A community in northwest Edmonton is setting new environmental standards.
Every home built in the new Oxford neighbourhood must meet a set of eco-friendly guidelines for conservation and efficiency. Crews have already begun construction on showhomes in the area.
“Oxford will be a special neighbourhood because each and every one of the homes in this community will be built to a higher environmental standard,” said Bill Covey, Director of Property Sales for the City of Edmonton.
All homes built in Oxford must achieve a minimum EnerGuide rating of 78. EnerGuide is Canada’s energy-consumption rating program. Currently, new homes built to Alberta Building Code standards usually meet an EnerGuide rating of between 65 and 72.
Those involved in the project say they’re excited to showcase sustainable homebuilding at a whole new level.
“This is a unique project that’s not found anywhere else in Canada, so there’s a lot of pioneering that’s going to go on and I think there’s a great future for this in the city,” said John Hrynkow with Park Royal Homes.
Home prices are expected to be anywhere between five and 10 percent more than a typical home, in order to achieve the higher environmental standards. But, there are grants available.
The city says homeowners who opt to build a secondary suite will be eligible to apply for a grant of up to $20,000, as part of its Cornerstones plan.
- Invasive strep: ‘Don’t wait’ to seek care, N.S. woman warns on long road to recovery
- Ontario First Nation declares state of emergency amid skyrocketing benzene levels
- Do Canadians have an appetite for electric vehicles? Experts are divided
- Nearly 200 fossil fuel, chemical lobbyists to join plastic treaty talks in Ottawa
There will also be grants available for those who wish to push the sustainability envelope, so to speak, and build their homes above the EnerGuide 78 standard.
The city has high hopes for this project, and thinks people will take notice of this neighbourhood.
“I think you might see, as the presentation reflects, that this could be something that becomes the norm at some point,” said city councillor Dave Loken.
“I think the project will be very successful,” added Hrynkow.
The city will sell 43 of the lots through a public lot draw on November 28. A maximum of 200 registrants will be accepted for the draw.
With files from Fletcher Kent.
Comments