Better Builder Magazine, Issue 13 / Spring 2015

1
BETTER
BuilderMAGAZINE
the builder’s source
Issue 13 | Spring 2015
www.betterbuilder.ca
Future Proofing
Smart Strategies to Secure
a Sustainable Future
Solterre Design – Great Green Architecture
Are You Future Proofed?
High Performance HRVs and Controls
Net Zero Houses Raise Many Questions
Right Sizing Matters!
Net Zero! Are We Ready?
Publicationnumber42408014
In this Issue
An armillary sphere
created by John Little

A b r e a t h o f f r e s h a i r .
MAX SERVICE
All mechanical and electrical components are
accessible from the front of the unit.
Heating coil and fan/motor slide out for easy
service.
One of the most extensive warranties in the
business:1-year parts & labour,2-years on parts
only,where applicable.
MAX COMFORT
With the increased efficiency of this optional
Electronically Commuted Motor (ECM),
homeowners will be free to cycle air continuously
with a minimal increase in electricity cost.
Continuous fan operation helps improve
filtration,reduce temperature variations,and
helps keep the air clear of dust and allergens –
making your customers’ homes more comfortable.
Mini Ducted Hi-Velocity Air Handling System
Optional Prioritizing of Comfort Levels with Energy Savings
MAX SPACE SAVER
The MAXAIR fan coil is so compact that it fits
anywhere:laundry room,attic,crawl space,you
can even place it in a closet.
It can be installed in new or existing homes.
It takes less than 1/3 of the space of a conventional
heating and air conditioning unit.
MAX ENERGY SAVINGS
Energy savings,temperature control and comfort
levels are achieved in individual levels of the home
by prioritizing the requirements.This is achieved
by installing optional space thermostats. If any
area calls for heating or cooling, the individual
thermostat allows the space it serves to achieve
optimum comfort and still maintain continuous
air circulation throughout the home.
This method of prioritizing is a great energy
savings measure while offering an increased
comfort level to the home owner.
FLEXAIRTM
DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM
MAX FLEXIBILITY
The supply outlets can be placed in the wall,
ceiling or floor.
Each unit has four choices of locations for the
return air connections.
The FLEXAIR™ insulated 2½" supply
duct will fit in a standard 2"x 4" wall cavity.
Can be mounted for vertical or horizontal airflow.
Can be combined with humidifiers,high efficiency
air cleaners or ERVs / HRVs.
Snap-together branch duct and diffuser
connections.
MAX ELECTRICAL SAVINGS
ECMs are ultra-high-efficient programmable
brushless DC motors that are more efficient than
the permanently split capacitor (PSC) motors used
in most residential furnaces.This is especially true
at lower speeds used for continuous circulation in
many new homes.
1-800-453-6669 905-951-0022519-578-5560613-966-5643 416-213-1555 877-254-4729905-264-1414
For distribution of Air Max Technologies products call
www.airmaxtechnologies.com209 Citation Drive, Units 5&6, Concord, ON L4K 2Y8, Canada
Airmax ad with Prioritizing AMT 12430 AD FPG 09_HR.pdf 1 2013-04-18 8:46 AM

Feature story
16 Solterre – Shape, Study and Share
By Alex Newman
Inside this issue
02 Publisher’s Note: Staying Ahead of the Curve
by john godden
03 The Bada Test: New Code for 2017 –
Are You Future Proofed?
by Lou Bada
04 Industry News: Green Building Arenas
by Sonya Persram
06 Industry Expert: High Performance
HRVs and Controls
by Gord Cooke
08 Builder News: How a Professional Energy
Rating Industry Can Help Future Proof Homes
by Patricia Duffy
11 Site Specific: The Comfort Conundrum
By Michael White
13 Industry News: Net Zero Houses Raise
Many Questions by Michael Lio
23 Builder News: Mike Martino –
Right Sizing Matters
by Alex Newman
27 From the Ground Up: Net Zero!
Are We Ready?
by Doug Tarry
29 Site Specific Too: Rosehaven Hits 100
By Alex Newman
32 The Plane View: Fun, Future, Facts
By Better Builder Staff
BETTER
BuilderMAGAZINE
the builder’s source
1
13
Issue 13 | Spring 2015
www.betterbuilder.ca | Issue 13 | SPRING 2015
23
27
3
photo:www.shutterstock.comphoto:www.shutterstock.comPhoto:HumeMediaInc.Photo:DougTarryhomes
Cover (Armillary Sphere): Jennifer Stewart
Background: www.designpics.com

2 www.betterbuilder.ca | Issue 13 | Spring 2015
Publisher
Better Builder Magazine,
63 Blair Street,
Toronto, ON M4B 3N5
416-481-4218 fax 416-481-4695
sales@betterbuilder.ca
Better Builder Magazine is a
sponsor of
Publishing Editor
John B. Godden
Managing Editor
Wendy Shami
editorial@betterbuilder.ca
To advertise, contribute a story,
or join our distribution list, please
contact sales@betterbuilder.ca
Feature WriterS
Tracy Hanes, Alex Newman
proofreading
Janet Dimond
Creative
Robert Robotham Graphics
www.RobertRobotham.ca
This magazine brings
together premium product
manufacturers and leading
builders to create better,
differentiated homes and
buildings that use less energy,
save water and reduce our
impact on the environment.
Publication number
42408014
Copyright by Better Builder
Magazine. Contents may not
be reprinted or reproduced
without written permission. The
opinions expressed herein are
exclusively those of the authors
and assumed to be original
work. Better Builder Magazine
cannot be held liable for
any damage as a result of
publishing such works.
Trademark disclaimer
All company and/or product
names may be trade names,
trademarks and/or registered
trademarks of the respective
owners with which they are
associated.
Undeliverable Mail
Better Builder Magazine
63 Blair Street, Toronto, ON M4B
3N5. Better Builder Magazine is
published four times a year.
I
nnovation requires two things –
forward thinking and action. Staying
ahead of the curve is a statistical
term referring to a position on the bell
curve. The top of the curve represents
the median average result. Being ahead
of the curve represents the top percen-
tile of results and means someone pos-
sesses advanced skills or understanding
that sets them apart. Looking to product devel-
opment, leaders and innovators are at the front
(left) of the curve, taking risks to create new
products and services. Early adopters follow on
the curve, selecting products and generating a
delivery channel creating demand for these new
products. This movement continues until the
early majority joins to reach 50 per cent market
share, the status quo, at the top of the curve.
Innovation is one thing, but success in the
marketplace is another. A classic example of
the adoption life cycle comes from the automo-
bile sector. Honda was a trendsetter and risk
taker with the Insight in 1999, a car that was
incredibly fuel efficient, getting 70 mpg. The
engineers created a small spaceship-looking car
that turned out to be too “alien” for mainstream
drivers. Only 13,200 of them were sold before
production ceased in 2006. On the other hand,
Toyota as an early adopter introduced the Prius.
This car looks similar to other compacts, but is
much more fuel efficient, getting 40 mpg. The
Prius sold 400,000 in the first seven years of
offering. At the 2015 RESNET Building Perfor-
mance Conference in San Diego, Calif., almost
all the taxi rides I took were in Priuses.
In residential housing the growing trend has
been to build the biggest house at the cheap-
est price. Low subsidized energy prices have
offered little incentive to change this trend.
Builders who are early adopters of energy
efficiency have learned to sell energy-efficient
features at a profit by communicating the asso-
ciated future benefits to homeowners who will
enjoy increased comfort and economic savings.
Net zero houses are being introduced to the
market largely as demonstration homes. The
upgrade costs to reach net zero range between
$40,000–$100,000 depending how much
photovoltaic (PV) is on top. Remember the
success of the Toyota Prius – sell and market
to people something they recognize. Near Zero
houses look like other houses, but perform
50 per cent more efficiently than the building
code minimum, with associated upgrade costs
between $20,000–$25,000. The cost increase
can be easily absorbed by homeowners as
a slight increase in monthly payments on a
mortgage over 20 years.
This issue of Better Builder features Solterre
Design. The armillary sphere on the cover is the
basis for Solterre’s logo, emblematic of the sun
and earth. One of their catchphrases is “build
better, not bigger” and you know we like that.
What is novel is their emphasis on study, test
and monitor to find out what really works. Try
it, test it and then share it to educate.
The definition of a net zero home is a very
important discussion. Policymakers are using
it without clarity. If it is a goal, then it needs
to be definable and achievable. You will read
different perspectives here in our spring issue.
As an innovator, I have been on the bleeding
edge of the curve. Where are you? Are you being
selective and forward thinking in your business?
If so, this could mean you are living in or design-
ing and/or building a Near Zero home. Another
important question – Do you park an electric car
in your driveway? To stay ahead of the curve, we
must truly figure out what is driving us. BB
Staying Ahead of the Curve
publisher’snote
By Joh n Go dden

3www.betterbuilder.ca | Issue 13 | spring 2015
C
onsultations with stakehold-
ers are currently underway
for the next cycle of Ontario
Building Code (OBC) amendments
for 2017. Of particular interest to
builders will be the revisions to SB-12
for energy efficiency in new homes.
Although there will likely be many
changes to the code affecting build-
ers, SB-12 changes always seem to
get a lot of attention. Increases in
energy efficiency will theoretically be
a 15 per cent improvement over the
current SB-12, which is effective until
the end of 2016.
Builders in Ontario already involved
in the ENERGY STAR for New Homes
program will already be forearmed in
dealing with any changes to SB-12 for
2017. Proponents of the ENERGY STAR
program have correctly pointed out
that involvement in the program gives
you a leg up on future code revisions.
This philosophy, whereby ENERGY
STAR informs the code and the code
benchmarks ENERGY STAR, and where
they are juxtaposed, has served a
purpose – pushing and pulling energy
efficiency in new homes forward. In
my opinion, ENERGY STAR works best
as a voluntary program (as it was origi-
nally intended) and not as a mandatory
program (as it has become in many
jurisdictions), for a variety of reasons.
Most importantly, code regulations are
generally well considered and vetted
by many stakeholders from various
disciplines with a fair, practical and
balanced approach in mind.
In my experience
the code consultation
process, and the result-
ing changes, have been
reasonable. The goal of
achieving a balanced
approach and outcome
for all stakeholders,
when free from undue
political intervention,
has yielded the intended results.
Nothing is perfect. The timing, imple-
mentation and interpretation of code
revisions at times have been chal-
lenging. There are some who believe
the code has gone too far and others
who say it hasn’t gone far enough.
This is usually an indication we are
where we should be. I believe the new
homebuilding industry in Ontario
and the Ministry of Municipal Affairs
and Housing has much to be proud
of, and our minimum standards are
quite robust.
What has also become abundantly
clear is that involvement in energy
efficiency programs such as ENERGY
STAR and other sustainability initia-
tives such as Better Than Code in new
housing by builders yield great advan-
tages when it comes
to getting ahead of the
curve regarding regula-
tion. It prepares and
informs builders of the
inevitable changes that
will come. Furthermore,
it prepares and informs
builders allowing them to
participate intelligently
in the code consultation process, and
in dealing with individual municipal
governments on energy performance
and sustainability guidelines. A proac-
tive approach is very essential in our
industry today. After all, being at the
table is important, otherwise you may
end up on the menu. BB
Lou Bada is construction & contracts
manager for Starlane Homes.
thebadatest
By L ou Ba da
There are some
who believe the
code has gone
too far and
others who say
it hasn’t gone
far enough.
photo:www.shutterstock.com
New Code for 2017 – Are You
Future Proofed?

www.betterbuilder.ca | Issue 13 | Spring 20154
I
n addressing risk mitigation in
green building sectors, a recurring
requirement is the need to confirm
that a building is indeed green, and to
mitigate risk in case it is not as green
as promoted. While greenwashing
is an important issue, and many are
deeply involved in addressing what
defines green – whether sustainable,
regenerative or other descriptors
are optimal, as well as what rating
systems may be preferred – neverthe-
less a question still remains. Whatever
happened to the focus and perplexity
among green building advocates not
so many years back as to why con-
ventional property upgrades or new
construction were not green?
Green building benefits have been
quantified by Greg Kats1
and oth-
ers such as Nils Kok and Matthew
Kahn2
as including water and energy
savings as well as benefits to health
and employment, resiliency and sale
price; savings on external costs to
society like individual and govern-
ment health care costs, stormwater
management, extensions of the life of
energy, water, wastewater and storm-
water3
infrastructure; and contribu-
tions to mitigating and adapting to
climate change. With benefits becom-
ing increasingly quantifiable over the
years and clearly mitigating many
risks, it is brought home that there
are direct risks4
and those related to
opportunity costs5
associated with not
being green. So, how did the industry
shift from fundamentally querying
why conventional builders/owners
were not incorporating building green-
ing, to being on the “prove it is green”
defensive with respect to risk mitiga-
tion? There are a number of possible
reasons for the morphed focus, one of
which is discussed here.
The context in which I am consider-
ing this strategy is the conventional
industrynews
By S on ya P e rsra m
Sensei Brad Jones (r) and his Karate Do practitioners sitting in meditation in his Newmarket, Ont. dojo. The facility is being
greened by 5th degree black belt Jon Juffs of CCI Group.
photo:KeithFranklin,usedwithpermission
Green Building Arenas

building sector’s approach to green
buildings, i.e. groups within the sector
may have felt threatened by the rise
in popularity of green buildings. We
know that for conventional practitio-
ners to become proficient in green
buildings, there may be a cost incre-
ment for building green, as well as
costs for practitioners to learn about
green methods and rating systems
and obtaining green products. In
many jurisdictions there may be more
regulatory barriers experienced to
doing green buildings or retrofits than
conventional projects, which therefore
impacts practitioners’ time and bud-
gets.6
Green buildings could also have
enormous impact on the profitability
of manufacturers/distributors of prod-
ucts used in conventional buildings,
but not in green ones.
A helpful concept in understanding
strategic approaches is yin-yang – a
balance between seeming opposites.
For example, there is a tendency of
many in the green build-
ing sector to be facilita-
tive, supportive and
gentle (yin), which may
not be the best approach
with more aggressive
(yang) organizations or
sectors within organizations. We must
at least be aware of the impacts of
and how to deter or address others’
potentially nonfacilitative or down-
right aggressive actions, and consider
the possibility that those actions were
designed to divert attention or confuse
the attackers’ own flaws.
It may also be useful to parse
actions related to the green building
sectors into elements of strategy. A
concept from a 1645 work for samu-
rais called The Book of Five Rings:
A Classic Text on the Japanese Way
of the Sword by Miyamoto Musashi
(Shambhala, new edition 2005), which
has been used for decades by busi-
ness strategists, is relevant for this
discussion. “Ken no sen,” a method to
forestall the enemy by attacking first,7
is described here:
When you decide to attack, keep
calm and dash in quickly, fore-
stalling the enemy. Or you can
advance seemingly strongly but
with a reserved spirit, forestalling
him with the reserve.
Alternatively, advance with as
strong a spirit as possible, and
when you reach the enemy move
with your feet a little quicker
than normal, unsettling him and
overwhelming him sharply.
Suppose conventional stakehold-
ers anticipated being attacked for not
building green. If they were operating
from a ken no sen strategic approach,
they would seek to pre-empt these
attacks such as by a challenge regard-
ing whether and to
what extent green is
attained, and require
proof of green ben-
efits. The key point
is, whether or not this
focus on the validity
of green was indeed a strategic pre-
emptive attack, it resulted in unset-
tling the green building sector (and
its lawyers) and putting it/them on
the defensive. It has also resulted in a
diversion of focus from why conven-
tional buildings are still being devel-
oped/retrofit conventionally rather
than green.
In considering green and conven-
tional building approaches, if we can
be aware of all the strategies that may
be at play, we have a greater chance of
achieving green objectives. For exam-
ple, another such concept that may be
in practice is divide and conquer – put
groups on the defensive and attack
one another, instead of co-operating
to achieve green goals. BB
Sonja Persram, BSc, MBA, LEED AP is
president of Sustainable Alternatives Consult-
ing Inc., providing services in developing green
building strategies, policy, regulatory issues and
markets, as well as program design and imple-
mentation. Sonja practised Shotokan karate
and other martial arts for over 15 years. Contact
sonja@sustainable-alternatives.ca
industrynews
By Sonya Persram
A helpful concept in
understanding strategic
approaches is yin-yang
– a balance between
seeming opposites.
1
Kats, Greg, Capital E, Green High
Performance Buildings: Economics,
Trends and Technologies, Presenta-
tion to Toronto Green Real Estate
Conference, March 2014, http://
www.realestateforums.com/greenref/
docs/GRE14_KEY2_Greg_Kats.pdf
2
Kok, Nils with Kahn, Matthew,
The Value of Green Labels in the
California Housing Market: An
Economic Analysis of the Impact of
Green Labeling on the Sales Price
of a Home, 2012, www.nilskok.com
3
Lipkis, Andy, Volume 2 Foreword to
Rainwater Harvesting for Drylands
and Beyond by Brad Lancaster,
July 1, 2007, www.harvesting
rainwater.com/books/volume2/
foreword-by-andy-lipkis
4
Guyatt, Danielle et al., Mercer,
Climate Change Scenarios: Impli-
cations for Strategic Asset Alloca-
tion: Public Report, 2011, www.
mercer.com/content/dam/mercer/
attachments/global/investments/
responsible-investment/Climate-
change-scenarios-Implications-for-
strategic-asset-allocation.pdf
5
Kats, Greg, op. cit.
6
Eisenberg, David and Persram,
Sonja, Code, Regulatory and
Systemic Barriers of Living Building
Projects, Cascadia Region Green
Building Council, 2009, www.
sustainable-alternatives.ca/Media_
Cascadia_Code_Report_Eisenberg
_Persram.htm
7
www.scribd.com/doc/21751294/
The-Book-of-Five-Rings, pg. 20

A
t the recent EnerQuality Inno-
vation Forum, they had a fun
Innovation Gauntlet where
six manufacturers were given ten
minutes to pitch their relatively new
ideas or products to three builder
panelists – think Dragon’s Den for
building innovation. I started think-
ing about my 30-year history with
air-to-air heat
exchangers, as they
were known back in
the ’80s, and what I
might have said to
a panel of build-
ers back then. I am
sure they would
have asked about the cost both to
buy and operate, how difficult they
would be to install, and the mainte-
nance requirements of the then-new
technology. Thirty years later, I am
pleased to say that all heat recovery
ventilator (HRV) manufacturers have
responded with excellent, reliable,
durable products that are both easier
to install and maintain, but also sig-
nificantly more cost effective. Now,
in response to the needs of high
performance homes, it’s time for
the next advances in heat or energy
recovery ventilation application.
Specifically, let’s look at the opportu-
nities for better energy performance
– sensible and latent recovery, and
electrical consumption.
Allow me to propose that in Near
Zero energy homes, the proper
approach to ventilation will be HRVs/
ERVs (energy recovery ventilators)
ducted independently from the
heating and cooling system. Heating
and cooling needs will be small and
intermittent, even localized, depend-
ing on glazing loads. Imagine heating
and cooling may be accomplished by a
variety of technologies or alternatives,
but that it will no longer be necessary
to tie the electrical consumption of the
ventilation system to the operation
of larger air handler fans, even if they
use electronically
commutated motor
(ECM) fans. Most
HRVs/ERVs have
at least two speed
settings, and are
typically designed for
continuous opera-
tion at low speed. This offers a great
opportunity for ECM-type fan motors
in the ventilation system as well, since
the difference in power consumption
of a regular permanent split capacitor
(PSC) motor and an ECM-type motor is
greater at its low speed setting than at
its high speed setting.
To see the annual energy impact
of high performance HRVs in a high
performance Near Zero energy home,
I ran a few energy simulations using
both the Natural Resources Canada
HOT2000 energy simulation software
and the REM/Rate home energy rat-
ing software developed by NORESCO
LLC for the U.S. residential market.
I used a base continuous ventilation
rate of 75 cu. ft./min (CFM) (typi-
cal for a four-bedroom house) and a
central Ontario climate zone.
I compared:
• an HRV with a sensible recovery
efficiency (SRE) of 60 per cent and
an electrical consumption of 110
watts (the specifications of an older,
traditional economy-level HRV)
ducted into an air handler with an
ECM fan motor to
• an ERV with an SRE of 75 per cent,
a total recovery efficiency of 65 per
cent and an electrical consumption
of 34 watts (such as specifications
for a high performance ERV) with its
own separate duct system.
The total annual energy consump-
tion was 1430 kWh per year less with
the high performance ERV in a very
efficient home. This reduction rep-
resented approximately 11 per cent
of the overall energy use of the high
performance home.
Of this 1430 kWh saving:
• approximately 10 per cent was due
to the improvement in SRE
• approximately 40 per cent was due
to the reduced fan power consump-
tion of the ECM fan motor
• approximately 40 per cent was
due to the reduction of electrical
consumption due to the dedicated
ducting of the ventilation system
• the final 10 per cent is attributed to
the ERV core and improved cooling
performance.
In short, the next big thing in
ventilation strategies is to reduce
fan power consumption of both the
ventilator itself and the ventilation
distribution system. Given that in
nearly all markets in Canada the price
of electricity is higher than that of
common heating fuels like natural gas
and oil, the dollar savings for clients
is even better with ECM ventilation
fan motors than improved core effi-
ciencies. Of course, we should all be
High Performance HRVs and
Controls
industryexpert
By G ord Cooke
There will be
even greater savings
by allowing owners of
high performance homes
to tailor their ventilation
needs to their lifestyle.

helping our clients choose the best of
both – better fan motors and better
core efficiencies – as they offer a great
return on investment.
In a zero energy home, where any
energy usage is to be offset by energy
generation, the 1430 kWh saved by
a high performance ERV is roughly
equal to the energy output of a 1200-
watt solar array in most regions of
Canada. At current installed prices of
approximately $3.00 to $3.50 per watt
for solar panels, the high performance
ERV ends up having an equivalent
value of over $3600.
It may be of interest that while
overall the HOT2000 and REM/Rate
software gave similar results, neither
program was able to accurately model
the latent load reductions of ERVs. In
fact, oddly, the U.S.-based software
does not recognize the improved per-
formance of ERVs in cooling mode at
all. Nor is the REM/Rate software able
to capture the savings due to dedi-
cated ventilation distribution on its
own. Although these are work around
electrical credits, they could easily be
applied against baseloads in the same
way in REM/Rate.
Finally, there are other benefits to
high performance HRVs/ERVs such
as longer lasting fan motors, quieter
operation, greater variation in speed
range from high to low and better
moisture control. With an ECM fan
motor it should be possible to provide
both a high, high speed and a low,
low speed without an energy penalty.
These benefits would help facilitate
the switch in design philosophy back
to fully ducted HRVs/ERVs.
One last but very important point,
and a hint to the focus of a future
article. We finally have the abil-
ity for simple, yet comprehensive
control capabilities that will be ever
more important in high performance
homes to meet the expectations of
consumers. I am speaking of great
wireless control technology, such
as the new ecobee3. Ecobee started
the ball rolling on the unique ability
of smart thermostats and now this
latest enhancement, the ecobee3, has
specific capabilities relevant to the
optimization of ventilation perfor-
mance and overall control in high
performance homes.
For example, most smart thermo-
stats can only accomplish a simple
ON/OFF of an HRV, whereas this con-
trol can duplicate the programmed
timing and/or intermittent control
functions that usually have to come
with the proprietary HRV manufac-
turer’s controls. Thus, while we saw
above excellent energy savings using
better ventilation fan technology,
there will be even greater savings
by allowing owners of high perfor-
mance homes to tailor their ventila-
tion needs to their lifestyle. This
new ventilation control functionality,
combined with the multiple remote
temperature sensor capability of the
ecobee3, will manage much better the
low but intermittent heating, cooling
and ventilation loads characteristic
of truly high performance homes.
Builders moving along the path of
Near Zero energy homes can welcome
the integrated functions of one true
heating, ventilation and air condition-
ing (HVAC) control to ensure their
homeowners are able to get the most
out of their new home. BB
Gord Cooke is president of Building
Knowledge Canada.
High efficiency HRVs can recover heat so that returning fresh air is 5 degrees cooler than house air. This is a necessity for Near Zero homes.
Diagram:SkylarSwinford

W
ithout a measur-
able, reliable,
easily understood
energy score, how do you
know your home is achiev-
ing its energy sustainability
targets? What’s the point
of future proofing your
home against rising energy
costs if you can’t measure
your savings? The Canadian
Residential Energy Services
Network (CRESNET) is work-
ing toward building a profes-
sional energy rating industry
in Canada that will help you
future proof your home by
promoting the use of a stan-
dardized, accredited, North
American-recognized HERS
energy score. CRESNET, a
Canadian nonprofit organi-
zation, represents, trains,
certifies and supports
energy raters in Canada.
What is the HERS index?
The HERS (Home Energy
Rating System) index is a simple to
understand score where the lower
your score, the better your energy
efficiency. A 1 per cent drop in HERS
equals a 1 per cent drop in energy
costs to run your home. As simple
as that. The HERS index is indepen-
dent of any government or utility
program, and is becoming more
and more recognized in Canada by
existing programs as a viable way of
measuring a home’s efficiency.
Steve Baden, executive director
of the American Residential Energy
Services Network (RESNET) says,
“With well over 1 million homes rated
in the U.S., the HERS index is the
industry standard by which a home’s
energy efficiency is now being mea-
sured in the U.S. and Canada. It’s also
the nationally recognized system for
inspecting and calculating a home’s
energy performance.”
Cross-Border Challenge recog-
nizes the lowest HERS scores
At the recent 2015 RESNET confer-
ence, the Cross-Border Challenge
recognized Canadian and American
builders for achieving outstanding
HERS scores. While a standard home
built to today’s local code usually runs
at about HERS 60, the winning build-
ers in several categories were able to
achieve scores as low as HERS 26 for a
custom home and HERS 47 on average
for a production builder. Remember,
a percentage drop in the HERS means
a percentage drop in annual energy
costs. These homes are running at 40
per cent of the energy costs compared
to standard new homes. HERS is the
buildernews
By P a t ri c i a D u ffy
How a Professional Energy Rating
Industry Can Help Future Proof Homes
RESNET/CRESNET Cross-
Border Challenge Award
winners (l-r): Jacob Atalla
of KM Homes, John
Godden, president of
CRESNET, and Bob Stewart
of Brookfield Homes.
Photo:Cresnet

only energy index that can
truly measure a net zero (and
better) house, and in fact
one of the winners achieved
a HERS score of -23 using
photovoltaic (PV) additions to
the home design. The nega-
tive HERS number means the
house is using less energy
than it is producing.
Spreading the word about
the HERS index
CRESNET is also working
with the Sustainable Hous-
ing Foundation (SHF) to help
spread the word about the
benefits of using the HERS
index. SHF board members
have recently attended three
Green Homes Summits put
on by the Canada Green
Building Council in Halifax,
Toronto and Edmonton. At
all three events presentations
about the Better Than Code
and Near Zero approach for
builders to achieve lower
HERS scores were very well
received. In Edmonton, John
Godden, founding SHF board
member, held a focus group
for Alberta builders interested
in learning more about how
to achieve Near Zero hous-
ing, a score of 30 on the HERS
index. The response from
builders was positive. Both
Halifax and Edmonton build-
ers are looking forward to
sponsoring a demonstration
Project FutureProof home in
their province. Work is also
underway to collaborate with
Écohabitation in Quebec to
build a Near Zero home using
the HERS index. Stay tuned.
What is next for CRESNET
and the HERS index for
Canada?
CRESNET has adopted the
industry standards cre-
ated for the large American
RESNET market and is adapt-
ing them for Canadian use,
under licence by RESNET.
CRESNET oversees the cer-
tification process in Canada
for HERS energy raters. To
become a certified HERS
energy rater you need to:
• pass the CRESNET Air
Tightness Testing course
and exam
• take the Canadian HERS
training course
• pass the Canadian HERS
exam
• undertake three addi-
tional supervised HERS
home ratings.
There are currently about
20 energy raters certified or
in the process of being certi-
fied as HERS raters, many of
whom are already certified air
tightness testers. CRESNET is
planning to increase the num-
ber of courses offered over
the next year.
In conclusion, if you
haven’t already done so, you
should have a look at how
the HERS index, and spe-
cifically the Better Than Code
approach to building new
energy-efficient homes, can
help build more sustainable
homes across Canada. Visit us
at www.betterthancode.ca. BB
Patricia Duffy is executive direc-
tor of CRESNET and the Sustain-
able Housing Foundation.
buildernews
By Patricia Duffy

sitespecific
By Mi c h a e l Wh i t e
M
erriam-Webster defines com-
fort as “a state or situation in
which you are relaxed and do
not have any physically
unpleasant feelings
caused by pain, heat,
cold, etc.” As comfort
relates to housing I
would define comfort
as “the temperature,
relative humidity (RH)
and airflow where people don’t notice
their environment.” Although comfort
can be subjective, the vast majority of
people are comfortable with tempera-
tures between 21–22ºC with an RH
between 30–50 per cent.
Whether you’re building to SB-12
requirements or one of the many high
performance housing programs, you’ll
have noticed by now that comfort
complaints aren’t going away, and in
some cases are actually on the rise.
How can this be? Houses are tighter
(fewer drafts), have higher R-values
(reduced heat loss), and more effi-
cient mechanical equipment than ever
before, yet as an industry we continue
to deal with homeowner comfort
complaints. Ironically these efficiency
improvements can lead to an increase
in those complaints. Modern condens-
ing furnaces with two-stage gas valves
and variable speed blowers, combined
with reduced heat loss through the
envelope, mean they are running less,
and often at low-fire speeds.
By default people believe exces-
sive heat loss to be the cause of their
comfort issues, where in reality it’s
usually a lack of conditioned air that
is the root of the problem. Remember,
you can keep a tent warm all winter if
you supply it with enough heat.
Duct designs combined with effec-
tive sealing of the ductwork are more
important than ever in the comfort
delivery game. We’ve
been hearing from
industry experts the
importance of duct
sealing for some time
now. It’s noteworthy
that when a heating,
ventilating and air
conditioning (HVAC) design occurs,
the designer works on the assumption
that 100 per cent of the rated airflow
actually goes where it’s supposed to.
In fact, we’ve measured duct leakage
in many homes and found typical
leakage rates of 20–30 per cent. Once
we realize that only 70 per cent of the
design airflow is going where it’s sup-
posed to, we begin to understand why
we’re dealing with so many comfort
complaints. Foil tape is the weapon of
choice for most trades, and is often
ineffective due to poor installation and
peeling tape.
In response to demand from our
builder clients, my partner and I
started a business called HomeWorks
Energy and Comfort Solutions. Often
we are contracted to simply refute a
warranty claim. For example a home-
The Comfort Conundrum
TheHealthyHomeSpecialists
BuilderServices:
• Aeroseal Duct Sealing
• Validate/Refute Homeowner comfort related complaints
• Data logging for: temperature, RH, Equipment
run times, etc.
• Chronic icicles
• Excess moisture issues
• Thermal Imaging
• Air Leakage Investigations
• Written Reports with Photos/Thermal Scans
• Recommendations for remediation
• HVAC balancing
• HRV Balancing
• Exhaust Fan performance measurement
• For homeowner/consumer services
please visit our website
905.875.4544
m.white@heandcs.ca
www.heandcs.ca
Duct designs combined
with effective sealing of
the ductwork are more
important than ever in the
comfort delivery game.

owner claims, “There is insulation
missing in the bedroom wall.” With
thermal imaging equipment, we would
either validate the claim if we found
insulation voids, or more typically
refute it with thermal scans as evi-
dence the wall is insulated. This repre-
sents a noninvasive, cost-effective way
for builders to respond to this type of
warranty claim – but it doesn’t solve
the problem. Even though we can
prove the builder is compliant with
the Ontario Building Code (OBC) and/
or high performance program, we still
have an unhappy homeowner with an
uncomfortable room.
A little over a year ago and (almost
by accident) we stumbled across an
outfit called Aeroseal – Duct Sealing
from the Inside. I’m reminded of the
old Wendy’s commercial where then-
owner Dave Thomas states while eat-
ing a hamburger, “I was so impressed,
I bought the company!” We didn’t
actually buy the company, but are an
authorized licensed dealer. Aeroseal
(aerosol injection system) reduces
duct leakage to under 5 per cent in
most cases and comes with a ten-
year written guarantee. Once you’re
actually delivering the conditioned
air to where it’s supposed to go,
most comfort issues are resolved and
balancing the system takes on a whole
new meaning. Your ability to cool the
second floor and warm the bonus
room increases exponentially once
you’re delivering 95 per cent plus of
the design airflow. For more info visit
www.heandcs.ca. BB
Michael White is a certified energy advisor
(CEA) and HERS rater, and president of
RGL Building Consultants and HomeWorks
Energy and Comfort Solutions.
sitespecific
By Michael White
photo:Homeworks
The exclusive aeroseal duct sealing system injects adhesive particles into the air duct
system. The particles attach directly to the edges of any holes and cracks, effectively
sealing without coating the inside of the ductwork.

N
et zero housing is the next chal-
lenge making its way through
the new home industry. The
zeroing of a house’s net energy con-
sumption is not a new challenge. A
number of high profile projects have
net zero as the main focus. Canada
Mortgage and Housing Corporation
(CMHC’s) EQuilibrium houses, for
instance, which were completed a num-
ber of years ago, were the first net zero
houses completed as part of a national
program. More recently, the federally
funded ecoENERGY Innovation Initia-
tive (ecoEII) project will see 25 net zero
houses built by five builders in com-
munities across Canada. buildABILITY
Corporation is the project manager
and lead consultant for this national
project awarded to Owens Corning
Canada. The five builders are: Con-
struction Voyer (Laval, Que.), Mattamy
Homes (Calgary, Alta.), Minto Commu-
nities (Ottawa, Ont.), Provident Devel-
opment Inc. (Halifax, N.S.)
and Reid’s Heritage Homes
(Guelph, Ont.).
Recently, even the Cana-
dian Home Builders’ Asso-
ciation (CHBA) has jumped
on board. The new CHBA
Net Zero Energy Housing
Council is expected to
be the clearinghouse for
national net zero activities.
According to CHBA the
council will build aware-
ness and knowledge, and accelerate
action in the adoption of voluntary net
zero housing.
Despite all of this attention, net
zero is not a clearly defined term.
Generally, a net
zero house means
a house that, over
the course of a year,
produces as much
energy through
renewable sources
as it uses. While
this concept seems
simple enough,
applying the con-
cept raises many
questions.
The International
Energy Agency (IEA)
is working on creat-
ing an overarching
net zero definition,
and has outlined a number of criteria
that a full definition should consider.
Some of the points raised by the IEA
are presented here.
The first big question to consider
is whether net zero is restricted to a
single house, or can the
concept apply to a group
of houses with shared
renewable technologies,
such as a collection of
photovoltaic panels (PVs)
or a wind turbine located
in the community park?
If so, should the energy
calculations be limited
to considering only the
loads of the houses, or
must it also consider
the lights in that park and the street
lights?
Another big question is what met-
rics are used for the net zeroing. Is it
energy, greenhouse gas emissions or
dollars? If the balance is megajoules
(MJ) of energy, is natural gas MJ the
same as electricity MJ? The home’s
electricity meter is reversed when
energy is generated by the PV panels.
However, the meter is only reversed
to 0. How can gas consumption be
zeroed against PV generation? Despite
PVs being sized to zero and the entire
energy use of the house including
natural gas, a homeowner would
only receive credit for the electricity
consumed. Is the implication that net
zero houses should only have electric
space and water heating?
If net zero houses were completely
electric, to allow homeowners to
receive full credit for the energy gen-
erated by the PVs, what would be the
implications for the grid? On a cold
January night, when PV panels are not
generating energy, and the furnaces
are drawing energy, what’s the impact
on peak electricity demand?
Net Zero Houses Raise
Many Questions
industrynews
By Mi c h a e l L i o
A family with four
teenagers, who
take long showers
and have a TV and
computer in every
room, can increase
loads significantly
compared to a
household with
two seniors.
Photo:www.shutterstock.com
Generally, a net zero house means a house that, over the
course of a year, produces as much energy through renew-
able sources as it uses.

While heating, cooling, ventilation,
water heating, and appliance loads
are typically counted as part of the
home’s energy consumption, is it rea-
sonable to also include the energy for
charging electric cars?
One of the most pressing ques-
tions is whether the net zero balance
should be as designed and simulated,
or based on how the house actually
performs once occupied.
If the net zero balance is perfor-
mance based, how could a net zero
energy balance result each year
given the year to year variability in
weather? Would the PV system need
to be sized with a built-in safety fac-
tor to account for weather variability?
If the net zero balance is per-
formance based, how are occupant
lifestyles accounted for? A family with
four teenagers, who take long showers
and have a TV and computer in every
room, can increase loads significantly
compared to a household with two
seniors. A house simulated to be net
zero using standard operating condi-
tions would consume very different
amounts of energy with these respec-
tive families.
If the net zero balance is based on
computer simulation, what assump-
tions are made? What user-based
loads are assumed? Once constructed
and occupied, will homeowners
demand actual performance be
aligned with simulated performance?
How are these houses marketed to
buyers and what implicit promises
will be made?
These are the formative years for
net zero houses in Canada. More build-
ers are experimenting with their design
and construction, and homebuyers are
becoming aware of this new option.
There are many questions that need
answers before policy is enacted and
programs are developed. For the time
being work on important demonstra-
tion projects is ongoing. The hope is
that CHBA’s Net Zero Energy Hous-
ing Council may help resolve some of
these outstanding questions. BB
Michael Lio is president and Ceara Allen is
manager, technical services, at buildABILITY
Corporation. michael@buildability.ca.
industrynews
By Michael Lio
For more information, see:
• www.zeroenergy.ca, ecoEII Owens
Corning’s Net Zero Housing
Community Project
• Criteria for Definition of Net Zero
Energy Buildings, Sartori et al,
www.archive.iea-shc.org/
publications/downloads/Task40a-
Criteria_for_Definition_of_Net_
Zero_Energy_Buildings.pdf

Features

featurestory
By A l e x Ne w m a n
S
olar architecture firm Solterre from Halifax, N.S.,
won big at the 2014 Scotiabank EcoLiving Awards.
They were intrigued by the Business Leadership
Award, which gave out a cash prize of $50,000 not
for a specific project, but for evidence of leadership
in energy-efficient and sustainable housing practices.
David Gallaugher spoke to Better Builder on behalf
of Solterre’s founders and principal architects, Jennifer
Corson and Keith Robertson, who are currently in Ghana
building a library.
“The firm has been doing solar architecture – hence
the name Solterre – for a couple of decades, starting when
energy efficiency, especially solar, was kind of experimen-
tal,” says Gallaugher, who is an architect with the firm.
“Over the years we kept doing what we do, learning as we
went, and being able to pass on that knowledge to our cli-
ents to help them make wise and cutting edge decisions.
Now the whole industry has moved where we are.”
Solterre has long incorporated good design – for both
esthetics and energy efficiency – while keeping budgets in
SolterreShape, Study and Share

mind. “Creating great green architecture that meets client’s
needs comes by understanding the particular effects of
natural resources, materials and energy on the built envi-
ronment,” Gallaugher says.
According to Solterre’s website, they aim to build “bet-
ter instead of bigger by incorporating design features that
make smaller spaces more adaptable, aesthetically pleas-
ing, economic and environmentally beneficial.”
What drives the firm’s design esthetics, Gallaugher
adds, is collaborating with clients. “The more feedback,
the better the project. We ask the clients what they want,
and though we’re not an architecture firm with a particular
style, we do have a focus – beautiful spaces with lots of
natural light that work with the seasons.”
Juggling the desire to create as much passive solar and
other energy-efficient measures as possible with budgets
can sometimes be challenging, he admits. But they work
with what is most critical to efficiency and achievable
within the budget.
So, the firm’s approach is three pronged – shape, study
Photo: Solterre

and share. They shape a project
through client collaboration, study by
technological monitoring plus client
feedback, and share by informing new
clients and colleagues.
The hot topic of energy efficiency
has led to most architectural firms
becoming green, but Solterre is ahead
of the pack because their sustain-
ability practices go back so many
years. They’ve also had the ability
to develop their ideas in the area of
solar architecture in the Maritimes
more easily than big cities in Central
and Western Canada. For one thing,
there’s less competition on the East
Coast, and with land being cheaper
there’s a bigger budget, so they can
explore green design and building.
For another, the Maritimes is consid-
ered one of Canada’s best locations
for solar projects because of the
temperate climate and significantly
higher number of sunny winter days.
To accompany their written entry
to the Business Leadership category,
Solterre included the recently built
concept house that Corson and Rob-
ertson plan for retirement and uses
several experimental new products
and practices.
“We looked at a lot
of new things, asking
ourselves how durable
it might be to incorpo-
rate recycled glass as
aggregate in concrete,
or whether it’s possible
to put a green roof on a
passive solar roof,” Gal-
laugher says. “These are
thing we’ve wanted to try
out in the past, but it’s
tougher to experiment
with a client’s project, so
trying them out on our
own project gave us a lot
of freedom.”
The $50,000 award
has enabled the firm
to monitor the house
located near Lunenburg
to see what works and what doesn’t.
The big surprise, says Gallaugher, “was
how effective the super insulation and
solar techniques work together. That
sounds like a self-evident statement,
but to witness it and live in it yourself
still shocks me. When I went up there
last March [2014], the
lights and heat were off,
and yet the thermostat
read 19°C. Jen and Keith
spend time there, and
Jen compares it to their
Halifax home, where
she has to wear a scarf,
but the cottage even in
mid-January with no
heat on has no drafts.
She says it’s hard to
come back to Halifax.”
Monitoring when no one is in the
house has revealed that indoor temps
never drop below 15°C. And on sunny
days in January, it can reach 22°C or
24°C – just through basic passive solar
principles. In 2014 the house con-
sumed just $35 of propane, Gallaugher
says. “The supplier didn’t believe us
and double checked the numbers
because they were so ridiculously low.”
The solar system is backed up by a
small woodstove, and the backup to
that backup is baseboard hot water
radiators powered by a solar hot
water system that’s backed up by a
propane boiler.
There are pros and cons to an off-
grid house, says Gallaugher. “If you’re
far away from the electrical poles of
the delivery grid, it can cost as much
as $20,000 to connect, so going off-
grid makes sense. But you can still be
connected to the grid while operating
on solar power. The benefit is if the
solar panels aren’t producing – not
enough sun to generate power – then
you can still hook in. And on sunny
days when you’re able to produce
and store power, you can sell it back
to the system, stabilizing the local
power grid and sharing your invest-
ment with neighbours.”
Recycled rainwater, collected from
two metal roofs, is used for land-
scaping – Corson and Robertson are
gradually building up gardens and an
orchard. There’s also a well dug to
ensure a full supply of water.
The slab foundation, which acts as
the cottage’s flooring, is
composed of concrete
mixed with recycled
glass. It’s beautiful –
with a diamond ground
finish – but also offers
the only recycling solu-
tion for window glass,
which can’t be recycled
because of the coat-
ings, and normally goes
straight to landfill.
Recycled glass was
also used instead of sand for the
septic field, an application which Gal-
laugher believes is the first of its kind
in Nova Scotia.
Plenty of salvaged materials were
used too. When Corson graduated as
an architect in the 1990s, she estab-
lished a salvage company in addition
to founding Solterre with Robertson
– and hosted The Resourceful Renova-
tor TV show.
The hot topic of
energy efficiency
has led to most
architectural firms
becoming green,
but Solterre is ahead
of the pack because
their sustainability
practices go back
so many years.
Solterre incorporates both passive and active solar
design strategies.
Photo:Solterre
featurestory
By Alex Newman

featurestory
By Alex Newman
A comprehensive approach to design/build using reclaimed materials,
water efficiency and supplementary heating systems.
Photos:Solterre
www.betterbuilder.ca | Issue 13 | spring 2015

“Sometimes these salvaged pieces
take quite a bit of effort to reap-
propriate,” Gallaugher says, “but
they bring so much flair and unique
character, and can really warm up a
modern space.”
The black walnut doors in the
concept house came from a Nova
Scotia estate. At 12’ high they not only
required extremely robust gliders to
hang them, but shaped the house, espe-
cially the roofline, says Gallaugher.
The kitchen is mostly salvaged
from a commercial enterprise. The
14’ stainless steel counter came out
of a convent, cabinets for the island
came from a laboratory and were
repainted, and the shower surround
was made of waste signs from a local
signage manufacturer. The sink was
repurposed from a local business,
and light fixtures were refitted to
take LED bulbs.
The exceptionally thick walls are
reinforced with wood trusses that
came from an old movie set. Corson
purchased them for $1 apiece and
held onto them for years.
Gallaugher figures about 100
tonnes of trash was redirected from
landfill into the building.
Solar architecture should not alter
anyone’s lifestyle, he says. “You just
have to be aware of how some of the
things function.”
Solterre created a manual for the
concept house, including a simple
chart that shows energy use, like how
one hour of TV is the equivalent of
microwaving a bag of popcorn. “It just
makes you a little more aware of how
much energy [you are] using,” he adds.
Scotiabank EcoLiving, a program
launched in 2010, aims to educate
Canadians on the benefits of residen-
tial energy efficiency by demonstrating
how homeowners can save money by
saving energy, reducing their impact
on climate change through energy effi-
ciency and sustainable practices. The
EcoLiving website includes a financial
calculator and information on govern-
ment rebates, which allow users to
plan and finance their projects, and
see the savings that can result from
environmentally friendly renovations.
As energy prices continue to increase
and residential energy efficiency
continues to be a factor in renovation
trends, EcoLiving is a resource that
provides users with the tools to make
informed decisions. BB
Alex Newman is a writer, editor and researcher
at www.integritycommunications.ca.
featurestory
By Alex Newman

Telephone 905-760-9894
Toll Free 1-800-465-5700
Fax 905-660-5967
Mike Martino
I am a “GOOD MAN”
MikeMartino
www.martinohvac.com
HVAC2014
We provide home comfort
solutions that exceed our
customers’ expectations
through professional design, installation, service
and use of environmentally friendly, energy efficient products.
Call us first!

A
lthough fancy features like
granite counters and double-
wide fridges still hold sway
with homebuyers, more and more are
looking carefully at the merits of good
indoor air quality and energy efficiency
when they compare homes to purchase.
That’s thanks to education, higher
utility costs, better energy-efficient
products and a desire for comfort
over fashion. Probably the number
one contributor to improved air qual-
ity is a properly sized heating, ven-
tilating and air conditioning (HVAC)
system, says Mike Martino, a heating
contractor with 30-plus years’ experi-
ence and three-time winner of the
Building Industry and Land Devel-
opment Association (BILD’s) Trade
Contractor of the Year.
“I’ve been installing furnaces – over
70,000 of them – in the GTA since
1976,” Martino says. “As a heating
contractor you calculate the size of
equipment based on heat gain and loss
equations. Right sizing was always an
interest to me, but when I started out,
builders were afraid the equipment
wouldn’t sufficiently heat a house, so
they made it larger than necessary.”
What’s changed in the intervening
30-plus years he’s been in the business
is housing envelopes have become so
much tighter and better at holding
heat, with better windows and doors,
and improved insulation. Equipment
too has radically improved.
“It was the oil crisis of the 1970s
that prompted manufacturers to
develop more efficient heating and
cooling equipment,” Martino says.
“Back then, furnaces and air condi-
tioning units were maybe 55 per cent
efficient. Today, they can be up to 98
per cent efficient with a forced air
gas furnace that’s two stage – back
then gas furnaces were single stage
– now funaces have a more efficient
electronically commutated motor
(ECM). Air conditioning now has more
environmentally friendly Freon.”
A right-sized furnace, now manda-
tory as of January 1 with the Ontario
Building Code (OBC), not only reduces
buildernews
By A l e x Ne wm a n
Mike Martino – Right Sizing Matters
Photo:HumeMediaInc.

energy consumption, but improves
indoor air quality. As Martino explains,
“An oversized furnace provides a quick
blast of heat, then shuts down once the
desired temperature is reached, wast-
ing a lot of natural gas and creating
uneven heating throughout the home.”
A right-sized furnace and its fans,
on the other hand, run more fre-
quently and consistently. “That elimi-
nates the stratification by circulating
air more frequently,” Martino says.
“The air is mixed and evened out, thus
maintaining an even temperature.”
It’s all in the design of the job, he
adds. Although energy sources other
than natural gas can be used with
a right-sized furnace, Martino has
found it’s still the most efficient for
the money.
When he started out in the 1970s
and ’80s, he sold solar systems for
Lennox and became a convert to the
notion of a reduced carbon footprint.
But most of his work now is with
forced air natural gas. “In the areas I
work, Southern Ontario outside the
GTA from Kingston to Niagara, natu-
ral gas is always available, and I’ve
found it to be the most efficient and
economical way to go.”
He has used combination heating
systems, high velocity air distribu-
tion, and even solar to heat hot water
for space heating, “but the cost and
return on investment (ROI) is not the
same as natural gas.”
But installing the right size furnace
is just part of the efficiency equation
– equally important is the system that
accompanies it. “Developing a design
will show how many runs you need,
ways to reduce the number of twists
and bends to aid good airflow, proper
gauge of sheet metal,” Martino says.
“You also have to make sure joints are
properly sealed, screwed and taped.
I’ve seen all kinds of shortcuts being
taken, which is why I always recom-
mend that homeowners have a list to
go over with their heating contractor.”
Things to insist on, for example,
would include manufacturers’ war-
ranties, quality installation, proper
sizing of gas pipe and venting mate-
rial, system balancing and an equip-
ment performance check – Martino
does a check six months after a
homeowner has moved in – and the
offer of tune-ups and preventive
maintenance to homeowners.
“Once installed the furnace system
must be properly started up and bal-
anced,” Martino says. “Balance involves
adjusting dampers and the speed of
air coming from the furnace, and this
ensures even airflow to all rooms.”
It’s also up to homeowners to con-
tinually maintain the system by doing
things like changing the furnace fil-
ters regularly. Martino’s own filtration
system, the Martino Air Guard, which
has a 5” filter capability, increases
HVAC efficiency by filtering out more
particles than a standard 1” filter,
while protecting the heat exchanger
and blower motor compartment.
Martino has found that the build-
ers he works with, with whom he’s
had long-standing relationships, are
on board with right sizing. “What’s
important for them is to have happy,
satisfied buyers. And they don’t want
maintenance issues with homeowners.
Over time they’ve come to trust our
design because it’s trouble-free. And I
don’t take shortcuts.”
Martino figures that’s one reason
he’s a three-time BILD winner – 2010,
2011 and 2014. “And I don’t take
shortcuts because I figure everyone
deserves to have the system they’re
paying for. Especially with the cost of
houses these days.” BB
buildernews
By Alex Newman

• Side discharge unit,Dettson the first HVAC
manufacturer to go the distance
• Variable speed compressor modulating
from 25 to 100%
• Quietest outdoor operation within a range
from 49 to 55dB
• Quiet air distribution; able to deliver very low
CFM air flow
• Longer operation cycles
• Ideally suited to the
multifamily market
• 95% AFUE and
above
• 10”wide x 22”tall
• Low airflow of 50
to 400 CFM for:
- Thermal comfort
- Quiet operation
• Multiposition
DETTSON,PROVIDER OF THE RIGHT-SIZED SYSTEM®
Warm air gas furnace family designed and manufactured in Canada
Can be installed in combination with our
entire Chinook gas furnace family.
Dettson is the first HVAC manufacturer offering a variable speed
system (heating and cooling) for year round comfort,our controls
also interlock with the REV or HRV. For the Energy efficient and well
insulated home builders the Right-Sized System also equates to
less call backs and lower warranty risk.
Dettson Industries is a proud member
of the Net Zero Energy Housing Council.
TF 1.800.567.2733
www.dettson.ca
Capacityoftheunit
(modulating25-100%)
0.75Ton 1Ton 1.5Ton 2Ton 2.5Ton 3Ton
Airflowcontrol(CFM) 100- 300 100-400 150-600 200-800 250-1000 300-1200
SEER(Cooling) 27 25 21 21 16 16
New products for our Right-Sized System®
OUR CHINOOK GAS FURNACE OFFERS A FULL LINE FROM 15,000 TO 120,000 BTU.
Allows the Right-Sized System®
in combination
with our Alizé cooling unit.
Ouput High Fire (100%) 14,400
Ouput Low Fire (40%) 5,760
Efficiency 0.96
Temperature Rise (˚F) 22-55 ˚F
Variable Speed Motor HP 1/3 HP
Electrical Data 120 V-60 V-Phase 1
Maximum Consumption 8.7 Amp

I
magine a home that provides as
much energy as it consumes, or
perhaps more accurately provides
as much energy savings as the cost to
operate. I’m sure by now we’ve all heard
or read something about net zero for
housing, but what does it really mean?
And are we ready as an industry to
deliver this product to market?
There is a great deal of confusion
regarding what net zero means and
how it will be defined (more on that a
bit later). What is clear is that net zero
homes are not the stuff of science fic-
tion. In a few short years the conversa-
tion has gone from futuristic thinking
to test projects coming to market.
Throughout the country leading
builders are designing, planning and
bringing net zero communities to
market. My family company, Doug
Tarry Homes, has our first net zero
home on the drawing board with a
planned construction this spring.
So what is driving the interest/
need/demand for net zero housing?
The critical driver remains the con-
cept of reducing carbon emissions to
combat the effects of climate change.
This article is far too short to debate
the existence of climate change and
its impact on society. It is clear gov-
ernments throughout the world are
taking these concerns very seriously.
Here in Ontario, our government
is looking to join Quebec and Cali-
fornia in some form of cap and trade
tax on carbon emissions. Controlling
carbon emissions has also entered
the Ontario Building Code (OBC) in
the form of goal-setting statements
about reducing carbon emissions. The
energy efficiency of the OBC is set
to rise by 15 per cent in 2017 with
the release of the next SB-12. Beyond
2017 there is ongoing debate regard-
ing whether net zero housing should
be included in the OBC to a future
date most commonly thought to be
2030. It is the intent of the provincial
government that the energy require-
ments of the OBC will continue to
increase significantly every five years.
For the record, I am a proponent
of net zero housing and the 2030
challenge. However, I have repeatedly
argued that net zero should not be
embedded in the OBC. Why? Because
to achieve net zero we will need to use
district energy, otherwise we could end
up cutting down trees to put up solar
panels. As Joni Mitchell said, “You pave
paradise, put up a parking lot.” We
could also have difficulty with meeting
the energy requirements of the hous-
ing stock. For instance, in areas where
intensification of housing is required,
there might not be enough solar space
on each roof to create enough energy
to run the home. On the other hand,
these two situations are exactly where
district energy would be required to
meet the need. Because of this, I believe
this to be a planning issue, rather than
a building code issue.
The Canadian Home Builders’ Asso-
ciation (CHBA) has created a brand
new Net Zero Energy Housing Council
to help steer the process so decisions
are made that will have experience
behind them. Doug Tarry Homes is a
founding member of this council along
with many other industry stakehold-
ers. The goal will be solutions by build-
ers for builders. We need to be very
engaged in the dialogue and have our
best experts at the table.
If net zero carbon is considered,
will it tie back into the government
implementation of a cap and trade
carbon tax? As an industry we need to
take this very seriously. If our custom-
Net Zero! Are We Ready?
fromthegroundup
By D ou g Ta rry
An artist’s conception of Doug Tarry Homes’ first net zero home, the Northgate.
Photo:DougTarryhomes

ers can’t afford to buy our
homes, it will not matter
how energy efficient they
are. On the other hand, there
is a very real possibility
that the cost of purchasing
and installing photovoltaic
(PV) solar panels on homes
to create electricity will
be revenue neutral (grid
parody) with the cost of
purchasing electricity from
the local utility by the end of
the decade. My suggestion is
for the building
industry to look
at everything we
can to reduce
our customers’
exposure to these
rising electric-
ity costs, espe-
cially the cost
of summertime
air conditioning, which is
why I have been a longtime
advocate for using low solar
glass on high solar exposure
windows. But that is a story
for another day.
So if we can’t make it to
net zero on all housing stock,
but need to continue improv-
ing housing efficiency, what
is a realistic goal? Personally,
I have been a proponent of
the goal of net zero ready for
new homes by 2030. By this
I mean that we as an indus-
try responsibly create new
homes optimized for energy
efficiency, are easy to operate
and healthy to live in. These
homes would have high-
insulated building envelopes,
very low rates of air leak-
age, right-sized mechanical
systems, make use of passive
solar gains while reducing
solar overheating on certain
exposures, and be very low
maintenance, all reducing the
carbon footprint.
As a proponent of net
zero ready housing and the
need for continual improve-
ment, I have participated
in projects ranging from
Solar Ready with National
Resources Canada (NRCan)
to the ongoing Right-Sized
Furnace project with Dettson
Industries and the Opti-
mum Basement Wall with
ROXUL Insulation. However,
I am not the only
advocate for
future proofing of
housing.
John Godden
is doing some
really great work
with his Near Zero
project, work-
ing with builders
to build homes 50 per cent
better than code. Two other
industry leaders, Building
Knowledge and Mindscape
Innovations, are working
with several of their builders
toward net zero projects.
I would be remiss if I
did not at least mention
the Holy Grail of energy
efficiency. Let’s be hon-
est. The largest problem
we face with reducing our
carbon footprint is with
older homes. It represents
the vast majority of housing
stock and has the greatest
capacity to meet the pro-
vincial goals for reducing
carbon emissions. So for all
you renovators out there,
heads up. There’s gold in
them there hills. BB
Doug Tarry Jr. is director of
marketing at Doug Tarry Homes
in St. Thomas, Ont.
fromthegroundup
By Do ug Tar r y
The largest
problem
we face with
reducing our
carbon footprint
is with
older homes.

Rosehaven Hits 100
sitespecifictoo
By A l e x Ne wm a n
O
ne of the earliest adopters
of the Home Energy Rating
System (HERS) index in deter-
mining/calculating a new home’s
energy efficiency is Rosehaven Homes.
Contracts manager Nick Sanci says
the company has “always tried stay-
ing above building standards for the
industry, and we look for new ways
to increase energy performance and
efficiency in our homes.”
For Sanci the HERS index provides
“not only inspiration, but the tools to
set higher goals for the future of our
homebuyers, especially in the area of
energy savings.”
In fact, he believes HERS has
contributed significantly to his com-
pany’s confidence as homebuilders
because of the value being offered to
purchasers, particularly in the area of
energy efficiency.
Rosehaven started using the HERS
index for its homes three years ago
because of the many attractive fea-
tures. “HERS allows the builder to be
credited for electrical loads,” Sanci
says. “It is also less expensive because
there’s no enrollment fee, and gives
the builder more options and flexibil-
ity in how to be energy
efficient. For example,
HERS factors in energy-
efficient air condition-
ing and gives credit to
energy-efficient appli-
ances.”
At Rosehaven’s
recent Kleinburg proj-
ect, Kleinburg Heritage Estates, bylaws
called for ENERGY STAR version 6,
which Sanci found expensive to com-
ply with. “ENERGY STAR is now the
minimum code requirement. Depend-
ing on what you choose from the list,
one point can sometimes cost thou-
sands. I find that the return doesn’t
justify the cost, and frankly at the end
of the day the performance for dollar
ratio isn’t close to what we’re doing
with HERS.”
Recently at the Bramrose project
in Brampton, Rosehaven built their
100th HERS-rated home. Most new
homes are at a 60 rating – Rose-
haven’s average rating is 49, roughly
18 per cent better than code. This is
a big deal, says John Godden, presi-
dent of Clearsphere. Rosehaven is an
industry leader, the first GTA builder
to adapt a HERS better than code
approach. A hundred homes means
15 per cent of their construction is
HERS rated over a ten-year period.
Rosehaven was the first builder
to use a high efficiency integrated
heating, ventilating and air condition-
ing (HVAC) system in a subdivision.
It consists of a FLOWMAX hot water
heater, an AIRMAX handler with elec-
tronically commutated motor (ECM),
and a high efficiency heat recovery
ventilator (HRV) designed as a two-
zoned system – one for the basement
and first floor and
another for the sec-
ond floor – it’s 95 per
cent efficient.
Because the
index isn’t as widely
accepted for rating
energy efficiency,
there have been chal-
lenges to get people, especially city
planners, onside. And in subdivisions
with pre-existing agreements, where
language is highly prescriptive and
leaves no room for interpretation,
HERS is not allowed at all. “It’s time to
use more performance-based language
in the code,” Sanci notes.
However, that seems to be changing.
The Ontario Building Code (OBC) refers
to HERS as an acceptable alterna-
tive to other forms of energy ratings.
And with the HERS index’s flexibility
at accepting various combinations
of energy efficiencies, Sanci believes
other builders will start to see its
value. “HERS has allowed Rosehaven
to satisfy a variety of requirements we
encounter in different municipalities.
It’s actually led to us being branded as
builders who are highly knowledgeable
about energy efficiency.”
Most new homes
are at a 60 rating –
Rosehaven’s average
rating is 49, roughly
18 per cent better
than code.
We look for new ways
to increase energy
performance and
efficiency in our
homes: Nick Sanci.
Photo:RosehavenHomes

sitespecifictoo
By Alex Newman
In fact, he’s met with municipal
planners and together they “were
able to work through why HERS is
comparable. I was given an oppor-
tunity to explain to them what good
results we have had with HERS as an
alternative rating system.”
There’s been a learning curve, for
sure, and the company has added to
its expertise along the way. “We’ve
discovered how user friendly HERS
is,” Sanci says. “And it’s allowed us
to incorporate different products
and methods into the homebuilding
process, and we’ve gained insight as to
how we measure up to other builders.”
Public education is the best way
to inform builders, municipalities
and the public about the features
of HERS. Sanci admits it’s been a
long, slow process in getting the
public “to understand and accept
energy efficiency over other upgrade
options such as granite counters and
high-end finishes. But there’s been
a growing awareness of the need for
long-term energy savings and the
cost benefits of doing so, and the
public – my buyers included – are
starting not only to accept, but to
ask for, energy efficiency.”
Sanci says part of the public educa-
tion program begins in each builder’s
sales centre. Rosehaven’s sales team
is well versed in the benefits of build-
ing with HERS, with each salesperson
capable of going through every HERS
aspect of the homes. They are also
able to provide detailed information
about the construction materials
used, and can demonstrate how those
positively affect an energy efficiency
rating and the resulting cost savings
to the homeowner.
Since 2005 Rosehaven has been rat-
ing its subdivisions. And in its build-
ing history, the company has built
more than 372 ENERGY STAR homes,
and 329 to EnerGuide. “But ENERGY
STAR no longer accurately reflects the
huge energy efficiency we offer.” BB

infographic:www.bbc.com

With residential building codes changing across Canada you need
an exterior insulated sheathing that measures up. In the move
from nominal to effective R-values, ROXUL®
COMFORTBOARD™
IS
provides a stable solution.
Vapour permeable, it dries easily even if the framing gets wet,
guarding against mould and mildew all while delivering an extra
layer of thermal protection.
DON’T JUST INSULATE, ROXULATE
roxul.com | 1-800-265-6878
Find comfort in a world of change.

www.betterbuilder.ca | Issue 13 | Spring 2015
Is your home built for better living?
Enbridge Gas Distribution’s Savings by Design program helps Ontario builders design and build
new homes with energy performance at least 25% better than the 2012 Ontario Building Code.
For you the homeowner, that means a more comfortable indoor climate, improved air quality and
reduced impact on the environment.
Be sure to ask your builder if your home is a Savings by Design home.
Learn more at
live.savingsbydesign.ca

Better Builder Magazine, Issue 13 / Spring 2015

Recommended

Recommended

More Related Content

What's hot

What's hot (19)

Viewers also liked

Viewers also liked (14)

Similar to Better Builder Magazine, Issue 13 / Spring 2015

Similar to Better Builder Magazine, Issue 13 / Spring 2015 (15)

More from Better Builder Magazine

More from Better Builder Magazine (13)

Recently uploaded

Recently uploaded (20)

Better Builder Magazine, Issue 13 / Spring 2015