The Harmony Commons Student Residence at University of Toronto Scarborough (UTSC) has been named the largest Passive House certified building in Canada.

Designed to use less energy for heating and cooling compared to conventional buildings, Fengate Asset Management (Fengate) partnered with UTSC to invest in and deliver a campus student residence with 746 beds. This building will now be regarded as the industry’s leading voluntary standard for energy-focused design and construction and will commit to using sustainable building practices.

The structure stands nine-storeys tall and offers amenities such as an integrated dining hall, common lounge and study space on each floor, outdoor roof garden and terrace, community kitchen, laundry facilities, and indoor bicycle storage.

The residence includes highly efficient insulation, airtight construction, and carefully designed windows and ventilation systems. Additionally, savings in operational costs offset the additional expenses associated with construction.

Fengate and the university entered into a strategic partnership to develop the student housing residence on the Scarborough campus. The residence welcomed students in fall of 2023.