As British Columbia moves toward its climate targets, provincial regulations are paving the way for a future of high-performance, zero-carbon homes. By 2032, all builders will be required to meet these rigourous standards. HAVAN member StreetSide Developments is leading the charge with Cascadia, a vibrant townhome community featuring 233 homes—18 of which are designed to be net-zero ready. Through projects like Cascadia, StreetSide Developments has met and exceeded these ambitious targets, fostering innovation and collaboration within the homebuilding community to develop practical, scalable solutions for a sustainable future.
What is the difference between a net-zero home and a net-zero-ready home?
What is the difference between a net-zero home and a net-zero-ready home?
A net-zero home is one that generates as much energy as it consumes over the course of a year. A net-zero-ready home, such as the ones at Cascadia, are built to the same exceptional energy-efficiency standards, but do not yet include renewable energy systems such as solar panels.Cascadia is setting the benchmark for sustainable homebuilding in BC. It was the first project in the province to be certified under the CHBA Net-Zero Energy Ready pathway, designed specifically for townhomes. Not stopping there, the Cascadia project also achieved Step Code 5 certification under the BC Energy Step Code and reached the highest tier (Step 4) of the Zero Carbon Step Code.Compared to a traditional townhome, the net-zero-ready townhome has more efficient roof insulation, exterior insulation, sealed garage and party walls, an energy recovery ventilator, a heat pump water heater, an air source heat pump and an induction cooktop. All these details lead to a better designed and modelled home that uses energy more efficiently, are better for your health and the environment, and help to lower energy costs for homeowners.As an integral part of Langley’s growth plan and to foster the development of a thriving community, the net-zero-ready townhomes at Cascadia also serve as an excellent opportunity for StreetSide to host onsite educational workshops and tours for construction industry professionals, such as builders, developers, contractors, municipal officials, architects/designers, envelope and energy consultants and realtors, to help share information and lessons learned as the building industry works to meet these new regulations.
Collaboration
StreetSide Developments partnered with the Township of Langley and the British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT) for a three-day workshop that provided a convergence of perspectives:
- The Township of Langley with policies and mandates
- BCIT with testing and research
- StreetSide Developments BC with real-life application
This partnership presented an exciting opportunity to collaborate directly with industry and apply net-zero-ready concepts in a real-life project, resulting in a shared learning environment for the benefit of all.
The overall Cascadia site will include two-to-four-bedroom townhome plans, while these efficiently designed net-zero-ready homes will feature three bedrooms, double garage plus outdoor space with patios and balconies. The Cascadia community will offer many amenities, such as family-friendly outdoor spaces, walking trails, and a large clubhouse. Construction of the community is set to be completed in Q2 of 2026.
To connect with industry-leading builders like StreetSide Developments, visit https://members.havan.ca/directory
