YIPI! House meets zero-energy target: the Yellowhead Innovation Park Inc. (YIPI!) proposal for a sustainable-housing solution is one of twelve new national projects.

Today's rising financial and environmental burdens are hammering home the need to reduce energy consumption.

When Teresa Jeannine Paul, president, Nexus Solar Corporation in Saskatoon, learned about Equilibrium, a design competion to address this growing concern, she quickly teamed up with Battlefords Tribal Council (BTC).

Canada Mortgage and Housing is running the competition to mobilize partners to advance new sustainable-housing solutions for healthy communities and a clean-energy future. The ultimate target: zero energy consumption.

Together, Nexus and BTC created the Yellowhead Innovation Park Inc. (YIPI!) proposal. Their solar-powered and solar-heated house to be located on Highway 4 at the former Grondin RV property, will serve as a model for a ready-to-move building.

Of 72 applications nationwide, YIPI earned one of 20 finalist positions that received $10,000 to build a detailed design and simulation. When CHMC zeroed in on the final 12, YIPI nailed the Saskatchewan section. "Ours was the only project with any First Nations component," said Paul. "We are the only Saskatchewan team. This is important because Saskatchewan has the best solar resource available. We have a huge opportunity to lead in this field."

The project will be built by South Beach Homes, owned by Montreal Lake First Nation. (BTC withdrew from the project due to extenuating circumstances.) Plans are moving forward quickly, with an expected completion date of September 2007.

Installation challenges that once plagued solar housing will not interfere with this model because it will be constructed in a quality-controlled factory. "The volume and the centralization mean that we also bring down costs," said Paul.

Features include low-toxicity construction materials like ceramic flooring--more durable than vinyl and with no emissions. The proposed wallboard siding is also healthier than vinyl. Innovative refrigeration and clothes drying technologies may include European style drying with heat redirected heat from other appliances. Grey water recycling will recapture laundry water for toilet flushing.

While solar houses generally cost more than traditional houses, government subsidies are helping to level the playing field.

As well, added Paul, "You can divert money away from utility payments and put it towards mortgage payments. We can easily get a dwelling off natural gas with primarily solar water heating systems; they are not expensive. The electrical is more expensive but electricity is expensive too--not just the purchase price, I mean the true price which is environmental and financial."

More durable materials also reduce costs in the short-term. However, in reservation housing, Paul sees an added challenge because of the housing crisis. "When you need as many units as possible, you need more of the least expensive units you can get," she said.

"We could not build something that was totally out of price range for everybody. Those projects did not get accepted," said Paul.

To verify predictions, CMHC will monitor the model houses for one year after occupancy. Readers can watch YIPI's progress through an online construction journal at www.nexussolar.com. They can also order floor plans on-line, choosing from adaptable options.