My Home Place - 104 Ave, Dawson Creek, British Columbia

Award Criteria

Architectural Excellence

My Home Place is a supportive housing project in Dawson Creek, a small community in North-Eastern British Columbia, Canada. The project is a 3-storey, permanent modular building with 32 self-contained studio homes, including 2 accessible units. It houses people experiencing homelessness and provides support programs to community members in need. Each home has a kitchenette and washroom. The building also has a communal laundry room, as well as dining rooms and a commercial kitchen. The project exceeded the stringent criteria of the BC Energy Step Code and is designed to achieve a high level of energy performance by applying passive design principles to minimize the heating loads in the northern Canadian climate. The design team’s goal for the project was to increase the overall performance of the building through sustainable construction materials and improved energy efficiency.

Technical Innovation & Sustainability

To increase the building's energy performance, the design team increased the insulation R-value, minimizing thermal bridging, and increasing airtightness. To sustainably increase the building's energy efficiency, the design team decided to develop an intensive airtightness target. Working with the manufacturer and site teams, the details were designed in a way that allowed for repetitive implementation throughout the building. The design was proven to be a success when it underwent whole building air barrier testing and achieved a result of Passive House-level tested airtightness.

Cost Effectiveness

Due to the northern location of this project and the logistical challenges, close consideration was given to completing as much in the factory as possible. Building most of the components off-site reduced the need for trades, creating many efficiencies for the project. Building the main components in the factory while foundation and site work was being completed allowed the project to be completed much faster and more cost-effectively than conventional construction. Installing the exterior siding in the factory minimized the work on-site and accelerated the overall finishing schedule. Other factory-installed services include the sprinkler systems and all mechanical and electrical systems. All interior finishes were completed, and all furnishings were installed in the factory prior to delivery, meaning the units contained cabinetry, fixtures, and furniture.