SAH-CABN Co building an affordable and sustainable cabin in the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville, Ontario
Type of initiative
FCM Green Municipal Fund - SAH
Sector
Energy
Project value$898,074
Project Type
Pilot Project
Sub Sector
Building – New – Energy efficiency
Grant amount$500,000
Program type
GMF
Municipality
Township of Augusta, ON
Status
Fully Disbursed
Population
7,386
Project timeline
2022 - 2023
Project number
18316
Description
CABN Co Foundation is a newly established (2021) not-for-profit organization founded by the green technology company CABN Co. The organization partners with municipalities and developers to bring affordable and sustainable housing to remote, low-income and Indigenous communities. For their first project, the foundation, with the support of the Township of Augusta wants to bring up to 200 net-positive affordable homes to the region. Through the proposed pilot, the organization will test the feasibility of the technology by constructing one such cabin.
Internal testing indicates that CABN Co technology consumes 63% less energy than baseline passive house building techniques, for a total of 6,485 kWh consumed annually. The company’s energy informed modelling (EIM) design process considers variables such as airtightness, windows, glazing, heat recovery, insulation, solar panels and orientation to achieve maximum results in reducing energy needed to maintain occupants’ thermal comfort. A component-based manufacturing strategy uses recycled materials to reduce construction waste by 30%.
CABN Co Foundation applies two percent of CABN Co gross sales to engage with communities in optimizing CABN Co technology to be culturally, regionally, and economically relevant. CABN Co Foundation works with local Employment and Education Centres to transfer knowledge and increase the local workforce participation in the process of fabricating and assembling CABN homes. The CABN Co Foundation is integral to the CABN Co mission, and thus, its longevity and future is secured through ongoing investment.
Innovative aspects:
Internal testing indicates that CABN Co technology consumes 63% less energy than baseline passive house building techniques, for a total of 6,485 kWh consumed annually. The company’s energy informed modelling (EIM) design process considers variables such as airtightness, windows, glazing, heat recovery, insulation, solar panels and orientation to achieve maximum results in reducing energy needed to maintain occupants’ thermal comfort. A component-based manufacturing strategy uses recycled materials to reduce construction waste by 30%.
CABN Co Foundation applies two percent of CABN Co gross sales to engage with communities in optimizing CABN Co technology to be culturally, regionally, and economically relevant. CABN Co Foundation works with local Employment and Education Centres to transfer knowledge and increase the local workforce participation in the process of fabricating and assembling CABN homes. The CABN Co Foundation is integral to the CABN Co mission, and thus, its longevity and future is secured through ongoing investment.
Innovative aspects:
- The applicant represents an innovative take on construction with prefabricated building components while adopting best practices in terms of design and energy efficiency
- This project re-imagines what affordable housing can look like and proposes small, detached homes in an industry that is dominated by multi-unit residential developments
- The on- and off-grid options are viable for social housing providers in nearly any rural or remote locations, and therefore help those communities meet affordability needs
- The building is cost-efficient and quick to assemble, using non-invasive construction strategies that can be implemented in various conditions while maintaining optimal performance
- CABN Co Foundation is partnering with the Community Housing Transformation Centre to develop a guidebook that addresses equitable housing issues through creating sustainable communities, which will assist municipalities in addressing community housing crises through evidence-based assessment criteria
- Through this knowledge transfer, CABN Co anticipates a reduction in capacity gaps and more support for evidence-based decision making
- The expected economic savings of this project are a 20–30% decrease in building construction costs, a 100% reduction in energy costs, and approximately $62,000 within the 25-year lifespan of the building resulting from solar panels attached to the roof
- Applicants must be municipal governments, municipally owned corporations, or non-profit housing providers.
- 30% of the units must be below 80% of the MMR in order to be considered “affordable”.
- Retrofit projects must aim for 25% or greater reduction in energy consumption
Applicant
Cabn Co Foundation, ON