388 Skeena is a super-energy-efficient 85 unit apartment building being built the corner of Skeena and East Hastings streets. On its website, 8th Avenue Development Group describes the rental project as the “largest passive house building” in Canada.

The project designed by Cornerstone architecture under the strict requirements of the passive house standards. The description is bound to confuse those who wonder how a multifamily complex could ever be characterized as a “house” but In fact, the term passive house comes from the German word Passivhaus and does not refer exclusively to single-family homes.

It’s a voluntary standard for achieving outstanding energy efficiency in all buildings, including institutional and commercial structures. It has caught on in Europe and is undergoing serious scrutiny by officials in Vancouver.

For more info check complete Georgia Straight article.