Science World Supporters Spend an Evening in West Vancouver’s First Passive House

Science Salons are an opportunity for Atomic Circle members and prospective donors to gather and discuss current scientific issues with relevance in their communities.

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On a gorgeous evening in October, thirty-five STEAM enthusiasts and experts, including Science World supporters, Board directors and staff, converged in West Vancouver. They mixed, mingled and explored West Vancouver’s first Net Zero Energy Home built to the Passive House Standard.  

The evening—generously hosted by homeowners James Dean and Janet Allan—featured a discussion moderated by Science World’s Vice President, Development Nancy Roper among homeowner and founder & CEO of Oxygen8 James Dean; mechanical engineer on the project from Integral Group Stuart Hood; and Science World’s Climate Education Specialist Sarah Tulga.  

Stuart started by explaining that the Passive House standard is actually a German comfort standard—a home free from draughts, cold spots and overheating, with a continuous supply of fresh air—and that energy efficiency is a beneficial outcome. Another beneficial outcome according to James is one of health—no one in his family has been sick in the three years they’ve lived there thanks, he believes, to the high ventilation that keeps the relative humidity in the right zone. 

The question at the heart of the conversation was both practical and philosophical: if all buildings need to be passive in order to mitigate climate change, what will it take to achieve that? 

"Well,” James laughs, “one thing it took was banning Exacto-knives from the construction site.” 

The smallest incision could ruin the chances of passing the “blower door test,” a Net Zero quality assurance that measures the air leakage of a building. Most homes have 3.5 air changes a day; James’s house has less than 0.6.  

Another feat was lobbying the City of West Vancouver to modify their building code—which they did—in order to accommodate the lost square footage and height variance caused by the thicker, energy-conserving walls.  

On guided tours through the home, guests got behind-the-scenes looks at the mechanical room (a fraction of the average size thanks to less piping and fewer appliances); the cross-laminated timber that comprises the structure (and comes together so efficiently, the framing of the house took three days) and the unique wine cellar (built into the cliff-face with exposed rock from the mountain naturally cooling the room, its scent of mineral and earth). 

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These innovative features and so many more result in a home where “in the summers, the energy bill arrives with a credit toward future use,” James says. In today’s economy, that’s another great incentive to go Passive. 

Science World’s Sarah Tulga reminded us that, in her work with kids and youth, messages must focus on the future and provide participants with reasons for hope and solutions for change. We all left James and Janet’s home that night with a little more hope for the future and a better understanding of solutions for change.  

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