Apple Self Storage has announced that its Guelph facility has become the first of its kind in Ontario to earn the Zero Carbon Building-Design certification from the Canada Green Building Council (CAGBC).

Located at 110 Stevenson St. S., the three-storey facility opened in February 2025. The building operates on an all-electric energy system and incorporates renewable energy generation through a 185 kW rooftop solar installation, helping reduce reliance on fossil fuels while producing clean energy on site.

The project's certified design demonstrates measurable carbon reduction performance across multiple fronts. The facility achieves a 25.2% energy use reduction over the National Energy Code of Canada for Buildings 2020 reference building, and its embodied carbon intensity is well below the Zero Carbon Building threshold.

The solar installation generates enough clean energy to offset the building's operational carbon footprint and export surplus green power back to the grid.

The facility's building envelope features Kingspan's K-Roc HF insulated metal panels, installed by Frost Building Systems Inc., which contribute to the building's thermal efficiency and overall carbon reduction targets. Space heating is delivered entirely through non-combustion technology, eliminating on-site direct emissions.

"We're proud that our Guelph facility sets a new standard for what self storage can be," said David Allan, President of Apple Self Storage. "Zero Carbon Building-Design certification reflects a deliberate choice to invest in an all-electric, solar-powered building that lowers emissions without compromising the secure, climate-controlled, high-quality experience our customers rely on. It proves that high environmental performance and strong commercial performance aren't mutually exclusive."

The Guelph project brought together a team of Canadian design and construction partners committed to advancing sustainable building practices. Architectural design was led by Cspace Architecture Inc. and Rick Brown and Associates Inc., with Fieldgate Construction Management Ltd. serving as general contractor and Malleum Development Corporation acting as construction manager. Building envelope systems featuring Kingspan's K-Roc HF insulated metal panels were installed by Frost Building Systems Inc.

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