Contemporary Bedford Park House modestly hides its many green features

Alex Tedesco, Senior Associate at LGA Architectural Partners, recently completed the Bedford Park House, a contemporary home in Toronto, Canada that blends in with the surrounding aesthetic and incorporates forward-thinking sustainable design.

Built to last generations, the design also leaves enough space for the existing rare and mature magnolia and Japanese maple trees to safely grow alongside the home. The energy-efficient structure has an airtight building envelope to reduce heat loss and follows passive design principles.

The Bedford Park House’s modest and traditional appearance—the house matches the scale, setback, and exterior brick-and-wood detailing of its neighbors—belies its many impressive sustainable features. Carefully placed insulated low-e windows maximize natural daylight, passive solar gain in the winter, passive natural ventilation; and frame views of the magnolia and maple trees. The home’s compact shape and extensive insulation further reduce heat loss and gain.

Geothermal energy-powered radiant flooring is the primary heating source. Since the home is designed to evolve with future needs, Tedesco created infrastructure for a future elevator shaft next to the stairwell as well as an adaptable basement apartment with a separate entrance. The lawn-limited landscape is planted with self-sustaining plants for reduced maintenance and deciduous trees along the east facade to reduce excessive summer passive solar heat gain.