EnerGuide for New Homes
What is the EnerGuide Rating Service?An EnerGuide rating is a standard measure of your home's performance. If you’ve bought a new fridge, washing machine or other major appliance lately, you’ve probably noticed it has an EnerGuide label, which indicates the appliance’s average annual energy consumption. An EnerGuide rating service is also available for people building new houses in Canada. It shows you (and future buyers) exactly how energy efficient your new home will be, on a 1 to 100 scale, and allows you to compare its energy performance with other rated houses of the same size. It also gives the builder the opportunity to show his commitment to building more energy efficient homes, as it's evaluated through third-party validation. Click here to see an EnerGuide label for new homes. What does the EnerGuide rating mean?The EnerGuide rating scale ranges from 0 to 100 and signifies how energy efficient a home is. A rating of 0 represents a home with major air leakage, no insulation and extremely high energy consumption. A 100 rating signifies a house that is airtight, well insulated and ventilated and is powered by renewable energy sources such as wind, solar or geothermal. A typical home built to code can expect to reach an EnerGuide rating of 72. To be eligible for the Government of Alberta rebate for energy efficient new homes, 80 is the minimum required. Here is a typical EnerGuide rating chart for a new home: 
Why is this important?An EnerGuide plan evaluation can help you build the most energy-efficient and comfortable home possible and thus perhaps reduce your heating bills by 30 per cent or more per year for as long as you own the home. It’s also much easier and more cost effective to make your home energy efficient when it’s being built rather than during later renovations. This is particularly true for properly insulating and air sealing your house – a relatively straightforward procedure during construction but an often complex, messy and expensive job after the fact. It’s also much easier to install the right piping and venting for such things as a high-efficiency furnace and a tankless water heater during construction than as a retrofit. Even if you’re thinking of incorporating renewable energy, such as solar power, at a later date, it might make sense to rough in some of its infrastructure when the house is being built. What's in it for you?Do it right the first time. Build the best product on the market - one that's as energy efficient as possible to keep your energy bills under control for years to come. In 2009, a new house built in Alberta to an EnerGuide rating of 86 will reduce its energy consumption on average by 97.5 Gigajoules (GJ), natural gas and electricity combined, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 3.45 tonnes each year when compared to the industry average of EnerGuide 71. Based on highest rate fuel cost to date of $9.90/GJ, it would save $965.25 per year! 
How does the EnerGuide Rating Service work?Offered through Natural Resources Canada’s (NRCan) Office of Energy Efficiency, the rating service begins before you start building your house. To begin the process, you need to contact a licensed service organization (see details in the last question below) which will send a certified energy advisor to assess your plans, and, working with your builder, can develop a report that recommends energy-saving upgrades; your builder will provide a cost estimate for the upgrades. Once construction is complete, the energy advisor verifies whatever upgrades have been made and the service organization provides an EnerGuide rating for the house, with an official label, detailing the rating, attached to the furnace or electrical box. Please be advised that the EnerGuide Rating must be completed within 6 months of your home’s completion. What is involved in the initial assessment of my house plans?Reviewing data from your blueprints, the EnerGuide certified energy advisor will address such things as:
After using NRCan computer software to model different options, the advisor will then suggest specific ways to improve the energy efficiency of things like the furnace, windows and doors, as well as to increase insulation levels and the building’s air tightness and ventilation. The idea is to address all these components as part of an integrated system so as to maximize energy efficiency and indoor comfort. What happens after the accepted energy upgrades have been incorporated and the house has been built?Once the house is completed, the certified energy advisor verifies the energy upgrades and conducts a blower door test, which measures the home’s rate of air leakage. The service organization then prepares a homeowner's report, which includes the home’s EnerGuide rating, a breakdown of the estimated amount of annual energy used for space heating, lighting and appliances, and recommendations for maintaining the home’s energy efficiency. What does 'building science' mean?A house is made up of components that work together to form an integrated system. The performance of one component depends on its relationship with other components in the same system. A home's ventilation and heating components, construction materials, their assembly and the behaviour of occupants all interact - a change to one affects all others. Changing one component of a house without considering how it influences other components and the entire house system can waste energy and money and could cause damage to the house. Please note, simply adding a few of the features listed here to your home does not guarantee the same results; every home is different. What kind of reduction in greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) can I expect if I approve at least some of the advisor's recommended energy-efficiency upgrades?According to NRCan, a house built to an EnerGuide rating of 72 would produce about 1.1 fewer tonnes of GHGs per year than a typical new house of similar size built to minimum building code standards, with a rating of about 68. The higher your rating, the more your GHGs will fall. What kinds of new homes are covered by the EnerGuide rating service?Some new home builders who construct entire subdivisions now offer one or more energy upgrade packages, prepared in consultation with an EnerGuide certified energy advisor. Those planning to build one-of-a-kind homes can also obtain the services of an energy advisor. How much does the EnerGuide rating service cost?The service is estimated to cost at least $350, though some regional differences may apply. To obtain a quote, contact a licensed service organization. What expertise do EnerGuide advisors have?EnerGuide certified energy advisors are independent experts in home energy efficiency and are affiliated with licensed service organizations that work with NRCan to deliver the rating service. Consisting of building engineers, architects, home inspectors and building and renovation professionals, they are certified, and monitored, by NRCan. Where can I find advisors in my area?Click here to see Natural Resources Canada's list of service organizations. |
