Smart, energy-efficient homes of the future coming to Markham
By NextHome Staff
January 25, 2019
January 25, 2019
The City of Markham in partnership with Mattamy Homes and Enwave Energy Corp. have announced they will research and design a pilot neighbourhood of approximately 300 homes, serviced by a community-scale distributed geothermal energy system for heating, cooling, and domestic hot water. Grant funding has been provided by The Atmospheric Fund (TAF) for design activities. The TAF invests in urban climate solutions in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area to reduce carbon emissions and air pollution.The City of Markham has set out to become a net-zero emissions city by 2050. To achieve this ambitious target, the Municipal Energy Plan – Getting to Zero includes strategies for increasing and improving energy efficiency through implementing green technology, energy conservation and efficiency in all sectors of Markham. Markham will welcome Canada’s largest geothermal net-zero emissions community, which will have the potential to transform the residential housing market. The community’s heating and cooling system will be maintained, operated and delivered by Enwave Energy.
“This is first major step to achieving our goal of becoming net-zero water, waste and emissions community by 2050, and this one of many innovative initiatives you will see with development partners,” says Markham Mayor Frank Scarpitti. “Markham is a municipal leader in energy conservation and management. This project will set the standard for a new way of thinking about how we generate and distribute energy in North America.”Located in north Markham, the community will utilize deep wells up to 250 metres, allowing the community to tap into geothermal energy. Heating and cooling will be delivered at the neighborhood level through a single common ambient pipe buried underneath the community and connected to each home, similar to that of an electrical grid. The system will be maintained and operated by Enwave’s team of expert engineers, who will ensure the system is efficient and reliable.This community scale model boasts several benefits to the consumer, including greater energy efficiency through optimization, increased energy savings to consumers, reduced maintenance burden and costs and reduced greenhouse gas emissions. All of these benefits will increase comfort and convenience for residents.Upon completion of the pilot, the model may be applied to future phases of the Mattamy development. The best practices and lessons learned from this unique partnership will help advance geothermal community energy systems across the GTA and beyond.Construction of this new community is expected to begin in 2020.
“Mattamy Homes is privileged to be a partner with the City of Markham and Enwave in this innovative project,” says Brad Carr, CEO, Mattamy Homes Canada. “This forward- thinking business model, where the burden of optimizing advanced heating and cooling equipment is transferred from the homeowner to a private entity, will contribute to job creation and drive innovation adoption in the housing industry. Mattamy has a long history of leadership in homebuilding innovation, and we see this partnership as clearly aligned with our sustainability and innovation strategy.”Mattamy Homes is the largest privately owned homebuilder in North America, with a 40-year history of operations across the United States and Canada. Every year, Mattamy helps 7,000 families realize their dream of homeownership. mattamyhomes.comhttp://www2.markham.ca/markham/ccbs/indexfile/Agendas/2018/Development%20Services/pl180611/Mattamy%20Presentation%20Geothermal.pdf
“This is first major step to achieving our goal of becoming net-zero water, waste and emissions community by 2050, and this one of many innovative initiatives you will see with development partners,” says Markham Mayor Frank Scarpitti. “Markham is a municipal leader in energy conservation and management. This project will set the standard for a new way of thinking about how we generate and distribute energy in North America.”Located in north Markham, the community will utilize deep wells up to 250 metres, allowing the community to tap into geothermal energy. Heating and cooling will be delivered at the neighborhood level through a single common ambient pipe buried underneath the community and connected to each home, similar to that of an electrical grid. The system will be maintained and operated by Enwave’s team of expert engineers, who will ensure the system is efficient and reliable.This community scale model boasts several benefits to the consumer, including greater energy efficiency through optimization, increased energy savings to consumers, reduced maintenance burden and costs and reduced greenhouse gas emissions. All of these benefits will increase comfort and convenience for residents.Upon completion of the pilot, the model may be applied to future phases of the Mattamy development. The best practices and lessons learned from this unique partnership will help advance geothermal community energy systems across the GTA and beyond.Construction of this new community is expected to begin in 2020.“Mattamy Homes is privileged to be a partner with the City of Markham and Enwave in this innovative project,” says Brad Carr, CEO, Mattamy Homes Canada. “This forward- thinking business model, where the burden of optimizing advanced heating and cooling equipment is transferred from the homeowner to a private entity, will contribute to job creation and drive innovation adoption in the housing industry. Mattamy has a long history of leadership in homebuilding innovation, and we see this partnership as clearly aligned with our sustainability and innovation strategy.”Mattamy Homes is the largest privately owned homebuilder in North America, with a 40-year history of operations across the United States and Canada. Every year, Mattamy helps 7,000 families realize their dream of homeownership. mattamyhomes.comhttp://www2.markham.ca/markham/ccbs/indexfile/Agendas/2018/Development%20Services/pl180611/Mattamy%20Presentation%20Geothermal.pdf