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Sustainability for the long term has always been a deeply held value of the Ucluelet First Nation, and it shows in the way they have designed this resort to fit into the wild landscape with a minimal ecological footprint.
Being light on the land
Wya Point resort is perched on the shore of a sheltered cove of the Pacific Ocean, on the west coast of Vancouver Island, with a beautiful sand beach and rocky headlands. The islands in the bay are often seen covered with resting sea lions. The forest on the shore is lush and green, with cedar trees so big it takes two people to stretch arms around them.
This place is also the site of an ancestral village, where the Ucluelet people traditionally gathered each summer. When they designed the resort and lodges, they decided to raise the lodges off the ground on poles, not to dig out foundations, so they could minimize disturbance to cultural and archaeological artifacts.
LEED Platinum
The lodges at Wya Point are built to meet the LEED Platinum standard (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), one of the most well-known sustainability standards for buildings. The designers used all the sustainability features listed above, plus energy-efficient construction, Energy Star appliances, LED lighting, and low-flush toilets, showers, and other water fixtures to meet this standard.
Energy Saving Products for the Home
Shop home improvement products that help save and conserve energy (power) in your home.
Vents TwinFresh Comfo RA1-50-2 Ductless Energy Recovery Ventilator
Vents
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Stiebel Eltron Accelera 300 E Heat Pump Water Heater
Stiebel Eltron
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AFM Safecoat Almighty Adhesive Case of 12
AFM Safecoat
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Emporia Classic Level 2 48 AMP EV Charger UL Listed
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2 Colors
Stiebel Eltron CON 300-2 Premium Wall-Mounted Convection Heater - 202030
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Santa Fe Compact70 Dehumidifier - 4044110
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AFM Safecoat 3 in 1 Adhesive
AFM Safecoat
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QuickBOLT QB2 with Microflashing Multi Roof Mount Solar Panel Fastener Kit
QuickBOLT
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Stiebel Eltron DHC-E 8/10-2 Plus Point-of-Use Electric Tankless Water Heater - 202145
Stiebel Eltron
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Stiebel Eltron Accelera 220 E Heat Pump Water Heater
Stiebel Eltron
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Cultural Sustainability
The Ucluelet First Nation involved their community in the design of the lodges to ensure that they reflected the indigenous culture of this place and its people. The elders liked the aspect of the ‘longhouse,’ a traditional community-dwelling with long beams and heavy pillars, while the youth liked the clean, modern look with large windows for a lot of daylight.
Inspiration
If you are looking to design a cottage or home, you can take inspiration from the beauty of these lodges, especially the way they feel right at home in the landscape. They are made to fit into their surroundings, to reflect the spirit of the place and the people here. Visiting Wya Point is truly an inspiring experience.
Wayne Groszko
Wayne Groszko is a consultant, researcher, and teacher in Energy Sustainability with 13 years of experience. He has taught at Dalhousie University and the Nova Scotia Community College, in the Faculties of Engineering, Environmental Science, and Energy Sustainability Engineering Technology. Wayne is also President of the Community Energy Cooperative of New Brunswick, and has worked as Renewable Energy Coordinator with the Ecology Action Centre in Nova Scotia. He holds a B.Sc. (Hon.) from the University of Calgary, and a Ph.D. from Dalhousie University.
