She also realized the house would need renovations to meet the family’s needs, “so we began talking with LEED consultants to see what could be done.” The family sorted through various options, including renovating and another alternative that included tearing down the house but keeping the foundation. In the end, the family decided to build new, making the new home “as environmentally friendly as possible.” The result is the family’s LEED Platinum-certified home, a pioneering work of sustainable design and construction.

Passive House vs. LEED

The next-door neighbor had designed the original home. Because a large part of the property was restricted to remain an open amenity area, with restrictions on how close construction could occur next to the property line, the house had high diagonal volumes in the back.

Martel considered Passive House construction. A management consultant and project manager, Martel has advised on LEED and other government energy efficiency programs and operations and managed sustainability audits. Moreover, she’d supervised the family’s other home renovations in the past. “I’m always looking for the most environmentally-friendly option,” she says. “I like researching to see what’s out there. [There’s] so much coming up these days regarding new sustainable technologies and new ways of thinking. I’m quite passionate about sustainability.”

She found the LEED process, however, more encompassing than the Passive House methodology. “Passive House also would have been more complicated because of the footprint we were allotted,” she adds. Moreover, she realized LEED “would help guarantee the workmanship because there are checkpoints along the way.

“Our builder, The Lake Partnership, was amazing,” she continues, “They care about the work they do and are safety conscious. I didn’t necessarily need the verification that LEED provides. But for other homeowners not so familiar with their builder, that LEED verification process can offer extra peace of mind.”

Working with her LEED consultant and an architect at Linebox, Martel outlined her main goals: To take full advantage of the location and its views, make sure the design of the house fit into the existing neighborhood, ensure there was a lovely open plan and space for the grand piano, and fulfill the family’s sustainability goals.

No Stone Unturned 

The home was completed in February 2018. It has one level at the front, “to make sure it’s not a massive presence on the street and fits into the neighborhood,” Martel says, with the house opening up to two levels at the back. They sited the home to use natural ventilation that works with prevailing wind directions and passive solar heating. A four-season lounge opens up to a deck and pool, a deck fire pit beyond bi-fold doors, and a roof deck with a hot tub and stunning river views.

The family splurged on river oak flooring fabricated from 350-year-old oaks preserved in the Ottawa River for 200 years inside the home. They chose a wood bar table constructed from ash wood cut down during an emerald ash borer infestation. The family opted not to include a fireplace to comply with best practice combustion venting measures. The ERV system provides enhanced outdoor air ventilation and assists in managing humidity. Bathroom fans have timers. “The house has been verified for good air filtering, radon protection, contaminant control, and garage pollution protection,” Martel says.