Ontario homebuilder to construct Canada’s first net-zero office building
By Jillian Morgan
Green Construction
Howland Green Business Centre, Markham (Artist Concept). (CNW Group/Howland Green Homes Ltd.)
Markham, Ont.-based Howland Green Homes announced plans to construct the first net positive (net-zero) energy office building in Canada.
A net-zero building generates its own energy needs through renewable on-site or remote power generation.
The Howland Green Business Centre will be located on Cachet Woods Court, near Highway 407 and 16th Ave in Markham, Ont.
“This new building is … nothing short of a landmark achievement and giant ecological leap forward for the environment and the building industry,” said Dave de Sylva, founder of Howland Green Homes.
Powered by sun and geothermal energy, the centre will offer 59,000 square feet of office space. The three-storey building will include two levels of underground parking.
Insulated concrete formwork will provide a combined thermal resistance value of R40, according to the company. R80 roof insulation aims to block energy transfer, and fiberglass and low E argon gas windows will offer resistance values of R9.
A rooftop photovoltaic array intends to capture about 420,000 watts of solar energy and generate nearly 515,000 kilowatts per hour of energy.
Other features include high-efficiency LED lighting with motion sensors, geothermal technology with automatic load sharing and individual office controls, a water recycling system and an electric potential lithium-ion and pneumatic energy storage system.
The operational demand for the entire building will be approximately 430,000 kilowatts per hour, according to Howland Green Homes.
Howland Green Home’s mandate is to build properties that generate more energy than is needed to operate a building annually.
SOURCE: HOWLAND GREEN HOMES
