Hopehill is an independent and assisted living community in Vancouver, BC. Built in 1964, the Rupert Building is Hopehill’s oldest residence. This redevelopment project consists of a complete rebuild of the Rupert building with additional independent living units. This will allow for an expansion of services to include resident support services, accessible shopping for seniors with reduced mobility, and community space.
The project consists of a 6-storey combustible wood frame building addition, offering 64 units with 7 different floor plans. There is a single level underground basement, an indoor amenity space, and a roof deck amenity area.
Williams Engineering (WE) was engaged to provide the mechanical consulting engineering services for this addition. Our mechanical team first reviewed and coordinated all building service connections, including municipal sanitary, stormwater, water, and natural gas infrastructure to ensure the seamless integration of utility services. Considerations were included for future buildings adjacent to the site.
Plumbing system designs were provided and involved the drainage, water distribution, natural gas lines, risers, schematics, and riser diagram systems. These designs addressed both fixture requirements and roof drainage strategies.
The HVAC systems were carefully designed to serve the residential suites and shared amenity areas. Suite ventilation utilizes centralized Energy Recovery Ventilators (ERVs) to comply with Vancouver’s Energy Bylaw targets for TEDI, TEUI, and GHGI, and meet Part 9 ventilation standards. Residential heating is provided through electric baseboards, with partial cooling supported by the ERVs. Common amenity areas are equipped with separate zoned air conditioning systems for enhanced comfort and energy efficiency.
Supplemental ventilation systems were designed for auxiliary spaces including storage rooms, electrical rooms, vestibules, and various service rooms.
By contributing to a project that expands access to affordable and accessible housing, we are actively living our core value that diverse perspectives create diverse solutions (DPDS).
