11/01/2026
The ‘NZC Millhouse’
Currently under construction, the NZC Millhouse is the first Net Zero and Zero Carbon Certified single family home in North America (Green Building Initiative (GBI). Situated on a south-facing portion of the man-made Wiseners Mill Pond, the property was originally a lay-down area for the local sawmill. The 42-acre pond was created to provide power for the water wheels of the decommissioned sawmill and gristmill located to the north. The NZC Millhouse has been sited to take full advantage of the pond; the water views, the flora and fauna it supports, and the energy it produces.
This four-bedroom home has been designed as a daily living hub for a family of five and as a destination for hosting extended family. Best described as "farmhouse industrial," the design is a modern interpretation of rural houses, barns, and support structures found on Prince Edward Island. The house will be clad in natural white cedar shingles and vertical siding, a species of wood indigenous to Atlantic Canada. The roof and upper storey are protected with a standing/mechanically-seamed roof. A compact rectangular floor plan was designed with open concept living and all bedrooms facing the water. A simple gabled form was pulled apart and cranked to follow the shape of the water's edge and to provide a functional breezeway/mudroom entry. The primary bedroom on the west end of the home takes advantage of natural light and views of the setting sun. A rooftop patio above the primary bedroom is covered by the gabled roof to provide a protected area from the elements.
Now let’s get technical!
The structure is extremely energy efficient with the use of passive solar principles, natural ventilation strategies, and a highly insulated building envelope (R39.8 walls, R20 slab, R70-100 roof). The Passive-Haus certified windows and doors are triple glazed aluminum-clad wood. Aiding the home’s efficiency, a 32 kW roof-mounted photovoltaic array and a 3 kW micro-hydro station work together to produce an EUI of -14 kw/m2. The future planned micro-hydro station restores the original intent of Wiseners Mill Pond when it was dammed over 150 years ago..
Whole Building Lifecycle Assessment (WBLCA) and Embodied Carbon | The assessment identifies a 60-year Cradle-to-Grave Global Warming Potential (GWP) of 103,000.0 kg CO2e , representing a carbon intensity of 221.3 kg CO2e/m². By integrating low-impact materials, such as a wood-framed double-staggered stud wall system with dense-pack cellulose insulation, the design optimizes thermal efficiency while minimizing the superstructure's environmental footprint. Critically, the NZC Millhouse demonstrates a 52.07% reduction in embodied carbon compared to the Canada Green Building Council’s (CaGBC) Zero Carbon Building Design threshold of 425 kg CO2e/m². This performance provides the rigorous quantitative data required to support a Green Globes Journey to Net Zero submission, positioning the project as an innovative, high-value model for sustainable residential development. Carbon is calculated using three types of carbon, the net of which yields the WBLCA.
Check out the images for more project details and the team that helped make it reality!
Suppliers:
Armadillo Metal Roofing Systems (Supply/Install) Armadillo Metal Roofing Systems
CertainTeed Canada (TimberHP)
CertainTeed
Hansen Solar Energy (Solar System Supply/Install) Hansen Solar Energy
Hearth and Ember (Stuv Supply/Install) Hearth and Ember Home Heating
High Valley Plumbing and Heating Inc (Supply/Install Heat Pumps, In-Slab System) High Valley Plumbing and Heating Inc
Huber Engineered Woods (Zip Systems)
Markan Hardwood Plus Markan Hardwood Plus
Metro Home Building Centre Metro Home Building Centre
Nudura ICFs - Insulated Concrete Forms Nudura ICFs - Insulated Concrete Forms
OPTIWIN Optiwin
Richards-Wilcox
Ridge Cedar (White Cedar)
SOPREMA Canada (Insulation) SOPREMA Canada
Thermal Wood ThermalWood Canada
