The Why and How of Building a Climate Adaptive Home

By Logan Ashley, Owner - Adaptive Homes

Typically, it's a hazard to drive in downtown Revelstoke this time of year because the boulevards are packed so high with snow we can’t see around them. Right now, there is grass on the medians. This very Revelstoke analogy for “wow it’s warm out there” is my way of introducing a topic likely not unfamiliar to you; climate concern.

These seasonal extremes have me feeling like “normal” weather patterns are a thing of the past, and make the call for climate adaptive housing more critical than ever. Building better quality,  efficient homes will keep us comfortable irrespective of extreme temperature fluctuations, and reduces our impact on the planet.

Understanding what a climate adaptive build is before you start design and construction is the key to effectively executing on a high performance home. Let’s dig into some key features of a climate-adaptive house, and how you can integrate these considerations into your build.

Passive Solar Design

It is one of the fundamental principles the rest of these assertions rely upon. Integrating the passive solar principles into the decisions around orientation of the house, and window placement is the key first step to building a passively comfortable indoor climate. 

This sustainable approach to architecture harnesses the sun's power to create a home with minimal reliance on powered systems. 

Insulation and thermal efficiency

Airtightness, thermal bridging and your climate zone are components that all play into the ultimate climate effectiveness of your home. These elements need to be addressed in the design phase, it includes the width of your walls, floor and roof, as well as the placement and quality of windows and doors throughout your house. Triple-pane glass for your windows should be considered the baseline for an energy-performing home.

HVAC

Your home’s heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system impacts the quality of the air you consume. If we continue to see smoke in the summers, a high quality HVAC system is key to healthy air inside your house. These systems regulate indoor air quality by filtering out pollutants, allergens and contaminants. The size of the unit required for high performance will depend on the size of your build, but the quality is vital to maximize the capabilities of this unit.  

In today’s times, these units are designed to be energy efficient, but the smallest environmental impact approach still would be to power this unit using a renewable energy source. 

Building materials with longevity

Integrating high-quality materials into your build means you’re taking control of the detrimental impacts of humidity on the longevity of your home from the get go. Building with high quality materials is investing in a space resistant to mold and rot, and generally weeds out the highly toxic materials still used today in some lower budget building operations.

While cliche to say, it’s true that you can feel the difference quality makes. High quality materials and mindful construction methods reduce the amount spent on both maintenance, and in energy costs, down the road. 

To conclude, the need for climate adaptive, high quality housing is imminent both for our health and the planets. Taking a climate adaptive approach to building starts day one, when talking to architects.

The benefits of building in this way last far beyond the move-in date, and includes the overall comfort and health of the living environment, the cost of maintenance, and the cost of hydro. Building a climate adaptive house is building a house that’s relevant now, and for future generations.