Building Community with Mass Timber
Community Land Trust Foundation of BC, 981 Davie St.
Mixed Use
Designed for hybrid mass timber construction and targeting Passive House certification the project is a 17-storey, 154-apartment, 114,000 SF residential building which incorporates over 6,800 SF of indoor and outdoor occupant amenity spaces. The project embraces occupant centered design, social stewardship, and community values, and strives for a more equitable social and housing future. 981 Davie St. features a street accessible, two-storey, non-profit 2SLGBTQIA+ community center, supportive housing, and enough indoor bicycle parking for all residents. Located at the prominent intersection of Burrard and Davie Streets in Vancouver, BC, Canada, 981 Davie St. sits at the nexus point between the Burrard Business district and the residential West End.
Environmental Stewardship
In addition to construction speed, mass timber has been utilized for its transformative potential to create a positive environmental impact. The use of mass timber creates the potential to sequester carbon (CO2), significantly reducing the development’s embodied carbon.
The building is supported by a hybrid mass timber structure comprised of a concrete core, steel HSS columns, and 2-way CLT floor assemblies and is wrapped with a proprietary prefabricated panelized exterior wall system that performs to Passive House Standards. The building’s prefabricated mass timber components will be assembled off-site using a precision manufacturing process.
Location
Vancouver, BC, Canada
Square Feet
130,989
Completion date
2026
Certifications
Passive House Classic Certification targeted
Constrained urban site requires an efficient use of street-space and time. Pre-fabricated building components allow for staging off-site and rapid delivery.
Sequence of assembly - concrete core, steel posts, cross laminated timber panels, envelope installation, balcony structure installation, encapsulation and interior work.
Passive House Design Standard
981 Davie St. is targeting Passive House Classic standard certification. The design team carefully crafted a high-performance design that optimizes occupant comfort and wellness, passive solutions and cost-efficient construction and assembly.
The heating, cooling and ventilation of each residential unit are provided independently, and controlled at the unit level allowing the occupant more control over their own comfort. Ventilation is provided by a heat-recovery ventilator at 85%+ efficiency. The decoupled heating and cooling system allows for constant ventilation without undue energy costs. This along with the low window-to-wall ratio, and the use of operable, triple-glazed Passive House certified windows and fixed solar shades, combine to maximize daylight, ventilation, continuous fresh air, and reduce solar heat gain by up to 26.8%. The building’s airtight, highly insulated walls and a thick layer of continuous exterior insulation improve energy efficiency. Full building electrification eliminates the need for gas-fired kitchen appliances and mechanical equipment, instead relying on British Columbia’s 95% renewable energy-powered grid. These solutions give the project an expected 72% reduction in energy use intensity over the calculated Architecture 2030 Zero Tool baseline.
Social Stewardship
The project aspires to equity, inclusion, and improved quality of life through various approaches, and connects to the legacy and community of Vancouver’s Davie Village neighborhood, internationally known for its thriving 2SLGBTQIA+ community.
Access to quality, affordable, community-based housing is an important aspect of the project’s approach to equity. 981 Davie St. strives to support residents’ physical and mental health through elevated living spaces, while its priority urban location provides community connection and access to an otherwise economically inaccessible urban experience. Residents have front-door access to a range of services and transportation options. The Passive House design contributes to affordability through lower energy use and costs.
Aerial view looking onto the Level 7 outdoor terrace
Level 3 outdoor atrium
The mix of studio, one, two, and three-bedroom apartments are operated by a local housing society that provides affordable housing and support services to individuals and families living with HIV/AIDS. The building includes generous and well-programmed indoor and outdoor amenity spaces.
While the supportive housing repatriates individuals and families displaced due to the HIV/AIDS epidemic, a busy, non-profit 2SLGBTQIA+ community center occupies the building’s two-storey podium. Accessible to the larger community from the street, the center provides a safe space for many. The celebratory, eye-catching design of the podium, clad with finely profiled corrugated metal and dichromatic glass fins, honors the center’s mandate to improve lives through service, connection, and leadership.
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