Green upgrades to seniors’ housing in rural B.C.

Nestled in the Slocan Valley in B.C.’s southern interior, the Slocan Valley Housing Society’s Passmore Lodge provides affordable one-bedroom apartments for independent-living people 55 years and older, as well as those with disabilities.

With support from the Centre’s Green Kickstarter Fund, this building is undergoing an extensive retrofit to improve their heating and cooling systems. The Slocan Valley Housing Society (SVHS) will be replacing Passmore Lodge’s aged Heat Recovery System, installing heat pumps in each of the units, replacing worn zone valves and increasing the insulation in the attic.

The process began with SVHS working with the BC Non-Profit Housing Association (BCNPHA) to conduct an energy study and identify what retrofits the building needed.

Making these upgrades will extend the life of the building, reduce energy costs, and improve residents’ quality of life. Given the impact of the 2021 heat dome in B.C., both residents and staff are concerned about making sure that tenants’ homes stay cool, especially those whose health conditions or medications put them at greater risk of overheating.

Installing heat pumps in the units will allow the homes to be cooled more efficiently and affordably. SVHS is also already thinking about its next steps for making Passmore Lodge even more environmentally friendly. This work to improve the building envelope, air quality, and cooling ability of the units, will lay the groundwork for future improvements, such as switching to renewable energy.