Canada Funds First-of-its-Kind Net Zero Energy Building

Published on January 31, 2019

The Canadian government recently announced that it will be investing $3.9 million dollars to help build the first multi-unit residential high-rise building that meets Net-Zero Energy standards.

For a building to be certified as Net-Zero, it must be able to use on-site renewable resources to generate the same amount of energy as it consumes - meaning that it must also be built to high standards for energy efficiency.

The new building will be constructed in London, Ontario, in the West 5 sustainable community, and will include a system that monitors and improves energy efficiency in the Helio building from Sifton Properties Limited.

Amarjeet Sohi, the Minister of Natural Resources, has said that this project will be used as a model for future high-rise net-zero buildings, and that the energy efficient technologies and practices they will use are creating new jobs and helping protect the environment.

According to Richard Sifton, the president of Sifton Properties, the new high-rise will be the most energy efficient building of its kind in Canada, and will be 77 percent more energy efficient than a similar high-rise that was built to Ontario Building Code.

He also mentions that the Energy Innovation Program from Natural Resources Canada has allowed them to take the project even further than they had thought possible.

The Canadian government is funding projects like this as part of Generation Energy - the government’s movement to make clean energy solutions be accepted as a necessity in Canada’s future, and not a luxury.

Using Net-Zero Energy Strategies to Improve Home Energy Efficiency

As a homeowner in Ontario, you may already be looking for ways that you can lower your home’s operational costs, so that you will have a more affordable utility bill each month. Our Registered Energy Advisors are happy to help you determine which strategies for improving your home’s energy efficiency would be the most cost-effective for you to consider, allowing you to lower your home’s energy consumption and utility costs for the lowest upfront investment.

You can schedule a time for one of our advisors to conduct an Energy Assessment of your home, providing you with a complete look at your home’s level of energy efficiency, and how it could be improved. The advisor who conducts your assessment will supply you with a list of modification or retrofit suggestions, that will make your home more affordable to operate and comfortable to live in. They will also order the list of suggestions in terms of their cost-effectiveness, and provide you with your expected energy and financial savings for each individual modification or retrofit that is suggested.

It is not uncommon for a home to be able to be made more energy efficient through simple and affordable modifications or retrofits, such as attic insulation upgrades or air sealing improvements - even in a home that was built to code in the last few years.

A Home Energy Assessment is also part of the qualification process for up to $5,000 of home renovation rebates that both Enbridge and Union Gas are offering their customers, making it even easier for you to see a return on your investments in home energy efficiency improvements.