Homes Q&A: What a new Brampton community reveals about solar power  

Daniels recently completed a 615-kilowatt DC solar photovoltaic system at MPV2, a year-old condo townhouse community at Bovaird Drive West and Mississauga Road in Brampton. Photo by The Daniels Corporation

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Solar panels are a familiar sight on individual homes, but integrating solar generation across an entire residential community remains relatively uncommon in Canada. A recently completed project in Brampton, however, offers a glimpse of how that could change. 

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 The Daniels Corporation, a Toronto-based housing developer, recently completed a 615-kilowatt DC solar photovoltaic (PV) system at MPV2, a year-old condo townhouse community at Bovaird Drive West and Mississauga Road. The system is owned by AltCrest Energy under an energy-as-a-service model — keep reading for more on that — while Otter Energy handled its engineering, design and construction. The copper-coloured solar panels crown MPV2’s six townhome blocks, which sit next to a pair of condo towers rising 11 and 14 storeys.  

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 Here, Meghan Wilson, Daniels’ senior manager of sustainability, discusses the economics of residential solar, why low- and mid-rise housing is particularly well suited to it, and what developers can do today to prepare homes for a solar-powered future. 

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This interview has been edited for length and clarity. 

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What are the biggest advantages of incorporating solar power into a new residential development? 

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The big benefit — and really the origin of the solar system at MPV2 — is about enabling homes to be net zero, which means producing as much electricity as you consume. Solar provides that renewable generation. 

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There’s also a broader benefit to generating electricity on site. As we bring more all-electric communities online, that puts more pressure on the electrical grid. Pairing electrification with on-site solar creates a synergy. You’re helping reduce demand on the grid while also potentially insulating residents against large increases in utility costs over time. 

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If there are clear benefits, why isn’t community-scale solar more common? 

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For condos, one of the biggest challenges is the upfront cost. From a developer’s perspective, you typically aren’t maintaining ownership of the solar asset over its entire lifespan, so you don’t necessarily receive the long-term payback that you might under another ownership model. 

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That’s where the structure we used at MPV2 becomes important. AltCrest owns and operates the solar infrastructure and sells electricity back to the community under a long-term power purchase agreement. Residents benefit from renewable energy, and are protected against rising grid rates, without the condo corporation having to bear the full upfront capital cost.  

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Are homebuyers actually looking for sustainability features such as solar? 

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Buyers today are more sophisticated than they were even five years ago, particularly when it comes to specific technologies, sustainability features and available incentives. 

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But they’re generally looking for outcomes rather than simply a sustainability label. They want lower operating costs and a better experience. That can include improved thermal comfort, greater energy efficiency or better noise isolation through features such as triple-glazed windows. 

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In a challenging housing market, buyers are paying close attention to value. Delivering a community that goes beyond the basic specification can provide a real advantage.