roughed up
Setting the stage
Green streets
How to antique your furniture
City releases funding for National Music Centre
Mayor participates in 20-Minute-Makeover
how to A14
commercial A16
green living A19
Sherry JenkinS
403-804-3694
sherry@wemortgage.ca 133 First Street NW, Airdrie, Alberta T4B 0R3
WeMortgage.ca See MOney on page A10
FREE jun 15 to jun 21 2012 issue 02-23 @crebnow www.creb.com
photo illustration courtesy cmhc
New Calgary community touting smart, sustainable living kelsey hipkin
reporter/photographer
N
ot many people can say they’re neighbours with a winning entry in a national sustainable housing project, but the new Calgary community of Echo Haven has the credentials to prove it. About 15 years ago, Dave Spencer,
development manager with EchoLogic Land Corporation and others decided they wanted to build a greenoriented home after volunteering for a project in Scenic Acres. “We couldn’t find anybody who could build kind of exactly what we wanted so we ended up buying this (2.2 hectares) in Rocky Ridge and of course we had more lots than we could use so decided to go into the
SINGLE FAMILY
development business,” Spencer said. “We wanted to attract some more people that were like-minded and that was kind of the understanding … in the community; having an interest in energy efficient and healthy homes.” Spencer and his wife were already “well into” the design phase of creating an energy efficient home when they entered the CMHC’s Equilibrium™ Sustainable Housing Demonstration Initiative. According to the CMHC, the initiative “brings the private and public sectors together to develop homes and communities that address occupant health and comfort, energy efficiency, renewable energy production, resource conservation, reduced environmental
$502,065 $472,465
$469,726 $438,683
$453,629
$455,399
$453,969
$455,849
$466,167
$470,655
$479,580
$483,519
$489,482 $462,947
$461,786
$441,341
$454,163
$455,460 $444,744
*All statistics based on monthly data compiled by CREB® via MLS® activity.
Calgary building permits skyrocket CREB® STAFF
T
MAY10 JUN10 JUL10 AUG10 SEP10 OCT10 NOV10 DEC10 JAN11 FEB11 MAR11 APR11 MAY11 JUN11 JUL11 AUG11 SEP11 OCT11 NOV11 DEC11 JAN12 FEB12 MAR12 APR12 MAY12
$445,617
$460,278
$464,655
$479,575
$481,964
$483,240
MLS® AVERAGE PRICE* MAY ‘10 – MAY ‘12
impact and affordability.” The CMHC invited builders and developers to submit ideas for what they called Equilibrium™ demonstration homes in May of 2006. Out of 72 applicants who expressed interest, 20 were chosen to prepare and submit proposals before January 2007, when 12 teams, including Echo Haven, were selected to build and demonstrate their home. Every inch of the Spencer’s home was thought out according to efficiency and affordability while taking into consideration the home’s EnerGuide rating. “The gist of this whole process was trying to keep it affordable as well as
he estimated construction value of building permit applications in Calgary for the month of May was $534 million, up 95 percent compared to May of last year. The estimated construction value of building permit applications in Calgary for the month of May was $534 million, which is up 95 percent compared to May 2011 ($273 million), bringing the year-to-date total to $2.142 billion.
construction A3
achieving the objectives of being a net zero home and, of course, the simpler the design, the simpler the details become,” he said. “I’ve been in a few net zero homes before we even started so I had a rough idea what to expect, I’m just totally amazed how comfortable the house is. Year-round there’s no draft, (the) interior comfort level is so high and it’s so quiet. You have a hail storm or lightning, close the windows, and you can’t hear a thing.”
green living A3
contents news briefs
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technology
A6
Safety app
event listing
A6
mortgage rates
A10
business directory A10 renovations
A13
Revealing renos
map
B1
open houses
B23