Green Living in Suburban London
The conceptual drawings for EVE Park have been exceptionally well realized, with the greenery already filling in as planned. EVE is an acronym for Electric Vehicle Enclave, with the entire development designed to be all-electric through solar power.
From the moment the curved façade comes into view, it’s clear EVE Park is not the usual development. Two semi-circular buildings wrap around a welcoming courtyard filled with blossoming and edible plants. The rooftops are covered with solar panels. Greenery traces up the walls of the buildings and the adjacent elevated parking garage.
EVE stands for Electric Vehicle Enclave and represents the overall design concept of the s2e Technologies project: an all-electric community powered by the sun. Architect firm Gensler and design agency Studio Dror looked to Europe for inspiration for Canada’s first residential development to integrate green technologies. Phase 1 with two residential buildings and parking tower is complete and nearly sold out.
A variety of layouts are available, some with multiple levels, and each unit is furnished with energy-efficient appliances and fixtures.
The four-acre plot will include four circular condo buildings, located to maximize sun exposure for solar panels to feed the micro-grid. The micro-grid combines the power production system of solar panels and inverters with metering equipment and interconnections that link the grid to a community-scale battery and the city’s power grid. It’s designed to be net-zero, producing as much energy as the development uses.
EVE Park is located by West 5, the largest Smart Community in North America, close to the Thames River, and a short drive to either the core of the city or Highway 401. The area offers a range of services including medical, fitness, retail and education.
Rather than parking lots, vehicles share spaces in rotary smart parking towers. Drivers park in the bottom stall, get out of their car and push a button. Their car goes to the top and is moved to a specific spot until needed. Retrieval takes about 80 seconds.
The entry lane converges into sidewalks, “a concept from the Netherlands to encourage people to slow down and be mindful,” says Elinor Schwob, corporate event and publicity advisor. Driveways are eliminated to free space for gardens, gathering places and landscaping. SHIFT Landscape Architecture created the beautiful courtyard garden. “Quite a bit of the landscaping is edible (berries, tea bushes, medicinal plants such as echinacea and sumac). It’s good for the environment and attracts pollinators. The courtyard encourages community. It’s good land use,” says Schwob.
The greenery continues up the exterior walls of the parking building to block wind and add a visual element. After scanning a key card, residents drive their electric vehicle into the garage, then leave the car to be matched with a spot, rotated and parked autonomously. A ride-share program is also available.
Kitchens are efficient and well planned for home chefs and entertaining.
The 84 units in Phase 1 offer a variety of layouts with one, two or three bedrooms, stacked around the curve of the building. One layout includes a separate ground-level “granny flat” with a three-bedroom upper level space. The layouts are named after plants, such as bergamot, sumac and sycamore.
Primary bedrooms include ensuites with double vanities and water-efficient fixtures.
Large triple-glazed windows fill the spaces with natural light. They minimize heat loss and reduce outside noise. Air-tight construction blocks allergens and air pollution from entering. Energy recovery ventilators (ERVs) filter inside air and improve humidity. Appliances and fixtures are energy-efficient. Heat pumps and radiant heat panels are part of the heating/cooling system that allows the temperature to be controlled by zones on smart pads that also monitor energy use.
These innovations won the development the 2024 Best New Exterior and Special Achievement Jim Kennedy Project of the Year from the London Home Builders’ Association. It also won the Innovation Maverick Award recognizing creativity in advancing sustainable building, which described the project as “aiming for a net-zero residential development, EVE Park is an innovative rethinking of suburban living, addressing high performance buildings and smart parking towards greater green space and development guided by the BUILT GREEN® Communities program.”
Many units feature vaulted ceilings. Electric water mist fireplaces create realistic flame effects without burning fuel.
The development has captured media attention in CNN Style, Building Excellence, CTV News and The London Free Press. The concept has also drawn buyers to London – people seeking a sustainable lifestyle. The project is one of the first in Canada to qualify for the RBC Green Home Mortgage.
“It shows building green is possible,” says Schwob. “it can be done. The concept of everything is new here. A team of scientists did a ton of research into the concept and design.”
The living spaces provide all the modern conveniences: a wealth of storage, stylish kitchens with islands and state-of-the-art appliances, flex areas that could be offices, dens, guest rooms, music and reading nooks, main bedrooms with ensuites featuring double vanities, and large closets, water mist fireplaces, patios or balconies. The location is a walkable distance to schools, shopping, entertainment and restaurants, parks and walking trails.
“We did focus groups to learn what a smart home meant to people,” says Schwob. “They told us a sense of community and knowing your neighbours was important. They wanted a walkable distance to what they needed and wanted. You can walk to health care, the vet, fitness centre and sports. Everything you could possibly need is a five-to-10 minute walk.” •
For more information
evepark.ca
2100 Lumen Drive London
To view EVE Park open houses:
info@evepark.ca
