R-2000/EnerGuide

Energy-efficient new homes Comfort and savings come from planning ahead

By Sherry Donovan BA) various programs offer you peace of NSHBA mind that the home you are moving into has been tested and documented based Shiny fixtures. Pretty colours. Spacious on predetermined criteria. rooms. Beautiful floor plans and finishes With an R-2000 home there are specifare what we typically remember as we ic requirements that must be met in order walk through the rooms of a home, but for the house to receive certification, inthat’s like the icing on the cake. cluding the use of certain products and a

Instead, it’s planning what is inside minimum energy rating, to name a few of the walls and how the home is built, the items. R-2000 homes can only be built where significant time and attention to by certified R-2000 builders and require detail should be spent in the earlier stagthe builder to take mandatory training es of new home construction. It may not and renewal courses. Furthermore, each be pretty, you may not even see it once house must be tested at the pre-drywall the finished walls are completed, but you stage and upon completion in order to certainly will feel it – especially in terms determine whether it passes or fails. of comfort and ease on your pocket book A minimum rating of 86 is required when it comes to energy savings. on the EnerGuide scale according to the

Have you considered the benefits of latest R-2000 standards, which allows the choosing an R-2000 home or an EnerGuide homes to be eligible for enrolment in the rated home? Registering with the Nova Efficiency Nova Scotia’s Performance Plus Scotia Home Builders’ Association’s (NSHprogram. 2373 NSHBA_Directory Ad.pdf 1 12-02-16 9:31 AM

EnerGuide rated homes offer homeowners the opportunity to receive an energy rating for their new home based on a 0-100 scale. The building code in Nova Scotia indicates that all new homes must meet a minimum rating of 80. Many homeowners and builders strive to reach higher numbers, which allows them to realize greater ongoing energy savings.

In addition to the energy savings, homeowners are also able to enroll in the Performance Plus program and potentially receive rebates based on their rating and specific criteria.

Energy efficiency should be a priority in your new home. Phone the NSHBA at 450-5554 / 1-800-668-2001 or visit our new office location at 124 Chain Lake Drive in Bayers Lake. For additional information on Efficiency Nova Scotia’s Performance Plus program and specific requirements, visit www.efficiencyns.ca.