Location: Antigonish, Nova Scotia

Client: Housing Nova Scotia

Architect: -

Certifications: -

Size: 20,500 sq. ft.

Project Budget: N/A

This project involved the Net-Zero Ready Energy Retrofit of a 20 unit apartment building. The project included a deep energy retrofit of the building envelope followed by the electrification of the heating system.

M&R Engineering was responsible for mechanical design including HVAC and controls as well as electrical design including power and energy modelling.

Key Facts:

• The building envelope was upgraded - exterior insulation, an air barrier and new siding were added along with new windows and additional attic insulation.

• Oil-fired boiler heating plant was replaced with a high efficiency variable refrigerant flow (VRF) air-to-water heat pump plant serving space heating and domestic hot water preheat.

• A condensing propane-fired boiler provides backup space heating and domestic hot water top-up.

• Single room energy recovery ventilators (ERVs) provide ventilation to each apartment improving air quality.

• A propane-fired emergency generator powers the boiler and some life safety systems.

• The energy model indicated over 65% energy savings and over 50% savings in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in 2021 - emission savings will increase in future years as renewable energy is added to the electricity grid. The project can be made Net-Zero Energy with the addition of a Solar PV array.