Enviro Home
R2000 Enviro Home 2116 Nordic Drive
Whistler Healthy EnviroHome
This unique home integrated the Whistler quality and construction with the environmental aspects of construction. Exceeding the criteria for an R2000 home with its outstanding energy efficiency. All aspects of this house were analyzed with environmental, durability and health consideration in mind.
The EnviroHome is nestled in the majestic coastal forest of Whistler, surrounded by mature hemlock, fir and alder trees. There is meticulous fascia and exterior window trim detailing. Some of the EnviroHome’s features include: a combination of heated slate floors, heated limestone floors, and wide plank cherry laminate; high vaulted ceiling’s; massive Granite countertops; wall to wall custom wood cabinets; floor to ceiling glass windows overlooking a view of the forests and surrounding mountains; unique customized basalt stonework fireplace; state of the art wiring and appliances; and, keeping with the houses environmentally conscious construction, ultra efficient energy conservation oriented mechanical and electrical systems.
The Whistler Healthy EnviroHome was open every weekend from the inaugural opening on July 17, 2003 to the first weekend in September, 2003. On the opening weekend Whistler’s local MP and MLA as well as the mayor showed up to celebrate the EnviroHome’s success. As a result of the media and community gatherings surrounding the EnviroHome, and the supportive efforts of the local chapter of the CHBA, the R2000 standard was adopted into Whistler’s energy standards for Green Building. The maintenance department from Whistler-Blackcomb toured the home so they could see what exactly when into building this healthy home.
Innovation Building produced an interactive CD that was distributed to almost every visitor that toured the home, which was over a thousand. Ultimately, over 2000 of these CD’s were distributed to the public and building industry members. The EnviroHome has also been featured in several magazine and newspaper articles. Some examples include the Vancouver Sun, The Province, our local paper The Pique, All About Homes magazine and Builders Architect magazine. Because of the success of the EnviroHome’s media coverage, Innovation Building Group was able to take advantage of a unique opportunity involving the coinciding completion of Whistler/Vancouver’s successful Olympic bid to leverage the media exposure of the EnviroHome / R2000 program into Canada Wide coverage.
The EnviroHome won Innovation Building Group the building industry’s GOLD Georgie award for “Best R2000 Builder of the year”, the highest regional award available for its class.
The house itself was awarded a Silver Georgie for “The Best Environmental Consideration and Energy Efficiency”
The features of the house which this award was given for include:
- Used environmentally sustainable products and building practices that are available today off the shelf from local suppliers.
- Have a long term low operating cost using long lifespan products that require little or no maintenance, savings should be $200,000 over ten years.
- Simple construction methods without the need for specialized training or specialized fields, using existing trades and skills.
- A healthy home with low VOC paints and finishes and no carpets.
- The quality of the home and all of its components is of equal or higher quality than comparable homes and similar in cost.
- Recycled 90% of waste.
- Used recycled products.
- The home used Canadian made and designed products.
- Form lasting partnerships with trades, Municipality, CHBA Whistler and suppliers to promote sustainable building practices.
