Oct 25, 2018
New EnerGuide labels for homes â Zero is better! photo New EnerGuide labels for homes - Zero is better! - Solar PV To understand the new EnerGuide labelling system Mike Melross had a second audit done on his 2011 homes.
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New EnerGuide labels for homes â Zero is better! photo New EnerGuide labels for homes - Zero is better! - Solar PV To understand the new EnerGuide labelling system Mike Melross had a second audit done on his 2011 homes.
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Sharing the Land with a Solar Laneway House
SIPs (structural insulated panels) Photographer: Colin Perry Designer/Builder: Lanefab Design/Build Manufacturer: Insulspan Certifications: EnerGuide 90 (see below) Location: Vancouver, B.C., Canada Size: 1,050 square feet (approximately 98 square metres) Petto Chan and his wife, Billie Leung, spent many weekends looking at homes in Vancouver. They were living in his parentsâ basement with their young daughter and wanted a place of their own. Their priorities included a home close to their work so theyâd need only one car and office space for the many days Petto worked at home. Because she teaches baking in a high school, Billie craved a large kitchen, so she could use her baking skills at home for family and friends. Both she and Petto wanted a modern home that was small so they wouldnât spend their time and money maintaining it.
Choosing a house
After looking at more than a hundred houses, the couple realized that they wouldn't find what they wanted in terms of design or efficiency on their $800,000 budget in this area, where houses typically start at $1 million. One advantage of building a laneway house (see "Laneway houses: A brief history" below) was that all their money would go towards construction, rather than land. At that point, building in his parentsâ backyard became a more attractive option. Not only could they build a house with the exact design they wanted, but theyâd also still be able to enjoy his momâs cooking on weekday evenings. Before they applied for a permit or looked for a builder, they made sure they had a clear vision of what their laneway home would look like. First, it would be small but spacious. Instead of many small rooms they opted for fewer larger rooms. Instead of a formal dining room, they wanted a large kitchen where the three of them could eat at the kitchen island. The house would also be very energy efficient. The 13-inch (or about 33 cm) thick walls include 6 and 1â2-inch (or approximately 17 cm) structural insulated panels (SIPs) and several inches of rock wool insulation in the inner service wall (which houses the wiring, plumbing, ducts and fire sprinkler piping). Photovoltaic (PV) panels on the roof provide all the energy required during the mildest months of the year, with only a small amount of additional energy needed for the colder months. The house is net zero energy for many months of the year, with monthly winter bills running about $80. Appliances are ENERGY STAR rated and lights are all LED.
Tracking the energy
The houseâs performance continues to be monitored by Enlighten Manager, a tracking program from Enphase EnergyÂŽ, that offers continuous data on the energy produced by the PV panels. After the first year and a half, the Solar Laneway Houseâs PV panels had produced 4.2 megawatt hours of power, saving the homeowners about $1,500 in energy costs.
Appliances in the kitchen are ENERGY STAR rated, all lights are LEDs, and countertops are quartz. The staircase (to the left) is sectioned off with glass, instead of a solid wall, to provide a more open feeling to the area and to shed light on the treads.
Laneway houses: A brief history
Laneway houses are small-scale, fully independent homes that are typically built in the backyard of an existing single-family home. The houses often are located where a garage once stood, just off the rear alley, or lane, hence the name laneway. They were first approved in Vancouver, B.C., in 2009 thanks to the cityâs EcoDensity policy. Although theyâve been built in other Canadian cities, laneway houses are mostly found in Vancouver because it has such a large network of lanes. In 2009 when the law was enacted, about 59,000 houses were determined to be suited for laneway units. To date, the popular program has issued more than 1,600 permits. Extensive rules govern the size, shape and location of the houses. Other, more practical issues also fall within laneway regulations that oversee parking, the issuing of addresses (which could get complicated with two separate houses on the same lot), landscaping and sewer and water connections. As a result of the laneway boom, the lane areas, which previously were often neglected, have become revitalized while providing expanded housing options for people who want to live in the city. Just as the city planned, this construction has added density to communities without construction of multistory apartment houses. Laneway houses are a subcategory of accessory dwelling units (ADUs), which can also include basement dwellings, apartments over a garage and additional houses on an existing lot where a house already exists. Regulations for all of these units are specified by the state or province. In Vancouver, laneway houses must be sold with the original house but can be rented or occupied by family members. The size of the house depends on the size of the lot, although the houses are typically between 500 square feet and 1,000 square feet (between 46 and 93 square metres). The maximum height for a laneway house is 20 feet (or 6 metres) and 1.5 storeys (which means the second floor has to be smaller than the ground floor to reduce the apparent size of the structure). Laneway houses (and other ADUs) offer an alternative type of housing for people who don't want to live in an apartment building but either can't afford or don't need a full-size single-family house. For additional information about laneway houses in Vancouver, visit the cityâs website.
Advantages of drain water heat recovery
In most houses a great deal of energy is lost when the warm water from showering goes down the drain. According to Energy Saver, âWater heating is the second largest energy expense in your home. It typically accounts for about 18 percent of your utility bill after heating and cooling.â A drain water heat recovery system captures heat from grey water (usually from the shower) and uses it to supplement the water heater, cutting down on energy required to obtain hot water. The recovered heat also expands the amount of hot water available in the home so that the last person showering wonât run out of hot water. The house then consumes less energy, so energy bills decrease. For further information about the system used in the Solar Laneway House, visit the Watercycles⢠website.
Solar panels on the roof are visible from the rear of the house. The sliding glass doors open to the kitchen.
EnerGuide Rating
The Canadian EnerGuide rating measures a homeâs energy performance so that current and future owners will know fairly precisely how energy efficient the structure is. An approved EnerGuide adviser certifies the energy performance rating. The homeâs energy efficiency level is rated on a scale of 0 to 100. An uninsulated house with significant air leaks would have a rating of 0 and a high energy consumption. A typical new home in Vancouver is built to an EnerGuide 76 rating. The Solar Laneway House has an energy rating of 90, which means it's energy efficient. Houses with a rating of 91 to 100 are often off the grid. For additional information about this program, visit the Natural Resources Canada website. Â Click to Post
Green housing developments
Thinking of moving into a shiny new house? Youâre likely to consider nesting in a newly built community if a) the idea of retrofitting an old clunker of a home leaves you cold, b) you hate the cramped lifestyle of downtown living or c) your family simply canât afford a downtown-sized mortgage. No... Green housing developments
All you need to know about dishwashers
After the first Ecoholic book declared dishwashers more efficient than handwashing, I had a couple of exasperated skeptics write in. âYouâd better double-check your stats,â they said. âThereâs no way dishwashers could win.â So double-check my stats I did. The University of Bonn study is probably ... All you need to know about dishwashers
Energy Efficiency and the Energuide Rating System
Energy Efficiency and the Energuide Rating System Continuing down the path of exploring energy efficiency in houses, my next few blog posts will focus on some of the common energy efficiency standards in the industry, and their connection to the British Columbia Building Code, and each other. The first standard is NRCanâs Energuide Rating System for houses. Building Code: It is worth noting that we are currently anticipating the release of the 2012 BC Building Code (BCBC), however, it appears that any changes to Part 10 â Energy and Water Efficiency, will not be released until sometime in 2013. The current BCBC Part 10 references NRCanâs Energuide Rating System as an alternative compliance path to satisfying the insulation requirements in Part 9 of the BCBC. In 2013, we expect that reference to the Energuide Rating system will no longer be as an alternative compliance method, but rather as a baseline standard not only for Part 9 insulation requirements, but overall energy efficiency for housing and small buildings. NRCan Energuide Rating System The basics of the Energuide rating system is a comparison of the overall energy usage of a designed house, versus that of a theoretical baseline reference standard house. Ratings are established between 0 and 100, with 80 being the expected code standard in the 2013 code. Currently 77 is the required rating for alternate compliance. Energy usage considers the overall energy consumption (electric or fuel) of the house for items such as space heating, lighting and appliances, domestic hot water and ventilation systems, and also considers the overall energy loss through the building envelope, which factors thermal resistance (insulative values) as well as air-tightness. Determining the Energuide rating starts during the design stage, where the house design is modelled by a Certified Energy Advisor using the simulation software HOT2000, and compared to the reference building. This process facilitates various trade-off and upgrade opportunities with various building components (ie. insulation, windows, mechanical systems, solar panels etc.) to achieve the Energuide rating âgoalâ of 80 or better. Once the house is constructed, the Advisor is required to verify that as-designed systems are installed, and to perform a blower-door test to confirm the actual air-tightness rating for the house. This verification aims to confirm that the as-built house meets the âgoalâ established during the pre-construction simulation. What does Energuide 80 Look Like? Compared to a house built to the 2006 BC Building Code, a standard house achieving Energuide 80 will generally see greater insulation values in walls and ceilings, additional requirements for basement insulation (walls and slabs), in addition to higher efficiency space heating, ventilation, and domestic hot water systems. How Effective is the Energuide Rating System The Energuide standard is one of several standards that are intended to consider the âhouse as a systemâ overall evaluation, which is a big step from the basic prescriptive requirements Part 9 of the BC Building Code has always referenced. That being said, it should be understood that Energuide 80 is only a stepping stone to the Energy Efficiency targets we will see in the next decade. Despite its improvements over the basic code requirements of the past, there are flaws within the system that should be recognized. The most basic flaw is the trade-off system without established minimum standards. Here, excellence in some aspects can overshadow failure or substandard performance elsewhere. Most other energy efficiency standards demand a hard-deck for most items across the board, whereas Energuide aims more for an aggregate evaluation. The trade-off scenario can best be demonstrated in higher end homes, where there are more âtoysâ. Toys generally refer to things like high-performance, high-efficiency electric or fuel-fired mechanical heating and ventilation systems, solar-power systems and even geothermal heating systems. In a rating system based upon energy consumption, and more accurately âpurchasedâ energy consumption, better âtoysâ can start to skew the numbers very quickly. For example, consider the hypothetical scenario where an un-insulated, non-airtight home is equipped with a ground-source geothermal heating system and solar power collectors. This house might achieve Energuide 80 or better rating simply because purchased energy consumption is so low regardless of excessive heat loss. While this example represents an unlikely scenario, it exposes the extremes of a trade-off system. Consider another scenario where a homeowner pays top dollar for a high-efficiency heating and ventilation system, triple-glazed windows, additional insulation in the walls and ceilings, but the house is constructed with extremely high air leakage (5 or 6 ACH â refer to previous blog post âVentilation and Whole Building Air Tightnessâ for a thorough explanation of air-leakage and Air Changes per Hour ACH). The Energuide rating can still balance out and achieve a rating of 80 or greater. The unfortunate truth is the rating system allows an unacceptable air leakage rate to be tolerable. To compensate, the mechanical systems need to run longer and more often, costing the homeowner more money than they should. High efficiency units running longer than needed is counter-productive with respect to saving energy. One would think this would result in a failure during the blower door test. However, while blower-door testing is a requirement to verify the whole-building air leakage rate of the house, it isnât a pass-fail criterion as most people would expect. Despite the formality of the test, Energuide actually has no required minimum standard for air-tightness at all. The only requirement is to verify that the as-built air leakage rate isnât worse than the input value assumed during the simulation. Furthermore, it isnât uncommon for energy advisors to seek the desired Energuide rating by assuming a high, or âworst-caseâ air-tightness rating during the design simulation and then compensating in other areas. This way, there is little chance that the blower-door test will negatively impact the Energuide Rating during the as-built verification stage. If as-built air leakage is less than the modest assumptions; great! Obviously it can be costly to improve the air tightness of a home once it has reached a stage where verification tests are being performed, but this can be a significant compromise towards being a truly energy efficiency house if as-built air-tightness proves equal to the worst-case assumptions. Implementing prescriptive air tightness requirements are undoubtedly being considered for upcoming revisions to the Energuide Rating System, however they exist in other house energy efficiency standards such as R2000 and Passive House, which one could argue leaves the Energuide System trailing behind. Itâs easy to poke holes in standards and point out their flaws, but the intent here is to realize that Energuide 80 is by no means the pinnacle of performance, but rather the minimum requirement moving forward. There are houses being constructed to other standards that demand much greater overall energy efficiency. We will look at these other standards moving forward...
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EnerGuide Rated homes vs R2000 homes
What is the difference between the EnerGuide Rating System, R-2000 Standard, and regional initiatives? The EnerGuide Rating System is a national initiative through which builders work with energy advisors to choose energy efficiency upgrades to their house plans before the house is built. The system enables builders and new home buyers to compare and evaluate upgrades that they may wish to include in their new homes. The R-2000 Standard is a national initiative that outlines requirements to be build environmentally friendly homes. It includes training and certification for each participating homebuilder, as well as a quality assurance evaluation, testing, and certification of each house. R-2000 Standard homes are about 30 percent more energy efficient than conventional new homes and must achieve a minimum energy efficiency rating of 80 on the EnerGuide rating scale. Beyond the R-2000 Standard and EnerGuide Rating System, there are many regional initiatives offered across Canada. These options provide builders with other programs that they can participate in and promote energy efficient new homes. Each of these regional initiatives encourages energy efficient home building in ways that are tailored to the new housing market in their region. Can a home be labelled under more than one initiative? Yes. A home can be labelled under more than one initiative if the homebuilder has followed the requirements of each of the programs and if the initiatives are available in that region. For example, R-2000 certified homes an also obtain an EnerGuide rating label. What is considered a ânewâ home? New home buyers or builders can begin participating in NRCan-managed new housing program such as the R-2000 Standard as their house plans are being drafted. Although the intent of NRCan-managed new housing programs is to encourage builders to include energy efficiency upgrades during the construction planning phase, houses can be labelled through the R-2000 Standard, EnerGuide Rating System, and/or ENERGY STAR for New Homes program up to six months after the builder has transferred possession of the house to the first homeowner. When a home is built by the owner, it is considered ânewâ up to six months following the certificate of completion by the local inspector. What is a Service Organization? A service organization is any organization or person who is licensed through Natural Resources Canada and whose role is to implement and deliver the EnerGuide Rating System, ENERGY STARÂŽ for New Homes and/or R-2000 Standard. How do I find a builder, energy advisor, R-2000 Service Provider, or service organization in my area that is participating in the EnerGuide Rating System, ENERGY STARÂŽ for New Homes, and/or R-2000 Standard in my area? Natural Resources Canada works with a network of service organizations across Canada to promote and deliver NRCan-managed new housing programs such as the EnerGuide Rating System, ENERGY STARÂŽ for New Homes and R-2000 Standard. These service organizations are responsible for organizing and hosting training workshops and overseeing the certification of energy advisors, builders and other professionals. Contact your local Service Organization for more details: www2.nrcan.gc.ca/oee/nh-mn/f-t/index.cfm?fuseaction=s.ssf&language=eng Are there any incentives for ânewâ home owners? Presently, Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) does not directly offer incentives to new home buyers or new home builders through the R-2000 Standard, ENERGY STARÂŽ for New Homes, or the EnerGuide Rating System for newly built homes. The Federal Government does offer a GST rebate on new home construction. I invite you to visit the following web site to see if you qualify: www.cra-arc.gc.ca/E/pub/gp/rc4028/README.html NRCan-managed new housing programs, coupled with regional programs, form the basis for many provincial and utility incentives and grants that are available to encourage energy efficiency in new home construction throughout the country. The following website provides a list of regional incentives and grants: www.oee.nrcan.gc.ca/corporate/incentives.cfm. Please visit this link and contact the responsible organization for application requirements if there are options that you may wish to pursue. The Government of Canada does provide incentives to owners of existing dwellings through the ecoENERGY Retrofit â Homes program. The overall environmental impact of retrofitting older housing stock is significantly higher than that offered by new construction, as there are more then eight million existing low-rise dwellings in Canada that can be improved by an average of 30 percent, bringing them more in line with newly-built homes. What is the EnerGuide Rating System and how can I use it on my new home? The EnerGuide Rating System is a system that estimates the annual energy usage of a new house based on house plans prior to construction. It helps new home buyers to choose which upgrades to invest in when upgrades are offered by their builder. Similarly, it helps builders understand how to increase the energy performance of their houses and to choose which upgrades they wish to offer their customers. The Energuide Rating System also takes into account the use of low-flow toilets, skylights, waste water recycling, & other such systems that save resources. To find out more: www.oee.nrcan.gc.ca/residential/personal/new-homes/upgrade-packages/energuide-service.cfm Why use the EnerGuide Rating System? After reviewing your house plans, an expert EnerGuide advisor can make energy saving upgrade recommendations. By implementing EnerGuide advice, youâll save energy and money. Much of the energy we use in Canada is produced from fossil fuels such as coal, oil and gas. Also, the energy you save heating your home could reduce the greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change. What is the EnerGuide Rating Label? The EnerGuide rating label shows useful information about your home's estimated annual energy use and provides you with a record of the name and address of your EnerGuide energy advisor. This label can be displayed on your home's electrical box. The label gives you an estimate of the electricity, natural gas or oil that you can expect to consume each year. Please be advised that the energy consumption estimates are just that, estimates. The estimate produced for your home is based on a number of standard assumptions, such as a family of four living in the home and specific thermostat settings and also the usage rates for hot water, lighting and appliances. Other benefits of buying an E-Rated or R2000 home Besides lower energy costs associates with these homes, homes with an E-rating of 80 or higher qualify for a 10% rebate on mortgage insurance premiums ( through Genworth & CMHC ). They are more saleable. Buyers today & in the future are looking to be more energy consience & for lower utility bills. Buyers of E-rated homes may qualify for rebates through PerformancePlus & other government agencies. Thinking of building? Visit http://www.efficiencyns.ca/for_homes/energy_savings_programs/performanceplus/ PerformancePlus Powerful partners. âSince purchasing our new R-2000 home with an air-source heat pump, weâre saving over $125 per month on our power bill. And we received a rebate for the pump." Jennifer and Derek Verge, Antigonish If youâre building a home, talk to us first. With PerformancePlus, you get access to valuable energy analysis tools and can earn rebates on your new home when you build with energy saving measures â saving you money and keeping you comfortable for years to come. Efficiency Nova Scotia offers rebates for energy efficiency measures such as: ⢠insulation, ⢠drain water heat recovery units, ⢠solar water heating systems, ⢠heat pumps, and ⢠energy efficient lighting. Homes in the program are also given an EnerGuide rating between 1 and 100 - the higher the number, the more efficient the home. Rebates are paid once the home has received its final EnerGuide rating following final inspection and a blower door test. To be eligible for any rebates, the completed home must have a final EnerGuide rating of at least 83. Furthermore, a PerformancePlus home that achieves a minimum EnerGuide rating of 83 can receive a $200 rebate if the home is solar ready. Solar ready means making cost-effective design and construction adjustments for your home so you can more easily install solar equipment in the future. An additional rebate of $1,000 is available if solar equipment is installed. There are rebate amounts based on the EnerGuide rating that start at $3,000 and increase based on your new home's energy performance. ⢠EnerGuide rating 82 or lower â $0 ⢠EnerGuide rating 83 and 84 â $3,000 ⢠EnerGuide rating 85, 86, and 87 â $5,000 ⢠EnerGuide rating 88 or higher â $7,000 There are also additional rebates related to electricity energy savings. The cost to enroll in the PerformancePlus program is $250 plus HST. Homeowners also gain access to home energy analysis tools to help them make better energy choices when building a new home - allowing them to compare the extra monthly mortgage costs of making energy efficiency upgrades against future energy savings. For a full list of grants & incenetives currently available, visit http://oee.nrcan.gc.ca/corporate/incentives.cfm?attr=4#NovaScotia Information was obtained through Dept of NS Energy & Natural Resource Canada