Arpi’s had the honour of completing the heating installation for the 2019 Stampede Rotary Dream Home. With a 50 year history of giving back to our community, we are proud to continue these efforts with the Homes by Avi Dream Home at the Calgary Stampede. Arpi’s shared our expertise in furnace, ventilation and ductwork installation to bring a healthy, clean and energy efficient indoor environment to this year’s Modern Farmhouse design. Take a virtual tour of the Dream Home before you hit the Stampede grounds. The showhome is open for tours from July 5 to 14, 2019.
“We mean what we say, and we deliver what we promise.” The words of homebuilder Homes by Avi, and a promise that Arpi’s can get behind. At Arpi’s we pride ourselves on providing products and services with excellence and putting customer service at the forefront of what we do. As a member of the Calgary community and a business committed to creating safe, healthy home environments, we are happy to support the Homes by Avi Stampede Rotary Dream Home initiative.
Arpi’s construction specialist, Gerry Simpson, the man behind the home comfort system of the 2019 Calgary Stampede Dream Home, took some time out of his busy day to share his experience working on this project.
2019 Calgary Stampede Dream Home Interview
Interviewer: I understand that this is the 3rd year you’ve been involved with the Stampede Dream Home, what keeps you coming back year after year?
Gerry: It’s our way of helping the Home Builders Association give back to the community and a chance to support Homes by Avi, one of our building partners in such a worthwhile endeavour. And, of course, we enjoy meeting the lucky new homeowners and providing an orientation of the HVAC system installed in their home.
Interviewer: How long have you been the Residential New Home Construction Manager with Arpi’s?
Gerry: I’ve been the Residential Manager for probably 8 years and I’ve been involved in new home construction for 27 years.
Interviewer: Wow! I am sure you have built a lot of homes! What’s your favourite feature of this year’s home?
Gerry: I’m kind of partial to the indoor dog wash as I am a big dog lover. We have a dog and we take her for a walk in the bushes every day and it’s been raining here for the last two weeks. A dog wash would come in handy.
Interviewer: Today’s the first day of Stampede.
Gerry: Yes, and the Sneak-a-Peek was last night and today is the first official day for people to walk through the showhome.
Interviewer: What sets this home apart from past dream homes?
Gerry: The master bedroom and ensuite is on a different level than the children’s bedrooms which is kind of unique.
Interviewer: Yes, I love that main floor master! What was Arpi’s role in building the Dream Home?
Gerry: We did the design, supply and installation for the heating and cooling system for the house. I was part of a team of people who worked together to make this happen. From the design team to the install team, it’s a collaboration of people.
Interviewer: So, at what stage of the home building process do you and your team come in?
Gerry: Once Homes by Avi completes the floorplan, we come in, and we design the mechanical system based on the calculated heating and cooling needs for the home. We then advise the homebuilder on any potential concerns so they can make changes to the design if necessary.
Interviewer: I understand that the home has to be moved from the Stampede to its permanent location afterwards.
Gerry: Yes, that’s correct, it’s just at the Stampede so that the public can walk through for tours. After the Stampede, they take apart the house in four sections and truck it to its permanent lot and put it back together on the foundation.
Interviewer: That must present some unique challenges. Does the HVAC system have to work while the home is on the Stampede grounds?
Gerry: The heating system isn’t set up during the viewing, but we do set up temporary air conditioning during Stampede since there are around 100,000 people going through the home. It gets pretty hot in there! After Stampede, we disconnect the pipes and move it to site and then hook up everything once the home has been reconstructed.
Interviewer: Tell me about the ventilation system used in this home?
Gerry: Because of the new energy codes in Canada some builders have eliminated the bathroom fans so there are no holes in the ceiling to the attic. They actually put in an HRV which pulls all of the wet air out of the house, and then pulls fresh air back into the house. It’s called an HRV – Heat Recovery Ventilator.
Interviewer: So, there’s a traditional furnace as well?
Gerry: Yes, it’s a high efficiency Lennox furnace, 95% efficient.
Interviewer: Technology has come a long way. Tell us about the controls and the thermostat, it looks like a touch screen.
Gerry: Yeah, it’s a touch screen, kind of looks like a mini iPhone and it’s like having a control panel on your wall. There are so many options now. You can have Wi-fi thermostats, whole home automation, you can talk to your thermostat with Alexa and Siri, there’s so much out there.
Interviewer: Is that something that homeowners can add after? Can they start with basic controls and then upgrade after if they want to be able to control their thermostat from their phone?
Gerry: Yes, they can. Arpi’s offers a wide-range of smart thermostats and we’re always happy to consult with our customers on the best options for their home.
Interviewer: Thank you so much for taking the time to tell us more about this home and what you do!
2019 Rotary Dream Home Highlights
The Rotary Dream Home of 2019 is the largest home in the history of Dream Home construction, built in the stylish popular trend of modern farmhouse and 2,455 sq-ft. The sprawling spacious home has an open concept layout on the main floor, complete with the feature favourite dog shower for rainy day walks and muddy feet. The bedrooms are uniquely situated with the children’s bedrooms and master bedroom on different floors. Full of charm and modern design, the Rotary Dream Home is one of the top 5 attractions at the Calgary Stampede.
