We built the home in this feature.
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Deciding to update their current office building to reflect the principles that they represent and achieve with every build, Effect Home Builders committed to a deep energy retrofit. With an addition off the back and a deck on the second floor, they beautifully renovated the rest of the building to fit their growing company. “Now we are technically off the electrical grid,” says General Manager Sydney Bond. Featuring a striking modern façade, solar panels on the roof supplement a combined heat and power unit that is gas generated for back up. “We find that in the warmer months we can operate the entire building off the solar panels and what we have stored in the batteries,” adds Bond of their location on 8819 – 92nd Street in Edmonton. This featured residence reflects Effect’s consistent aesthetic sense and trademark craftsmanship that captures a personal vision with genuine flair. Louis Pereira of thirdstone design was instrumental in creating a home that hosts meticulous detail and innovation at every level. “The height allowances influenced the design. The owners desired roof top views and we worked downwards from there to provide everything they wanted. The basement even has an underground corridor that leads to the garage,” shares Pereira. The family wanted lots of bedrooms, bathrooms, and tall ceilings—no small feat considering the narrow lot and height restrictions that limited
conventional layouts. Designed on four levels, including two sublevels, Bond states, “It was tricky to build, but that’s our specialty. The excavation was 18 feet deep, which allowed room for creativity.” With children’s bedrooms in the basement, the main level hosts a riveting open concept that features an eye-catching sky bridge, connecting the master bedroom and office that floats above the dining room and kitchen. “It took a significant amount of engineering to achieve, in fact it took a village,” muses Bond. “LED lighting in the bridge also makes quite an impact in the evening.” Home to a large, active family, the enormous gym at the bottom level was extremely important given interests and lifestyle. “This household is on the move and health conscious. They love to cook and we provided a plant wall that doubles as an air purification feature and affords fresh, edible greens,” explains Bond. Featuring an astounding 5,672 square feet of livable square footage, the home has an ICF foundation, which is characteristic of all Effect’s homes, with a HP+ wall system that offers premium air-tight performance. “There is significantly reduced thermal bridging and it’s extremely energy-efficient. Plus it’s great for infill lots at only eight inches thick,” explains Bond, adding that because the home has so many windows the system mitigated overall heat loss. A high-efficiency HVAC and a heat recovery ventilator further enhanced energy savings. The windows and swing doors feature a combination of triple-glazing and triple-weather seals, dual action tilt-and-turn function, and multi-point locking. The lift and slide glass door in the great room is also triple-glazed with a disappearing roller, allowing the unit to achieve impressive water and air tightness. “Effect is a great builder to work with. We had a long narrow structure and wanted to break that up using colour, forms, and finishes,” shares Louis Pereira, who used Modernism as a guiding principle with a focus on functionality. Seamlessly blending the latest in sustainable technology with design excellence, Effect Home Builders creates homes that are as easy on the eye as they are on the earth. “We were very involved given the challenges of the design. Louis had a vision and executing that vision was a process on its own—one we are extremely proud of,” concludes Bond.
Quarter-sawn, solid oak treads adorn the floating staircase enhanced by 10ml. glass with stainless steel railings and standoffs, providing an airy and elevated ambience.