Green Project Certification Programs
Over the years, RND has successfully completed and certified many green buildings in Ottawa.
Residential Green Homes:
- EnerGuide
- ENERGY STAR
- LEED®
- R-2000*
- Passive House
- Net Zero Energy
Commercial Green Buildings:
- Canadian Building Incentive Program (CBIP)
- LEED® Commercial Interior (CI)
Green Certification Program Links
ENERGY STAR®
ENERGY STAR qualified homes built to the ENERGY STAR for New Homes Standard are on average 20% more energy-efficient than those built to today’s minimum standards in building codes. This level of energy efficiency translates into less energy needed to operate your home and savings on your utility bills. Typical energy efficiency features in ENERGY STAR qualified homes: efficiency heating and cooling systems, a heat recovery ventilation system, walls and ceilings insulated beyond building code, high-performance ENERGY STAR windows, patio doors and skylights and a variety of ENERGY STAR products such as lighting, appliances or air conditioners.
R-2000*
The R-2000* program was created in 1981 and formalized in 1982 as a partnership between the Canadian Home Builder’s Association and Natural Resources Canada.
Simply put, R-2000* is a better home. These certified new homes are best-in-class energy-efficient homes that include:
- high insulation levels in walls, ceilings and basements;
- high-efficiency windows and doors;
- high-efficiency heating and cooling;
- whole-house ventilation;
- measures to help protect the environment
This translates into energy savings, increased comfort, and a healthier environment for the homeowner. Every R-2000* home is built to the stringent standards developed by Natural Resources Canada in coordination with key industry stakeholders.
Passive House
Passive House Canada is a national non-profit professional association advocating for the Passive House high-performance building standard. Passive House is recognized internationally as the proven best way to build for comfort, affordability and energy efficiency of residential, institutional and commercial buildings, through all stages of design, construction, and livability.
Passive House must meet the following design requirements:
- The Space Heating Energy Demand is not to exceed 15kWh/m2/per annum
- The Primary Enerygy Demand must not exceed 60kWk/m2/per annum
- Airtightness must achieve a maximum of 0.6 air changes per hour at 50 Pascals
- Thermal comfort must be met for all living areas during both winter and summer with not more than 10% of the hours in a given year over 25 degrees Celsius
Net Zero Energy
A Net Zero (NZE) home is one that is designed, modelled and constructed to produce as much energy as it comsumes on an annual basis.
- NOT NZE “as operated” – but uses assumptions for occupant consumption (Plug/occupant loads in NZE homes are between 1/2 to 2/3 of total energy use)
- The energy produced is a) generated on-site and b) renewable
- NZE can be achieved via net-metering AND/OR battery storage
- It includes all forms of energy (ie paasive and thermal) including acknowledgement of gas and electrical base loads
NZE Ready (NZEr) = A NZE home that has not yet installed the renewables
LEEP/TAP
Local Energy Efficient Partnership (LEEP) and Technology Adaptation Pilot (TAP) was launched by EnerQuality Corporation and founded by Natural Resources Canada’s Canmet ENERGY, the Ontario Power Authority (OPA), and Enbridge with support from local building association.
The objective of this is to help new home builders find product and technologies to build cost efficient homes above and beyond the current building code.
Eight local home builders including RND participated in a series of facilitated meetings during the summer of 2014 to review and select various products and technologies that will form part of a pilot. (TAP)
