Sundance Housing Co-op

Sundance Housing Co-operative is dedicated to sustainable living.

Sundance's first homes were occupied in 1979. After operating for more than 40 years, this Edmonton co-op has begun a deep energy retrofit (DER) project to increase the energy efficiency of their Main townhouse component, which consists of 59 units . This $6 million project will update the 1970s wood frame townhomes and dramatically increase their energy efficiency.

The DER will include installing new exterior wall and roof panels that will be fabricated off-site, upgrading insulation and replacing windows and doors. A new building envelope will be installed over existing exterior walls and roof, requiring no demolition. This process is expected to reduce their emissions and energy consumption by 80% or more.

On May 24 Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) made public their investment of $2.5 million in Sundance's DER. This contribution, which has made the retrofit possible, is part of Canada's $180 billion infrastructure plan titled "Investing in Canada." It covers 47% of construction costs and Sundance will cover the balance. Awarded with the intention of accelerating widespread DERs across North America using prefabricated panels and digital imaging, NRCan's investment aims to contribute to a cleaner, greener economy. Sundance and their partner Butterwick Construction are pioneering this work in Canada.

The research and development phase was undertaken this past spring and summer and a two-unit pilot or Phase 1 has been completed. The data and lessons from the pilot are being documented and will be applied to the remaining 57 units over the next few months. Phase 2 of the project is expected to be completed by the spring of 2021.