The city of Ottawa has created sustainable and affordable housing by incorporating energy saving features for families in low and moderate income brackets. The Canadian Funding Corporation reviews a report from the CMHC about the Blue Heron Co-op.
Tenacity paid off for a small group of housing co-op members, who, after 10 years of work and determination built the first housing co-op in Ontario in nearly a decade. Located in Ottawa’s western community of Kanata, Blue Heron Co-op sets new standards for sustainable building in affordable housing by incorporating energy- and water-saving features. The Co-op’s vision and support for innovation in energy efficiency helped land its architect the local Homebuilders Association’s very first award for Sustainable Housing.
The Affordable Housing Solution
Blue Heron Co-op, which is close to schools and community services, opened in September, 2006. The 83-unit project has 58 apartments and 25 townhouses for families with children and single people. Households pay housing charges that are either geared to income, 70 per cent of the average market rent, or average market rent.
The Co-op incorporates a range of sustainable building features,such as a computerized heating and cooling system, good quality windows, a well-designed energy conserving envelope, low-wattage light bulbs and motion-sensing light fixtures in common spaces. A high-efficiency gas boiler and chiller heat and cool a water loop system with in-unit heat pumps also reduces energy consumption. The shared laundry room has water- and energy-saving washers and natural gas clothes dryers. All units have water-conserving toilets and plumbing fixtures. Such as a computerized heating and cooling system, good quality windows, a well-designed energy conserving envelope, low-wattage light bulbs and motion-sensing light fixtures in common spaces. A high-efficiency gas boiler and chiller heat and cool a water loop system with in-unit heat pumps also reduces energy consumption. The shared laundry room has water- and energy-saving washers and natural gas clothes dryers. All units have water-conserving toilets and plumbing fixtures.
March provided a long-term lease on its surplus land for property to build the Co-op. Blue Heron Co-operative Homes received about $2.4 million from CMHC and the province of Ontario through the Affordable Housing Initiative. The City of Ottawa provided $3.2 million in financial incentives and a loan guarantee to assist with pre-development costs. Other local co-ops—such as McLean Co-op in southern Ottawa—are using Blue Heron Co-op’s sustainable building features as a model to develop affordable housing that meets the needs of the community.