Low Energy Housing in Canada

A Brief History

OPEC Oil Embargo and 2nd Oil shock

1973 OPEC Oil Embargo

Quadrupling of oil prices

1979 2nd Oil shock - Iranian Revolution

Doubling of oil prices

Shortages and Rationing in the U.S.

Immediate and tangible impacts

Housing Research in Canada

National Research Council Institute for Research in Construction (NRC IRC)

Canadian Universities and Provincial Research Councils

CMHC sponsored research carried out by private and industry laboratories

The Canadian Centre for Housing Technology (CCHT)

CCHT Test Houses today

Insulation Test Huts Saskatoon 1940’s

Saskatchewan Conservation House

1977

Key Features of Energy Efficient Homes

Super Insulated Building Envelope

Air Tight Construction

Controlled Ventilation w/ Heat Recovery

Maximize Passive Solar Gains

Established in 1981

Joint Government – Industry initiative

Objectives

To change the way Canadian housing is built

To bring these changes to the National Building Code

Builder training

Homes independently inspected and certified

Energy consumption typically 60% of conventional home

Marketing program

15,000 certified R2000 homes built

R-2000 Program

R2000 Technical Standards

Airtightness Testing

C 1996 INTERNATIONAL ECO-HOUSE INC.

(Courtesy Retrotec Inc.)

Advanced Houses Program

Advanced Houses 1991 - 1993

Targeted to use ½ the energy of an R-2000 house

Incorporated innovative and environmental benign

technologies

Use of recycled materials

50% reduction in water use

Construction waste management

Indoor air quality guidelines

Advanced houses built by teams located across Canada

Houses sold and performance monitored

Advanced House Program

Saskatchewan Advanced House

Innova Advanced House, Ontario Maison Novtec, Quebec

B.C. Advanced House

Waterloo Green Home

Super E ® Program

R-2000 technology adapted to foreign

climatic and market conditions

Energy efficiency

Environmentally beneficial

Healthy indoor environment

Building envelope durability

Condensation control

Rain penetration control

Training and technical support

Promotional activities

Canadian content

Super E ® Program

Super E active in

Japan

UK

Ireland

China

Iceland

Technical standards developed

for climates ranging from cold to

hot humid

Hundreds of homes built

Iceland

U.K.

Japan

Launched 1996

For new and existing homes

EnerGuide (ERS) is an energy rating system for houses 0 – 100 scale

The average new home would rate of 78 – 80

1981 R-2000 ERS 80 or better

Houses that produce as much energy as they consume are ERS 100

Minto Equilibrium House

2007 - CMHC Equilibrium Home Initiative

Minto Equilibrium House

50% reduction in space

and hot water energy use

Credits for reduced

electricity use

2014 Net Zero Energy

challenge launched

2012 R-2000 Standard Updated

2012 Code

15-20%

ImprovementsERS 90

ERS 86

ERS 83

ERS 80

ENERGY

STAR

R-2000

“Net-Zero

Ready”

Net Zero

The Path Forward

ERS 100The Path of Continuous Improvement

Building Codes

National Building Code with energy

efficiency requirements published 2012 –

Adopted NB 2015

(Similar to EnerGuide 80 or the 1981 R2000

energy target)

National Energy Code for Buildings

Not adopted in NB to date

Progress to Date

EnerGuide existing homes

34,036 homes/apartments

R-2000 & EnerGuide New Homes

6,298 registered

Net Zero Homes

Passive Houses

Large uptake in periods of incentive programs

Challenge Ahead

340,000 existing housing units

10% retrofits existing units (34,000)

90,000 housing units built since 1981

(2,200-3,500 new housing units/yr)

7% EE new housing units (6,300)

Challenge Ahead

Roles of a Conservation, Efficiency and

Renewables Agency

Continue the move to lower energy housing

Prepare the NB market for coming changes

Support training/ demonstration projects

Provide sound, credible advice

Low Energy Housing in Canada

A Brief History