New condo building in West Vancouver is 50% powered by solar energy

Courtenay at 3101 Burfield Place in the British Pacific Properties of West Vancouver. (British Pacific Properties)

A newly built, seven-storey condominium building in West Vancouver that is highly visible while driving on the sloped ascent towards Cypress Mountain is now one of Metro Vancouver’s largest solar energy applications within a 100% multi-family residential building.

Courtenay, located at 3101 Burfield Place, next to the intersection of Cypress Bowl Road and Burfield Place, is equipped with 48 solar panels, which provide about 23,300 kilowatt hours of electrical power annually or enough to meet 50% of the building’s plug-load.

The building systems of heating, cooling, domestic hot water, and battery-electric car charging are also powered through the solar arrays.

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These solar panels are found on both the rooftop and on a south-facing exposure wall, called a “solar mast.”

Building residents can see the real-time performance of the solar system on a screen in the elevator lobby.

courtenay 3101 burfield place west vancouver british properties solar panel 12

Courtenay at 3101 Burfield Place in the British Pacific Properties of West Vancouver. (British Pacific Properties)

courtenay 3101 burfield place west vancouver british properties solar panel

Courtenay at 3101 Burfield Place in the British Pacific Properties of West Vancouver. (British Pacific Properties)

Example of Courtenay’s real-time solar energy performance, as of April 24, 2023. (British Pacific Properties)

This is the first fully electrified building by the British Pacific Properties, without any natural gas uses. It is estimated this will save about 159 tonnes of carbon dioxide each year — equivalent to planting 314,850 trees over 50 years.

In addition to its own in-house, zero-emission energy production, the building has high-efficiency systems for its heat pump heating and cooling and LED lighting, and superior insulation including the use of fibreglass windows.

Another design consideration to lower energy uses is having 50% of the homes accessed by exterior walkways to reduce the floor area of indoor common areas that need to be heated and cooled. As well, 50% of the homes have windows on the north and south sides, allowing residents to allow fresh mountain air to breeze through their units. Furthermore, a large area of the rooftop is a green roof to help insulate the building and capture stormwater.

Designed by Ramsay Worden Architects, Courtenay contains 39 luxury condominium units across its two building wings, which are hinged at 15-degree angles to maximize views and sunlight.

Courtenay at 3101 Burfield Place in the British Pacific Properties of West Vancouver. (British Pacific Properties)

Courtenay at 3101 Burfield Place in the British Pacific Properties of West Vancouver. (Google Maps)

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