Spring Creek Mountain Village, phase one, in Canmore, Alberta., is the first project to be certified with Built Green Canada’s ‘Communities’ pilot program.
Built Green Canada is an industry-driven organization offering third-party certification programs for those interested in sustainable practices in the residential building sector.
Clean energy is one of the key features of the Spring Creek Mountain Village. Owner Frank Kernick estimates, on an annual basis, their geothermal heating and cooling system will eliminate 600 tonnes of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. It pumps heat to and from the earth by circulating fluid through a ground loop: using the natural heat of the earth, instead of the more conventional method of burning fossil fuels for energy.
“We were one of the first to adopt geothermal technologies in Alberta to meet our goal: to create a truly sustainable mountain community,” said Kernick.
Spring Creek Mountain Village is a 28-ha (69-acre) redevelopment in the heart of Canmore, comprised of commercial, sing and multi-family housing. In 2004, the Town of Canmore approved the master plan to create this new urban neighborhood, and construction started in 2006.
Spring Creek projects are designed to maximize riparian habitat standards—and this main development area has a unique edge with Spring Creek and Policeman’s Creek. A perimeter trail system has been incorporated to allow public enjoyment of the creek and to facilitate trail connections. Several bridges have also been added, which provide pedestrian and bicycle access through the entire town, including infrastructure like schools, employment, public transit, entertainment, health care, and nearby parks.
Within the community, the green space requirements exceed those of Canmore Municipal and Environmental reserve standards. Additionally, Spring Creek has designed a water system for irrigation that uses only ground water, so they do not pull from the municipal water supply.
