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February 14, 2018

Canada’s second LEED® v4 Platinum home ideal for retired baby boomers

Ottawa, ON – February 14, 2018 – The Canada Green Building Council® (CaGBC) congratulates Quebec homeowners Pierre Chevrier and Suzanne Rhéaume on earning Canada’s second LEED v4 Platinum home certification for L’Heure Bleue. Guided by Quebec LEED Homes Provider Écohabitation, the home is the passion project of the active baby boomer couple, who decided that their ideal retirement residence would be a sustainable space where they could age “gracefully and gratefully.”

Situated in picturesque Charlevoix, QC, along the St. Lawrence River, L’Heure Bleue is a 2,350 sq.ft. Modern Farmhouse Revival that sits on more than two acres of coastal property and is part of a UNESCO biosphere reserve. Awarded Platinum certification under LEED v4 BD+C: Homes, the project incorporates a design that was meant to be adaptive and fit changing mobility and accessibility needs, with every aspect focused on ecological awareness, sustainable materials and environmental management, both indoors and outdoors.

After just seven months of living in their new home, the couple is also already seeing much lower operational costs for hydro and water consumption, and health benefits due to an indoor environment with clean air quality and no VOC emissions, natural lighting and air circulation. Their hydro bill of less than $60 a month is a fraction of the cost incurred at their previous home, and despite using their heat pump and air conditioning infrequently, the house is kept cool during the summer and comfortably warm without overheating during the -34o C winters.

After looking at a variety of sustainable building options and rating systems, Chevrier and Rhéaume say they chose LEED v4 for its strong holistic approach toward a healthy and autonomous lifestyle, which fit in with their priorities.

“LEED v4 convinced me that my home would be adapted not only to my personal needs for a healthy lifestyle as an active senior, but also as a worthwhile investment I would not regret leaving for our children and grandchildren,” says Rhéaume. “This was a self-build project that became a passion of ours as we networked, researched and rolled-up our sleeves. Achieving the Platinum level is very rewarding, but what is even more gratifying is knowing that this home was a grassroots endeavour. It was built by someone’s Mom and Dad, Grandma and Grandpa. This project proves the value of going for LEED v4.”

In addition, the marketability and sales appeal of these green features represents an increase in market value.

“The L’Heure Bleue project is an excellent example of why LEED works for homeowners. It provides a solid template and set of guidelines for going green, and understands the value and importance of the unique needs that homeowners have,” says Mark Hutchinson, Vice President of Green Building Programs, CaGBC. “While other rating systems focus on one or two specific aspects of sustainability, LEED looks at a home from all angles – allowing not just for energy and water savings, but a healthy and fresh indoor environment that will leave a lasting impact.”

The home also provided a learning opportunity for all involved, including the local tradespeople that were hired to handle various aspects of construction. When they were verifying products used and installation management procedures, Chevrier and Rhéaume say that contractors were surprised to realize they were often already using green products or methods.

To view photos and a detailed project case study, click here.

For more information on LEED v4 and the project that are leading the way, visit cagbc.org/LEEDv4. A searchable LEED project database with further detail on all LEED certified projects in Canada, including project scorecards and photos, can be viewed on the CaGBC LEED® Project Profiles webpage.

 

About CaGBC
CaGBC is the leading national organization dedicated to advancing green building and sustainable community development practices. As the voice of green building in Canada, we work closely with our national and chapter members in an effort to make every building greener. The CaGBC reduces environmental impacts from the built environment through project certification, advocacy and research, and has helped meet the demand for skilled workers by providing green building education to over 30,000 professionals across the country since 2002. CaGBC established the LEED® green building rating system in Canada and developed the country’s first Zero Carbon Building Standard in 2017. It also oversees the Canada Coalition for Green Schools, and is a member of the World Green Building Council supporting international efforts to reduce environmental impacts from the built environment. For more information, visit cagbc.org and connect on TwitterFacebook, LinkedIn and Instagram.