Blatchford Carbon Neutral Community – Part 3
In part 3 of our series on Blatchford Carbon Neutral Community, we meet Josh Culling an early resident who found the green home he wanted in this super sustainable community.
By David Dodge, GreenEnergyFutures.ca
Josh Culling sits on a park bench near trees, shrubs, and a pond with geese and ducks. This serene spot is unexpected in a downtown neighborhood.
After touring Blatchford, the largest planned carbon-neutral community, Josh knew he had found his new home. He loves Blatchford Lake, with its natural feel and the wildlife it attracts.
Though the lake is a nice feature, what lies beneath it is what truly matters to Josh.
Geo-exchange district heating is so cool
“One of the most important aspects of this neighbourhood is the district energy system that the city built,” says Josh.
In the background, you can see Energy Centre One, where a heat pump circulates liquid through pipes deep in the Earth, drawing geothermal heat. The system includes 570 boreholes, each 150 meters deep, and distributes upgraded energy to Blatchford’s homes.
Initially skeptical, Josh was amazed by the system when he moved in during a heatwave: “It felt like walking into a freezer. It’s been incredibly reliable, providing warmth in winter and cool air in summer. It’s great.”
Heating and cooling are highly energy-efficient and are supported by homes built under the Blatchford Green Building Code.
Blatchford Green Building Code
Josh’s home has thick, double-studded walls and is air-tight, reducing the energy needed for heating. The building code requires these homes to be nearly net-zero-ready.
“We have solar panels on our roof that generate much of our electricity,” Josh says. “They also power our electric car, which is amazing.”
Josh and other residents alike told us that such high-standard homes help save energy and lower their carbon footprint in ways they couldn’t achieve on their own. Additionally, the thick walls, triple-paned windows, and airtight sealing make the homes very quiet inside, which Josh appreciates amid ongoing neighbourhood construction.
You can feel it when you walk through the neighbourhood
Blatchford, located on 500 acres of the old municipal airport lands, will soon be home to 30,000 residents. This people-centred, sustainable urban design is new to North America but exactly what Josh was looking for. He anticipates the development of mixed housing and commercial spaces.
“You can feel a unique, comfortable vibe when you walk through the neighbourhood,” says Josh. “It’s designed for pedestrians and cyclists, making it easy to navigate and offering plenty of public spaces.”
Near the old control tower, there are orchards, a large grass area, a park for young children, and community gardens.
Yorke Mews – a pedestrian-only street
“Let’s go outside. I’ll show you one of our favourite features in Blatchford,” says Josh. “It’s the big sidewalk in front of our house called the Mews. It looks like a road, but it’s for bikes and pedestrians, which is great for kids.”
Yorke Mews, the pedestrian-only street, is a beloved feature among residents, though planners probably didn’t anticipate this. Most streets in Blatchford have streets for cars with generous space for pedestrians and cyclists.
Planners also promoted basement and garage suites in Blatchford. One Crimson Cove home we visited had both, adding new much-needed housing supply.
Josh’s home includes a legal basement suite but as a self-proclaimed “coffee snob” he used it as a coffee bar and family room.
The first homes built in Blatchford were townhomes, but soon there will be many other types of homes in this sustainable neighbourhood.
Already underway are rental apartments and three to four-story walkups.
“That diversity of housing will ensure that this neighbourhood is accessible to many people, and will definitely support that affordability angle that’s so important for every jurisdiction to be working on right now,” says Josh.
Next up in part 4 of our Blatchford Carbon Neutral Community Series we meet up with a young couple that bought one of the net-zero homes built by Landmark Homes, across the street from Josh.
