RE-IMAGINING SUBURBIA
Low carbon and resilient energy options in suburbia
Surrey, BC
Karry and Abaya want a comfortable home for their two kids and dog. They are concerned about climate change and want to be secure to changing energy costs created by a changing climate. They explore different housing types to see how they could be supplied by local renewable energy.
The Surrey case study explores opportunities for integrating renewable energy into a new suburban neighbourhood. Similar low density residential greenfield development patterns can be found across Metro Vancouver. Can these neighbourhoods be designed to maintain their low density characeter while also reducing energy use and emissions?
Large lot single family
- Solar
Townhouse
- Solar and Geothermal
Small lot single family
- Solar and Geothermal
Existing Conditions:
Average lot single family options
Karry and Abaya look at a single famly home on an average lot. This home provides a lot of space for their family, and a large backyard for their dog. The best choice for renewable energy is solar thermal and solar photovoltaic panels. They must ensure the roof is large enough for solar panels. They are concerned that the large building will cost too much to run, so they look for smaller options.
A single family home on an average lot in Surrey could reduce its reliance on external energy sources by incorporating solar photovoltaic and solar hot water panels.
Small lot single family options
Still interested in a single family house, Karry and Abaya look at a small lot single famly home. A secondary suite adds rental income, and some homes also include a laneway house. The block now has enough density to make geothermal energy feasible to complement solar options. Roof size and shape are still issues for solar energy.
Smaller homes with suites and laneway houses could incorporate solar panels and have enough density to support community geoexchange systems.
Townhouse options
Concerned about becoming landlords, Karry and Abaya look at townhouses. They have shared wall with
neighbours, which
makes them more energy efficient. Townhouses also have enough density to support geoexchange energy, and
their
roofs can be designed to accomodate solar panels.
Townhouses in Surrey could incorporate solar photovoltaic and solar hot water panels. Their higher
density supports
district energy options, such as geoexhange.
Concerned about becoming landlords, Karry and Abaya look at townhouses. They have shared wall with neighbours, which makes them more energy efficient. Townhouses also have enough density to support geoexchange energy, and their roofs can be designed to accomodate solar panels.
Townhouses in Surrey could incorporate solar photovoltaic and solar hot water panels. Their higher density supports district energy options, such as geoexhange.
Low carbon & resilient energy options in suburbia
Surrey, BC
Karry and Abaya realize they have good choices for living in a suburban environment that is sustainable and uses local renewable energy.
The City of Surrey is expected to add 300,000 people to its popoulation over the next three decades, surpassing Vancouver as the largest city in British Columbia. While some of this growth will be located in dense urban nodes, growth will also take the form of low density suburban developments.
Single family
- Solar potential
- Less energy efficient
Small lot single family
- Solar and Geothermal
- Maintains character
- Higher initial energy use than townhouses
Townhouse
- Solar and Geothermal
- Lowest per capita emissions