What has a student from Ontario experienced over a semester in Cambridge Bay, Nunavut? Looking at a remote community situated above the Arctic Circle, the presentation will review Cambridge Bay’s amenities, population statistics, and the progress of their Smart Homes Small Homes Subdivision Project. We will note southern biases, briefly review the planning process from the Government of Nunavut through to the local housing corporation, and consider the environmental and housing crisis that Cambridge Bay – and Nunavut in the broader picture – are experiencing. To build understanding of community needs and offer insight into the experience of growing up and living in a remote Arctic community, we will also look at Inuit Traditional Knowledge (ITK), Inuit Ecological Knowledge (IEK), and a series of interviews. We will assess strengths and weaknesses through the lens of creating sustainable community design while noting biases and limitations. The session will conclude by examining findings, assessing passive design and modular housing impacts on quality of life and climate change mitigation, and recommend further opportunities to research sustainability in northern communities.
