the DoigHouse

Carbon ⇣, Community ⇡, Consumption ⇣, Ecology ⇡, Resilience ⇡

A single story, 3000 sqft, timber-framed structure with rammed earth tire walls. The owners describe the theDoighouse as radically sustainable, Earthship-inspired, off grid home, food forest and Learning Centre. The project is rooted in permaculture and is being constructed with the help of several work volunteers.

Associated Engineering performed sophisticated energy modelling on the design of the building and demonstrated that it can obtain “Net-Zero Ready”, Step 5 of BC Energy Step Code. The province of BC has committed to taking incremental steps to increase energy-efficiency requirements in the BC Building Code to make buildings net-zero energy ready by 2032. A Step 5 home is effectively the most energy-efficient home that can be built today, roughly equivalent to Passive House standard.

Location: Qualicum Bay, British Columbia, Canada
Scope: Preliminary Design, Detailed Design, Construction Services
Structural Engineer: Mark Fleischhaker, P.Eng.
Concept: Michael Reynolds, Earthship Biotecture
Architect: KILO Architecture
Drawing Production: Daniel Ortegon
Energy Modelling: Associated Engineering
Builder(s):  Owner
Design Completed: May 2018
Construction Completed: In progress