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THE BRANDON SUN • WESTMAN BUSINESS • OCTOBER 27, 2022 Pocket neighbourhood offers affordable living
BY KRISTIN MARAND
Brandon’s first pocket neighbour- hood at 235 Glen Avenue is the pinnacle of sustainable and affordable housing with their new offerings inspired by the trend towards smaller, more effi- cient homes. A pocket neighbourhood is a cluster of homes gathered around shared open spaces such as sidewalks and yards - a neighbourhood within a neighbourhood. Each of the new Glen- dale Homes are close enough so that you can get to know your neighbour and have a friendly chat but offer enough space to enjoy the privacy of your own yard or porch. “The pocket neighbourhood was started with the idea that we wanted to build homes that were affordable, en- vironmentally friendly and energy effi- cient. So we started with that thought, and with the pandemic and an increase in price, affordability certainly became front of mind. So pairing energy effi- ciency, environmental sustainability with affordability was something we’re aiming for” says Cindy Choy director of planning for Glendale Homes. The neighbourhood will consist of 21 one- and two-bedroom units with four floor plans to choose from, ranging from 500 to 900 square feet. There are currently four completed show homes on display with eight more in construc- tion, soon to be delivered. The smaller footprint of these homes make them ideal for people looking to downsize, first time homeowners and young fami- lies. The affordability factor also means that these homes will appeal to people living on a budget such as students and seniors. The upfront cost is significant- ly reduced because in a pocket neigh- bourhood, you only purchase the struc- ture, not the property. “In a small home, because you have less space to heat, you have less oppor- tunity to lose heat, you also have much lower operating costs. We do that by maximizing energy efficiency. It only runs on electricity, which is low car- bon. It’s also very low cost to operate. We’ve invested in highly durable and low maintenance materials, especially for the exterior so that you don’t have to spend money repainting, or replacing rotting surfaces” explains Choy. Some of the energy efficient design choices include, extra deep roof insu- lation, increased wall insulation, triple
The kitchen of a 920 square-foot home. (Supplied photo)
and homes can be moved to a new lo- cation, so you don’t have to build new or renovate an old house to suit your needs. “We worked really hard to create a neighbourhood that can be comfort- able, that can connect you to your neighbours, and also gives you peace of mind that what you’re doing is not only comfortable and affordable for you, but good for the environment” says Choy. “A lot of people seem really appre- ciative of the efforts that we’ve gone to, to create these homes that are energy efficient, sustainable and affordable. There’s a lot of excitement and we’re re- ally, really excited to show people what can be done to create a small space that’s also comfortable and very, very functional” she continues. Glendale Homes is located on the North Hill in Brandon. To download the brochure and find out more about the new pocket neighbourhood visit glen- dalehomes.ca. To book a showing, con- tact property manager Arlene Johnston at 204-724-7907.
A lot of people seem really appreciative of the efforts that we’ve gone to, to create these homes that are energy efficient, sustainable and affordable.”
– CINDY CHOY DIRECTOR OF PLANNING GLENDALE HOMES
pane windows, high performance full- size appliances and all LED lights, in ad- dition to lots of natural light. There are also plans to include the ability to have an electric vehicle charging stations. In a broader sense, the pocket neighbour- hood design is an efficient approach to neighbourhood planning because it re- duces the amount of civil infrastructure
such as roads, water and sewer lines needed to support development. The new Glendale Homes are con- structed in a factory in Altona. This offers many advantages; factory con- struction reduces waste from construc- tion sites, it reduces transportation costs and employs Manitobans. The homes are also portable; screw piles
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