Forte Apartments - Vancouver, BC

BC Housing | Fortis BC Deep Energy Retrofit Pilot

Forte Apartments is a 13-storey, 137-suite multi-unit residential building in Vancouver, British Columbia, delivered for BC Housing as part of a Deep Energy Retrofit (DER) pilot program supported by FortisBC. The project includes a mix of studio, one-bedroom, and two-bedroom suites and was undertaken to improve long-term building performance while extending the service life of an existing mid-rise residential building.

The retrofit strategy was developed and reviewed by RDH Building Science, with a focus on reducing energy demand, improving indoor environmental quality, and addressing the constraints of upgrading an occupied building. As part of this broader performance-based approach, a decentralized, suite-level ventilation strategy was implemented using LUNOS through-wall heat recovery ventilation units.

Ventilation capacity was tailored to individual suite layouts, with studio and one-bedroom suites equipped with one LUNOS pair, and two-bedroom suites equipped with two pairs, coordinated through a single controller per suite. Additional units were provided for select non-residential spaces. This approach allowed ventilation upgrades to be integrated at the suite level without introducing new ductwork or centralized distribution systems—an important consideration in deep energy retrofit projects.

Building height, wind exposure, and envelope conditions were key considerations, with wind-pressure mitigation strategies selectively applied on upper floors where required. Coordination between the consultant team, mechanical contractor, and supplier was essential to balancing performance objectives, installation logistics, and overall project delivery.