World’s largest residential Passive House EnerPHit retrofit

September 24, 2021
By Kaywana Gargarello, Senior Project Manager 

CityHousing Hamilton is pleased to announce that September 24, 2021 marks the official opening of 500 MacNab St N, and the start of lease-up for 146 revitalized units of affordable housing for seniors in Hamilton.

The renewal of 500 MacNab St N is one of the most ambitious social housing projects in North America, and the largest multi-unit residential EnerPHit retrofit worldwide.

The project substantially renews and upgrades the building, also known as the Ken Soble Tower, bringing units back online and providing features that enhance life for tenants and contributes to climate change goals.

Photo Credit: Codrin Talaba  

Features include:

Affordable Housing Renewal 

• 146 new affordable seniors housing units brought back online 
• Affordability maintained in entire building, while the spectrum is broadened through catering to a mix of deep and moderate incomes 
• Each unit has received new kitchens, bathrooms and finishes 
• All deferred maintenance has effectively been reset, including for all main systems like HVAC and sanitary 

Wellness and Quality of Life 

• A new solarium amenity room and a transformed outdoor community space now complement the refreshed common room 
• 20% of suites were converted to barrier-free, along with all common areas, to support aging in place 

Sustainability and Resiliency 

• The largest EnerPHit multi-unit residential building in the world (each unit can be heated and cooled with the energy it takes to run 3 100-W lightbulbs) 
• Saves 200 years of embodied carbon by retrofitting rather than rebuilding 
• Carbon emissions decreased by 94%, and thermal energy demand intensity (TEDI) decreased by 89% (demonstrating the feasibility of retrofitting buildings to meet the Federal 2050 net-zero emission goal) 
• Designed for 2050 climate to build resilience against climate change 
• All products are Canadian-made or supplied