April 19, 2021

Winnipeg
-8° C, Clear

Full Forecast

Contact Us Subscribe Manage Subscription Chat with us
Log in Create Free Account Help Chat with us
    • Contact Us
    • Advertising Contact
    • Submit a News Tip
    • Subscribe to Newsletters

    • Finding your
      information

    • My Account
    • Manage my Subscription
    • Change Password

    • Grid View
    • List View
    • Compact View
    • Text Size
    • Translate

    • Log Out
    • Log in
    • Create Free Account
    • Help

    • Grid View
    • List View
    • Compact View
    • Text Size
    • Translate
  • Coronavirus Coverage
  • Replica E-Edition
    • About the E-Edition
    • Winnipeg Free Press
    • The Herald
    • The Headliner
    • The Lance
    • The Metro
    • The Sou'Wester
    • The Times
  • Above the Fold
  • Front page
  • Arts & Life
    • All Arts & Life
    • The Arts
    • Autos
    • Books
    • Book Club
    • Cannabis
    • Celebrities
    • Diversions
    • Puzzles
    • Environment
    • Events
    • Faith
    • Food & Drink
    • Your Health
    • Life & Style
    • Movies
    • Music
    • Science & Technology
    • TV
    • Travel
  • Business
    • All Business
    • Agriculture
    • Personal Finance
  • Canada
  • Local
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Columnists
    • Editorials
    • Editorial Cartoons
    • Letters to the Editor
    • Send a Letter to the Editor
  • Sports
    • All Sports
    • Amateur
    • Auto Racing
    • Blue Bombers
    • Curling
    • Football
    • Goldeyes
    • Golf
    • High School
    • Hockey
    • Horse Racing
    • Winnipeg Jets
    • Manitoba Moose
    • WHL
    • MLB
    • NBA
    • Olympics
    • Soccer
  • World
  • The StarNEW
  • About Us
    • About Us
    • Advertising
    • Contact Us
    • Carrier Positions & Retailer Requests
    • FP Newspapers Inc.
    • History
    • Internships
    • Job Opportunities
    • News Café
    • Privacy Policy
    • Retail Locations
    • Staff Biographies
    • Terms and Conditions
  • Archives
  • Canstar Community News
    • All Canstar Community News
    • The Headliner
    • The Herald
    • The Lance
    • The Metro
    • The Sou'wester
    • The Times
    • Sports
    • Events
    • Contact Us
    • E-Editions
  • Classifieds
  • Contests
  • Coupons
    • All Coupons
    • Staples Copy & Print Coupons
    • Ripley's Aquariums Coupons
    • The Bay Coupons
    • Staples Canada Coupons
    • Altitude Sports Coupons
    • Nike Coupons
    • Tuango Coupons
    • Ebay Canada Coupons
    • Sport Chek Coupons
    • Roots Coupons
  • Sponsored
    • Publications
    • Sponsored Articles
  • Flyers
  • Homes
    • Property Listings
    • Featured News
    • Renovation and design
    • New homes
    • Resale homes
  • Newsletters
  • Obituaries
  • Puzzles
  • Photostore
  • More

©2021 FP Newspaper Inc.

Close
  • Quick Links

    • Coronavirus Coverage
    • Above the Fold
    • Home
    • Local
    • Canada
    • World
    • Classifieds
    • Special Coverage
    • Flyers
    • Newsletters
    • Obituaries
    • Photostore
    • Archives
    • Contests
    • Publications
    • Sponsored Content
    • Privacy Policy

    Ways to support us

    • Pay it Forward program
    • Subscribe
    • Day Pass
    • Read Now Pay later
  • Replica E-Edition

    • About the E-Edition
    • Winnipeg Free Press
    • The Herald
    • The Headliner
    • The Lance
    • The Metro
    • The Sou'Wester
    • The Times

    Business

    • All Business
    • Agriculture
    • Personal Finance
  • Arts & Life

    • All Arts & Life
    • The Arts
    • Autos
    • Books
    • Cannabis
    • Celebrities
    • Diversions
    • Puzzles
    • Environment
    • Events
    • Faith
    • Food & Drink
    • Your Health
    • Life & Style
    • Movies
    • Music
    • Science & Technology
    • TV
    • Travel
  • Sports

    • All Sports
    • Amateur
    • Auto Racing
    • Blue Bombers
    • Curling
    • Football
    • Goldeyes
    • Golf
    • High School
    • Hockey
    • Horse Racing
    • Winnipeg Jets
    • Manitoba Moose
    • WHL
    • MLB
    • NBA
    • Olympics
    • Soccer
  • Opinion

    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Columnists
    • Editorials
    • Editorial Cartoons
    • Letters to the Editor
    • Send a Letter to the Editor

    Media

    • All Media
    • Photo Galleries
    • Videos

    Homes

    • Property Listings
    • Featured News
    • Renovation and design
    • New homes
    • Resale homes
  • Canstar Community News

    • All Canstar Community News
    • The Headliner
    • The Herald
    • The Lance
    • The Metro
    • The Sou'wester
    • The Times
    • Sports
    • Events
    • Contact Us
    • E-Editions
  • Coupons

    • All Coupons
    • Staples Copy & Print Coupons
    • Ripley's Aquariums Coupons
    • The Bay Coupons
    • Staples Canada Coupons
    • Altitude Sports Coupons
    • Nike Coupons
    • Tuango Coupons
    • Ebay Canada Coupons
    • Sport Chek Coupons
    • Roots Coupons
  • About Us

    • About Us
    • Advertising
    • Contact Us
    • Carrier Positions & Retailer Requests
    • FP Newspapers Inc.
    • History
    • Internships
    • Job Opportunities
    • News Café
    • Privacy Policy
    • Retail Locations
    • Staff Biographies
    • Terms and Conditions
Winnipeg Free Press
Articles Read
Your Balance +tax
Day Pass Till
Day Pass
    • Contact Us
    • Advertising Contact
    • Report an Error
    • Send a Letter to the Editor
    • Staff Biographies
    • Submit a News Tip
    • Subscribe to Newsletters

    • Finding your
      information

    • Log in
    • Create Account
    • Help
    • Chat with us

    • Grid View
    • List View
    • Compact View
    • Text Size
    • Translate
    • My Account
    • Manage My Subscription
    • Change Password
    • Chat with us

    • Grid View
    • List View
    • Compact View
    • Text Size
    • Translate

    • Log Out
Log in Create Account Contact Us
Contact Us Manage Subscription
  • Sections
  • Local
  • Arts & Life
    • All Arts & Life
    • The Arts
    • Autos
    • Books
    • Diversions
    • Environment
    • Faith
    • Food & Drink
    • Health
    • Movies
    • Music
    • TV
    • Travel
  • Business
  • Sports
    • All Sports
    • Amateur
    • Blue Bombers
    • Curling
    • Football
    • Goldeyes
    • High School
    • Hockey
    • Winnipeg Jets
    • Manitoba Moose
    • WHL
    • MLB
    • NBA
    • Soccer
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Columnists
    • Editorials
    • Editorial Cartoons
    • Letters to the Editor
    • Send a Letter to the Editor
  • E-Edition
  • Homes
  • Classifieds
    • All Classifieds
    • Announcements
    • Automotive
    • Careers
    • Garage Sales
    • Merchandise
    • Pets
    • Real Estate
    • Rentals
    • Services
  • Sponsored
    • Publications
    • Sponsored Articles
  • Coupons
    • All Coupons
    • Staples Copy & Print
    • Ripley's Aquariums
    • The Bay
    • Staples Canada
    • Altitude Sports
    • Nike
    • Tuango
    • Ebay Canada
    • Sport Chek
    • Roots
  • Obituaries
  • Subscribe
Business

Advertisement

Advertise With Us

Block sets energy-efficiency standard

Stradbrook Avenue apartment building earns Power Smart designation

By: Aidan Geary
Posted: 4:00 AM CDT Tuesday, Sep. 6, 2016

  • Tweet
  • Share
  • Print
  • Email
  • Save to Read Later
ZACHARY PRONG / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS</p><p>Rob Robson (left), Kate Kennedy and Geoff Milnes of Progressive Real Estate stand in front of 381 Stradbrook Ave., the first apartment building to earn the coveted rating.</p>

ZACHARY PRONG / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS

Rob Robson (left), Kate Kennedy and Geoff Milnes of Progressive Real Estate stand in front of 381 Stradbrook Ave., the first apartment building to earn the coveted rating.

Nine months after the program launched, a new apartment building in Winnipeg has became the first of its type to earn the Power Smart designation.

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 6/9/2016 (1686 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Nine months after the program launched, a new apartment building in Winnipeg has became the first of its type to earn the Power Smart designation.

The three-storey walk-up at 381 Stradbrook Ave. was built and developed by owner Progressive Real Estate, and is now renting.

The Power Smart for new homes program kicked off in October 2015. To snag the title, homes have to be at least 20 per cent more efficient than those simply built to code.

Unlike the commercial new buildings Power Smart program, the new homes version caters specifically to buildings classed as ‘part nine,’ typically single-detached homes, duplex, triplex and row housing, and certain apartment-style residential buildings not exceeding three storeys or a 600 square-metre footprint.

'We wanted to design a building that would be energy efficient, for ourselves (and) also for our tenants too'‐ Geoff Milnes

So far, Manitoba Hydro has issued about 10 Power Smart certificates since the program launch — 381 Stradbrook, however, is the only one that’s an apartment building, said Geoff Milnes, head of operations at Progressive Real Estate.

The building achieves maximum efficiency with triple-pane windows that insulate as well as block sound, efficient baseboard heaters, parking plugs that cycle power from car to car and simple LED lightbulbs.

Milnes opted for insulated concrete form construction, which he said is a super-efficient technique involving what are essentially "foam Lego blocks filled with concrete and rebar."

"We did that on the two large sides of our building, the east-west sides, and on the north-south sides we did spray foam, which also has a very high insulation," Milnes explained.

To top it off, the attic is filled with blown-in insulation, which boasts a high insulation value.

ZACHARY PRONG / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS From left to right, Rob Robson, Kate Kennedy and Geoff Milnes of Progressive Real Estate recently built Manitoba's first residential-class apartment building with a PowerSmart designation. July 13, 2016.</p>

ZACHARY PRONG / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS From left to right, Rob Robson, Kate Kennedy and Geoff Milnes of Progressive Real Estate recently built Manitoba's first residential-class apartment building with a PowerSmart designation. July 13, 2016.

"The overall goal was, you have tenants that are paying for their own heat and water and electricity, but at the same time, their costs should be minimized," Milnes said.

Milnes and his team began construction a year ago, before the new homes program was introduced.

They were well into their build before they realized they were eligible, he said, so qualifying for the designation required a few last-minute swaps including tweaks to their HVAC system and introducing the power-cycling parking plugs.

Because the original design was meant to be energy efficient, these changes were minimal.

"We were so close to being a Power Smart building that it made sense to go the final five per cent to make it Power Smart," Milnes said. "It’s just nice to have that distinction, I think."

Milnes said because Progressive plays every role in its buildings’ lives — developer, contractor, property manager and owner — the group is motivated to build quality buildings — and energy efficiency is part of that.

Stay informed

The latest updates on the novel coronavirus and COVID-19.

Subscribe to COVID-19 Briefing
Sign Up

"We set out from the beginning even without knowing about this program that we wanted to design a building that would be energy efficient, for ourselves (and) also for our tenants too," he said.

"We’re a new developer in the city that’s doing these things," he added. "We intend to keep doing buildings such as these."

Scott Powell, public affairs manager with Manitoba Hydro, said Milnes isn’t the only one with an eye to efficiency.

The Power Smart program has a waiting list for processing, which can be lengthy because of construction timelines.

"The program is growing in popularity, and there are already a number of applications in queue," Powell wrote in an email.

In order to be eligible for the designation, buildings must achieve an EnerGuide rating of 82, he said, or about 20 per cent better than Manitoba Building Code requirements.

Advertisement

Advertise With Us

  • Report Error
  • Submit a Tip
  • Refund

The Winnipeg Free Press invites you to share your opinion on this story in a letter to the editor. A selection of letters to the editor are published daily.

To submit a letter:
• fill out the form on this page, or
• email letters@freepress.mb.ca, or
• mail Letters to the Editor, 1355 Mountain Avenue, Winnipeg, Manitoba, R2X 3B6.

Letters must include the writer’s full name, address, and a daytime phone number. Letters are edited for length and clarity.

Advertisement

Advertise With Us

Top