Webinar recording: Building for the future with better community housing
Lessons learned from Waterloo Regional Housing’s development that prioritizes affordability, energy efficiency and community engagement
SUSTAINABLE AFFORDABLE HOUSING
New construction of sustainable affordable housing
Facing an affordable housing crisis and rising to the challenge of reducing greenhouse gas emissions, Waterloo Region Housing (WRH) has undertaken its first net-zero community housing build.
Located in Southern Ontario, WRH is expected to complete its newest community housing development at 420 Kingscourt Drive this summer. The project features a variety of energy-efficient design elements as well as tenant amenity spaces to foster a sense of community. The 73-unit building’s energy use will be 50 percent lower than average Canadian residential building, meaning tenants will not only enjoy an affordable, comfortable home, but also benefit from greatly reduced energy costs.
The project is so exceptional that it was named a winner of a 2024 Sustainable Communities Award.
In this webinar recording, you’ll hear an inspiring story about how a local government with no previous experience constructing net-zero buildings ended up with an award-winning project that proudly incorporates affordability, energy efficiency and community engagement.
Watch the webinar recording to learn:
- A detailed background behind WRH’s project and their goals and challenges, including a walkthrough of their approach, project scope and funding model.
- The value of collaboration with other departments and obtaining council support.
- The innovative pilot of the Community Benefits Program, which provides training to help recruit, engage and retain a diverse construction labour force.
- Lessons learned from project and WRH’s next steps, including at least five additional affordable housing redevelopment projects in the area.
Speakers:
- Tristan Wilkin – Supervisor of Affordable Housing Development, Housing Services; Region of Waterloo
- Brad Pick – Senior Project Manager (Facilities-Large Capital); Region of Waterloo
This webinar was delivered in English with French simultaneous interpretation.
FCM’s Sustainable Affordable Housing (SAH) initiative is delivered through our Green Municipal Fund and funded by the Government of Canada.
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