Mattamy’s Alberta Division continued to move its sustainability efforts forward with the launch of the Sustainability Cup, an internal competition that promotes creativity and teamwork in support of building energy-efficient homes.

Six teams – one from each of Mattamy’s Alberta communities and each consisting of three site members, one purchasing expert and one architectural technologist – were brought together to tackle this challenge: design and construct the most sustainable wall.

Building exterior walls that support Mattamy’s net zero goals is one of the biggest challenges for the Alberta Division, where temperatures can range from winter lows of below -40°C to summer highs exceeding +30°C.

Over a period of four weeks, members of each team collaborated to create their unique designs, with a focus on maximizing insulation and minimizing costs.

Teams navigated different priorities and encountered challenges related to product availability, installation ease and troubleshooting. No two walls were the same, and all boasted insulation values that substantially exceeded the division’s current insulation value of R-18, ranging dramatically from R-23 to R-45. (R-values are a standard metric for tracking insulation values. The higher the value, the better the insulation.)

The hands-on experience provided a safe space for teams to experiment, learn and innovate together, all while gaining valuable insights that will inform future projects.

On October 25, 2024 (“Build Day”), the teams came together to be judged based on criteria that included insulation value, cost, waste management, airtightness and water tightness. Bonus points were awarded for outstanding innovation and build quality.

Mattamy’s trades partners and suppliers were key in supporting the event, providing food, prizes, a stage and booths that showcased their own innovations. The competitive spirit was high, with prizes that included basketball tickets and gift cards for team-building events.

In addition to the competition being a lot of fun, the lessons learned during the Sustainability Cup will directly influence the Alberta Division’s future home redesign. The participating site teams are also now better equipped to guide suppliers and trades through the complexities of high-efficiency wall construction.

Plans are already underway for next year’s Sustainability Cup, with potential new challenges under consideration.