This document discusses how to design "net positive projects" that measurably reduce greenhouse gas emissions. It presents residential development scenarios and evaluates them based on three criteria: how efficient the buildings are, the location, and what they replace. Renovating existing homes is often net positive. New construction can be positive if it replaces older buildings, but building in rural areas or on undeveloped land usually increases emissions. Combining renovations, replacements and high-performance new construction in walkable urban areas can achieve net positive results while adding living space. The key is considering the cumulative impact of a project rather than just individual buildings.

1. Net Positive Projects
Homes that make the world
measurably better.
(v1.0, November 2013)

2. LEED? Passive House? Living
Building Challenge? Smart
Growth? TOD? Net Zero?

3. The real question, if you’re concerned
about climate change is:
“Does your project contribute to a real
and measurable reduction in your
region’s GHG emissions?”

4. The real question, if you’re concerned
about climate change is:
“Does your project contribute to a real
and measurable reduction in your
region’s GHG emissions?”
Does it have a ‘Net Positive’ impact?

5. Question 1:
How ‘good’ are your new buildings?
Code Minimum
High Performance

6. How ‘good’ are your new buildings?
Code Minimum
High Performance
Better
Lots of GHGs
From heating,
hot water,
and electricity
Fewer GHGs
From heating,
hot water,
and electricity
(example: Standard 2x6)
(example: Passive House)

7. Question 2:
Where are they located?
Oil-Dependent
Location
(Walk Score < 45)
Typical Location
(for the Region)
Walkable
Location
(Walk Score > 65)

8. Where are they located?
Oil-Dependent
Location
(Walk Score < 45)
Typical Location
(for the Region)
Walkable
Location
(Walk Score > 65)
Better
Lots of GHGs
For transporting
occupants
Fewer GHGs
for transporting
occupants

9. Final question…
What do they replace?

10. What do they replace?
Green Field
(Natural Site)
Gray Field
(Parking Lot)
Better
Existing
Building(s)

11. What do they replace?
Green Field
(Natural Site)
Gray Field
(Parking Lot)
Existing
Building(s)
Better
Here’s your
opportunity to
have a positive
impact!

12. The 3 Questions for Net Positive Projects:
1. How ‘good’ are your new buildings?
2. Where are they located?
3. What do they replace?

13. We’ve always found it funny that some of the
‘greenest’ homes are built on pristine fields, in
locations that you have to drive to.

14. We’ve always found it funny that some of the
‘greenest’ homes are built on pristine fields, in
locations that you have to drive to.
Yes, that’s green guru Amory Lovins’ house…
And, yes, we’ve designed and built similar projects…

15. Better
High
Performance
Code
Minimum
How good is your
new building?
Performance
+
Location
=?
Better
Oil-Dependent
Location
Walkable
Location
Where is it located?

16. Code
Minimum
How good is your
new building?
High Performance
Building in a
Walkable
Location
Code Min.
Building in an
Oil-Dependent
Location
Code Min.
Building in a
Walkable
Location
Better
High
Performance
High Performance
Building in an
Oil-Dependent
Location
Better
Oil-Dependent
Location
Walkable
Location
Where is it located?

17. Code
Minimum
How good is your
new building?
Better
High
Performance
High Performance
Building in an
Oil-Dependent
Location
High Performance
Building in a
Walkable
Location
BETTER
DECENT
BAD
Code Min.
Building in an
Oil-Dependent
Location
Code Min.
Building in a
Walkable
Location
Better
Oil-Dependent
Location
Walkable
Location
Where is it located?

18. Let’s look at some residential
development scenarios…

19. Let’s look at some residential
development scenarios…
Project 1:
Renovating an older house

20. Project 1: Renovating / Weatherizing an existing home, in any location
?
“BEFORE”
Annual GHG emissions from the site
“AFTER”
Annual GHG emissions from the site

21. Project 1: Renovating / Weatherizing an existing home, in any location
“BEFORE”
Annual GHG emissions from the site
“AFTER”
Annual GHG emissions from the site

22. Project 1: Renovating / Weatherizing an existing home, in any location
Net Positive!
“BEFORE”
Annual GHG emissions from the site
“AFTER”
Annual GHG emissions from the site

23. Project 1: Renovating / Weatherizing an existing home, in any location
How good?
Location?
Replaces?
Code Minimum
Any location
An old, inefficient, building
Net Positive!
“BEFORE”
Annual GHG emissions from the site
“AFTER”
Annual GHG emissions from the site

24. Project 1: Renovating / Weatherizing an existing home, in any location
How good?
Location?
Replaces?
Code Minimum
Any location
An old, inefficient, building
Net Positive!

25. Project 2:
Building a new house on a bare lot
(i.e. business as usual…)

26. Project 2: New home, on a natural site
How good?
Location?
Replaces?
Code Minimum
Any location
‘Green Field’
“BEFORE”
Annual GHG emissions from the site
“AFTER”
Annual GHG emissions from the site

27. Project 2a: New typical home, on a natural site
How good?
Location?
Replaces?
Code Minimum
Any location
‘Green Field’
Increased
GHG
emssions
“BEFORE”
Annual GHG emissions from the site
“AFTER”
Annual GHG emissions from the site

28. Project 2a: New typical home, on a natural site
How good?
Location?
Replaces?
Code Minimum
Any location
‘Green Field’
Increased
GHG
emssions

29. Project 2b:
Building a new ‘Passive House’* on a bare lot
(* a home so well insulated, and air tight, that it doesn’t need a furnace)

30. Project 2b: New Passive House, on a natural site
How good?
Location?
Replaces?
Code Minimum
Any location
‘Green Field’
Much better,
but still
increased
GHG
emissions
“BEFORE”
Annual GHG emissions from the site
“AFTER”
Annual GHG emissions from the site

31. Project 2b: New Passive House, on a natural site
How good?
Location?
Replaces?
Code Minimum
Any location
‘Green Field’
Much better,
but still
increased
GHG
emissions

32. Project 2 - Thoughts:
Building either a new ‘typical’ house, or a passive
house, on a natural lot still results in an increase in
GHGs. New green-field buildings have an additive
impact.
So… what you replace is important.

33. Project 3:
Building a new house to replace an older one

34. Project 3a: New House, replacing an older home, in any location
How good?
Location?
Replaces?
Code Minimum
Any location
An old, inefficient, building of the same size
Net Positive!
“BEFORE”
Annual GHG emissions from the site
“AFTER”
Annual GHG emissions from the site

35. Project 3b: New Passive House, Replacing an older home (in any location)
How good?
Location?
Replaces?
High Performance
Any location
An old, inefficient, building of the same size
Even more
Net Positive!
“BEFORE”
Annual GHG emissions from the site
“AFTER”
Annual GHG emissions from the site

36. Project 3b: New Passive House, Replacing an older home (in any location)
How good?
Location?
Replaces?
High Performance
Any location
An old, inefficient, building of the same size
Even more
Net Positive!
…if it replaces an older,
inefficient home

37. Project 3 - Thoughts:
Building a new house to replace an older one…
…it’s much easier to be net-positive if you’re
replacing or repairing an existing home.

38. But what about the location?

40. If we want to build net-positive projects, then we probably have to
stop ignoring the impact of the location we choose.

41. Project 2a: New typical home, on a natural site
How good?
Location?
Replaces?
Code Minimum
Any location
‘Green Field’
Increased
GHG
emssions
“BEFORE”
Annual GHG emissions from the site
“AFTER”
Annual GHG emissions from the site

42. Project 2a: New typical home, on a natural site >> in a rural/suburban location
How good?
Location?
Replaces?
Code Minimum
Oil Dependent
‘Green Field’
(Even more)
Increased
GHG
emssions
+ Transport GHGs
(vs. other locations in the region)
“BEFORE”
Annual GHG emissions from the site
“AFTER”
Annual GHG emissions from the site

43. Project 2a: New typical home, on a natural site in a rural/suburban location
How good?
Location?
Replaces?
Code Minimum
Oil Dependent
‘Green Field’
(Even more)
Increased
GHG
emssions
+ Transport GHGs
(vs. other locations in the region)

44. Project 2a: New typical home, on a natural site
How good?
Location?
Replaces?
Code Minimum
Any location
‘Green Field’
Increased
GHG
emssions
“BEFORE”
Annual GHG emissions from the site
“AFTER”
Annual GHG emissions from the site

45. Project 2a: New House, on a natural site >> in an urban/walkable location
How good?
Location?
Replaces?
Code Minimum
Walkable
‘Green Field’
Increased
GHG
emssions
(but not as
many)
Reduced
Transport GHGs
(vs. other locations
in the region)
“BEFORE”
Annual GHG emissions from the site
“AFTER”
Annual GHG emissions from the site

46. Project 2b: New Passive House, on a natural site
How good?
Location?
Replaces?
Code Minimum
Any location
‘Green Field’
Much better,
but still
increased
GHG
emissions
“BEFORE”
Annual GHG emissions from the site
“AFTER”
Annual GHG emissions from the site

47. Project 2b: New Passive House, on a natural site >> in a rural/suburban location
How good?
Location?
Replaces?
Code Minimum
Any location
‘Green Field’
Transport
Increases
GHG
emissions
+ Transport GHGs
(vs. other locations in the region)
“BEFORE”
Annual GHG emissions from the site
“AFTER”
Annual GHG emissions from the site

48. Project 2b: New Passive House on a natural site >> in a walkable neighbourhood
How good?
Location?
Replaces?
High Performance
Walkable
‘Green Field’
Net
Positive?
Reduced
Transport GHGs
(vs. other locations
in the region)
“BEFORE”
Annual GHG emissions from the site
“AFTER”
Annual GHG emissions from the site

49. Ok.
But global populations are still growing
(until 2070?) meaning we’ll probably need to build
more floor area and more homes…
…in addition to renovating/replacing what we
already have.

50. Ok.
But global populations are still growing
(until 2070?) meaning we’ll probably need to build
more floor area and more homes…
Can we add space and reduce GHGs?

51. Project 4:
Combining new construction and renovation

52. Project 4a: Renovating an Existing Building & Adding on a New Building
How good?
Location?
Replaces?
Code Minimum
Any Location
Part of the floor area replaces an older building
Renovated Floor Area
New (Additional) Floor Area
“BEFORE”
Annual GHG emissions from the site
“AFTER”
Annual GHG emissions from the site

53. Project 4b: Renovating an Existing Building & Adding a Passive House
How good?
Location?
Replaces?
High Performance
Any Location
Part of the floor area replaces an older building
Renovated Floor Area
New (Additional) Floor Area
“BEFORE”
Annual GHG emissions from the site
“AFTER”
Annual GHG emissions from the site

54. Project 4b: Renovating an Existing Building & Adding a Passive House >> Walkable
How good?
Location?
Replaces?
High Performance
Walkable
Part of the floor area replaces an older building
Net
Positive!
Smarter
Growth!
Reduced
Transport GHGs
(vs. other locations
in the region)
“BEFORE”
Annual GHG emissions from the site
“AFTER”
Annual GHG emissions from the site

55. Project 4 Example:
23 Park Place
Passive House Renovation, New York
*(by Fabrica 718)

56. Project 4 Example: 23 Park Place, New York NY
How good?
Location?
Replaces?
High Performance
Walkable
Part of the floor area replaces an older building
(project
by Fabrica 718)

57. Project 4 Example: 23 Park Place, New York NY
How good?
Location?
Replaces?
High Performance
Walkable
Part of the floor area replaces an older building
(project
by Fabrica 718)

58. Project 4 Example:
The Rose House
Passive House Renovation, Addition and Infill
*(a Lanefab project at the design stage…)

59. Project 4 Example: Rose House, Vancouver BC
How good?
Location?
Replaces?
High Performance
Walkable
Part of the floor area replaces an older building
Existing mid-century home
Renovation, Addition, & Infill

60. Project 4 Example: Rose House, Vancouver BC
How good?
Location?
Replaces?
High Performance
Walkable
Part of the floor area replaces an older building
Existing mid-century home
Renovation, Addition, & Infill

61. Project 4 Example: Rose House, Vancouver BC
How good?
Location?
Replaces?
High Performance
Walkable
Part of the floor area replaces an older building
Goal:
(2x) existing
floor area
&
Net
Positive
Renovation
Infill
Addition
“BEFORE”
Annual GHG emissions from the site
Reduced
Transport GHGs
(vs. other locations
in the region)
“AFTER”
Annual GHG emissions from the site

62. Project 4 Example: Rose House, Vancouver BC
How good?
Location?
Replaces?
High Performance
Walkable
Part of the floor area replaces an older building
Adding some
‘green bling’
could push it
further….
Reduced
Transport GHGs
(vs. other locations
in the region)
Reduced GHGs
“BEFORE”
Annual GHG emissions from the site
“AFTER”
Annual GHG emissions from the site
(through on-site
renewable energy)

63. What we’ve been thinking…
Projects vs. Buildings:
- Start thinking about the performance of your
Projects rather than just the performance of
individual Buildings
- Projects can include combinations of
renovations, replacements and new
construction

64. What we’ve been thinking…
Location Matters:
- A code minimum house, in a walkable location,
can be as ‘good’* as a Passive House in a
rural/suburban location
- Where we choose to locate our new buildings
can have a big impact.
* (as far as the climate is concerned)

65. What we’ve been thinking…
Fleet Efficiency:
• New buildings (even ‘green’ ones) have an additive
impact
• We need to improve the efficiency of our total
fleet of buildings (and not just focus on relative
improvements to the new ones)
• As a designer/builder we have to look at the
performance of our own cumulative fleet of
projects. Is our ledger net positive or net negative?

66. What we’ve been thinking…
Net Positive Projects:
- If we can combine renovations to older homes,
with the construction of new, Passive House
type homes, then we can add square footage
while having a measurably net positive impact

67. What we’ve been thinking…
Net Positive Projects:
- If we absolutely have to build on a green-field
site, or in an oil dependent location, then we’ll
probably need to spend some money on ‘green
bling’* to offset the impact of our choice of
site and location.
* On site renewable power production (solar, wind, heat pump)

68. Dumfries St. Solar Laneway House
E.57th Solar Laneway House

69. Thanks!
- This is a work in progress.
Please send any thoughts to bryn@lanefab.com