the Esk'etemc First Nation or EFN) located 50 km west of Williams Lake and about 240 km directly south of Prince George is demonstrating how modern construction can keep pace with the concept of ecosystem sensitivity and sustainability. The EFN announced on Monday that a building in their village had set a new regional standard in that field of work.
"Alkali Lake is home to the first building in a northern climate and the first in a First Nation community to qualify under the Canadian Home Builders' Association (CHBA) Net Zero Home Labelling Program," said Terri McConnachie, executive officer for the Prince George branch of the CHBA.
Sam Zirnhelt, owner of Zirnhelt Timber Frames Ltd. (and former Prince George resident) and a member of CHBA Northern British Columbia, worked with the Esk'etemc First Nation to build a new Alkali Lake Recovery Centre in 2017.
The project goals included how the Net-Zero Energy Ready (NZEr) approach could cost effectively improve occupant comfort, improve indoor air quality, ensure a durable building that would last for generations, and decrease the building's overall energy consumption and electricity costs to operate the 6,800-square-foot centre.
"The client goals of energy efficiency, durability, aesthetics and value were our focus from the preliminary design phase," said Zirnhelt.
"We also pre-crafted the timber frame and panelized walls in our shop, which helped to lower costs and decrease the on-site construction time to only four months."
McConnachie explained that the recovery centre was built using a high-performance exterior insulated panelized wall system to lower energy use. Also included were advanced heat pumps for space and water heating, high performing ventilation machinery for fresh air heat recovery, and designated space in its design to install future solar panels.
The centre also tested at 0.5 air changes per hour and tested at 68.4 per cent better than a building built to code, which demonstrates its high level of energy efficiency and superior performance.
The new building will not only benefit the Esk'etemc First Nation, but also future buildings that strive to meet similar levels of energy performance, McConnachie said.
Zirnhelt agreed that such a building had value beyond its immediate functions.
"The learning experience of creating this Net-Zero Energy Ready building was enhanced by the collaboration of the Esk'etemc First Nation, our team of subtrades, and many government agencies through Natural Resources Canada's Local Energy Efficiency Partnerships initiative. We're thankful for the efforts of everyone involved," he said.
Natural Resources Canada and BC Hydro will be monitoring the performance of the building's systems.
The goal is to understand how these solutions can benefit other communities across British Columbia and Canada in reducing energy consumption.
