Net-zero energy plan for 32 affordable housing units in Wakefield

Cohabitat Wakefield will produce preliminary architectural drawings, a draft budget and a report on energy and environmental design options for an affordable 32-unit cohabitation project, located on an 8.5 hectare site at 140 Chemin de la Vallée de Wakefield, in the Municipality of La Pêche. The Municipality is in the process of negotiating the transfer of land ownership with the current landowner, the National Capital Commission (NCC). Once this transfer has been completed, the Municipality will transfer a large part of the land to Cohabitat Wakefield. The applicant has set an ambitious net-positive energy target for this initiative. Cohabitat Wakefield presented a clear plan to examine, among other things, climate change adaptation measures, reductions in embodied carbon from building materials and the use of passive house design standards. In addition to meeting the minimum threshold for Median Market Rate (MMR), the initiative will explore opportunities for income generation such as greenhouse technologies for food production and renting commercial space. The additional revenue from the project will offset operating costs, which could enable the supplier to further reduce rent. For its next steps, Cohabitat Wakefield plans to develop several additional reports to further examine the financial and environmental feasibility of the project. These reports include detailed construction estimates and an environmental site assessment, as well as engaging a quantity surveyor and planning permission. (Project description from original funding application)