Synergy transformed a challenging waterfront site into Canada’s first CHBA-certified Net Zero home, marrying forward-thinking performance with comfort and architectural grace.
When our clients approached us with a narrow, waterfront lot in Saanich, their brief was simple in words but ambitious in scope: capture sweeping ocean views and deliver a home that would generate as much clean energy as it used. That shared aspiration became Synergy – the first residence in Canada to earn the Canadian Home Builders’ Association’s official Net Zero Home label in 2017. The accolade was gratifying, but the real story is how a steep site, rigorous targets, and a deeply engaged design team converged to redefine our own construction playbook.
Typical new homes in Greater Victoria now meet Step 3 of the BC Energy Step Code, roughly twenty to thirty per cent better than the 2018 baseline. Net zero demands far more, asking every material and mechanical choice to pay rent in energy terms. The lot’s sharp grade inspired a tiered, three-storey form that hugs the slope, preserves neighbour sight-lines, and staggers roof planes for optimal solar exposure. Curved glulam beams weren’t just an architectural flourish – their geometry sets the perfect tilt for photovoltaic panels to harvest low-winter sun and high-summer rays alike. Triple-pane glazing, insulated framing breaks, and heavily layered wall assemblies turned what could have been an exposed glass box into an ultra-tight, super-insulated envelope.
Inside, a compact mechanical room houses an air-to-water heat pump that supplies radiant floors and pre-heats domestic hot water. That modest load is offset by the rooftop solar array, allowing the home to balance its own electrical ledger over the course of a year. Compared with a conventional Step 3 build of similar size, Synergy trims purchased energy by roughly seventy to eighty per cent. The owners rarely think about operating costs – the meter often spins backward – but they do notice the whisper-quiet comfort: no cold drafts, no hot-and-cold zones, and a stable indoor humidity level all year.
High-performance construction sometimes carries the myth that “green” means compromise. Synergy proves otherwise. Rift-cut white-oak cabinetry, wool carpets, and local stone floors provide warmth and tactility against the more technical finishes. Triple-pane assemblies allow generous glazing without the usual heat-loss penalty, giving the interiors an airy transparency that belies the home’s energy discipline. A glass-covered breezeway linking the detached garage to the main house began as a functional connector but quickly became one of the most photographed features. Layered decks let the owners follow sun or shade throughout the day, while a residential elevator future-proofs accessibility without sacrificing floor space.
Recognition followed quickly. The CHBA Net Zero label was only the beginning; the project later captured gold at the National Awards for Housing Excellence and swept multiple VIBE, Georgie, and CARE categories for energy efficiency, kitchen design, and overall project of the year. Yet the real value lay in the lessons absorbed along the way. Super-insulated, airtight assemblies are now our baseline rather than an upgrade. Thermal-bridge elimination – once a head-scratching detailing exercise – has become an instinctive step in our drawings. Mechanical, solar, and architectural voices now collaborate much earlier in the design process, reducing mid-build surprises. We now conduct blower-door testing during framing on every project, regardless of certification target, because proof-before-finish simply makes for better buildings.
Net-zero design rewards homeowners in ways that extend beyond a near-zero utility bill. Better moisture control and higher-grade materials translate into longer service life and fewer maintenance surprises. Balanced heat-recovery ventilation keeps pollutants and allergens at bay, delivering healthier indoor air. As energy codes tighten and carbon pricing rises, high-performance homes command a growing premium in the resale market – future-ready comfort that carries long-term value.
From an audacious concept to national recognition in 2017, Synergy reshaped our definition of quality. The envelope strategies, mechanical integrations, and collaborative workflows refined on that hillside now inform every Falcon Heights build, whether the goal is full net zero or simply a resilient, energy-savvy home. If you are curious how net-zero principles can elevate your own project, we invite you to begin a conversation. Together, we can translate forward-thinking performance into everyday comfort, value, and beauty – one home at a time.
