Greenbrook Sustainability Project

Greenbrook is a 127-unit public housing site for low-income families in Surrey . Built in 1974, the site consists of 28 row-style townhouse blocks and an amenity building. The development is currently undergoing a major building envelope repair  and is the first BC Housing project to combine extensive environmental improvements with building envelope repair.

Exterior insulation was added to the outside of basements walls during a soon-to-be completed perimeter drainage replacement project. Phase 2 of the improvement project begins in early 2009 and includes new roofing, exterior siding, windows, and doors with substantially upgraded insulation levels for all buildings. Important energy and water conservation measures such as solar  panels on south facing roofs, air source heat pumps, heat recovery ventilation systems, high efficiency hot water heaters, new energy efficient light fixtures, and water efficient shower heads and toilets will be added during this phase.

 

The building envelope portion of the project will extend the life of the complex by an estimated 30 years or more and the use of high efficiency heating and electrical systems will reduce the complex’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 90 per cent per year. Installation of solar technology will offset a large portion of remaining energy consumption and reduce GHG emissions further, resulting in a project that is very close to being carbon neutral.

All new social housing in British Columbia is being built to a LEED gold standard to reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, and to reduce resource consumption and waste. Renovations and additions to existing housing assets are being undertaken to reduce operating costs and reduce greenhouse gas emissions as much as possible. This aligns with the provincial government goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in B.C. by at least 33 per cent by 2020 and to make government operations carbon neutral by 2010.