OneSEED Passive House
Lower Mainland / Vancouver, BC

2 200 SF

New Construction

Interested in a healthy and comfortable home which vitalizes the people within? A modern design, affordability, and environmental sustainability? Then you need a Passive House!  What is a Passive House and why is it so important? Find out here.

Update: the first OneSEED Passive House – North is scheduled to be built!

We are absolutely gung-ho about taking our super-green projects to the next level with Passive House.  In the past, we had proposed the PH standard to clients seeking custom homes, and we found that they were very interested in it (it does make a lot of sense!) and impressed with the proven science and economics of Passive House.  However, two issues were raised over and over: exactly how much will it cost and what will the design look like? These are questions that cannot be answered in a concrete way for any project before the design process begins.  And so, we decided to take the unknowns out of the equation… the OneSEED Passive House Prototype was born!  Check it out on YouTube.

Green for you, your family, and our future.

We take Passive House beyond ridiculously amazing energy efficiency to the next level of sustainability with a truly green design.  The standard OneSEED Passive House prototype includes super insulated walls, roofs, and floors, high-performance windows, water efficient fixtures and appliances, a rainwater retention system, and durable and sustainable construction materials and finishes throughout.  Of course, the home’s responsive solar design means that it heats, cools, ventilates, and daylights itself the majority of the time.  In addition, we offer optional system upgrades to the prototype including greywater reuse, photovoltaics, geothermal, and solar hot water.

Passive House Certification: OneSEED Passive House is designed with PH certification in mind, however certification cannot be granted on any project until construction is completed.  As such, we have focused on a ‘pre-certification’ of the house.  This means that we have taken Vancouver’s climate, a smaller than standard lot size, and a specific orientation and solar exposure into consideration in the design.  Next we are energy modelling the house and preparing documentation for the certification process to ensure that the proposed design meets the rigorous PH standards.  If your site meets our basic criteria you could be the proud owner of a OneSEED Passive House!  With our streamlined process the only remaining steps to certification occur during and after construction: verification of compliance with the design in the field and testing for air-tightness during and after construction.

Pricing: We are working closely with builders to refine the construction details and pricing, so that our clients can build a Passive House with a firm budget.  More details coming soon!

Prototype:  There are four versions of the prototype, one for each of the four typical lot orientations, based on the street front direction.  For example, the OneSEED Passive House North, has a north facing front door. If your property meets the minimum requirements (26′ wide, 116′ deep, 3 600SF lot size, RS zoning) then you are almost there.  Contact us by phone or email, and we will analyze your lot for compliance with our energy modelling as well as City zoning bylaws. We then generate site specific drawings for your home and submit them for a building permit. The prototype is not to be confused with a prefab. Although some components might be prefabricated, the house will be built on-site, as any custom home would be.  We have accelerated the process by completing the design and pre-certification work ahead of time and since the design is available to multiple clients to design costs are lower for you!

Customize it:  As the house is not prefabricated, we have the flexibility to alter and personalize the prototype as desired by our clients.  Using the prototype as a starting point, we can customize the design to suit a different lot size or shape, site specific features, more or fewer rooms, a bigger or smaller house, different materials, etc.  The possibilities are endless, after all, our specialty is designing custom homes!  Alterations to the prototype and PH energy modelling documentation would be provided for an additional fee.

Smart and modern design that will make you smile.

There is a sophistication in the simplicity of the home which carries from the outside to the inside.  The beautifully composed exterior, where warm cedar plays against cool siding panels, has a striking effect.  Moving inside, large windows and hints of the exterior material palette are carefully integrated to provide an inside-outside experience, even in an urban setting.  The home is punctuated by carefully designed and located ‘wow factors’ which show off the green aspects of the home including a daylighting glass floor over the dining area, an exposed concrete block thermal wall, open riser feature stairs, funky bathrooms, and more.  The entry stair incorporates a playful rainwater retention pond, and the penthouse level includes an open concept work or studio space  providing access to a massive green roof with great views, excellent sun exposure, and privacy from neighbours.

The design is functional, flexible, and not too ‘precious’, incorporating tons of storage and multi-functional spaces.  A clever basement plan allows the house to adapt to suit changing needs as your family evolves, ensuring the house has a long and productive life.  This garden level includes a self-contained one or two bedroom secondary suite / mortgage helper / nanny suite.  If you want to add an extra bedroom, home office, or yoga studio to the primary residence, the suite easily transforms into a studio or one-bedroom suite, maintaining functionality and an income potential.  Alternately, you could incorporate the full level, with its two bedrooms and lounge area.  We created a compact and an efficient design with an open and airy feeling, because why build and pay for  wasteful unused spaces?

A work in progress: We are still tweaking the design and details.  Check back here regularly, and stay tuned to our blog for developments.  Here is what will be coming soon:

  • Performance data and pre-certification analysis
  • Exterior renderings of the ‘North’ model
  • Construction costs
  • Assembly and specification details

Renderings by: alexandre_3d@hotmail.com.

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