When Frank Kernick set out to create a vision for Spring Creek more than twenty years ago, he set the stage for a truly transformative neighbourhood redevelopment project.
The land belonged to his family since the 1920s, and that legacy was at the front of his mind when he pushed forward with an ambitious plan that included multi-family residential and commercial development, an interconnected transportation network and key sustainability measures built from beneath the ground and up.
That responsibility to the environment was fundamental to what was to be accomplished, and it included geo-exchange heating and cooling, solar power, and a non-potable water irrigation system, among many others.
“I think everyone who comes to Canmore wants to be stewards of the land,” Kernick says. “We need to be respectful and responsible. We are trying to be the most sustainable community, I believe, in Canada.”
It all added up to make Spring Creek the 2025 Built Green Canada Maverick Awards winner in the transformational category for embracing social, environmental, and economic sustainability. Judged by industry experts, this is a significant acknowledgment that the vision has unfolded according to plan.
“We get to work with builders, renovators, restorers, and developers who voluntarily choose to integrate sustainable business practices far beyond code requirements,” says Built Green Canada’s Chief Executive Officer, Jenifer Christenson.
“It’s a privilege to learn how these creative problem solvers apply their ideas and solutions to their projects. And in this year’s four winners, we’re proud to recognize some standouts representing our mission to progress the industry toward more holistic sustainable building practices—these are our trailblazers.”
