CANANDAIGUA, N.Y. – SWBR is pleased to announce that CreekView Apartments has officially earned Phius Zero Certification from the Passive House Institute U.S. (PHIUS), recognizing the 72-unit affordable housing community’s achievement in net-zero energy performance and low-carbon design.
Located within the Woodland Park community in Canandaigua, the development builds on the success of the PHIUS-certified first phase completed in 2019 and advances Baldwin Real Estate Development Corp.’s long-term commitment to sustainable affordable housing.
Among North America’s most rigorous building performance standards, PHIUS certification requires dramatic reductions in energy use while prioritizing indoor air quality, durability, and occupant well-being. PHIUS Zero certification further verifies that a building’s energy demand is balanced through renewable energy generation, resulting in net-zero energy performance.
Working closely with the owner and project partners, our Housing team integrated a range of high-performance building strategies to help the community meet its ambitious energy goals. The design utilizes an all-electric mechanical system featuring ground-source geothermal heat pumps for heating, cooling, and domestic hot water generation. Shared energy recovery ventilation systems continuously deliver fresh air while minimizing energy loss, and roof-mounted solar photovoltaic arrays help offset the community’s consumption.
The development’s high-performance envelope (including triple-pane windows, continuous exterior insulation, enhanced under-slab insulation, and airtight construction) significantly mitigates heating and cooling demands while creating a quieter, more thermally consistent living environment for residents year-round.
The result is one of the most energy-efficient affordable housing communities developed within Baldwin’s growing portfolio of sustainable housing. In combining Passive House principles, geothermal technology, on-site solar generation, and an all-electric design approach, CreekView decreases operational carbon emissions by 84% compared to earlier benchmark developments and by 66% compared to Phase I.
“The most rewarding aspect of this project was translating highly technical performance goals into homes that simply feel better to live in,” said SWBR Project Manager Joe McNinch, AIA. “Residents may never see the insulation levels, airtight construction, or geothermal infrastructure behind the walls, but they experience the benefits every day through consistent comfort, fresh air, and quieter interiors.”
CreekView Apartments was supported through NYSERDA’s Buildings of Excellence Early Design Support and Demonstration programs, helping advance innovative approaches to low-carbon residential construction across New York State. As affordable housing providers face increasing demands for resiliency and energy efficiency, the project serves as a model for how high-performance design can be successfully implemented at scale.
SWBR served as Architect of Record, collaborating with Baldwin Real Estate Development Corp., DiMarco Constructors, Van Hee Mechanical, EC4B Engineering, Jensen/BRV Engineering, and Sustainable Comfort to bring the community to life.