Twenty years working up north taught us there's no room for theory when it's -40 outside. These are the real-deal solutions we've tested, refined, and proven in some of the harshest conditions on the planet.
Let's Talk About Your Project
Look, we've seen plenty of buildings that looked great on paper but failed spectacularly once winter hit. Our approach? Start with physics, add experience, subtract the fluff.
We're talking R-60+ walls and R-80+ roofs. Yeah, that's thick, but here's the thing - you're not just saving on heating bills. You're creating a consistent interior temperature that makes the space actually livable.
We've tested everything from mineral wool to aerogel composites. Our current go-to? A hybrid system that combines continuous exterior insulation with dense-packed cellulose. Eliminates thermal bridging almost entirely.
Fresh air's not optional, but throwing away heat is. We install HRV and ERV systems that recover 85-95% of the heat from exhaust air. Sounds simple, but the installation details make or break it.
Had a project in Yellowknife where the previous architect spec'd a standard HRV. Froze up constantly. We redesigned with preheating coils and defrost cycles that match the local climate data. Zero failures in three winters.
Average heat recovery: 91%
Operating temperature range: -45C to +35C
Typical payback period: 4-6 years
Mother nature doesn't care about your timeline or budget. We've seen roofs collapse because someone used southern building codes up north. Not on our watch.
Standard code minimums? That's where we start, not finish. We analyze:
Arctic winds are brutal and unpredictable:
This is where most cold-climate buildings fail. You've got massive temperature differentials driving moisture through every crack and gap. Get it wrong, and you're looking at rot, mold, and structural damage within a few years.
We don't just slap a vapor barrier somewhere and call it done. Our approach involves hygrothermal modeling for the specific climate, multiple drainage planes, and materials that can handle getting wet without failing.
Smart vapor control: Variable permeability membranes that adapt to seasonal conditions
Drainage planes: Multiple paths for water to escape if (when) it gets in
Drying potential: Assemblies designed to dry to either interior or exterior
Solar panels in the Arctic? Yeah, we get that question a lot. Summer production's actually fantastic - you've got 24-hour daylight. Winter's tougher, but ground-source heat pumps work year-round if you design 'em right.
Windows are tough. Everyone wants light and views, but every square foot of glass is a thermal liability. We spec triple-pane minimum, often quadruple for extreme locations.
But it's not just about the glass. The frames, installation details, and placement matter just as much. We've developed installation methods that eliminate thermal bridging at the rough opening - that's where most window systems fail.
Typical window performance
Solar heat gain retention
We did a retrofit on a community center in Iqaluit. Building was hemorrhaging heat - you could literally see it with thermal imaging. After our intervention:
Reduction in heating costs
Full ROI timeline
Consistent interior temp (was 14-27C)
Frost buildup issues since completion
Project completed 2019, monitored continuously since. Data verified by third-party energy auditors.
Not everything that works in Vancouver works in Whitehorse. We've learned this the hard way so you don't have to.
Stuff we actually use and trust:
We've seen these fail repeatedly:
Real talk: We maintain relationships with specific suppliers who understand cold-climate requirements. Generic building supply houses usually don't stock what you need, and special orders add weeks to timelines. Part of our service is connecting you with the right sources.
We don't do cookie-cutter solutions. Every project gets analyzed for its specific climate, exposure, and use case. That's how you end up with buildings that actually perform.
Detailed engineering analysis before we draw a single line. Climate data, site conditions, thermal modeling - all of it.
Details matter in cold climates. We're on-site regularly making sure everything's being built the way it's supposed to be.
Blower door tests, thermal imaging, energy monitoring. We verify that what we designed actually works as intended.