Building Efficiency Into Your Home

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. Mike Howe in front of his new R-2000 certified home near Fredericton


“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.