The result of an exemplary mobilization throughout the region, the centre for excellence in green building will be built with the collaboration of public and private partners. the support of the Créneau Écoconstruction and the involvement of more than 50 partners, including the four firms behind the project.
Les Amis des Jardins de Métis marked Earth Day by announcing the launch of ERE132, the greenest house in the Lower St. Lawrence. ERE132. Construction will begin at the end of May and will be completed by October. The official opening is scheduled for Earth Day (Wednesday, April 22), 2015.
A Centre to Display Regional Expertise in Green Building Manufacturers in the construction sector are contributing to ERE132 by donating their products and technologies in exchange for visibility. A total of 42 manufacturers, 30 of whom are from the Lower St. Lawrence region, responded to the call for participation with donations of materials valued at more than $130,000. The selection was made following a strict process to ensure that each donated product adhered to sustainable development criteria. The goal of the project is to display in a single home the materials, technologies and equipment that are exemplary in having minimal impact on the environment.
Designed by Local Experts and Local Expertise The initiators of ERE132 are all leaders in the Lower St. Lawrence in architecture, environmental design and engineering. The group of experts is composed of professionals from: Les Architectes Goulet & Lebel, CONTACT Innovation, Marcel Banville Architecte and BPR. The greenest house is one of the key initiatives of the créneau d’excellence Écoconstruction of the ACCORD program (Action concertée de coopération régionale de Développement) of the government of Québec, a strategy to promote industrial clusters by assembling regional expertise in collaborative partnerships. ERE132 has benefitted from the support of the créneau throughout the process to design, validate and support the project. Écohabitation, a not for profit that specializes in promoting green building is partnering with the project, along with the Centre de développement et de recherche en imagerie numérique (CDRIN), the cégep de Rimouski, the cégep de Matane and the Service de recherche et d’expertise en transformation des produits forestiers (Serex).
A Partnership of Public Funding and Private Support The regional synergy surrounding ERE132 is manifested by the financial contributions from the following public partners: Economic Development Canada, the ministère des Affaires municipales, des Régions et de l’Occupation du territoire (MAMROT), the ministère des Finances et de l’Économie (MFE); the Conférence régionale des éluEs (CRÉ) du Bas-Saint-Laurent, the Centre local de développement (CLD) de La Mitis, the Société d’aide au développement de la collectivité (SADC) de La Mitis; RBC (Blue Water Project) and les Amis des Jardins de Métis. A Project that Supports the Environment, the Economy and the Lower St. Lawrence ERE132 will be a reference for professionals, manufacturers and contractors in the construction sector, educational institutions, elected officials and decision-makers, tourists and the general public. They will discover the cutting-edge technologies used in this project. This affordable model ecological home is adapted to the climate of this northern region of Québec and will respect the strictest environmental standards. It will attain LEED Platinum status and various other environmental certifications. The centre for excellence will reach a broad public through the reputation of Les Jardins de Métis as one of the most popular tourist destinations in eastern Canada. Visitors will be able to visit the home on a daily basis. They will learn that building green is an intelligent and affordable choice, reduces ecological impact all the while offering a safe, healthy home that is both good for the environment and contributes to the local economy. ABOUT LES JARDINS DE MÉTIS / REFORD GARDENS Les Jardins de Métis (Reford Gardens) is a tourism and cultural destination and a national historic site that welcomes more than 55,000 visitors annually. The greenest house is an integral part of a new effort by Les Jardins de Métis to expand its activities and to reach out to a new clientele through its partnerships with colleges and universities. The creation of a centre for excellence in green building builds on the organization’s extensive experience in promoting contemporary architecture and landscapes. The organization was awarded the Coalition Bois Québec prize in 2010 for its promotion of wood in construction. Seven of its buildings are made entirely of wood (such as the visitor centre which was awarded the Governor General’s Medal in Architecture in 2006). The gardens host the annual International Garden Festival. the leading event for the exhibition of contemporary gardens in North America. The greenest house is a new building that will add to the organization’s commitment to excellence and innovation in building and architecture. Consult the list of the partners. For additional information: Josée Forest / 418-725-5080