The London city council has approved zoning by-laws for the net-zero energy EVE Park project on December 10, followed by the requisite appeal period as of January 13.
Derek Satnik, Vice President of Technology, Smart Communities for S2e, has been shepherding the zoning process. “We are really pleased that the zoning change had unanimous support from council,” said Satnik. “We know, of course, that the City of London is deeply committed to sustainability issues, and it’s one of the reasons that a project like this is a great fit here.”
New York City-based designer Dror Benshetrit is designing the project alongside Gensler, with EllisDon as the contractor.
The 80-unit residential neighbourhood integrates green energy technologies with a site plan that focuses on community and shared green space.
Designed with an autonomous vehicle future in mind, the plan includes an electric vehicle car-share program, and removes car garages from the home to allow for more pedestrian-friendly walkways and outdoor space for uses such as open parks, gardens, small playgrounds or walking trails.
“We are all acutely aware of the climate crisis,” says Ashley Hammerbacher, Team Lead for the EVE Park project. “Our vision for EVE Park was to create the kind of sustainable community that could be a serious, viable part of the solution. A community that could generate as much energy as it used – and that could reduce our reliance on fossil fuels, and change our relationship with our environment and our neighbours. I keep hearing that it must be too hard or too expensive. Those are misconceptions, and we’re tackling them with the support of partners – like Ellis Don, Gensler, and others – who are working with us to change perceptions of what is possible.”
St. Jacobs-based S2e has co-developed two large solar farms in Canada, and has been technical advisor on the neighbouring West5 project (Sifton Properties), the first net-zero energy supermarket in Canada (Longos, Stouffville) and are currently in the process of developing net zero energy communities in Mexico, as well as the U.S.
Although dates are not yet set, S2e hopes to break ground at EVE Park in the coming months.