A Squamish timberframe is wracking up awards for its sustainable practices and designs.
Home Alpine Timberframe and Design is a finalist for two Built Green BC awards, and the company's most recent accolade comes in the form of a Built Green BC's LEED platinum certification for a beautifully crafted custom Tofino home fondly dubbed Eco Rainforest Retreat - Canada's first LEED platinum certified home.
"It's pretty awesome to be an entrant let alone a finalist," said Home Alpine Timberframe and Design owner Richard Lutz, "especially when there were so many entries."
More than 30 different projects were submitted for the awards.
LEED, which stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is an internationally accepted benchmark to create sustainable buildings, developed by the U.S. Green Building Council.
Buildings are judged on several factors, such asenergy conserved, water saved and reused, recyclable materials used, proximity to public transport and innovation in design.
"Aside from the certification, it is a great example of energy efficient design, resource management and sustainable building practices," said Lutz.
He said he's crossing his fingers they'll win one of the categories. Their business is one of five finalists for the Highest Rated Home and one of three finalists for Most Innovative Home.
Built Green BC chose finalists from six sustainable building categories, 24 finalists were announced representing houses and condominiums across B.C.
"I was not only impressed by the quality of the finalist projects, but also the degree of innovation demonstrators by the builders of these homes," said David Bengert, Built Green Canada Chair and a judge for the awards.
"The degree of commitment to produce attainable, environmentally sensitive homes was evidenced in all the projects entered. It was a pleasure to see how other peers are leading the industry in green building practices," said fellow judge Roger Chayer, a certified energy advisor in Alberta.
In previous years, Built Green BC only awarded a single award within the Canadian Home Builders' Association of B.C.'s Georgie Awards.
This year, to recognize the sheer growth of the program and the number of companies making green building a priority, they are presenting awards in six categories.
According to Built Green BC, today there are 2,800 registered homes in B.C. which combined save about 7,000 tonnes of greenhouse gases annually - the equivalent of removing 2,100 cars from B.C. roads each year.
Lutz moved to Canada from the U.K. 20 years ago and has lived in Squamish for the past 15 years. He employs six Squamish residents and one Pemberton resident. Their main projects are recreational properties and second homes.
Most of their projects are in Whistler, Vancouver Island and some of the smaller islands, like Gambier.
"It's because of the nature of our business," said Lutz. "We build more resort recreational type properties but Squamish is a good central location and we have no plans of leaving.
"The LEED quality and standard of green building isn't here in the corridor yet - but it's coming, it really is and it's kind of the forefront of a movement here that really is changing the industry."
He said the general builder's code is starting to come in line with more environmentally friendly standards, and said it's about time.
"That's what's interesting about this whole green movement is that years ago it was just a bunch of hippies living in the woods who had solar panels and things like that," said Lutz.
"But now builders such as ourselves are trying to make an effort and what that's done is translating into building codes - there's big changes coming for the 2011 building code."
He said one such change is the building code will require a certain level of air tightness, which means how well a house is sealed.
"They haven't announced what that's going to be yet but they're thinking it's going to be about 3.5 air exchanges per hour in the coastal region which is still not very good and completely achievable really," said Lutz.
The house they built in Tofino has an air exchange of 1.33. In comparison, in certain parts of Europe their building codes are calling for air changes of less than one.
"We've got a little ways to go," said the green visionary.
He said the lower the air exchange number the less air leakage, which prevents draft and in turn prevents heat loss which means the home is being mechanically ventilated.
Lutz is excited for the Built Green BC gala dinner and awards ceremony on Sept. 17, 2010 at Coast Coal Harbour Hotel in Vancouver and is inviting the Eco Rainforest Retreat homeowners to attend as well.
