point of view, the greatest advantage of Passive House is the lower operational costs. Pete estimates that costs are about 23 per cent lower than a typical building. “One of my sons lives in that building right now, and I think his hydro bill is only $10 or $15 a month,” Pete says. “So clearly you don’t need to spend much in the way of utilities.” Another advantage is the acoustic separation from the street, as Passive homes are extremely insulated. Despite being located on a busy street in Vancouver, Pete says that when you close the windows at Spire Landing “it’s very quiet – you don’t hear the traffic.” Beyond the energy efficiency and insulation, Spire Landing also boasts a long list of amenities and special features. On the roof, for example, there’s a landscaped garden with a potting bench, a large kid’s play area, dining and seating spaces, and an insulated garden workroom. Other features elsewhere in the building include: a multipurpose lounge with wraparound terrace for the exclusive use of residents; a fitness Centre; secured bike storage and workshop; car charging stations; tenant storage areas; secured key card access to the lobby and parkade; private patios and balconies with views on selective units; and in all units a front-loading washer and dryer, along with energyefficient kitchen appliances. Encouraged by the success of that project, Spire Development is now moving forward on a “phase two.” Early this year, the company broke ground on what they are calling ‘Spiral Landing 2,’ which is located directly across SPIRE DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION
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