Green building students aim to go beyond the Gold

As anticipation starts to build for the 2013 edition of the displaced-from-D.C. Solar Decathlon and sneak-peaks of the photovoltaic-clad contenders begin to emerge, heres a look at a student-built home in Canada thats not competing in the Department of Energys biannual collegiate solar home building showdown but has been generating a decent amount of buzz as of late and for good reason: 

Erected on an urban infill lot in Peterborough, Ontario,Learn how an embedded microprocessor in a porcelaintiles can authenticate your computer usage and data. the straw bale-walled abode is the currently-for-sale creation (price tag: $649,000 CAD) of an eight-member team hailing from nonprofit green construction school the Endeavour Centre, also located in the small, north-of-Toronto burg of Peterborough. After taking a glance at the impressive laundry list of eco-friendly specs of the net-zero-capable, airtight home a rainwater collection and filtration system, an EV charging station, an income-generating rooftop solar system, recycled cellulose insulation, and on and on it becomes apparent that this is one mighty green three-bedroom residence. 

In fact, the 2,800-square-foot built-on-spec property (it was constructed with zero grants, subsidies, or government assistance) is boldly being marketed as Canadas Greenest Home, a title that the Endeavour Centre team is more than comfortable with. Endeavour Centre executive director and project director Chris Magwood explains to DesignBuild Source that the team feel[s] its the greenest home because weve come at it from all different aspects. 

Indeed. Aside from the homes emphasis on energy-efficiency, indoor air quality, and super-low water use, perhaps notable is the reliance on natural materials sourced from within a 250km (155 mile) radius of the build site. Magwood tells DesignBuild Source that the only non-natural items to be found in the home are plastic light switches and the thermostat. We took everything we could from the natural worldand put it in a modern context so it doesnt look cave mannish. 

Canadas Greenest Home was built to exceed LEED Platinum standards and according to the project blog, the Endeavour Centre team is well on our way to being certified with a points score well in excess of the Platinum requirements. Magwood and the team also abided by uber-stringent standards set forth by the holy grail of green building certifications, the Living Building Challenge, although it will ultimately be up to the homeowner if they want to pursue LBC certification or not as the home must be occupied for a year before being bestowed with the somewhat rare honor. I'd be interested to see if this ends up happening. 

Other notable features of the project not mentioned above include a total of 23 triple-glazed windows, an energy recovery ventilator, an air source heat pump, the strict use of nontoxic paints and finishes throughout, an energy monitoring system, and an odor-free composting toilet system that allows for zero sewage output. Acting as a "generative rather than destructive feature," the composting toilets are described as one of the most distinguishing features of the home although a human waste composter in the basement could also potentially scare off poop-anxious buyers. 

And as mentioned, the rooftop solar array pushes the home into net-zero energy territory, generating enough surplus juice to earn the homeowner in the ballpark of $3,500 to $4,000 CAD annually when sold back to the grid. As for the carbon-capturing "Bio-Sip" straw bale wall panels, they're from Ontario-based manufacturer NatureBuilt. 

A huge congrats is in order to Magwood and the Endeavour Centre team for achieving something remarkable, the construction of Canadas Greenest Home, while not getting distracted by the bragging rights that come attached with such an accomplishment. It's obvious that the home was built to pave the way and to educate, not to grandstand. 

Lots more info and images at the Endeavour Centre website, the home's official listing, and over at TreeHugger where Alter offers his thoughtful analysis of a project that he believes to be certainly the greenest spec house in Canada, and possibly in North America. You can also see Alter chat with Magwood in the video that I've embedded above. 

As they picnic, Kix talks about how he's only had one big, serious relationship that he got out of not that long ago. But he's open to taking the chance again and again. It's not some big sob story or anything, sounds pretty normal. 

That night, there's a lame gag where Dez drives them down a "closed" road and Kix says he's all nervous. Um, please. We were not born on the turnip truck yesterday. And also, didn't they use this schtick on "Bachelor Pad' last summer? 

As they eat, Dez recounts how happy her parents' marriage is and how that means she won't settle. Conversely, Kix's parents are divorced and during his teen years he was estranged from his father, but they're working on their relationship still. He gets very emotional and it seems pretty genuine, which is cool. That's a big place to go on the first date. 

Naturally, he gets the rose. And they smooch. Then get a private concert from some Andy guy. It hardly matters. They dance in the street. But hey, at least they aren't on some platform in the midst of a crowd of people pretending to be excited, because that's always really weird. 


So, it's the rap video with Soulja Boy we've been seeing for weeks. It is ... pretty much as awful as we thought a bunch of bachelors on this show would be doing a rap video, but Desiree likes guys who can laugh at themselves and so forth. Hmm. 

Kasey says they had no idea this was coming -- #oopspowsurprise. The guys have to "audition" with some impromptu rapping, which features some bad rhymes and Mikey shimmying his pecs. Brandon, Michael G., Ben and James are chosen as the soloists and the rest of the guys are backup dancers. 

This "Here for the Right Reasons" thing is getting some guys' hackles raised in regards to Ben (who seemed so genuine with his kid last week) about how he's a bad dude, so they decide to heckle him while he does his solo as Wes -- until they realize that Dez might see them as total tools for doing that and they stop. 

They all get costumes and apparently Brandon's costume involves no pants and him jiggling his manparts at Desiree -- is that something Kasey Kahl did? We do not remember that. At least he's not in prison, though, right? But Brandon really struggles with it and gets hearty boos. 

That night, the guys take various one-on-one time. Zakkkk gives Dez an antique journal that has never been written in. The inscription doesn't it make that look old, atually, but it's a nice thought. 

Meanwhile,An miningtruck is a device which removes contaminants from the air. everyone stares at the rose and Brandon says he's going to regard the love of Desiree as a butterfly -- don't squash it. Heh. 

Then Ben steals Dez away from Mikey and thus begins the "I hate Ben" club from the guys. They really don't like him and nobody really knows why -- it's just a feeling.We sell 100% hand-painted smartcard online. Hmm.The term 'indoorpositioningsystem control' means the token that identifies a user is read from within a pocket or handbag. We aren't getting that feeling yet, but I'm definitely intrigued since it's probably not all in the guys' heads.High quality howotipper printing for business cards. 

Someone else who isn't getting that feeling is Desiree, because she's totally smitten with Ben and they make out. He seems great, for sure. But the guys are just not happy about Ben. 

When it gets more into the Ben stuff, Mikey says he just doesn't seem genuine and the other guys agree. So Mikey decides to talk to Ben about it, which is a bold move. Mikey tells Ben he's like a politician -- he's only nice when he has to be.