Daniel Clarke Architect is Vancouver's specialist architect for ULTRA high-performance, climate-resilient luxury Passive House / net-zero houses and multi-family residential buildings in British Columbia.​
"Age strong. Live well.
Build a Legend worth handing down."
THE ULTRA HIGH-PERFORMANCE HOUSE
​I guide homeowners who are planning their legacy homes and want to trade their high-maintenance houses for high-performance homes. Escape the costly upkeep of a house that is often too hot or too cold and look forward to a modern, super-healthy, luxury home that will protect and comfort for generations.
This is more than just energy efficency. It goes even beyond comfort. I believe a house should respect natural systems and habitat and be resilient to climate change. Each project must:
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perform its functions intrinsically,
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create physically and psychologically healthy spaces,
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be appropriate to its climate and to its surroundings,
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restore or create green space,
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use resources efficiently,
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incorporate climate-resilient design,
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respect its budget,
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perform to the Passive House standard,
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be durable (50-100 year design life to last generations), and
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be timelessly elegant - never outdated.​
Thought of the Day
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You can be getting a way better house for your dollar. Most people don't realize that nearly everyone's buying "lemons", so you need an expert in high-performance on your side to steer you away from the lemons and over to the top-of-the-line super-performers.
My 22 years of diverse experience includes multi-family residential buildings for private developers and public governmental departments with diverse priorities and needs. I combine my extensive construction knowledge, building optimization strategies, and cutting edge building envelope science to develop affordable and cost-neutral multifamily residential projects with low total lifecycle costs.
PASSIVE HOUSE MULTIFAMILY BUILDINGS
HOW TO BUILD A LEGEND
To learn more about a "lemon" versus a "LEGEND", read
'Grab The Keys To An Ultra High-Performance Home'.
How does YOUR house score compared to an ultra high-performance home? Download my free Home Performance Assessment tool to find out.
Renovating or rebuilding your aging, underperforming house is the perfect time to make your home LEGENDARY. Like a super high-performance car, a “Legend Home” is an ultra-performance home. You get superior comfort, precise climate control, super durability, and enhanced live-ability.
If your house is less than 30 years old but starting to need more work every year maybe your house is a “lemon”. Most homes are.
A "lemon" leaks heat in the winter and overheats in the summer. One of the big clues you've got a “lemon” home is it’s becoming costlier to run and maintain. Another is your comfort is suffering more during really bad weather. Think of it like a rusty old clunker car that didn't cost as much to buy but is getting expensive to keep on the road especially since you can't always rely on it to get you where you’re going.
My name is Daniel Clarke, and I provide education, tools, and advice for people who want to know what it’s like to own and live in a climate-resilient ultra performance “Legend Home”. Expensive renovations and even newly built homes usually underdeliver on performance. Owners assume they’ll get a high-performance home, but by using inferior materials and typical, sub-par design they end up with a “lemon”.
DISCOVER THE KEYS TO A HEALTHY HOME
DESIGN FOR HEALTHY HOMES
Comfort and health are near the top of the list of things a house must do, second only to shelter and security. Learn about the hidden hazards in my article 'UPGRADE YOUR HOUSE, Part 1' and how your house can provide the healthiest environment you've ever experienced, in my follow-up article 'UPGRADE YOUR HOUSE, Part 2'.
ENJOY ULTIMATE PERFORMANCE
DETAILING FOR EXQUISITE CRAFTSMANSHIP
Fine detailing is the key to exquisite craftsmanship.
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The cut and seams of a Ermenegildo Zegna Bespoke suit, the internal workings of a Bugatti motor, the movement of a Tag Heuer wristwatch, the turbine of a Rolls Royce jet plane engine are superbly detailed, thoroughly engineered, and precisely crafted.
These are all commodities that last less than a lifetime, so why would you settle for anything less when considering you and your family? Your home deserves at least as much attention to detail as - and should be considered among - the finer things in life.
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You're a top-performing professional, so you deserve an ultra high-performing house. As a luxury Passive House architect in Vancouver and an ongoing believer in luxury net zero homes, I can bring a higher standard of care to your project.
TAKE CONTROL OVER THE RESOURCES YOUR HOME USES
DESIGN FOR CLIMATE CHANGE
Do you want a house that will stand up to climate change? Architecture needs to be designed for extreme weather events (you can read more on that in my article 'Architecture for Extreme Weather'). The articles below are your gateway to affordable net zero homes. Worried about unpredictable builder quality? Wondering how you can cool your house naturally in summer heatwaves without air conditioning or heat your house in the coldest winter weather without spending a fortune? Passive House design and certification ensures the highest quality build from the best home builders. The result is a high-comfort, low-maintenance home. Check out my 'Introduction to Passive House'.
MY PROCESS
Your home is a GEM. As most gems are, your house is precious, unique, and should be shaped by great forces of nature. It's an heirloom that future generations can appreciate - a rare treasure whose character reflects what you value. That's why I've developed the SAPPHR System™.
Here's the basic process of working with me:
S.A.P.P.H.R.™ Strategy
When you want to move past just reading about a luxury net zero or Passive House home and want to experience how great it feels to live in one, I can show you how to make one happen.
ARE YOU OR A CLIENT CONSIDERING DEVELOPING A PROPERTY OR
REMODELING A HOUSE?
Adding to your house? Redeveloping a property? My RED Report™ shows you all the available options to help you pick the redevelopment strategy makes the most sense for you. Click HERE to read more about the RED Report™.
WHY YOUR FOREVER HOME
SHOULD BE AN ULTRAHOME™
Whether you're targeting a Passive House, a Net Zero house, or an Ultra High-Performance house, the UltraHome™ is designed to provide the most satisfying home environment.
You could get a home that you've never even dreamed of.
Buildings are amazing things capable of great feats. They are places to feel safe enough to cry in your pillow, places to showcase the skills of world-class individuals, structures that keep you from being blown away by 200mph winds, cocoons that keep you dry from forty days and forty nights of rain (or 58 consecutive days if you live in Vancouver), containers that protect valuable possessions and invaluable families, they are a manifestation of accomplishment as much as status symbols, they are an opportunity to express an individual or a community, pieces of art and cause for pause by passersby, a sanctuary for old age, a possible refuge against infernos, they are capable of holding a moment in time frozen against the passage of time.
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IS HIRING AN ARCHITECT WORTH IT?
HOW DO I FIND THE RIGHT ARCHITECT?
Is your builder's home really tailored to you? Let me illustrate how hiring an architect can get you a more interesting design. The right architect can provide a beautiful, thoughtfully-designed, unique home design to suit your style and taste. In my article 'YOU DON'T NEED TO HIRE AN ARCHITECT. OR DO YOU?', I share some perspective on whether or not to hire an architect. How much does an architect cost? Less than you might think.
Most house architects want to push the bounds of design and enjoy redefining the modern house - to combine modern, sophisticated luxury with resource independence in a low-maintenance home. Is your architect still using traditional, flat drawings and you have to imagine the resulting building. You want innovative architecture, and you deserve to see it. I can create immersive 3D renderings and images of your future house. Do you want to know if your architect wants to see your ideas or get input from you? Find out how you are an integral part of that journey by reading my article 'Introduction to the Design Process' and 'The Permit Process'. If you're looking for other building professionals such as a builder, an interior designer, or realtor, you can download my list of my hand-picked team by clicking HERE.
MODERN NET ZERO AND OFF GRID LUXURY HOMES
Your Modern Net Zero or Off Grid Luxury Home Awaits
I am happy to help you out no matter where in BC you want to build. Maybe you want an off-grid luxury cottage on one of the Gulf Islands in the Strait of Georgia, perhaps you're planning a modern net-zero house for your retirement in the Okanagan, or you intend to build a new Passive House in the Metro Vancouver area.
Watering restrictions can result in a dead lawn, and regions in British Columbia such as the Okanagan have precious little rainfall. The "blue roof" concept uses stormwater to create truly green architecture - lush greenery and landscaping - without paying for irrigation water. Smart plant selection, carefree irrigation, and low-maintenance landscaping of the permaculture concept allows you to enjoy your green space without expensive irrigation equipment. Using long-lasting roofing materials avoids a messy expensive roof replacement and extends the life of the house. A "living" green roof extends the life of your roof and provides natural habitat for birds and bees. See more by reading my Introduction to Green Buildings.
LATEST NEWSLETTER
Each month, I feature an article one one aspect of modern, high-performance houses. Click on the thumbnail for a free download - no sign-up required.
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