Passive House Without the Price Tag – Lessons From Timbre & Harmony

What does it take to deliver Passive House performance without a premium price tag? This session explores the real-world lessons behind Timbre & Harmony, a six-story non-market housing project in Vancouver that demonstrates how high-performance housing can be achieved at costs comparable to code-minimum construction.

Through concise, practitioner-focused presentations, the project team unpacks the strategies that made this outcome possible, from efficient building massing and thoughtful envelope design to properly sized and zoned mechanical systems. The team also shares a mass timber details, highlighting how the balconies use parallel strand lumber to create a low–thermal bridge balcony system, supporting both performance and constructability goals.

Beyond technical solutions, this conversation dives into the collaborative processes and administrative decisions that enabled teams to balance ambitious performance targets with strict budget constraints.

Viewers will gain candid insights into the sometimes challenging pre-construction collaboration that laid the groundwork for success, including how integrated project delivery, early coordination, and clear communication across disciplines helped avoid common pitfalls and unlock cost efficiencies.

Originally presented at last year's Passive House Canada Conference as well last month's BUILDEX Vancouver, this session offers valuable lessons for both non-market and market housing sectors, showing how high-performance buildings can move beyond pilot projects and become a practical, scalable standard.

Presenters: Shaun St-Amour, Manager of REVIVE – ETRO Construction

Adam James, Architect AIBC RIBA – Founder & Principal, Ryder Architecture

Zina Berrada, Intern Architect AIBC – Environmental Design Specialist, Ryder Architecture