290 River Ave

Client: 2 Architecture

Prime Consultant: DGH Engineering Ltd.

Location: Osborne Village, Winnipeg MB

290 River Ave. is a four-storey, 12-unit residential apartment building located in the heart of Winnipeg's Osborne Village. DGH worked with 2 Architecture to create this unique residential infill project that will provide new options for those looking to live one of Winnipeg's most well-known established neighbourhoods. 290 River Ave. is a project that exemplifies contemporary architectural design with sustainable engineering design.

Each unit in this residential complex uses space efficiently, with the largest unit using an approximately 800-square-foot floor plan. Creating residential spaces with small-scale floor plans is a time-tested practice identified by groups such as the Environmental Protection Agency and the Smart Growth Network for creating and sustaining environmentally friendly urban communities. DGH was able to build upon this foundational principle of Sustainable Design by helping 2 Architecture incorporate energy efficient mechanical, electrical, and structural systems into the design of 290 River Ave. to gain a ten-percent savings in energy consumption beyond rates set by the Manitoba Energy Code for Buildings.

This project was planned using DGH's Integrated Design Process to create a holistic design that would improve energy efficiency across all systems and components over the building's service life. DGH's structural engineering and building science team worked with 2 Architecture to design window and door structures that reduce thermal conductivity and heat loss. This efficiency was achieved by limiting the overall area of the building exterior that was made up of windows and doors and ensuring that all windows assemblies used energy efficient design.

The building uses electrical heating systems, which are proven to reduce energy use and green house gas emissions compared to natural gas alternatives. Electric heating options are an excellent choice for buildings such as 290 River Ave., as buildings in Manitoba benefit from hydroelectric power, which produces fewer green house gas emissions than other traditional energy sources. Our mechanical engineering team also designed heat recovery ventilation systems (HRV) for 290 River Ave. HRVs reduce the build up of mould and pollutants in buildings while reducing heat loss when compared to other methods of ventilation, and will increase the service life of building materials by reducing damage from moisture and mould. HRVs also contribute to better air quality for building occupants.

290 River Ave. also features energy-efficient lighting systems throughout the building to reduce the carbon foot print of this project. Specifically, to decrease the overall energy use in this project, our electrical engineering team designed lighting systems with reduced lighting power densities for common areas.

Osborne Village is known as one of Western Canada's most population-dense neighbourhoods, and this project has the potential to help those who call it home continue to do so and bring new faces to the community. 290 River Ave. will include suites that are capped at an affordable rate, and newer buildings often provide accessibility features for aging community members that may not be available in mature buildings.

 

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