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Edmonton’s green revolution by PEPPEr rodriguEz Owning a home comes with big responsibilities – one of the biggest being monthly utility bills. With this winter’s bitter cold snap, your upcoming bill might come with a bit of sticker shock. Outright electrocution in some cases. Even more worrisome is that electricity prices have been going up for some time. According to energy comparison website energyrates.ca, Alberta’s energy prices have increased by 34 per cent between November 2020 and 2021. Homebuilders have noticed and are taking initiatives to help consumers in the fight against rising energy bills while saving the environment as well. Many have taken up the Built Green
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program, and some are taking the next level to Net Zero homes. Built Green Canada is an industry-driven, national, nonprofit organization committed to working with builders interested in responsible sustainability practices in the residential building sector. It uses a certification program that promotes healthy building measures, such as no or low volatile organic compounds, heat recovery ventilators for fresh air and high efficiency features. It also serves to underline the economic and health benefits of building “green.” This year, Built Green Canada launched its Net Zero Energy+ program for single family new homes, which it calls “a new level of achievement within the organization’s long-held, industry friendly green building program.” They’ve created a labelling program which provides the industry and consumers with clear and precise technical requirements for two levels of labelling: Net Zero and Net Zero Ready Homes. The initiative will help in achieving the Government of Canada’s 2030 target to have all provinces and
territories adopt a net zero energy ready building code. Today, there are Canadian builders reaching this target, while many more have a ways to go. In Edmonton, Effect Home Builders and Excel Homes are among those who have embraced the program to give their homeowners an edge in the energy wars. equipping neT Zero homes
Simply put, Net Zero homes are homes that produce as much energy as they consume. A Net Zero home can include features like a fresh air system (HRV), double-coated triple-pane windows, solar panels, energy-efficient appliances, and LED lighting, not to mention an airtight exterior envelope that locks in the temperature. Cooler in summer, warmer in the winter and unbelievably quiet all the time with the tamping down of outside noise. The result is an energy-efficient home and exceptional living experience. Net Zero homeowners will save on their utility bills, be protected from energy price increases, and live in a healthier,
