Building Blocks Homes by FORT Architect inc. that opened to the public on April 22, 2009 is sustainable home designs that was designed to get solution from the challenge to design a new housing prototype to the suburbs. The Building Blocks Homes that located in Vaughan, Ontario, Canada, consists of 26 modular blocks, from A to Z , that give real choice for the homebuyer , more than choosing fixtures and equipment. The blocks combine to form detached, semi-detached, row and stacked townhouses resulting in neighbourhood diversity, both in terms of built form and price point. The Building Blocks Homes was designed by Anne Stevens of FORT architect inc. and Terrell Wong of Stones Throw Design Inc. for flexibility and adaptability, different modules offer from 2 to 7 bedrooms, a ground floor Adaptable Bedroom, barrier-free washroom, tandem garage or two-storey garage with ‘Granny Flat’ above, suitable for rental unit or home office.
Homeowners can also choose between renovation-ready or fully-finished spaces. For example, the renovation-ready attic, constructed with glue-lam beams and structural insulated roof panels, is a dramatic cathedral-ceiling space, unimpeded by truss diagonals. Its floor is structurally designed for habitation and the space requires only minor finishing by the homeowner. Modularity adapts readily to factory construction, where greater efficiencies of material use, waste management, recycling and environmental controls can be realised.
Homeowners can also choose between renovation-ready or fully-finished spaces. For example, the renovation-ready attic, constructed with glue-lam beams and structural insulated roof panels, is a dramatic cathedral-ceiling space, unimpeded by truss diagonals. Its floor is structurally designed for habitation and the space requires only minor finishing by the homeowner. Modularity adapts readily to factory construction, where greater efficiencies of material use, waste management, recycling and environmental controls can be realised.
Additional sustainable home design technologies used include heat- and entropy-recovery ventilators, flat plate and evacuated tube solar collectors, PV panels, wind turbine, geothermal heat, an off-grid engineered wetlands wastewater treatment system, drain water heat recovery, Energystar lights and appliances, low-flow toilets and faucets, passive solar design, double and triple-glazing, FSC certified wood, advanced framing techniques and 24” stud spacing, recycled paint, a green roof, native and drought tolerant plants, grey water and rain water harvesting, durable materials, superior insulation and airtight construction.