Sifton Centre - Creating Sustainable Communities With Net-zero Design

The Challenge
Sifton Properties, a land developer operating in office, retail, industrial and residential construction and leasing, is embarking on its most ambitious project – creating the most sustainable, energy-efficient community in Ontario.

Located in London and named West 5, the project will include residential apartment buildings, townhomes, a retirement home, grocery store and medical offices. In total, there will be approximately 2000 residential units and 250,000 to 300,000 square feet of commercial construction. The entire master-planned community will take about 10 years to complete.

The cornerstone of this project is Sifton Centre, which was completed in 2016. As the first building in the community and the developer’s main space, the Sifton Centre needed to model everything the community was going to be – innovative, technologically advanced and energy efficient.

With net-zero energy consumption as the goal, every aspect of the design was carefully considered, from solar panels to LED lighting to ultra-tight insulation.For the heating and cooling system, Neil Carter, Director of Commercial Construction at Sifton, explains that energy efficiency, cost effectiveness and the best payback period were the key considerations.

“A net-zero home gets you to the next level, not just in building code. It also allows you to virtually come off the grid. On an annual basis, it would produce as much energy as it uses, including space heating, cooling, ventilation, hot water heat and all household electrical consumption.”
~ Richard Sifton, President, Sifton Properties

The Solution
Because net-zero construction was such an important feature for this project, Sifton
worked with Smith and Andersen Ltd., an engineering consulting firm, to conduct energy modelling to determine the most effcient HVAC system that would also be the most cost effective. The results of the energy modelling revealed that an electric air source variable refrigerant flow (VRF) system was the best option.

Sifton decided to set up an open bid for HVAC companies to compete to win the business. After accepting three bids, Sifton selected Mitsubishi Electric’s City Multi Air Source system, as it met all their criteria the best. Smith and Andersen then proceeded to design the building around Mitsubishi Electric’s Heating and Cooling systems.

The Results
After using their new office space for four years, Sifton is very pleased with their HVAC system. Carter reports that year-round, including throughout winter’s below-freezing temperatures and summer’s heat waves, everyone is quite comfortable in the building.

Even -20°C temperatures are no match for the fan coil and condensing units, which are able to completely provide all the heat required throughout the building. In terms of energy efficiency, Carter confirms the system is extremely efficient, “exactly as we modeled it.”

In fact, the system works so well with the building’s other net-zero construction features that the building actually produces more energy than it consumes (is net positive) and Sifton receives a credit on their monthly utility bills.

Sifton is so pleased with the results that they have decided to use Mitsubishi Electric Heating and Cooling in three more buildings, plus their residential projects.

With close to 100 years of experience in providing reliable, high-quality products to both corporate clients and general consumers all over the world, Mitsubishi Electric Corporation is a recognized world leader in the manufacturing, marketing and sales of electrical and electronic equipment used in information processing and communications, consumer electronics, industrial technology, energy, transportation and construction. No matter what you do, or where you live, work or play, chances are a Mitsubishi Electric product touches your life.

Sifton Centre – Creating Sustainable Communities With Net-zero Design

Creating the most sustainable, energy-efficient community in Ontario

Summary

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