There were 2 main factors that drove the decisions for the young couple who own this house. Most importantly,they wanted to improve the efficiency of their home. Secondly, they wanted to make sure they had plenty of room to accommodate family and friends. When working with older homes on tight lots, these are not easy tasks to accomplish, however, they are very possible.
We were able to bring the home from an ERS of 56 to an ERS of 83. All of this was done without changing any windows or adding insulation to the front portion of the house. We also increased the square footage of the house substantially which worked against us. Here are some specs that helped us achieve this drastic and rewarding transformation:


Significant increase of glazing on the South side Blocked by trees during the warmer months
R-20 below the basement slab
R-38 foundation walls
Triple glazed windows in the addition
LED fixtures throughout the home
Zoned Cold Climate Forced Air Heat Pump with a Desuperheater
and storage tank for domestic hot water preheat and a Flow Through Humidifier
R-28 addition walls
R-50 in the attic
R-42 for the flat roof
Energy Star Appliances
Low flush toilets
Low flow faucets

For the extra space the clients wanted, we were able to give them a large entertaining area which flows into the existing family room. The kitchen is open to the rest of the main floor so everybody can stay connected. The dropped sun room and glass railings allow the light to flow through. The enlarging of the master bedroom and the addition of the ensuite gives the homeowners some privacy as well as a separate bathroom for their guests. A great house for family and friends to come together in the heart of the city.

Other features of the home that are worth noting:

Fossil Fuel Free
Planter boxes bordering the 2nd floor balcony
Concrete counters made locally
Solar Ready
Roughed in for circulation pump
All the garbage bins were part of the LEED program
Enviroshake roof
Maibec siding (wood siding made in Quebec)