Nicola Wealth Real Estate (NWLRE) has completed and fully leased Canada’s first net-zero certified self- storage facility.

Known as Maple Meadows, the building in Maple Ridge, B.C. achieved net-zero status through improvements in HVAC and lighting systems, including full electrification and automation, and a 294-panel solar grid generating 147 kilowatts of electricity. These upgrades, which cost $1.1 million, are expected to save $55,000 annually in energy costs, Jared Nicola, senior project manager for NWRE, said in a company video.

Vancouver-based NWRE announced the accomplishments on LinkedIn. The company obtained the certification from the Canada Green Building Council.

NWRE, which is Nicola Wealth’s real estate arm, and Advanced Self-Storage partnered on the project.

“Maple Meadows proves that we can build a sustainable net-zero building and still provide a solid return on investment for our clients,” said Jared Nicola in the video. “Our hope is that we can take a lot of the lessons we’ve learned on this project and repeat them across the [self-storage] portfolio.

“We are also looking at our existing assets and future projects in multi-family and industrial to see how we can incorporate these lessons into those projects as well.”

NWRE, which is Nicola Wealth’s real estate arm, and Advanced Self-Storage partnered on the project.

“At Nicola Wealth, we feel that we have a responsibility to build sustainably,” said Jared Nicola in the video. “We also have responsibility to do it in a way where investors want to invest in these projects and want to see the next one.”

The company said previously that the net-zero certification positions Maple Meadows as a “trailblazing example of sustainable construction in the Canadian self-storage space, showcasing its dedication to environmental responsibility.”

The development’s sustainable features include all-electric systems, high-efficiency air-source heat pumps and an 82.5% efficient energy-recovery ventilation system, along with the rooftop solar panels that provide 100% of annual operational energy.

Pictured: Interior of Maple Meadows self-storage facility in Maple Ridge, B.C.

Photo: Advantage Self-Storage/NWRE