A labour of love
From the charred wood siding, to the hand plastered clay interior walls, Black Spruce was born out of a passion for handbuit design.
See all our unique building techniques below:
Shou Sugi-Ban
Shou Sugi-Ban is a Japanese technique of treating wood by burning. Every cabin is clad in Shou Sugi-Ban siding, using local Yukon spruce. The black siding inspired the project’s name.
Non-Toxic Materials and Finishes
Black Spruce features zero Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) paints, silicones and sealants, including hardwood oils and beeswax finishes.
FSC Wide-Plank Fir Flooring
The cabins feature Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified wide plank flooring from British Columbia. This flooring was treated with Eco-House mineral oil.
Utiliduct
Due to the rocky nature of the site, Black Spruce is fed by a utiliduct, which is an insulated box that carries both freshwater and sewage. This is the first permitted utiliduct in the City of Whitehorse.
Local Yukon Wood
The interior of each cabin is detailed with rough cut local Yukon Spruce.
Straw Bale
At the back of your cabin you will see a small truth window which reveals the interior insulation – straw bales. Each north wall of the cabins features straw as an infill insulating material, which has a low embodied carbon footprint.
Clay Plaster
The cabins are finished with a hand-troweled clay plaster. This earthen plaster is more delicate than your typical drywall, but it creates a beautiful natural hue. You can expect to see some nicks and dings in the surface.
Passive Solar Design
The cabins follow passive solar design principles, including high r-values, south facing windows, sheathing free construction, and detailed air sealing. The buildings feature high performance dense pack cellulose insulation in double stud walls.
Net Zero – New!
Black Spruce is installing a high efficiency wood boiler to work towards becoming one of the first certified net zero accommodations in the North!
