Jody Martens, a first year student in the Architectural and Engineering Technology Program, School of Advanced Technology and Mathematics, has won the Equilibrium House Design competition Her design will be used to build the 2010 Training House at Sun Rivers Golf Resort Community

The Equilibrium Sustainable Demonstration House Project, an initiative of Canada Mortgage and Housing, was one of two such projects awarded in BC earlier this year: one to a Developer in Burnaby BC and one to the Canadian Home Builders Association Central Interior in partnership with Thompson Rivers University

“We wanted to expand the opportunity for students at the University to get involved with an innovative project such as this, ” said Doug Wittal, President CHBA CI. “This will be the first net zero home built in our regionBy net zero, we mean that the house will employ passive and active solar systems as well as other technologies to generate as much energy as it consumes in normal home living”.

“For the past 17 years we have partnered with the TRU School of Trades and Technology to build one training house every yearFor the past 12 years, the finished house has been sold to the Kamloops YMCA/YWCA to use in their Dream Home Raffle. We felt that this project would attract other University Departments who would be interested in having their students participateFor our 2010 project we plan to include residential construction, electrical, plumbing, architectural and engineering design, web site design, horticulture and even tourism students as the project moves forward.” added Wittal

The Student Equilibrium House Design Competition was initiated by Dale Parkes, a Lecturer in the Architectural and Engineering program and a well established architect in his own right, experienced in “green’ building”. Thirty-eight students participated in the challenge to design and model net zero homes. Seven finalists were self-selected and the CHBA CI Green Dream Home Committee judged these and made their selection. Jody Martens won in a close finish

A two-day Design Charrette was held soon after to study the design and make recommendations as to how to ensure the home would meet the net zero requirements. Thirty people, experts in their field, attended each day, facilitated by two Stantec colleagues

Jody Martens, who attended the Charrette, said, “This is an unbelievable experience for me, to not only win the design contest, but also to actually see the design built! It is a once in a life time opportunity”.

Contact: Dale Parkes, Architectural and Engineering Technology Program, (p)250-828-5059 or
Patsy Bourassa, Executive Officer, (p) 250- 828- 1844, www.chbaci.ca