Project Leo
Project Overview
Project Leo is a multi-generational infill home in Calgary’s Balmoral neighbourhood designed to eliminate operational greenhouse gas emissions while remaining competitively priced with conventional construction. With careful design, planning, and collaboration, the two homes achieved both net-zero and Passive House standard performance.
Quick facts
Calgary, Alberta
Custom Home
Passive House Principles
Net-Zero
Passive House Performance
Project Leo achieves both net-zero and Passive House performance without a traditional furnace even in -40C temperatures. The secret to keeping the home warm without a furnace lies in its advanced, super-insulated walls. The build team crafted a 12-inch double-stud wall system packed with R50 insulation. On the inside, they added a second 2×4 wall layer. This extra layer acts as a service cavity for wires and plumbing and ensures that no utility cuts ever puncture the home’s air-tight outer shell. To round out this highly efficient exterior envelope, the home features PHI-certified Defender 88PH+ Pro windows and doors. These were specified for their ability to meet the rigorous airtightness and thermal performance requirements of the Passive House standard.
As the demand to reduce GHG emissions grows so does the demand for conceptual designs that are scalable and ready to disrupt the status quo in residential development markets, this project team is here to press that agenda forward with Project Leo.”
– SSRIA
Project Leo demonstrates that net-zero and Passive House performance can be designed, built, and priced accessibly when the right systems, materials, and collaborative approach come together. It is a replicable blueprint for community-dense, low-carbon residential development in Canadian communities.
Repurposes Energy
Instead of relying on a fossil-fuel heating system, Project Leo captures and repurposes everyday energy. Sunlight pours through the large windows to heat the concrete floors, while body heat and running appliances help keep the air warm inside. To keep the air fresh and clean without losing that precious warmth, the home uses a high-tech Heat Recovery Ventilator (HRV). The HRV continuously pulls fresh air from the outside, pre-heats it using the warmth of the outgoing stale air, and circulates it through the rooms. This setup keeps the indoor air incredibly healthy while reducing heat loss to almost zero.
Tilt and Turn Windows
Complementing this system are tilt and turn windows, chosen for their superior air-water-sound resistance, greater energy savings, effective natural ventilation, and excellent security. The tilt and turn windows combines high-quality components, deep manufacturing expertise, and a robust quality assurance process to deliver an advanced window system that’s superior by design. This is reinforcing Project Leo’s airtight, energy-efficient envelope while still allowing residents to ventilate naturally when they choose.
