The Laebon CHESS Project
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Summary
In order to design a home that was both energy-efficient and suited to Red Deer’s climate, the CHESS team began by considering the house as a whole, including how it would interact with the environment, the impacts of construction as well as the full life cycle of the home.
Essentially a starter home, the CHESS house was designed to be extremely flexible to changes in the needs and preferences of home owners. An optional second floor was planned to accommodate a growing family. For later in life, the main floor was designed to be readily and easily made barrier-free.
Another priority was ensuring the highest possible level of resource efficiency throughout the construction process. As a result, close to 65 per cent of all construction waste will be recycled, and many of the materials used to build the home will be re-useable if it is demolished.
To ensure the home would produce as much energy as it consumes on an annual basis, the builders combined a highly efficient building envelope with geothermal, solar thermal and solar photovoltaic renewable energy sources. The result is a model of comfortable, adaptable and resource-efficient housing designed for the realities of life in a harsh Canadian climate.
Key Design Features:
- Tailored to the local climate
- Highly insulated building envelope
- Improved indoor air quality
- Advanced HRV system
- Responsible use and recycling of resources
- Highly adaptable design accommodates full life cycle of the occupants
- Structural insulated panel wall system