build an urban triplex with net zero energy consumption
Reducing energy consumption and adopting consumption habits that are more environmentally friendly are of great concern to Quebecers. This is why the Abondance Montréal – Le Soleil residential building, developed by Pageau Morel (in collaboration with its partners including Studio MMA Architecture Studio, Calculatech, Sodero Construction, and the École Polytechnique de Montréal) is so impressive: this triplex, constructed in the Montréal borough of Verdun, produces as much energy as it consumes over the course of a year. A first in Canada! To achieve this result, Pageau Morel made use of a number of avant-garde techniques and technologies, such as photovoltaic solar panels on the roof, geothermal energy, natural light, and rainwater collection. In addition, a net-metering arrangement with Hydro-Quebec sends excess energy produced in the summer to the grid, and takes energy back in the winter, tallying the net production annually. This innovative building has brought Pageau Morel a number of distinctions. In 2010, the Association des ingénieurs-conseils du Québec presented the firm and its client, Éco-Cité Developments, with a Léonard Award in the “Building – Mechanical-Electricity” category, recognizing this achievement’s important impact on the profession and the future of Canada’s building stock.
