Energy-efficient homes (called net-zero homes these days) are on the cutting edge of
sustainable building innovation - and not as far off as you might think. Many new master-
planned communities offer comfortable, family friendly net-zero home options.
A fridge bent on world destruction.
Ah, the good old days. Cruising around the neighborhood on your bike, mom waiting on the porch with fresh lemonade, and a fridge that used the same energy quota as a Boeing 747. Today’s modern family can now choose a safe and child-friendly community environment with the added benefit of a sustainable, energy efficient home.
And no evil fridges.
These days, you can either custom design your eco-friendly home or buy a production home off-plan in a master-planned community. That’s if you want a brand-spanking new home of the future. But you don’t need to buy new to enjoy some good-old energy efficiency.
You may well live in the same home your granddad built, but you can drag it into the future via a net-zero reno or refit (some homes are better candidates than others). A Canadian Home Builders’ Association (CHBA) Qualified Net Zero Renovator will be able to tell you what’s possible.
Excuse me, do you speak real estate?
It wouldn’t be real estate if you didn’t have some jargony names attached to this eco-goodness. These labels are slapped on by a third party (not the builder or renovator) and usually require an inspection and energy audit. They give you assurance (and a certificate) that your home meets certain energy efficiency levels.
The two labels you will most commonly stumble upon are the EnerGuide Rating from Natural Resources Canada (NRCan), and a Net Zero or Net Zero Ready label from the CHBA.
Even before installing the extra doodahs, your home will be significantly more energy efficient than a traditionally built one. You can find a list of net-zero builders and renovators here.
But what does it meeean?
Let’s talk about what’s behind the label. Net-zero homes produce as much clean energy as they consume. Dang, that’s cool. They are 80% more energy efficient than your typical new home, using renewable energy systems to produce the remaining 20% needed. What’s more, they’re built to be well insulated and comfortable, with different parts of the house working together to give consistent temperatures, prevent drafts, and filter indoor air. The result is a house of the future - gobsmackingly energy efficient as well as comfortable.
For such a wonder-house you are looking at between $250 - $350 per square foot in comparison to your typical traditional single-family home which ranges from $100 - $275 per square foot. That’s a big difference. So why should you do it (other than to save the planet, of course). Well, it will save you money in the long run.
The future ain’t cheap, but it sure is worth it.
Building an energy-efficient home will cost you now but may well have (big time) savings in the long run. With a net-zero home, your utility bills will fall to an all-time low, and stay low all year round no matter how long and cold winter might be. It also protects you from future increases in energy prices.
With these homes, you get what you pay for – as in, a lot. They are generally built to far more exacting standards than a conventional new home and are durable, with high-performance windows and better insulated walls and roof.
And that’s not all.
It pays to pay. Sometimes.
bear it
Owners of (certified) Net-Zero homes can get a 25% rebate on your mortgage insurance premium. There are other incentives, but these vary across Canada. Work with a local, qualified Net Zero builder/renovator and energy advisor; they can help you with what local incentives and financing programs are open to you. They may even do the rebate/incentive management for you.
PACE (Property Assessed Clean Energy) is a financial tool that gives loans to build or retrofit for energy efficiency. You repay the loan through a monthly surcharge added to your property tax bills. Benefits of the programme include:
- The loan is attached to the property and not the owner and won’t affect your
individual credit rating. The loan will be transferred to the new owner on sale of the
property. - The loan covers 100% of all costs (soft, hard and associated).
- The term and interest rate are set for the life of the loan.
- Repayment terms can extend up to 30 years.
- The loan does not accelerate if you default on tax payment or if there is a foreclosure.
This places energy efficiency within the reach of far more of us than before. But it is only currently offered in certain provinces or territories. Visit Natural Resources Canada here to find out what is offered in your area.
The hitchhiker’s guide to net-zero homes.
What are net-zero homes offering, summarized?
- Advanced construction:
The methods and materials used, along with superior heating, cooling and ventilation equipment, provide even temperatures throughout the house. - Air quality:
State-of-the-art ventilation and filtration systems ensure exceptional, fresh indoor air, with reduced allergens and asthma triggers – the air you deserve. - Tightly built and well insulated:
A net-zero home is quieter. Outside noises such as traffic, lawnmowers and your neighbor’s teenage drummer boy are significantly lessened. - Environmentally responsible:
All of the home’s features work together to considerably reduce your home’s environmental footprint.
Sufficiently intrigued? Let’s go deeper.
mow it
The science fiction without the fiction parts.
This is ‘building science’, people, and it is what makes these homes great.
Superior building envelope.
The shell of your home (which separates your insides from your outsides) is new and improved, radically cutting down on space heating. Most Canadian homes use about 50% of their energy toward space heating. Net-zero homes use about a quarter of this. How? With superior insulation and airtight seals. Your heat and energy have nowhere to escape to.
Smaller HVAC/Mechanical Systems.
Since the shell of a net-zero home is so much better at keeping the cold air out in the cold, the mechanical systems (space heating or cooling/water heating/ventilation), are typically smaller and more energy efficient. They have less work to do so they don't need to be monsters. As if that wasn’t cool enough, these home’s come equipped with an energy monitoring system. This allows you to see how much energy is being used. If the home has a renewable energy system installed, it will also show how much energy is being generated. Hello future.
Renewable Energy Systems and Storage.
Net-zero homes using on-site renewable energy systems, produce as much clean energy as they consume. The most common means to do this is roof-mounted solar photovoltaic (PV) systems (solar panels). These panels are reliable, require little ongoing maintenance, and it’s easy to estimate the amount of electricity they’ll produce annually. As long as the sun shines.
For those grey days, you can install a battery system which stores solar energy. If not, excess electricity goes directly to the utility grid, in a power credit process agreement called “net metering.” Net-zero homes generally produce more energy than they use in summer and in winter they use their solar ‘credits’ to fill the gap. Usually, with net metering to offset energy consumption, net-zero homes break even on an annual basis – explaining where they get their name.
Bright future ahead.
Let nature do its thing. Strategic window placement and home design ensure you are flooded with natural light and don’t need to flip the switch until much later in the day.
No more malevolent appliances.
Gone are the fridges of yesteryear that melted icebergs to run. These homes use energy-efficient and environmentally safe appliances to maximize energy conservation.
Are we all geeking out right now? I think so. This is exciting stuff. For your family and for the environment.
REW.money
