Development

Monith Developments, Inc. develops small-scale multi-unit houses (SSMUH) on southern Vancouver Island under Part 9 of the British Columbia Building Code. Specifically, we develop 3-story 4-plexes on single lots in residential neighbourhoods.

As a licensed and insured developer in British Columbia, we contract with licensed builders to produce a simple and energy efficient design. Our developments exceed the Passive House standard for energy efficiency, and integrate into the expanding bicycle culture of the Capital Regional District.

Guiding Values

Energy Efficiency

We build to the strictest standard in energy efficiency: the Passive House model. It is a benchmark that measures annual energy consumption for both heating and cooling, and has an affiliate in Canada. The Passive House model of energy efficiency works with four pathways through which heat is lost:

• the exterior walls
• the windows
• the thermal bridges
• unplanned ventilation (drafts)

Monith Developments designs buildings to coordinate the efficiencies of the first three, and reduces the fourth until the rate of return is maximized. More details in how we do that are here.

Active Transportation

We incorporate bicycle storage, charging, and repair facilities in all of our SSMUH developments. We talk more about bicycle culture here.

Affordable SSMUH

We take a two-pronged approach to affordability. The first step is our building design. We have developed a universal plan, one building designed in such a manner that it can be placed on multiple buildable lots. This substantially reduces design and engineering costs. The second step is to design a simple structure without gables or unnecessary exterior corners. Eliminating such design features reduces building costs during the construction phase, and reduces operating costs during the lifetime of the occupancy.

We maintain architectural aesthetics in the absence of those physical features. Changes in colour and texture can give a sense of depth without breaking the thermal envelope. These variations in the external layer mimic more conventional townhouse appearances without compromising energy efficiency.

New owners first see the cost savings when they purchase their townhouse from Monith Developments. They will continue to see costs savings every month that they pay their energy bill.

Bringing SSMUH Forward

Monith offers existing homeowners a couple of options options. Would you like to sell your property at market value without Realtor fees or listing and showing the house? Consider selling to us.

Would you like to remain in your house, but take advantage of the new SSMUH opportunities? We can help you navigate these Small-Scale Multi-Unit Housing rules.

Monith Developments, Inc will buy homes on select single family lots, and do so at a premium to the homeowner. We will then take care of the entire process from demolition, through stratification, and to the Certificate of Occupancy. Alternatively, we can also guide homeowners through the complicated SSMUH development process. We’ll help with securing building permits, hiring trades, and contracting with the myriad of professionals necessary from design conception to townhouse sale.

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