Westbank and Henriquez Partners together propose M5 to be a Net Zero Lifecycle Carbon Rental Housing tower located at 2015 Main Street, Vancouver.

The aspiration is for M5 to be a case study as a replicable prototype, open source, hybrid mass timber construction to help Vancouver and British Columbia achieve a significant reduction in lifecycle carbon emissions. A primary objective of M5 is to find the most effective way to reduce operational and embodied carbon to offset any residuals, ensuring the investment has the greatest potential impact toward carbon reductions. The Net Zero Carbon Lifecycle building will have the same net impact on the environment as though it was never built. We are proposing a zero-parking strategy as part of our transportation plans that encourages walking, cycling and public transit. Enhanced bike facilities will support an active bike culture and will be celebrated throughout the building including the interior design of the residential lobby through a bike hub lounge, artwork and a bike café.

M5 will replace a surface parking lot at the corner of Main Street and East 5th Avenue, enhancing the Main & 5th Campus plan that aims to create a vibrant neighborhood that is safe and active at all hours of the day. This project fits into a larger comprehensive campus public realm strategy structured around a framework of active ground floor uses and connected / activated laneways, inviting civic spaces and carefully curated public realm programming to encourage participation and collaboration.

The provision of rental housing at Main & 5th will help address housing challenges in the Mount Pleasant area and within the broader context of the Broadway Plan and City of Vancouver. We are also reviewing the potential of partnering with others to help provide affordable rental housing as part of the rental housing development. Our aspiration is to continue to build communities that are environmentally, socially and economically sustainable.