Emerald Drive

Name: Emerald Drive
Completed: 2020
Architectural Design: Brigitte Loranger
Photography: Joern Rohde

Exterior

With a traditional vaulted roof, the home design fits both the form and character of the mature Whistler neighborhood
Fire-smart board & batten fiber-cement siding was selected to reduce the risk of fire from the dense forest in the rear yard and blends with feel of neighborhood
A timber exoskeleton facilitated the modular design and construction and offers architectural appeal
The side-facing concealed garage focuses view on the homes architecture and not the garage door

The home was designed as live and work space with his and hers offices on separate floors
The kitchen is designed as the focal point for family-living, entertaining and out-door living with both front and rear facing decks
The timber roof structure is featured as a key design element with a vertically oriented clear Douglas-Fir T&G ceiling throughout
The timber stairs with bolted glass railings show-off the stairwell and bring light from the 3 skylights to the lower floor entry and mudroom

A covered entry and rear yard BBQ deck offer protection from rain and snow
The central open stairwell with large windows and skylights lights all 3 levels
The master bedroom and ensuite are on the top-floor for views and natural light with a French balcony to the rear-yard
A rental suite is incorporated on the lower floor with a separate covered entrance protecting residents from snow shed from the roof above

The goal was to build a modular net zero ready custom mountain home that was indistinguishable from the neighborhood design style
Our intent was to reduce construction time on site with less impact on the neighborhood. On site construction was reduced from typical 14 months to under 8 including site works and foundations, despite significant delays with a modular manufacturer bankruptcy requiring additional finishing on site and extending construction time by over 3 months
The home consists of 5 individual modules with the lower 2 modules set into the full-heigh foundation
Using a factory process, we could:

Limit the delays from lack of local skilled trades
Reduce impact on our labour resources
Reduce waste
Improve quality
Reduce trade travel time to site further reducing GHGI’s
Demonstrate that modular construction could meet the standard for a custom luxury mountain home and meet the net zero ready criteria to qualify for the CHBA Net Zero Ready Label

The vaulted timber ceilings on main and upper floors were designed for prefabrication
The home was designed from the outset to meet a net zero ready standard able to produce as much energy as it used.
All construction waste was recycled where possible. Currently RDC diverts 75% of its waste from construction from landfill
All the windows and doors are triple glazed Euroline 4700 Series units that meet the Passive House standard
We achieved an airtightness of 1.49ach with Aerobarrier air sealing installed by Airtight Solutions
Exterior walls have an R26 effective insulation rating
The roof has an R60 effective insulation rating
The crawlspace is sealed and insulated with R26 effective Nudura ICF walls
The south facing main roof orientation ensures optimal energy production for photo voltaic modules
A cold climate Heat-Pump was selected for heating and cooling in combination with the Dettson HVAC with their smart duct system and a 73% efficient HRV
An induction stove and Energy Star appliances were installed
LED lighting installed throughout
A Radon mitigation system supplied by Radon Environmental was installed during construction and the home was tested after completion – No significant radon levels was measured when tested.