Military net-zero-emission-ready apartments unveiled in Edmonton Garrison

Soldiers and their families will have a new place to stay here in Edmonton Garrison. The new net-zero-emission-ready apartments were unveiled Tuesday, and it is the first in Edmonton military base. An official ribbon cutting officially opened six apartment buildings with 36 total new homes meant for soldiers stationed at the Garrison. The base commander [...] The post Military net-zero-emission-ready apartments unveiled in Edmonton Garrison appeared first on CityNews Edmonton .

Soldiers and their families will have a new place to stay here in Edmonton Garrison. The new net-zero-emission-ready apartments were unveiled Tuesday, and it is the first in Edmonton military base. An official ribbon cutting officially opened six apartment buildings with 36 total new homes meant for soldiers stationed at the Garrison.

Soldiers and their families will have a new place to call home at the Edmonton Garrison with new net-zero apartments. (Leo Cruzat, CityNews) The base commander says there are currently long waitlists for soldiers looking for a place to stay, with waits of over a week, saying this building could reduce the strain by 10 per cent.

“Especially when they happen on short notice, especially when people have dependents, and you know everyone has ties to their community. It’s exceptionally difficult and stressful, and it does lead to some people quitting sometimes, and that’s something we’d like to be able to mitigate with more housing,” said Lieutenant Colonel John Southen, base commander of the Canadian Forces Base in Edmonton. The Canadian Armed Forces are dealing with a national housing crunch.

This project is part of a federal program with the goal to build 1,100 military homes in Edmonton by the mid-2030s. Soldiers and their families will have a new place to call home at the Edmonton Garrison with new net-zero apartments. (Leo Cruzat, CityNews)

“We know there’s a lot more to be done, and we are going to be moving at a great pace to make sure, because, as I said earlier and the base commander said, there’s nothing more important than safe and secure and predictable housing,” said Eleanor Olszewski, the Minister Responsible for Prairie Economic Development Canada. The homes are the first potential net-zero military housing in the country. The Canadian Forces housing agency claims the new apartments are highly efficient with modern cooling and heating systems, and they have the possibility of EV charging and solar panels in the future.

“If we were to add renewable energy, they would be net zero. At this point, they do not have solar panels. They don’t produce their own energy, but they’re very highly efficient,” said Paola Zurro, the CEO of the Canadian Forces Housing Agency.

Soldiers and their families will have a new place to call home at the Edmonton Garrison with new net-zero apartments. (Leo Cruzat, CityNews) There is already interest in these units, with an estimated 350 people on the waitlist.

“When people know that they’re going to get posted somewhere and there’s suitable housing waiting for them. It is a huge stress relief,” said Lt. Col. Southen. The housing agency has opened a bidding process to create 36 more units at the Garrison.

The post Military net-zero-emission-ready apartments unveiled in Edmonton Garrison appeared first on CityNews Edmonton .