Mount Washington Chalet

While Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada offers an idyllic mountainous landscape, it does not present the ideal conditions for new home construction. 

Building the Mount Washington Chalet required extra design and construction considerations to accommodate the steep 30-degree slope, rocky terrain, potential seismic activity and the owners’ sustainability goals. The successful execution of this ambitious project was made possible in large part due to Nudura’s XR35 Insulated Concrete Forms (ICFs). 

To integrate seamlessly with the mountainside, the structural design necessitated a wall system that could adapt to the alpine topography and provide load-bearing capacity against the lateral pressure from the soil and heavy snow loads. The angled ICF walls with an 18 in. (457 mm) concrete core helped to manage the slope and create the robust building envelope to protect against wind, seismic movement and moisture infiltration.

The southwest facing windows allow for natural light and passive solar heating while the concrete floors and balconies hold and redistribute heat. Similarly, the XR35 wall system has excellent thermal performance with an R-value of R35 to maintain comfortable interior temperatures regardless of the weather conditions. The combination of thick continuous insulation and the thermal mass of the concrete drastically reduces the home’s energy consumption and the cost to heat and cool the house throughout the year. 

Despite the challenges, the Mount Washington Chalet is now a luxurious mountain retreat that showcases how intentional design and resilient building materials can push the boundaries of residential construction, even in the most difficult environments.