Project Specs

Location: Whistler, British Columbia
Building Type: Commercial
Project Phase: Certified
Certification Type: Passive House Classic
Year of Construction: 2010
Treated Floor Area (m2): 248

Project Description

The first Passive House building in Canada, Lost Lake Passive House was originally Austria House, built for the 2010 Winter Olympics. Located at the main entrance to Lost Lake Park, between the upper and lower villages and a short walk from the Village Stroll, the building was first used to host the Austrian Olympic Committee and Austria Public Broadcasting, which broadcasted live Games coverage to audiences in Austria during the 2010 Winter Games.

The building was transferred to the municipality by the Austrian Passive House Group for community use as a day lodge, office and meeting space for the Whistler Off-road Cycling Association (WORCA) and Whistler Nordics, as well as a location for cross-country skiing and mountain biking rental business as well as a café.

The $1.5-million project is the result of partnership between the RMOW, the Austria Passive House Group (APG) and Sea-to-Sky consulting. A grant from the Whistler Blackcomb foundation was also instrumental to the realization of this project.

Over the first year of performance tracking, the building consumed less than $235 worth of energy for heating and cooling loads within the building – approximately 93 cents per m2 per year (the average Whistler single family home would consume more than $5 worth). Moreover, the building easily achieved the rigorous Passive House energy conservation targets (20 per cent better than required standards for heating and cooling, and 40 per cent better for overall building energy consumption).

Lost Lake Passive House in Whistler was the first of its kind in Canada.

Photo: Emmanuel Mendes Dos Santos / coastphoto.com


Thermal Envelope

Exterior Wall: 24mm panelling (scales), "Eternit DD-M 40/30"
substructure
16mm DWD board
200mm wood construction (stud system) + mineral wool (Isover)
120mm stud system + mineral wool (Isover)
19mm 3-S Platte C/C board
100 mm DD specific fir wood
U-value = 0.121 W/(m2K)
Basement Floor/Floor Slab: 20mm tiles, dark "Mendinger Basalt"
screed
35mm sound insulation
250mm concrete
250 mm insulation ("Isoquick")
U-value = 0.12 W/(m2K)
Roof: roofing, "Eternit DD-M 40/30"
30/80 mm battens
60/80 mm substructure
sheet (in roofing) "Sarnafil TU 222"
24 mm formwork
120/440 mm rafters, 2x220 mm Insulation ("Isover")
vapour barrier "Sarnavapp 1000E"
19 mm 3-S board C-C
100 mm DD specific fir wood
U-value = 0.106 W/(m2K)
Window: Insulated Glass Units (IGUs), triple glazing, Unitop 0.74 - 52
U g-value = 0.74 W/(m2K)
g -value = 52 %

Mechanical System

Ventilation: Drexel und Weiss, aerosmart x²
compact unit, for ventilation, heating and hot water, balanced PH ventilation with heat recovery
The summer passive cooling is an inbuilt part of the solution.
Heating/Cooling: compact unit, aerosmart x², small heat pump, use of geothermal capability (3,5kW), brine heat exchanger and water-based low-temperature heating circuit.
heating through heating surfaces and supply air.
Domestic Hot Water: compact unit, aerosmart x², small heat pump, use of geothermal capability, brine heat exchanger, inbuilt storage, (hot water solar integration possible).