Echo Haven: Calgary’s Eco-Community gets Green Light

This summer, shovels will finally turn the ground on an environmentally-sustainable community in the rolling hills and aspen stands of Rocky Ridge, a 30-minute drive from downtown Calgary.   The 25-home development will have zero greenhouse gas emissions and reduce water use by up to 75 per cent.

The first house built will be one of 12 winning proposals in Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation’s EQuilibrium national competition to develop energy-efficient homes.  As a net-zero energy home, each unit must produce as much energy as it consumes.  The Echo Haven home will feature onsite solar power and purchased wind power for its electricity and heating.  Energy-efficient appliances, superior insulation, passive solar strategies and building orientation for maximum natural daylight will also help save energy.

“We’ve had our share of challenges along the way,” says landscape architect and planner Dave Spencer, one of six founders of the visionary development.   “The city had never seen anything like this and it took over six years of tough slogging to get the approvals we needed.  In the end, they were very supportive, because now it’s the thing to do.”

Onsite rain water harvesting will be used for laundry and gardening, while a grey water collection system will irrigate the 2.6-hectare community.  While the average Calgary home uses 30 cubic metres of water per month, an Eco Haven home is expected to consume 15 cubic metres.

Waste reduction through recycling and composting will also minimize the community’s ecological footprint, since the transport and disposal of waste creates greenhouse gas emissions.  A shared community building will include guest suites, office space, a meeting room and recreational facilities for all residents. 

The site’s natural features will be preserved where possible, including all tree stands.  Trees provide shade and transpiring water, thereby lowering air temperature and reducing energy use in summer.

Half of the lots in the development have sold.