Transformative Project Recognized by Maverick Awards

Abbotsford, B.C. project, Phoenix House by Best Builders, honoured in national awards

Built Green Canada’s announced winners in its annual Maverick Awards, which reward and profile leadership in sustainable building across three exclusive categories, receiving entries from British Columbia to Ontario. The 2026 Transformational Maverick Award recognizes the transformative effect sustainability practices can have in driving change—this went to Best Builders for their Phoenix House in Abbotsford, B.C. Following a devastating fire, this is a remarkable rebuild setting a new benchmark for low-carbon renovations, while addressing resilience and holistic sustainability in a multi-generational home—it’s also Canada’s first Zero Carbon certified (Living Building Institute), BUILT GREEN® Net Zero Energy Ready+ home. Meanwhile, it’s involved in multiple local and international studies, so others can learn from it.

Phoenix House showcases how thoughtful design, innovative materials and strategic collaboration can redefine sustainable residential construction, providing a model for low-carbon living while inspiring industry. From the outset, the homeowners were committed to creating a fossil-free home, prioritizing sustainability and energy resilience. To support this vision, solar panels were integrated, ensuring long-term energy stability, while reducing utility costs with renewable energy. Additionally, tailored mechanical systems, including heat pumps and two drain water heat recovery systems were installed to maximize energy efficiency, the latter capturing and reusing heat from wastewater. To further enhance resilience, the team is exploring the installation of a load management system (providing electrical code updates) with battery storage, providing backup power and optimizing energy use for greater reliability in the years to come.

The project also achieved significant embodied carbon reductions through innovative strategies: using a lean design on the existing foundation slab and footings (eliminating 16,000 kg CO₂e), using cellulose and hemp insulation materials and incorporating reclaimed framing lumber and siding. A creative 10% reduction in glazing area lowered embodied carbon by 660 kg CO₂e, while organic insulation materials, including cellulose and hemp, sequestered over 12,000 kg CO₂e.

Gas-free operation and high-performance ventilation systems play a critical role in improving indoor air quality, directly supporting occupant health. By eliminating combustion-based pollutants and ensuring a constant supply of fresh, filtered air, these systems create a healthier living environment with reduced allergens and indoor contaminants.

Meanwhile, the home is thoughtfully designed for long-term adaptability, allowing it to evolve with the changing needs of the multi-generational family. With flexible spaces that can accommodate different life stages and allow for aging in place, this design approach ensures that the homeowners can comfortably live in the house for years, if not generations, to come.

“Being a carpenter first and watching all this material go to waste has always been tough,” says Best Builders’ Owner, Todd Best. “I have always believed in a circular economy, and this project enabled me to teach others that this works, and it’s good for the environment. It’s been a great experience to learn and share my findings with my apprentices / carpenters and my two sons. Those who dare win.”

To enable a unified vision, there was early collaboration among stakeholders, including the builder, the Energy and Carbon Advisor (Carbon Wise, this year’s Innovation Maverick winner), the Architect (NBA), the interior designers (Form Collective), and the homeowners, supported by rigorous Cradle-to-Grave Life Cycle Assessments (LCA) to guide design and material choices.

Looking ahead, Best Builders hopes to see industry embrace more collaborative approaches, recognizing that sustainable building practices are not only possible but necessary. Low-carbon materials are critical tools in reducing our environmental impact, and with the right mindset, they can become the new standard, rather than the exception. By sharing the lessons from Phoenix House, their team aims to inspire more industry professionals to take action, showing that sustainable, high-performance homes are within reach for everyone.

It was Best Builders’ goal to create a legacy home for the family as well as a blueprint for other homeowners, builders and government agencies. They hope the impact of demonstrating how building an extreme efficiency and carbon-neutral home can have a long-lasting impact on the reduction of limited energy resources. The home is involved in multiple local and international studies, ranging from multi-year Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) case study for overheating and wildfire smoke evaluation as well as IEA EBC Annex 89: Ways to Implement Net-Zero Whole-Life Carbon Building, which runs under the auspices of the International Energy Agency, Energy in Building and Community program (IEA EBC).

Recognizing the importance of sharing this journey, the homeowners have taken the initiative to document the entire process, creating a documentary that will offer valuable insights into the challenges and successes of building better. In addition, Carbon Wise is preparing a detailed case study to be shared with various organizations, further amplifying the project’s impact. The team has already presented Phoenix House at industry-leading events such as the Home Show, BUILDEX and the Passive House Accelerator, fostering important discussions around the future of sustainable construction.

A many-time award-winning company, Best Builders has a Red Seal-certified team that takes on custom home, condo and home renovation projects. They have been building thoughtful solutions since 1995 and serve Metro Vancouver, South Delta, South Surrey and White Rock. Owner, Todd Best, grew up surrounded by building models, as his father was a master architect and founder of Best Builders. Todd entered the homebuilding industry with a simple mission: to build homes of exceptionally high quality, and to provide the kind of service his clients would remember as an experience.

The Maverick Awards are another step forward in Built Green Canada's mission to progress sustainability practices and recognize leadership. Four winners have been announced: the Ambassador Award had a two-way tie between Effect Home Builders and Excel Homes, while the Innovation Award went to Carbon Wise, and Best Builders received the Transformational Award for their Phoenix House. The 2026 Mavericks are sponsored by title co-sponsors, Jayman BUILT and SkyFire Energy, alongside Alberta Ecotrust Foundation, Excel Homes and Alberta Real Estate Foundation.