High Performance Homes

Your home is your castle. Protect your family and realize the benefits of living in a high-performance home. Chose to build, renovate or buy high-performance.

It’s important to understand there are many benefits to be realized from building and renovating homes to a higher performance standard.

Lower energy bills – Lower energy consumption reduces your operating costs and protects you from future increases in energy prices.

Better investment – An energy-efficient home is number three of the top ten desired features for home buyers and offers better value than typical resale homes. Better built homes will also last longer, increasing your resale value.

Healthier Living – The use of heat or energy recovery ventilators is a typical feature of high-performance homes to manage fresh air in your home.  A very important feature for anyone dealing with allergies and respiratory issues.

Better Comfort – A building envelope that is more airtight and better insulated helps you stay warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer.

Reduced Environmental Impact – Energy-efficient homes use less energy, which means less greenhouse gases and negative impacts on the environment and climate change.

Check out the full listing of Vancouver renovators, builders, designers and suppliers in our online member directory, Find A Professional. You can search by area, or by name, check out images of their work, and link through to their site.

The CleanBC Better Homes and Home Renovation Rebate Programs, administered by BC Hydro, FortisBC and the Province of BC, provides rebates for improving your home’s energy efficiency through select upgrades.

High performance homes are built to standards above the basic BC Building Code. The BC Energy Step Code is a provincial regulation that consists of a series of steps above basic code, representing increasing levels of energy efficiency performance in homes. The metrics vary by climate zone, and measure a building’s airtightness, heating needs, and mechanical system efficiency.

EXPERT ADVICE

Look for the label. An EnerGuide* label on your home provides details about your home’s energy performance, including how much energy is used for heating, cooling, ventilation, etc. An EnerGuide* label means your home has been third-party verified by an energy advisor registered with Natural Resources Canada. CHBA BC is a service organization licensed by Natural Resources Canada, and delivers EnerGuide*, ENERGY STAR®, R-2000*, and the CHBA Net Zero Home Labelling Program.

NET ZERO HOMES

Net Zero Homes in Vancouver are revolutionizing the way we approach sustainable living. Vancouver, known for its commitment to environmental consciousness, is at the forefront of this movement. These homes are designed to produce as much energy as they consume, resulting in a net-zero carbon footprint.

One of the key features of Net Zero Homes in Vancouver is their advanced insulation and airtight construction. This ensures minimal heat loss during winter months and prevents overheating in the summer. The utilization of high-quality, energy-efficient windows further enhances the home’s thermal performance.

Solar panels adorn the rooftops of these eco-friendly residences, harnessing the abundant sunlight Vancouver receives. These panels generate clean, renewable energy, significantly reducing reliance on the grid. Moreover, any surplus energy produced is fed back into the grid, allowing homeowners to earn credits.

Incorporating cutting-edge HVAC systems is another hallmark of Net Zero Homes. These systems employ heat recovery ventilators and energy-efficient heat pumps to maintain optimal indoor air quality and temperature. Smart thermostats and lighting controls further optimize energy usage, adapting to the inhabitants’ preferences and habits.

The materials used in constructing Net Zero Homes are carefully selected for their low environmental impact. From sustainably sourced lumber to recycled steel, elements are often  chosen to minimize the ecological footprint of the construction process.

These homes also promote a healthier lifestyle for residents. They incorporate natural ventilation strategies, ensuring a constant supply of fresh air, and use non-toxic materials to maintain indoor air quality.

Net Zero Homes in Vancouver show that it is possible to live comfortably while treading lightly on the planet. With Vancouver leading the way, these homes represent a model for sustainable urban development worldwide.

Passive House Canada offers information on passive house design, building and certification.

The HAVAN Awards showcase the best in new-home construction, renovation and design in Metro Vancouver, including homes that are built to higher energy performance standards. Take a look through the gallery of finalists and award winners to see what is possible when you choose to build, renovate or buy high-performance homes.

JDL Homes – High Performance Builder

High performance homes do not have to be more expensive than a regular home, rather we must learn to re-allocate finances. Build a home to last a couple of hundred years and leave a legacy. Interior cosmetic changes are easier to make down the line.

Take time to contemplate one of your biggest financial investments, your home.  Prioritize your choice for the safety, health, investment, and lifestyle benefits of your home.

To learn more about building a high performance home, listen to Doug Langford of JDL Homes share insight on episode #5 The High Life, of HAVAN’s podcast Measure Twice, Cut Once with co-hosts Mike and Jennifer-Lee.

Passive Homes are built to the highest building standards resulting in a potential to use up to 90% less energy than a typical house.  Discover the full list of benefits at Passive House Canada including energy efficiency,  comfort and environmental impact.

Nick Bray Architecture

Passive house building standards should be treated like the building code. It is the standard to which we design but we don’t let it dictate the architectural quality of what we are designing. 

A passive home has the potential to use up to 90% less energy than a typical house creating a huge reduction in energy bills. More importantly the impact on the environment is reduction in CO2 emissions and helping to tackle global warming.

The five principles of passive homes are: insulation, air tightness, high performance glazing (windows), thermal bridge-free construction (eliminating heat transfer in and out of the building envelope) and high efficiency heat recovery ventilation systems for constant fresh air. Nick Bray, Nick Bray Architecture.

Harmony Sense Interiors

A passive house is an investment in your lifestyle. Like eating organic food, passive homes cost a little bit more, but you can live in a more harmonious state with air tightness, sound control and      fresh air. Lucila Diaz, Harmony Sense Interiors

To learn more about Passive Homes, check out Nick Bray and Lucila Diaz on HAVAN’s podcast Measure Twice, Cut Once: Season 2 Episode #14 Passive Passion.