Increased Interest in Zero Carbon Buildings

Published on November 27, 2018

The Zero Carbon Building (ZCB) Program from the Canada Green Building Council (CaGBC) has been in operation for one year, and has seen a significant increase in interest in those who want to become participants and achieve certification.

The most recent report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate change has spurred 10 additional participants in the ZCB program who are looking to become certified, adding to the 16 original participants of the Zero Carbon Building Pilot Program.

The first project to receive a ZCB-Design certification was an office building in Waterloo, called evolv1, which CaGBC describes as, “Canada’s first zero carbon building-design certified project.”

For this project to achieve ZCB-Design certification it means that its has both an excellent design and documentation to show that it will: have a zero carbon balance, a high efficiency energy and ventilation system, and renewable energy systems that are able to produce a minimum of 5 percent of the building’s energy usage.
 

An already existing building in Ottawa was the first project to receive a ZCB-Performance certification in Canada, and as it already had obtained LEED for Existing Buildings Gold certification, it was well equipped to transition to the energy performance standards of the ZCB program.

In addition to the ZCB Program, the CaGBC is also working on several research projects that are aiming to show zero carbon building practices as financially viable and needed in Canada’s energy and construction markets.

One of these studies involves determining the availability, training and skill requirements that are necessary in order for tradespeople to be able to construct low carbon and zero carbon buildings in Ontario.

Loweing Home Carbon Emissions

For homeowners in Ontario who are interested in lowering their own home’s carbon emissions, having a Home Energy Assessment conducted by a Registered Energy Advisor is an effective and affordable place to start.

Through the assessment an advisor can examine an entire home’s level of efficiency, which supplies them with all the information they need to provide the homeowner with a comprehensive list of energy saving solutions for them to consider - ranked in order of cost-effectiveness.

This means that by contacting Barrier Sciences Group and inviting one of our Registered Energy Advisors into your home to conduct a Home Energy Assessment, you can see exactly how effective each proposed energy saving solution will be, along with their expected savings in utility cost.

Quite often, the most cost-effective way of improving a home’s efficiency involves simple and affordable modifications, such as improving attic insulation or finding and sealing air leaks.

By improving your home’s energy efficiency, you can not only contribute towards lowering global greenhouse gas emissions, you can also see a noticeable difference in your home’s comfort level, air quality, value, and utility cost.

For both Enbridge and Union Gas customers, there are a number of home renovation rebates available, all of which a Home Energy Assessment can help you qualify for - making it even easier to see a return on your efficiency improving investments.