Looking towards the future: The Home of Tomorrow

When you imagine the home of the future, what do you see?

We’ve always fantasized about robots, flying cars, and underwater mansions. While these fantasies could still become a reality, it looks like the home of the future will be concentrated on something else: creating a comfortable indoor climate while using very little energy.

Two years ago, Wilden started working with the University of British Columbia, Okanagan College, Fortis B.C. and AuthenTech Homes to design and build the Home of Tomorrow. The award-winning Wilden Living Lab project promises to demonstrate the positives of green energy, both for the environment and for your wallet.

“We wanted to take the next steps to encourage solar and geothermal energy, highly-efficient insulation, and other technologies,” said Karin Eger-Blenk, Director of Blenk Development Corp., and the developer of Wilden. “It was with these hopes and ambitions that we approached UBC Okanagan with the idea of the Wilden Living Lab.”

Wilden and AuthenTech Homes built two homes, one being the Home of Today and the other the Home of Tomorrow. The Home of Today is a base house, it is built to the current code requirements and uses standard equipment and construction material. From a natural gas furnace and standard plumbing fixtures, to double pane windows, this house was designed to be just as energy efficient as required.

The Home of Tomorrow is entirely different. It boasts a geothermal heat pump, triple pane windows, and photovoltaic solar panels. Highly efficient sealing and a modern ventilation system help control the temperature throughout the home while using significantly less energy than used in a standard home. All this adds up to a stable, always comfortable indoor climate.

The designers thought of every detail, even the toilets and faucets are water-saving.

“The modern technology inspired creativity and opened a new world of options that fit perfectly into any style and budget,” said Debbie Tolpinrud, interior designer of the two Wilden Living Lab homes. “This is exactly what I hoped the Home of the Future would look like.”

The home of tomorrow incorporates locally sourced materials that were selected because they’re affordable. According to Debbie, the home has thoroughly embodied the theme of efficiency: the open living area, master suite, den, and laundry are all on the main floor.

Home inspector Gilles Lesage, who is working on the Wilden Living Lab, already theoretically proofed, that the home of tomorrow will be 52% more energy efficient than the home of today.

All through February 2017 everyone will be able to get a tour through the Home of Tomorrow in 263 Upper Canyon Drive in Wilden, Kelowna. It will be open for the public daily from 1-5 pm, except Fridays.

Starting in March, after the owners have moved into their respective houses, researchers from UBC’s School of Engineering will use sensors built into the homes to monitor the energy usage of both dwellings. Every technology will be monitored individually. After three years, the results will be analyzed and published on Wilden's website.

“This is the first project of its kind in the Okanagan Valley,” said Dr. Shahria Alam, professor at UBC Okanagan School and Engineering and head researcher at the Wilden Living Lab project. “Through collecting data on the energy usage of various appliances and home features, we’ll be able to show how much energy each uses. So, when someone goes shopping for an appliance, we’ll be able to accurately compare the energy efficiency of both. It will provide relevant information to the whole industry.”

On Saturday, the Wilden Living Labs project won the FortisBC Gold Tommie for Building Energy Efficiency. It's easy to see why. While the home of tomorrow might not include robots, space travel, instant food or underwater mansions, those at Wilden Living Labs argue that it is the way forward. The home of tomorrow is important because it is responsible. It creates a space that utilizes clean, renewable, and sustainable energy to help instead of hinder our environment. It’s also practical, allowing us to be sustainable without drilling a hole in our wallets.

If you’re interested in seeing the future of the home with your own eyes, the team at Wilden welcomes you to their open house from February 1st to 28th. You’re invited to stop by from Monday to Thursday, 1pm to 5pm in the afternoon.