Construction residence Pulteney net zero, BC

Title: Construction residence Pulteney net zero, at Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) in British Columbia (BC)

Background

DFO is set to upgrade the Principal Keeper residence at Pulteney Point Light Station in efforts to align with the Federal Governments goal to enhance climate resilience by 2035 and be net zero by 2050. Pulteney Point Light Station is a staffed federal site located off the north east coast of Vancouver Island on the southwest corner of Malcom Island. The main components of this light station include two (2) residences (with the principal residence staffed), a light tower and fog alarm, a helipad, a boathouse, an oil house and a workshop.

Both residences were built in the mid to late 1900s and include 2-3 bedrooms, a kitchen, living room, dining room, 1-2 bathrooms and a basement. This project entails the renovation of the Principal Keeper’s residence to reduce its energy expenditure from 98 GJ/ year to 51 GJ/ year (a total of 48% decrease).

Scope of work

The proposed work will improve the building envelope and efficiency through the following upgrades: installing energy efficient windows, replacement of existing exterior doors and storm doors with energy efficient insulated metal or fibreglass doors, installing continuous double-layer sheathing membrane to improve air tightness, adding spray foam insulation at the first floor header, remediating areas with interrupted insulation at the basement walls by reinstating insulation and vapour retarder, and sealing penetrations at the ceiling/attic to improve the vapour barrier layer. All materials are to be provided by the contractor.

The residence is listed as a related building on site that contributes to the heritage character of the lighthouse, under the Heritage Lighthouse Protection Act (S.C. 2008, c 16). Under this, the following character-defining elements of the related buildings should be respected: their respective built forms, profiles, and proportions; their traditional red and white exterior colour schemes; their contextual relationships to the lighthouse within an historic light station setting. The proposed renovations will respect these character-defining elements of the residence and are not expected to impact the heritage value of the building.