Building Efficiency into Your New Home
Mike Howe in front of his new R-2000 certified home near Fredericton. Click to learn about our New Homes Program and see what this could mean for you.
Mike Howe doesn’t take the environment for granted. When it came time to choose a home for his family in Fredericton, he says it was a ‘no-brainer’ that they would take action on climate change and ensure they chose an energy-efficient home.
“We were lucky,” Mike says. “The builder who is developing our subdivision was very environmentally conscious and pro-active.”
In fact their builder, Hill Bros. Realty of Fredericton, is an R-2000 certified home builder. R-2000 homes are among the most energy-efficient and environmentally responsible new homes on the market. They are built to demanding standards for energy efficiency and indoor air quality that far surpass others in the marketplace.
Hill Bros. is committed to building R-2000 homes, and educating their clients about the benefits of energy-smart building practices. They are also aware of the rebates available to their clients when building homes to the exacting R-2000 standard.
Four months after his home was completed, Mike received a letter from the builder, that provided information about the Efficiency NB New Homes Program
“We didn’t know that the program would apply to us, but the contractor and the program made it easy to apply. We were also lucky,” Mike explains, “that natural gas was available in the subdivision. We had witnessed natural gas heat in action at our relative’s home in Ontario and knew that it was for us. Plus, we switched to a natural gas barbecue.” Mike laughs, saying that he and his wife both appreciate the convenience and efficiency of the new barbecue.
The Howes were able to receive the maximum rebate amount from the new homes program of $3250. The energy-smart choices that Mike and Susan made could save their family more than $100 in their monthly energy bill and significantly reduce their home’s green-house gas emissions, by 11.3 tonnes annually.
However the best reason, Mike says, for making energy-efficient choices in their home was their daughter. “We wanted to do our part to ensure a clean environment for our three year-old daughter, Sierra."
The energy-efficient features of their new home include:
- an ENERGY STAR natural gas furnace;
- high levels of insulation;
- energy-efficient windows; and
- high-efficiency, ENERGY STAR appliances.
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CHILDREN WILL BENEFIT FROM AN ENERGY-EFFICIENT HOME
The Ouellettes home with an EnerGuide rating of 82 is among the highest rated homes in the Fredericton area. If you are in the market for a newly constructed home, you need to learn more about our New Homes incentive and the benefits of investing in an energy efficient house.
Climate change and global problems were important issues for Erick and Lisa Ouellette to consider when they built their new energy-efficient home just beyond the Fredericton city limits.
Committed to being environmentally responsible, the couple along with their builder, Kelly's Homes, a Kent Homes retailer, explored alternative heating and construction options for the house. The couple focused their efforts on:
- An ENERGY STAR air source heat pump;
- a very energy-efficient housing envelope, including high levels of insulation;
- energy-efficient windows; and
- a high standard of air tightness.
This combination allowed them to achieve an ENERGUIDE rating of 82 for their new ranch-style home with a walk-out basement.
Through Efficiency NB, the government of New Brunswick is helping the first owners of newly constructed homes, like Erick and Lisa, make energy-efficient choices by providing financial assistance for homes that are R-2000 certified or have a rating of at least 80 on the ENERGUIDE for Houses scale.
The Ouellettes received a $2,000 rebate through the program, which they are reinvesting in their home by finishing the basement. By insulating their basement floors, they will not only further increase their ENERGUIDE rating but also improve the comfort of their home.
The Ouellette family's choice to use a heat pump in their new home helps to reduce New Brunswick's use of electric space heating – a step in the overall reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.
By committing to building an energy-efficient home, the Ouellettes have reduced their potential greenhouse gas emissions by 9.3 tonnes, to only 12.5 tonnes – a reduction of almost 40 per cent. As such, they can expect to have significant savings of as much as $1,800 per year on their heating bills. Savings which Lisa says will be useful in the future for both the environment and their children's education, "By building an energy-efficient home, we not only save money that can be put toward our children's education, but we also teach our children to be environmentally responsible by example."
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ENGINEERED TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE
Louis Vermeersch of Keswick Ridge with his high efficiency propane hot water tank. Our tips and advice section will tell you how this compares to other regular hot water systems.
As a retired aeronautical engineer, Louis Vermeersch had been planning to build his dream home for many years. In fact, in 1985 he attended his first R2000 Home Builders Course. When he decided to make his dream a reality, Louis had already been researching innovative solutions to save on energy costs and preserve the environment.
“I want my family to know that we are doing what we can for their future,” Louis said. He says he has noticed how much his grandchildren like to visit the house, but he’s hoping that’s partly because of him, and not just the house.
Working with McKinley Brothers Builders, Louis finally made their dream home, a design he and his wife Claudia created, a reality. “Our dreams had changed over twenty years,” Louis laughed. “Our first plan was over 3,000 square feet, but we settled for a very spacious and comfortable 1,850-square-foot bungalow, with no stairs and radiant floor heat.” Their new home includes
- a ground source heat pump;
- propane heated on-demand hot water;
- a very energy-efficient housing envelope including high levels of insulation;
- energy-efficient windows; and
- ENERGY STAR appliances and CFL lighting.
By committing to a highly energy-efficient new home, Louis achieved an EnerGuide rating of 86. Had he installed a typical baseboard heating system he could have expected a rating of only 70. His wise choices could translate into a savings of up to $1,800 a year. But money wasn’t Louis’ only consideration.
“Who doesn’t like to save money,” he said. “But, I also want to be an example to my family – that each person can make a difference.” Louis’ efficient home has reduced potential greenhouse gas emissions by 14 tonnes – or about the amount produced by three cars driven an average of 19,000 km per year. By using a ground source heat pump, propane heated-on-demand hot water, and high-quality insulation and windows, his home’s emission rating is only 10.8 tonnes annually.
The province is committed to improving the environment and an important step that can be taken to reduce greenhouse gas emissions is to reduce New Brunswick’s use of electric space heating. Through Efficiency NB, the government of New Brunswick is helping first owners of new homes make energy-efficient choices by providing financial assistance for new homes that are R-2000 certified or have a rating of at least 80 on the EnerGuide for Houses scale.
Through that rebate program, Louis received the maximum rebate amount available from Efficiency New Brunswick, $3,250 in cash back. “Money back,” laughs Louis, “is always helpful when you’re in your retirement years, but we’ve been planning for this home all along.”
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