VANCOUVER, BRITISH
COLUMBIA--(Marketwire - Feb. 10, 2010) - Simon Fraser University's (SFU) made-in-B.C.
West House will showcase B.C.'s leading edge clean energy, green
building and smart home control technologies to the world at LiveCity Yaletown
thanks to a Government of Canada investment announced today.
"This
innovative project will use the Olympic stage to showcase the clean energy and
building technologies created right here in British Columbia," said the Honourable Stockwell Day, President
of the Treasury Board and Minister for the Asia-Pacific Gateway on behalf of the Honourable Lynne Yelich, Minister
of State for Western Economic Diversification.
The 610 square foot demonstration
laneway home features a combined living/dining/kitchen area, bathroom, and loft
bedroom with small balcony. The attached 226 square foot garage sports an
electric car charging outlet. The home produces more energy than it uses and is
Vancouver's first completed laneway house.
"Laneway
houses have a smaller ecological footprint and greater energy efficiency
than regular single-family homes, and are one of the ways we can become the
greenest city in the world by 2020," said Mayor Gregor Robertson. "By
supporting laneway housing in Vancouver, we're helping to increase options
for affordable housing and at the same time establishing our
city as a centre of excellence for green building design and
construction."
Following the
Games, the house will be relocated within Vancouver. It will be used as: a
living laboratory to conduct applied research with industry; a site to
prototype and test new technologies; a practical platform for technology
transfer; and a student internship site. Built by Smallworks, the house will
showcase the new technologies of MSR Innovations,
Day4Energy, Embedded Automation, Schneider Electric, Pulse Energy, Terasen Gas,
and Ver-Tek.
"This
project exemplifies the great benefits to be derived
from collaboration between researchers, government and industry," said Dr.
Michael Stevenson, President of SFU. "SFU West House is a showcase
for the next generation of homes, incorporating the latest in renewable
technologies, and it will have an impact not just in our local community, but
around the world."
The Government of Canada is delivering
$347,700 through the Western Diversification Program to support SFU's School of Interactive Arts and
Technology in developing this initiative. The City of Vancouver provided
$50,000 toward the project. Additional funding and in-kind services were
provided by BC Hydro, Grand Network of Centres of Excellence Terasen Gas and
Smallworks.
"BC Hydro is
pleased to contribute to this initiative to help advance conservation research
in this province," said Cam Matheson, acting Executive Vice-President, Customer
Care & Conservation, BC Hydro. "This home will help make sustainable living
real and provide British Columbians with options on how to conserve."
A stronger West. A stronger Canada.