Ontario Home Builder - Summer 2017 by Ontario Home Builder

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The official publication of the Ontario Home Builders’ Association SUMMER 2017 | Vol. 33 Issue 4

Quality

editor

Reliability

Ted McIntyre ted@laureloak.ca

Va lue

Norma Kimmins, OHBA

associate editor

art director

FIND OUT MORE

Erik Mohr graphic designer

Ian Sullivan Cant graphic design intern Mantej Rakhra copy editor

Barbara Chambers contributors

Michael Collins-Williams, Avi Friedman, Tracy Hanes, Marc Huminilowycz, Dan O’Reilly, Philip Porado, Joe Vaccaro, Mark Wessel Cover photography

Mike Watier advertising sales

Tricia Beaudoin, ext. 223 tricia@laureloak.ca Cindy Kaye, ext. 232 cindy@laureloak.ca publisher

Sheryl Humphreys, ext. 245 sheryl@laureloak.ca PRESIDENT

Wayne Narciso Published by

Laurel Oak Publishing laureloak.ca

ohba.ca Ontario Home Builder is published six times per year (Winter, Spring, Renovation, Summer, Fall, Awards). All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without the written consent of the publisher © 2017.

WWW.TRISTUCCO.COM | TEL: 905-855-0173 | INFO@TRISTUCCO.COM Tristucco_02.indd 1

For address corrections please email info@laureloak.ca or phone: (905) 333-9432.

2016-02-25 11:12 AM

Single copy price is $5.00. Subscription Rates: Canada $12.95 + HST per year, USA $29.95 USD.

Order online at http://ohba.ca/subscribe-or-buy-past-issues CANADIAN PUBLICATION MAIL AGREEMENT NO. 42011539 ISSN No. 1182-1345

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Contents

71 32 Shrinking the Carbon Footprint

Celebrating Ontario’s legacy of energy-efficient construction

38 House of Cards From volatile weather to affordability concerns, nearfuture challenges are piling up for builders

49 Hot Take

Do geothermal systems have a future? Here’s all the dirt on the underground movement

56 Thinking Green

Technology is helping propel the rise of environmentally friendly products

9 One Voice OHBA’s new Climate Change Council will provide members with invaluable assistance

Let’s clear the air

Examining the challenges and success stories as Ontario home builders prepare for a more environmentally friendly future

ohba.ca

11 Ontario Report The stage is set for OHBA’s Annual Conference and Awards of Distinction in Niagara Falls, learning lessons in Sweden, Ontario Housing Summit brings together industry leaders 19 Frame of Mind Is evolving architecture sacrificing our traditions?

64 64 Stock Options

Mandating more energyefficient new builds is fine, but are we missing the boat in retrofitting existing homes?

21 Inside Storey Understanding the wise— and not-so-wise—ways to pitch energy efficiency to homebuyers 25 Top Shelf Our look at the latest in builder and renovator gear includes a shower Choreograph, a hybrid electric water heater, a Canadian-made outdoor flooring success story, ‘grate’ developments in plastic trench drains and a pickup that’s in it for the long haul

71 Better Building The smog-reducing Vertical Forest, why aren’t developers building low-carbon homes? A Paradigm shift in Vancouver, training for a unique paint application, DuPont rightsizing its flashing systems and more 79 Product Focus The eyes have it when it comes to these curb appeal products 86 Words to Build By Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX and Tesla Motors ontario home builder Summer 2017

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One Voice

Creating Opportunities for Success OHBA’s new Climate Change Council is primed to help By J o e Vacc a r o

Ten years ago we produced a special “Green” edition of Ontario Home Builder magazine that examined the challenges and opportunities new-home builders and renovators encountered in their quest to build cleaner, greener, more energy-efficient homes and communities. There were plenty of references to Kermit the frog and how ‘it’s not easy being green’ in that 2007 issue. We featured stories on eco-friendly products, how to market energy efficiency to customers and showcased three Ontario design-build demonstration projects that first introduced the concept of Net Zero housing, as well as sustainable urbanism and an existing home retrofit. When I re-read some of those decade-old articles, I was struck by the trailblazing and innovative efforts of so many in our industry who were eager to lead the charge to build ‘green.’ That enthusiastic, pioneering commitment to evolve and innovate has endured. Welcome to OHB’s Climate Change issue, where we explore and ohba.ca

The world is moving forward to fight climate change. OHBA and its members are too. report on some of the key issues and strategies that will ensure our industry continues to demonstrate positive, effective leadership in the spheres of energy-efficiency and sustainability. Whether it’s embracing geothermal technology (p. 47), investigating how to successfully retrofit almost 5 million existing homes in Ontario (p. 62) or musing about where the industry will be a decade or more from now (p. 36), this issue recognizes the key role our industry can and will play in mitigating the potential consequences of climate change.

OHBA realizes that we are in a unique position to support and equip builders and renovators to get ahead in their climate change efforts. To that end, we have initiated the OHBA Climate Change Council. Why? So that you can inform your customers of cuttingedge technology, products, programs and services that will reduce the environmental footprint in a home. Our inaugural council meeting was held in early June in a webinar format to maximize participation across the province. Geared to our renovator members, council participants learned details of Enbridge’s Home Energy Conservation (HEC) rebate program, while Home Inspectors Group addressed the energy audit process and Great Northern Insulation provided insight into building-envelope products and services to increase the energy-efficiency, comfort and structural durability of a home. The game plan for the Climate Change Council is to host a series of events, primarily via webinar, to hear from industry experts on how builders, renovators and land developers can stay informed and equipped to effectively diminish the effects of climate change on communities in which they work. Last year, Natural Resources Canada announced that housing accounts for 15% of the country’s greenhouse gas emissions and the Ontario government released its Five Year Climate Change Action Plan. And despite American President Donald Trump’s decision to pull the USA out of the 190-country Paris Accord, the world is moving forward to fight climate change. OHBA and its members are too—always looking for ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions as we transition to a low-carbon economy. I can’t wait to read about the strides we’ve made—and the ones we will—in another 10 years. OHB

joe vaccaro is the CEO of the ontario home builders’ association

ontario home builder Summer 2017

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Ontario Report

Highlights include: Business Sessions Expect insightful, interesting and engaging business sessions, including a new installment in the Climate Change Council series moderated by Andrew Oding of Building Knowledge Canada, an in-depth look at modern architectural influence in housing with award-winning architect Christopher Simmonds, tips for managing your brand online with Tim Bailey of Avid Ratings Canada, Tarion updates and much more. We’ll also be welcoming back design maven Ramsin Khachi. The keynote speaker on Monday, Sept. 25 is the inspiring and resilient Sarah Wells, Olympic hurdler and three-time national champion. Check the conference website for details and regular updates.

Opening Night Reception

BET YOU’LL HAVE A GREAT TIME IN NIAGARA the stage is set for the 2017 Annual Conference We’ve hit the jackpot and are going back to the Fallsview Casino Resort for OHBA’s Annual Conference September 24-26. OHBA members from across the province can bank on enjoying three full days of activities, helpful business sessions and evening celebrations. The OHBA Trade Show will also be back this year—bigger and better— and featuring innovative industry products and services that can help your business. The conference offers a great opportunity to celebrate successes, share ideas, learn about new programs and products, and network with your industry colleagues from across the province. ohba.ca

Our host, the Niagara HBA, will show you why Niagara Falls was voted the Eighth Natural Wonder of the World last year. In addition to great food, music and lots of laughs, the event will be topped off with an experience you won’t soon forget.

Awards of Distinction 2017 The much-anticipated Awards of Distinction will be held the evening of Tuesday, Sept. 26. Remember to vote for the OHBA People’s Choice Awards, which opens on Aug. 15 at ohbaAod.ca . Seating for the gala event is limited, so book your tables early so you can be on hand to cheer on the winners!

President’s Gala On Monday, Sept. 25, OHBA will welcome our 51st provincial association president, Pierre Dufresne of the Greater Ottawa HBA.

Additional Activities We have organized several additional social and networking activities for Tuesday, Sept. 26. Conference delegates can enjoy a lunch/ spa afternoon at the Pillar and Post Inn and Spa or a lunch/winery/brewery tour at Niagara College’s Benchmark Restaurant or, new this year, a 12-hole golf tournament at the Grand Niagara Golf Course. Registration is now open, so take advantage of early-bird rates and sign up before September 1 at conference.ohba.ca.

ontario home builder Summer 2017

Ontario Report

Clockwise from top left: OHBA’s International Housing Study Tour visits the Stockholm Royal Seaport; OHBA President Neil Rodgers and 1st V.P. Pierre Dufresne are joined by the Canadian Ambassador to Sweden, Heather Grant; an eight-storey Cross Laminate Timber building by Folkhem in Stockholm clad in Canadian Cedar; and a small scale 25 sq. m. panelized home at the Nybygget housing exhibition in Stockholm.

OHBA’s International Housing Tour Things are looking up in Sweden Twenty members from OHBA racked up some major air miles points while on a late spring International Housing Study Tour to Sweden organized by the provincial association. Visiting the cities of Stockholm and Göteborg, the tour had a strong focus on energy use and sustainable building practices, as well as tall-wood construction. While Sweden is a nation very distant from Ontario (almost 13,000 km, return-trip), we share a very similar climate, and tour participants enjoyed the four-day professional development opportunity to learn about housing, energy-efficiency and innovative construction practices in this fascinating Scandinavian country. The tour kicked off in Stockholm with an excursion to the suburbs to visit a small housing exhibition of panelized homes from various manufacturers, including micro prefab homes as small as 25 square metres that could easily be incorporated as a laneway or granny suite. OHBA 12

ontario home builder Summer 2017

was then joined by the Canadian Ambassador to Sweden, Heather Grant, for a tour of one of the largest urban redevelopment projects in Europe, the Stockholm Royal Seaport, which, when complete, will include 12,000 new homes and 35,000 workplaces in one of Stockholm’s premier locations. The project, which features the remediation of a former industrial site, selfgenerated renewable energy and an underground vacuum disposal system (VDS), was selected by the Clinton Climate Initiative for its new climatepositive development program. Tour participants were wowed by the broad range of midrise architecture, green infrastructure incorporated throughout the development and the strong partnership between the public and private sector to realize a common vision. Next, the tour focused on tall wood construction with a presentation by Lars Johansson of AIX

Architects and a visit to tour an eight-storey, cross-laminate, timber-frame midrise building by Folkhem. Folkhem plans to build even taller versions in Stockholm over the next couple of years, reaching to 22 storeys high. The trip ended in Göteborg on Sweden’s west coast, with a tour of the Rivercity redevelopment project that also featured a number of tall, woodframe midrise buildings, as well as a visit to the Derome prefabrication housing production plant that constructs panelized components for both lowrise and midrise housing. The Swedish housing tour provided participants with a great firsthand look at the potential of tall wood construction and innovation and advancements in the spheres of sustainability and energy use. OHBA thanks our sponsors, EnerQuality and the Canadian Wood Council, for supporting this International Housing and Study tour. ohba.ca

Photo: courtesy of Mike Collins-Williams, Sajida Jiwani

By Mike Collins-Williams

Alex Leveson Photography, Ping Louch Architecture & Design

Ontario Report

Ontario Finance Minister Charles Sousa in discussion with TVO’s Steve Paikin.

ontario Housing summit On June 13, OHBA co-hosted the Ontario Housing Summit in Toronto with the Ontario Real Estate Association (OREA) and the Federation of Rental-Housing Providers of Ontario (FRPO), bringing together a cross-section of housing industry experts, as well as members of provincial parliament and government, public policymakers, other business associations, academia and targeted media in a day full of discussions about the issues facing Ontario’s housing market. Topics included Ontario’s Fair Housing Plan, rent control, millennials

and home ownership, the Growth Plan and how politics and planning will be impacted by the OMB overhaul. Perspectives on these issues were sought from a variety of thought leaders, including the Neptis Foundation, Ryerson City Building Institute, Malone Given Parsons, the Toronto Real Estate Board, the CD Howe Institute, Urbanation and many more. The Summit hosted Ontario Finance Minister Charles Sousa for a “fireside chat” with TVO’s Steve Paikin for his perspectives on the housing market and recent provincial initiatives designed to cool the market.

MOL Safety Blitzes

The three associations joined forces for this event in order to ensure that greater housing supply and home affordability are priorities for all three political parties in the upcoming 2018 election. All three associations agree about the need to increase the supply and choice of housing in the province by streamlining the building approvals process and reducing red tape, which is preventing new homes and rental units from coming to market. The Summit was also the stage for the release of new Ipsos polling data about Ontarian’s sentiment towards housing affordability. The poll results showed that more than 85% of Ontarians agreed that Ontario political parties should address home affordability in their 2018 election platforms, and more than 75% of Millennials polled say that they would be more likely to vote for a party whose platform promotes home affordability. Furthermore, 63% of Ontarians agreed the provincial government needs to encourage more housing supply by reducing regulation in order to provide affordable housing options for more Ontarians. The Housing Summit represents the type of collaborative forum OHBA has been calling on the government to lead in pursuit of broader, more comprehensive discussion about increasing housing supply and improved home affordability.

The Ontario Ministry of Labour has announced inspection blitzes and initiatives designed to raise awareness and increase compliance with health and safety regulations. Construction sector blitzes and initiatives are as follows:

BLITZES

INITIATIVES

Supervisor awareness and accountability:

Noise:

June 1 – July 31

April 1, 2017 – March 31, 2018

Residential Projects:

“Struck by” Hazards:

September 1 – November 30

May 1, 2017 – March 31, 2018

Falls – Ladder Safety:

Fall protection:

October 2 – November 24

May 1, 2017 – March 31, 2018

ontario home builder Summer 2017

Blitzes are announced in advance and results are reported after they are completed. The ministry will also track each sector to determine if there are long-lasting increases in compliance and decreases in injuries.

ohba.ca

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OHBA Members of CHBA Board Congratulations to the nine OHBA members who were elected to serve in various leadership roles at the Canadian Home Builders’ Association’s annual conference held this spring in St. John’s, Newfoundland. Ontario members of the 2017-2018 CHBA Board of Directors:

Current Energy Star is Comparable to OBC

John Meinen, 2nd Vice President

Did you know that if you enrol in Energy Star Version 12 before August 31, 2017, you are building comparable to the Ontario Building Code (OBC) A6 package? If you spend $150 more, you can achieve Energy Star standard on your new builds. Once you enrol, you have until August 31, 2019 to complete the builds and label your homes. Energy Star Version 17.0 was released earlier this year, and the energy target and builder option packages for Ontario were updated, but it won’t take effect until September 1.

Bob Finnigan, Past President

Energy Star provides the following benefits:

Neil RoDgers, Provincial HBA Representative

Eric DenOuden, President (Quinte) Stefanie Coleman-DiaS, 2nd Vice President (St. Thomas and Elgin) (Stratford and Area)

(Durham Region)

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Darren Steedman, Local HBA Representative – Large (BILD)

Brandon Campbell, Local HBA Representative – Medium (Hamilton-Halton)

Jamie Adam, Chair, Canadian

Renovators’ Council (Waterloo Region)

Russell Ibbotson, Chair, Canadian Manufacturers’ Council (BILD)

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For further information on this rare Energy Star enrollment opportunity, please contact Shannon Bertuzzi , V.P. of Market Development for EnerQuality, at (416) 447-0077 or at shannon@enerquality.ca.

OHBA Annual Meeting of Members

The Ontario Home Builders’ Association will hold its Annual Meeting of Members at its Annual Conference as follows: Date: Monday, September 25, 2017

Awards of Distinction 2017 Gala Join us at the amazing Fallsview Casino Resort in Niagara Falls on Tues. Sept. 26 at the Awards of Distinction’s glittering gala announcing the winners of this year’s awards. Back by popular demand, funny-man James Cunningham, host of TV’s Eat Street, will once again emcee this prestigious event, so you can expect lots of laughter. Seating capacity is limited at this venue, so don’t be disappointed—get your friends and colleagues together and book your tables early! Register at ohbaconference.ca. 16

ontario home builder Summer 2017

Time: 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Location:

Niagara Falls Casino Resort 6380 Fallsview Blvd, Niagara Falls, Ontario Grand Hall C/D All OHBA members in good standing are invited to attend.

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Frame of Mind

fading of tradition New homes are keeping a foot in the past...barely By Av i F r i e d m a n

attachment to an object is a human trait. Many hesitate to place Granny’s old chair on the curb for garbage pick-up. Much like an old family photo album, it is a link to the past. The same can be said about our homes. We warmly embrace new ideas, but nevertheless keep an eye on the past. Since the end of World War II and the birth of suburbia, housing design has continuously evolved. The introduction of single-family homes not only rewrote the rules of how houses should look and be used, but altered the emotional attachment to our place of living. In years prior, most people were apartment renters who had little say in the design of their units. Having a home of one’s own unleashed the freedom to have a personal imprint on the form and feel of one’s domestic environment. So what has changed and what hasn’t? Pass a home or an apartment doorstep and enter the foyer. Homeowners have ohba.ca

always known that first impression counts. The wealthy wanted to draw a “wow” from their visitors with doublefloor heights and a hanging chandelier. Fast forward to our current times: Designers of new homes have kept the grand elements, but in track developments, the space has gotten sized down. The need to lower costs has assigned to the place a utilitarian role, while keeping a touch of luxury with, for example, a special light fixture, a bench, attractive flooring and a large mirror. Now that you are in, you will probably spot the living room first, assuming there is one. Once known as the salon, parlour, sitting or front room, it was traditionally the place where families entertained their visitors and impressed them by displaying a piano, paintings, rugs and silverware. The furniture was arranged around a fireplace. While the living rooms of today are still designed as a showpiece, we live there differently.

For the most part, old-style formality when meeting friends at home has disappeared. For family members, even guests, the space has become a place to gather in a separate, virtual sphere—in front of a big-screen television or a personal tablet. The kitchen, as noted in OHB’s Reno edition, has changed more than any other space in the home. New social attitudes, innovative technologies and savvy marketing has made homeowners invest handsomely in that space. The openplan concept fused the kitchen, dining and living rooms into one area. Once the kitchen became public, it morphed from a utilitarian space into a showpiece. Slicker appliances, attractive surfaces and hard flooring elevated the its visual appeal. In addition to meal preparation, other activities began to take place there, from reading and meeting friends to paying bills and doing homework. Clever marketing and consumer demand have transformed the bathroom as well. This once-humble place now boasts a veritable spa of appliances: a whirlpool bath, multi-jet shower, silent-flush toilet and double-sink counter with a row of theatre-style makeup lights in an Italian-tiled paradise. And the main bathroom is just one of many; a powder room on each level and an ensuite bathroom off the master bedroom complete the picture. Old-time essentials were kept but are now presented in costly wrapping. It is unlikely that changes to our residence will slow down any time soon. The media will continue to bring to our doorstep images of other people’s homes, cool furnishing and must-have gadgets. The growing number of retiring boomers have plans of their own, with conversion of departing offspring’s bedrooms to hobby spaces and kitchens in which to cook gourmet dinners. Blame it on necessity or plain consumerism—our domestic environment will continue to be in constant flux while, yes, hanging by a thread to the past. OHB Dr. Avi Friedman teaches architecture at McGill University. He can be reached at avi.friedman@mcgill.ca. ontario home builder Summer 2017

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Inside Storey still buy for the same reasons and that builders will have to struggle to differentiate themselves. Many will have good floor plans and nice school districts and similar pricing—so how will you get the single buyer to choose you over another? That’s where the emotional side of highperformance homes comes into play: the added comfort, the quality of Energy Star homes, the fact that they waste less. So we have to guard against complacency?

There are builders, like other product manufacturers, who understand that if you are not careful during your busy times in maintaining high performance—if you are caught up in getting homes finished and sales done—you run the risk of pushing out products that are not of good quality. And then you’ll spend years trying to rebuild your reputation and legacy.

Green is the New Black You need to know how to pitch energy efficiency before you can profit from it By Ted McIntyre with Andy Oding, G.M. / Director of Building Science, Building Knowledge Canada

Many home builders are attempting to stay ahead of the curve—or at least the code—when it comes to constructing energy-efficient homes, particularly in light of the Ontario government’s Net-Zero-Ready standard slated for 2030. But selling the merits of ‘greener’ practices is not always easy when many prospective purchasers don’t see the value in shelling out extra bucks for more efficient windows and lower energy costs. That’s where Andy Oding comes in. General Manager and Director of Building Sciencewith Building Knowledge Canada, and Chair of the CHBA’s Net Zero Housing Council. Oding’s duties this year have included sales and marketing training around the new Energy Star program and how ohba.ca

to sell energy-efficient high-performance homes to customers. And lest builders become complacent amid today’s red-hot housing market, Oding is quick to provide a cautionary reminder that when the waters find their true level, everyone will be back on the same stage, trying to distinguish themselves from the other players, while convincing their audience of reasons to go green. OHB: In this bidding-war market, why bother building beyond code for energy efficiency? AO: I agree that right now people are

just glad to find any house they can. But the reality is that it’s not always going to be like this. We also know that people

Do your stats back up the fact that buyers will pay for energy-tight homes?

Some of the more recent studies, including work done by the Shelton Group out of Knoxville, Tennessee, who have been working with the Canadian Home Builders’ Association, show that people want energy efficiency and are willing to pay for it. Even the recent 2016 Avid Homebuyer Preference study, which surveyed people buying homes in the next 10 months across Canada, showed that the top 10 items on their priority list don’t include countertops anymore; rather, energy-efficient homes, appliances and windows and, for the first time in 30 years, good ventilation! so appealing to one’s health can be as effective as appealing to their pocketbook.

This is a part of the training we do for sales associates, marketing companies and builders—that when we’re talking about building high-performance sustainable homes, the building science comes first. We want people to be healthy, the air to be clean and the homes to last a long time. It’s not just about ontario home builder Summer 2017

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dropping in products that are ‘green.’ The building science tells us that when we’re talking about indoor air quality, regardless of the type of the low-VOC things we put in our homes, the overriding factor contributing to healthy indoor air quality is still ventilation. What are some of the techniques builders can use to spin it in lingo that buyers can appreciate?

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Fundamentally, and the builders who do this well really get it—you can tell from their marketing—there is a big difference between the features of a home and the benefits. We builders tend to get caught up in the features: “My HRV is 80% and I build a wall that’s 2’x6’.” But most homeowners aren’t as interested in features as you might think. The emotional triggers, which are how we make our buying decision, are actually guided by the benefits, not the features. Tell me how this product or home will make me feel. So when you’re doing your sales and marketing, explain the benefits of comfort, health, safety, security (protection against rising energy costs), possibly even return on investment and the pride in making a good social decision (better for me, better for my children). They’re all emotional triggers. But isn’t it key to have those energy-efficiency savings at your disposal?

Yes, and we provide those numbers in our training. But the bigger message is that savings is not an emotional trigger; it’s a rational one. It’s one of the things I learned several years ago working for a very innovative builder and doing a lot of green marketing: Be careful of leading with a savings message, because it’s not the thing that will trigger the decision. We’ve found in focus groups that the reason the consumer asks how much they’ll save on their bills is only because they don’t know what else to ask about a highperformance home! So it becomes the builder’s challenge and opportunity to start changing the message. Understand the savings numbers, but keep them in your back pocket. Once you discover the emotional drivers and get the benefits out, then bring in the savings. That will provide the buyer with that rational reason to make an emotional decision.

CMY

ontario home builder Summer 2017

ohba.ca

Is there a difference between what you’re telling one partner versus the other?

It can be. There’s always the question of who actually buys a home. The Shelton Group studies, among others, show that women are 30-40% of the marketplace when it comes to the decision-making. They call them the momma bears—the folks who want the home to keep their family safe and healthy, and who may have had first-hand experience with children having asthma or other health issues. It’s important to identify the momma bears when delivering the message. is one issue that many buyers are speculators and not as concerned with long-term quality?

Now that we have an Ontario and Canadian building code suggesting that by 2030 the code will be benchmarked at Net-Zero-Ready, it means some folks might now be investing in an asset (codecompliant home) that could be devalued in under 13 years as homes become more efficient or reach net-zero status. We’re actually seeing a lot more interest from new-home builders to get energy ratings on their homes, because they know the Home Energy Rating & Disclosure plan is coming—so let’s put a label on that attests to it now so that when the purchaser compares us to an existing home, there’s no doubt in their mind. I suppose you can always appeal to the morality of an energy-efficient home purchaser—that they’re helping to save the planet.

The trend is changing. Most builders used to be reticent about sending that message. They figured only a small fraction of the market would engage with the message of social responsibility. However, recent studies show a striking change occurring in the general population in the U.S. and Canada. The message of wasting less—not of saving money but of wasting less, as well as energy security and making responsible decisions—is now a very appealing message to a very broad and growing base of people. OHB ohba.ca

ontario home builder Summer 2017

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Answering Multiple Insulation Questions Quick and easy-to-install, Isolofoam’s Isobrace OSB, an expanded polystyrene insulation panel laminated to a 7/16’’ oriented strand board (OSB), will add to the structural strength of a wall while providing continuous insulation and easily reaching the new OBC thermal bridges requirements. Its panels are factoryperforated to maximize water vapour permeability. Add your preferred airbarrier membrane to reach the 2017 airtightness performance targets. Isolofoam.com Making Quick Work One of three new thin-set mortars specifically formulated for Schluter membranes and boards, Schluter Fast-Set rapid-setting modified thin-set mortar is ready to grout in just four hours for fast-track projects. Promising tile installers consistently positive results, all three products are approved to set porcelain tile over Schluter boards and membranes. Schluter.com

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EFFICIENCY EXPERT Used in Net Zero projects across Canada, the Rheem Professional Prestige Series Hybrid Electric Water Heater features an energy factor of 3.50, making it the most efficient tank water heater in the market. The award-winning product is also Northern Climate Tier 3 certified and EcoNet enabled, giving homeowners wifi control from their mobile devices to set temperature and receive alerts. Rheem.com

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Feel the Heat Expect lasting performance, quality workmanship and great versatility in the new Vitodens 100-W, B1KA gas-fired condensing boiler from Viessmann. With built-in, on-demand domestic hot water capability, the wall-mount boiler is ideal for any home and any budget. Its proven stainless steel Inox-Radial self-cleaning heat exchanger and factory-calibrated, fully-modulating MatriX cylinder gas burner are complemented by a new user-friendly control with enhanced, backlit LCD touchscreen control. Viessmann.ca

Stop Spouting Off ACO Self residential trench drain systems help with the City of Toronto’s requirement for downspout disconnections from the municipal sewer system while avoiding obstructions for walking or lawn equipment. With many innovative features and very easy to install, the ACO Self Hexaline is an ideal plastic trench drain with a variety of grates manufactured from plastic, galvanized steel, iron and stainless steel. acoself.ca

Governing Elite Steel-Craft’s Elite Series in Walnut is the perfect blend of form and function. Available in a rich walnut woodgrain, it adds sophistication to any home without any of the maintenance issues, thanks to a low-maintenance finish that requires no staining or painting and, unlike real wood, will not warp, shrink, peel or crack. Steel-craft.ca

Here for the Long Haul Stronger and more efficient than previous generations, Ford’s 2017 F-150 features a best-in-class payload of 3,270 lbs. and a maximum towing capacity of 12,200 lbs. But the hugely popular model also shines inside, with available smart features including Pro Trailer Backup Assist with a 360-degree camera. Ford.ca/trucks/f150

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Power Ranger Milwaukee provides tradesmen with a convenient power station with the M18 & M12 Vehicle Charger. It plugs into 12V DC outlets and accepts all M18 and M12 battery packs, charging them sequentially. With Milwauke’s RedLink intelligence, the charger monitors cell voltage, temperature and charge status to optimize performance, and will also automatically shut down to prevent excessive discharge if the vehicle battery voltage dips too low. Milwaukeetool.com

Seeing Your Way Clear A Top New Product finalist in the Sanitary Fixtures and Faucets category at the MCEE Conference in Montreal, Canada’s largest trade show for plumbing, HVAC, hydronics, electrical and lighting, the unique design of the upscale Fortis Uffizi faucet allows users to see the water rise in an elegant handcrafted Italian glass cylinder before it cascades over a polished chrome spout. Fortisfaucet.com

Silestone’s Shining Stars Quartz surfacing leader Silestone has launched Iconic White, “the purest, lightest and brightest white quartz surfacing available on the market,” and Iconic Black, an intense black that exudes elegance. Both feature Silestone’s new N-Boost technology, which improves the products’ technical and aesthetic properties, meaning intense colour and glossy finish, while also promising easy cleaning. Silestone.com 30

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HELP STRENGTHEN YOUR BUSINESS – HIRE AN ARCHITECTURAL TECHNOLOGY CO-OP STUDENT Our Architectural Technology program is designed to simulate a work environment where, along with designing, our students handle the business aspects within an organization. Our students represent the ideal mix of education, technical abilities and workplace skills. Our students are skilled at:

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Shrinking the Carbon Footprint One Home at a Time Ontarioâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Legacy of Building More Energy-Efficient Homes By M a r k W e ss e l

ohn Sloot of Sloot Construction was on the cusp of history. Or at least he thought he was. His goal was to build Ontario’s first Net Zero-only residential community comprised of 15 homes. But after six long months of waiting to get an estimate from Ontario Hydro, he received a letter in the mail advising that the servicing costs would be twice as much as he had anticipated. His immediate response: “I have no idea why the cost has gone up so much and I’m just blown away that I now have to put off building more energy-efficient homes because of factors beyond my control.” To cap off his frustration Sloot suggested, “Instead of spending the money on Hydro, maybe I’ll just go off-grid altogether.”

One more day and yet another challenge for John and Sloot Construction, which has swum upstream for decades due to their commitment to build more energy-efficient homes, having won numerous builder awards in the process. They’ve ridden the energy efficiency wave, starting with the construction of R2000 homes in the ’90s, getting on board with Energy Star when it was introduced in 2005, and now with Net Zero Ready and Net Zero homes. [A Net Zero Energy (NZE) home is one that is designed, modelled and constructed to produce as much energy as it consumes on ohba.ca

an annual basis. A Net Zero Ready (NZEr) home meets the same technical specifications as an NZE home, but doesn’t have the renewable energy generation installed yet—this is left for purchase and installation in the future.) Despite numerous obstacles, the rationale for taking the road less travelled is a familiar story not only for Sloot but a growing number of Ontario home builders driven by the twofold desire to increase the energy efficiency and comfort of the homes they build, while reducing the carbon footprint of these residences. “I’ve always thought if people are ontario home builder Summer 2017

going to live in a house for the rest of their lives, you should try to give them the best product available in terms of both quality and energy efficiency,” says Sloot. In addition to the bureaucracy and red tape he has had to deal with, there have been challenges from the consumer side as well. “We’ve always offered energy efficiency options, such as insulation with higher R-values. But our homeowners are looking at hardwood flooring and granite countertops first and they’re not always willing to put money into things you can’t see.” The pattern for builders pushing the envelope (literally) is for years they’ve been squeezed between regulations and pricing barriers on the one hand and consumers who have had a hard time wrapping their heads around the added cost of having a more energy-efficient home. And don’t even talk to them about having a smaller carbon footprint. Despite these challenges, Ontario builders continue to forge ahead with innovations rarely witnessed in other industries. Consider that a typical home built to current code uses 66% less energy than its predecessor in 1975 and only 50% of the energy used by a 2005 code-built home. And according to Gary Sharp, code specialist with the Canadian Home Builders’ Association, the bar will keep going up in five-year increments between now and 2032, by which time all new homes will be NZEr, or 80% more energy efficient than today’s homes! “How do we get there, and at the same time protect housing affordability?” asks Sharp. “I think we have to build houses that are just as good, but make them more energy efficient for less money. So it’s going to be quite a balancing act.”

The Path of Constant Improvement Of course it won’t be the first time Ontario builders have faced this kind of challenge. Dating back to when R2000 was introduced, Sharp says builders aspiring to meet that standard’s energy efficiency targets found different ways to get there, and that process, which carries through to today, “can create a lot of innovation.” Much of the Ontario building industry’s energy-saving innovation over the past 10 years is tied to improvements to the building envelope, according to Derek Hickson of Minto,

whose title is, appropriately, manager of innovation. “Exterior insulation is probably one of the biggest gains that has been made—that along with installing Energy Star-rated windows and improving the airtightness of the homes we build.” Doug Tarry of Doug Tarry Homes Limited describes it as “a path of continual improvement. Just incremental steps over an extended period of time.” Tarry’s company jumped into the game between 2005 and 2006 as part of the Energy Star pilot program and says that when sales of Energy Star homes reached 50% they made it their standard. “For us, we like the fact there’s energy savings. But also that homes are healthier, more comfortable and more durable.” Getting potential homeowners to buy into those attributes is becoming a little easier of late, thanks to everything from rising electricity prices to the branding impact of EnerGuide (which was launched in 1978 by Natural Resources Canada using a scale of 0-100 to measure a home’s energy efficiency) and Energy Star-rated homes, which are approximately 20% more energy efficient than homes built to code. In terms of market penetration and generating awareness through these brands, “across the country, we now have over a million homes with an EnerGuide rating,” says Corey McBurney, president of EnerQuality, a top certifier of energy-efficient homes. As for Energy Star, “it’s the mark of high-efficiency products in Canada,” McBurney notes. “You can’t go into a hardware or electronics store without seeing an Energy Star logo. It’s on over 70 different products, from windows, lightbulbs and refrigerators to computers. It’s everywhere.” And because Energy Star treats homes like other consumer products, McBurney notes, “it helps homebuyers purchase the most energy-efficient home on the market, and they’re making Ontario a world leader in low-carbon housing.” But while Energy Star has been a driving force behind both consumer buy-in and builder innovation over the past 5-10 years, there’s a growing sense that NZE homes will assume this mantle. There’s even talk of the two standards merging so that, for instance, by the time Energy Star reaches version 27 (they’re on a five-year cycle and currently moving to version 17 on September 1) it could essentially be the same as NZEr.

“we have to build houses that are just as good, but make them more energy efficient for less money. So it’s going to be quite a balancing act.”

ontario home builder Summer 2017

ohba.ca

From Zero to 100 to Zero So where will that leave us with Energuide’s 0-100 efficiency scale? As noted on Natural Resource Canada’s website, EnerGuide is abandoning the 0-100 scale of measuring a home’s energy efficiency in favour of a gigajoule-per-year (GJ/year) rating system. The new rating enables consumers to see their score using units of energy, similar to how they would see a consumption rating of kilowatt hours per year for home appliances, miles per gallon for vehicles or calories per serving for food. Sonja Winkelman, CHBA’s director of Net Zero Housing, says the move away from the 0-100 scale to gigajoules will help to develop consumer energy literacy. “We know we have to do some consumer education in order to build awareness around such things as gigajoules of energy consumption. Or what does it mean to improve a home’s envelope in order to improve comfort and air quality and decrease your energy loads? I think in time consumers will understand what we’re talking about. It’s not unlike what we first went through with nutritional labels on food, where you ask yourself what are the calories or how many grams of fat or sugar does a product have? Before, people had no idea, but they’ve learned what these things mean.” So how have things changed? According to CHBA, a typical Ottawa house built to Ontario code during the period of 1961-1977 consumed 343.2 gigajoules per year (1 gigajoule = 277.77 kilowatt hours). From 1998 to 2005, the total had dropped to 166.6 GJ/year, and by 2012 it was down to 116.8 GJ/year, or three times more energy efficient than homes built in the 1970s. As we head toward 2032 and the prospect of the building code being equivalent to NZEr, it

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Tesla Giving Power to the People Tesla’s mission, its website boldly proclaims, is to accelerate the world’s transition to a sustainable energy future by creating products that are so compelling that there is no alternative. When it comes to powering our future, Tesla figures, ‘Why bother getting in on the ground floor when you can start on the roof?’ Announced with considerable fanfare last year by Tesla CEO Elon Musk, the company is now taking orders in the U.S. for its potentially industry-changing Solar Roof Tiles. Made of tempered glass, the tiles are, according to Tesla, three times stronger than conventional roof tiles, half the weight, they won’t degrade over time due to sun exposure, and come with, as the site cheekily exclaims, “a warranty for the lifetime of your house, or infinity—whichever comes first.” The first tiles available will be grey smooth glass and black textured glass, with slate glass and Tuscan glass arriving in 2018. Although homeowners, or builders for that matter, can’t order a Tesla solar roof yet here in Canada, the company is taking refundable deposits of $1,330 CDN, with the disclaimer that timing and installation will depend on a combination of queue position and “when the Solar Roof is ready for your region.” Apart from the current uncertainty over when Canadians will actually be able to have these roofs installed, Ontario builders may take exception to the fact that Tesla is insisting on having end-to-end control of the installation process, including removal of existing roof tiles. Tesla’s U.S. costing model calculates its Solar Roofs as more than asphalt but less than ceramic tile, metal or slate for a strictly non-solar glass tile roof (each roof has a mix of solar and non-solar tiles, but they all look the same). However, when factoring the energy savings by reducing and possibly eliminating electricity bills with a roof that includes this mix, the company claims its Solar Roof will pay for itself and significantly add to the resale value of the home. Although it isn’t clear whether competing companies are entering the market for solar tiles any time soon, firms such as Palo Alto-based Forward Solar Roofing are lining themselves up as direct competitors to Tesla, claiming their roofs are 33% cheaper than Tesla’s and can be installed in half the time.

ontario home builder Summer 2017

will translate into homes that are 80% more energy efficient than even the current code. Brent Strachan of Minto can truly relate to these energy performance numbers of the Ottawa homes—not only because Minto is an Ottawa-based builder, but because they’ve been in the forefront of building technology over the decades as an early adapter in the construction of R2000, Energy Star, LEED and now Net Zero homes. “We’ve been active participants in advancing housing technology and for the most part, the affordability component,” says Strachan. Apart from significant advances with respect to insulation and airtightness, Strachan says one of the biggest contributors to building homes that are more energy efficient yet still affordable has been the significant drop in costs of products and technologies needed to build these homes. A prime example, cited by Strachan’s co-worker Derek Hickson, has been the drop in price of triple-pane windows, typically the weakest point in a home’s exterior insulation. “Insulated walls are four times more energy efficient. But the reality is people like natural light,” says Hickson. “Ten years ago when you did triple-pane windows, they were two to three times the cost of conventional windows. But now it’s just 15-30% more. So suddenly here in Ottawa, it’s all about triple-pane windows when you build a new home.” Other cost-effective, energy-saving innovations include spray foam to seal around doors, as well as pipe and wire penetrations, not to mention the whole concept of uninterrupted exterior wall insulation driven by the likes of Owens Corning. Reid’s Heritage Homes has adopted Owens Corning’s Foamular CodeBord Extruded Polystyrene as an exterior wall insulation solution for its Net Zero pilot homes in Guelph. In addition to having an R-5 value per inch and a compressive strength of 20 psi, the product eliminates thermal bridges to significantly minimize heat loss. And according to Jennifer Weatherston, director of innovation for Reid’s, in addition to placing a great deal of emphasis on the building envelope to get their homes to NZEr (80% more efficient than code), the proverbial ‘last mile’ of getting to NZE (100% more efficient) has been the combination of deploying the right mechanical solutions in tandem with heat pump and solar panel solutions. “Heat pump technology has come a long way as a heating and cooling solution,” observes Weatherston. “With older technology, as soon as it started to get cold—say below -5C, the heating efficiency would drop off dramatically. But there are solutions available now where the drop in performance is much more gradual, producing heat down to a low of -20 degrees.” Weatherston says Reid’s has also come up with a more strategic approach against the backdrop of fluctuating energy prices by building more homes using a hybrid solution involving a combination of electric and gas to heat and cool a home. “We use an electric-powered air source heat pump as the primary source along with a backup gas-powered furnace, and we can program our system to switch from the heat pump to the gas furnace when, for instance, the temperature reaches -5C and gas is more affordable.” In terms of how all of these innovations will impact the 36

ontario home builder Summer 2017

The Energy Star Window EnerQuality President Corey McBurney suggests that builders interested in getting their homes Energy Star-rated before the labelling program transitions from the current Version 12.6/12.7 to the more rigorous Version 17 enrol their homes in the program before August 31 of this year. “It’s a window of opportunity, especially if you haven’t built an Energy Star home before, to enrol in the program while the gap (in energy efficiency) between Energy Star and code is about 5%, compared to when it switches over to Version 17 Ontario, when it will be 20% above the Ontario Building Code,” observes McBurney. According to Angela Bustamante, director of technical services for Building Knowledge, some of the fundamental differences between Version 12 and 17 of Energy Star include the fact that R-values for roofs will go from R50 to R60 and the minimum Core Building Option Package effective R-value will go from 16.9 to 21.1 for foundations, which will affect framed basement wall assemblies. Once the home is enrolled, builders have up to two years to complete the home. For instance, if you enrolled in the Energy Star v12 program on the very last day of eligibility, you’d have until August 31, 2019 to third-party verify and blower-door test the home in order to get the certification.

environment and the carbon footprint of newly built homes, the upgrades to the 2017 code alone represent an estimated 80% fewer emissions than homes constructed in 1975, according to Weatherston. As the code transitions to Net Zero Ready from the current code, we’ll see another 57% decrease in greenhouse gas emissions.

The Carrot and Stick In spite of the leadership role of a select group of Ontario builders, combined with a building code that keeps evolving, there remains the perception that the province still needs to up its game in terms of providing more incentives for consumers to make them want to purchase more energyefficient homes or upgrade existing homes. The potential carrot we’re still waiting for is a more aggressive subsidy program that encourages consumers to purchase more energy-efficient homes. The proverbial stick for consumers is that by 2019, when Ontario’s Home Efficiency, Rating and Disclosure (HERD) program for rating the energy efficiency of all Ontario home comes into effect, consumers won’t be able to sell their homes unless they have an energy efficiency rating. That, in turn, could have a dramatic impact on the resale value of a home, which alone could incent new-home buyers to purchase more energyefficient homes from the outset versus opting to upgrade their home’s efficiency down the road. OHB ohba.ca

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House of Cards With land hard to find, homes increasingly unaffordable and the financial stability of young Canadians in question, what does the future hold for builders? By T e d M c I n t y r e

hristine Newman and her fiancé Andrew Morris figured they’d done everything right. Newman, who is completing her Masters at Trent University while working full-time, and Morris, who teaches special needs students at R.S. McLaughlin Collegiate & Vocational Institute in Oshawa, met three years ago. “But we always joke that we met a year too late,” says Newman. “We were both saving for a home separately. But we missed the window. Now we have a chunk of money sitting, waiting for the market to hopefully drop.”

The couple is renting a three-bedroom home in Ajax, where they’ve started a respite business, taking in young adults with special needs, to help offset their monthly rent of $1,450, not including utilities. “I’m 28 and he’s 33 and we still don’t own a house. We’re thinking we have to have kids soon. If you’d asked two people—each with two university degrees—whether they were going to raise their family in a rental unit, they’d have thought you were crazy. But nowadays it’s the norm.” A host of measures implemented by Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne in April and a more stringent mortgage ohba.ca

approval process have helped douse the red-hot housing market in Southern Ontario. But even if the market remains flat for the next decade, there is little chance of playing catch-up for today’s youth. “It’s a hard time to be a younger person,” Newman says. “People are graduating with $60,000 student debts and few fulltime jobs available—the job market gives you contracts now. You’re commuting an hour to work because you can’t afford to work where you live. And somehow you have to save $100,000 for a down payment while paying high rents. It’s discouraging.” Indeed, the idea of purchasing a house is becoming as ontario home builder Summer 2017

“Young people have an increasingly difficult time getting a foot on the ladder of advancement. Add that to the lack of affordability of housing and you’re creating a generation where a large portion will be forced to be renters.”

foreign a concept to many as quantum physics. “We know other couples with middle-income government jobs who aren’t even considering buying a house anymore,” Newman says. “We want to own a house, but whereas previous generations will have (their home equity to fall back on), many in my generation might still be paying off their $700,000 mortgage when they retire.” A little math puts it in perspective. Weekly wages in Ontario over the past 20 years have risen from an average of $605.82 in 1997 to $958.50 today, according to Statistics Canada—an increase of 58%. By contrast, however, the average price of a new single or semi-detached home in Ontario was $222,830 in 1997. Today it’s $694,632. That’s an increase of 212%. When home prices are outpacing income by nearly four times, it’s difficult for today’s youth to make that initial investment and to gradually build from there, as their parents did before them. And it’s not just a GTA thing. A recent Environics survey commissioned by Genworth Financial determined that the proportion of first-time homebuyers across the country has 40

ontario home builder Summer 2017

declined from 7.3% in 2015 to 5.8% in 2017. That’s a 21% drop. RBC’s most recent Home Ownership Poll, confirms the trend. Of those aged 18-24, 57% said in 2016 that they were unlikely to buy a home in the next two years. That figure has jumped to 69% in 2017. “Millennials are also looking for alternative ways to help them get into their first home,” says Nicole Wells, V.P., Home Equity Financing, RBC. “Based on findings from that poll, we know that there is a trend of millennials seeking help from family to buy their first home (19% vs. 13% last year).”

A GENERATION OF RENTERS? What might that mean in 35 years or so? Richard Worzel, Chartered Financial Analyst and leading futurist, worries about a high number of young Ontarians retiring without the equity of home ownership. “Young people have an increasingly difficult time getting a foot on the ladder of advancement,” says Worzel. “You have 30-year-olds still trying to get their first full-time job. Add that to the lack of affordability of housing and you’re creating a generation where a large portion will be forced to be renters.” ohba.ca

AS TOUGH AS IT IS BEAUTIFUL The Choreograph® shower wall and accessory collection is tough enough to handle the rigors of the job site – and look good doing it. The Serica ® material walls can be trimmed on-site for custom cuts, and the joint system helps with installation and hides silicone for easy cleaning.

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While he acknowledges affordability is currently a challenge for many, Paul Golini, co-founder and Executive V.P. of Empire Communities, considers much of it growing pains for Toronto. “I think it’s a natural evolution, as within most growing, maturing metropolitan cities. As you mature, you have more and more renters, because affordability increasingly becomes an issue, but also because of many people’s changing behaviour and needs—wanting to stay more nimble and not anchor themselves in a property.” But if modern financial stresses are trending in a rental direction, we’re not yet building for it, suggests Ernie Hardeman, PC Party MPP for Oxford and Ontario Municipal Affairs and Housing Critic. “We need to build housing that meet the needs of intensification,” says Hardeman. “But the challenge for builders is that it takes far too long and is too expensive from the time they purchase a piece of property to the time people are actually living in those homes. We have to find a way to increase the supply across the spectrum, but to also make it a better investment for builders. Because as we go down the road, there will be fewer and fewer rental units if the industry can make a lot more money building homes for purchase, even if there are fewer people to purchase them.” Streamlining the procedure is essential for the future,

suggests Golini, particularly when it comes to the provincial mandate of densification. “The challenge to higher density is that we don’t have the appropriate zoning in place,” Golini notes. “It’s still taking excessively long to get

through approvals and rezoning. We have a provincial government mandating certain policies, which are not in sync with municipal policies, which are not in sync with federal policies. We have a mishmash of a regulatory environment that is making if difficult to implement and execute the overarching mandate of Places to Grow.” That tangled red tape “will directly increase housing prices in the next decade,” suggests Hugh Heron, president of Heathwood Homes and Heron Homes. “Every bit of policy procedure makes it more difficult to get things approved. It’s like growing avocados or tomatoes—if there’s a problem growing them, the price will increase. “As I see it, we’re in a very unique position in Toronto,” says Heron. “We’ve got great demand for housing accompanied by low interest rates. We have over 100,000 people moving to Toronto every year and there’s not an awful lot of land. We have 6 million people in the area—roughly 3 million in Toronto and 3 million in the 905. We have one mayor for Toronto’s 3 million and a multitude elsewhere else. And we’re going to double our population in 20 or 30 years. We need an overall plan for the GTA, and I’m not sure that will ever happen.”

Weathering Heights: Prepping for a Stormy Forecast

There are dark clouds on the horizon suggesting a potentially volatile forecast in the years to come for builders—not just from a climatological point of view, but from a building code standpoint. The federal government has given the National Research Council of Canada (NRC) $40 million to conduct research, evaluations and risk analyses in order to develop new solutions to factor climate resilience into the design of future buildings and infrastructure in Canada. This four-year investigation includes houses, roads, bridges, water systems and rapid transit networks. “I see this initiative on climate change adaptation as having the potential to have a profound impact on the Canadian construction industry and on the future of buildings in Canada,” says Doug Crawford, Chair of the Canadian Commission on Building and Fire Codes. That research, which is expected to highlight the increase of extreme weather events, such as flooding, wind and hail, will likely impact the next edition of the National Building Code of Canada, due to be released in 2020. “It’s the first time that the government has talked about building code and climate change in one breath,” Glenn McGillivray, managing director of the Institute for Catastrophic Loss Reduction, told DeSmog Canada magazine earlier this year. 42

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“It’s very important.” Subsequent codes have the potential to mandate such things as backwater valves, hurricane straps and longer nails or different nailing patterns, as proposed by McGillivray in OHB’s Spring 2015 feature, “Weather Or Not.” While the NRC acknowledges homes are well built in Ontario, there’s room for improvement moving forward. “Right now we’re designing for past loads and past climate data, (but we need) to look at the types of loads we should be designing for in the future, including temperature, precipitation and wind,” says NRC Research Council Officer Marianne Armstrong, whose agency is working with Environment Canada to update the climate data in the building code. “Different parts of the country are experiencing different phenomena. For example, we’re seeing less snow and more rain in Southern Ontario because the temperature is warming, whereas we’re seeing increased snow in the north.” The Canadian Standards Association is already developing a guideline of measures to reduce the risk of flooding and mitigate the impacts of flooding on basements in severe weather events. But the weather will get worse faster than most anticipate, suggests Futuresearch.com’s Richard Worzel, a Chartered Financial Analyst, best-selling author and one

of today’s leading futurists. “The Arctic is warming up faster than the temperate climates, so that means the band of winds around the arctic is moving more slowly, and weather systems are more likely to get stuck over one place. That means an increase in extreme storms. So you’ll need roofs than can withstand higher winds and snow loads, basements that are proofed against more vigorous flooding. You basically having to write building codes that can stand up to almost anything that has happened in your area. And that will increase the cost of housing.” And don’t expect governments to wait for the standard five-year update, Worzel cautions. “I think some disaster will occur and the government of the day will mandate a code change right away, because their first job is to get re-elected. They don’t think about long-range planning.” But leading-edge builders can stay ahead of the curve, Worzel says. “My advice is to think strategically, not tactically. If the expectations are for codes to change—and they may change quickly—you should build that into your planning and have contingency plans for a variety of (possible changes). You don’t have to spend a fortune to have at least the outline of a plan in your back pocket. It’s a lot cheaper than just reacting to an emergency.” ohba.ca

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“Societies make possible what they want to make possible. When I was in Germany in 2015, naysayers were observing, ‘The grid won’t be able to tolerate more than 7% renewable energy.’ Now they’re at about 33%!” Part of that master plan must include designs for walkable and bikable communities, with the required social services and mass transit nearby, says Gideon Forman, Climate Change and Transportation Policy Analyst with the David Suzuki Foundation. “It’s a balancing act. We cannot have people driving a lot if we’re going to try to make any progress on climate and congestion.” Supplying that necessary infrastructure, however, could be impeded by the added economic strain of health care in the decade ahead, cautions Worzel. “As people age, the amount you spend on health care remains roughly the same each year up until the age of 55. But then it goes up almost exponentially,” Worzel notes. “The Baby Boomers—the biggest generation in history—are moving into the high rent district of health care. Governments could be placed under extreme financial pressure.” In that respect, builders would be well advised to evolve their aging-in-place home designs, says Worzel. “It’s one of the best solutions to redesigning the health care system in terms of more cost-effective medical support and nursing.” With fewer full-time jobs and commuting an increasing nightmare, architectural designs should also cater to an increasing number of those working from home, Worzel recommends.

THE SEARCH FOR LAND Any building plans, of course, hinge on land availability. The evolution of six-storey wood development should assist in the pursuit of densification, Golini suggests, while Heron sees “more back-to-back townhouses and five-and six-storey units.” Still, Golini doesn’t see a change in the breakdown of his current builds. “Right now, 50% of our projects are singlefamily residences,” he says. “I think we’ll still be 50/50 ten years from now. We’ll continue to meet the needs of the new-home buyers seeking to live in urban centres in condos, and we have a decent pipeline of product outside the city.” Forman appreciates the demand for land, but cautions that we can ill afford to jeopardize any of the existing greenbelt or farmland. “We have excellent farmland in Ontario and we don’t want to eat that up with subdivisions,” says Forman. “We have to protect that land for a range of reasons, not the least of which is to grow food. We need forests for keeping our air and water clean. I was just reviewing a book called The Nature Fix, and it talks about the importance 4 4

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for our health to be in touch with nature. We have to protect those natural spaces, especially as the population balloons.” Golini expects further tweaking and trade-offs when it comes to sensitive lands, “but I don’t foresee us carving out the greenbelt for development—that’s for sure,” he says. “The big opportunity is with the white belt, the urban reserve, (and whether) we can move some of those lands into the urban boundary so that they can become a reserve for additional growth. From a federal level, we want to attract foreign direct investment and industry and jobs, but that means we need to house all these people who are living and working and spending money.”

NET ZERO READY BY 2030 Whatever the classification or location of future builds, they will be more energy efficient than now, thanks to government plans to be Net Zero Ready by 2030, with a renewable energy target for 2050. But is that a realistic target? “Societies make possible what they want to make possible,” says Forman. “Germany—a big, heavily industrialized country—is doing remarkable things. When I was there in 2015, naysayers were observing, ‘The grid won’t be able to tolerate more than 7% renewable energy.’ Now they’re at about 33%!” There will be a learning curve, though, says Golini. “The manufacturing sector has to be able to keep up with the products that will help make us get to the Net Zero homes. Then there’s the learning curve for the actual trades and contractors—and the builders themselves, and the building code enforcers in the cities and municipalities. It’s just the tip of the iceberg of a greater industry that needs to be brought along when we talk about building these Net Zero communities. We can build a one-off or 30 homes, but if we have to build 40,000 new homes in 2030 and they all have to be Net Zero, we still have a long way to go to make sure all the pieces are lined up. “But then we still haven’t developed some of the technologies that will get us there—we don’t know what we don’t know,” adds Golini. “A year from now there will be something new. We’re just flirting with inverters and battery storage, such as the Panasonic battery we have in some of our Discovery homes. And we talk about all cars being plugins. As of today, if everyone had a plug-in car, we wouldn’t have the capacity for it. So the infrastructure and the grid all have to be looked at as we move toward Net Zero homes.” ohba.ca

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“I think renewables are going to happen more quickly than most people think.” Worzel believes new technology will accelerate the process. “I think renewables are going to happen more quickly than most people think,” he says. “They’re already competitive with fossil fuels without government subsidies now— particularly solar, the cost of which is continuing to decline at almost computer speeds.” With billions of dollars being poured into batteries and energy storage, the future will also look very different for utility providers. “I’ve seen solar panels that unroll and are basically glued to a roof. And there’s a group in Australia developing solar panel paint! People are going to start using it not because it’s the green thing to do, but because it makes financial sense,” Worzel notes. “I think power utilities will then say, ‘You don’t want to buy power from us? Fine. We’ll sell and install the solar panels for your house and we’ll take a percentage of the profit for doing so.’ I’ve been talking to power utilities about this for years now. They should think of themselves as the regional battery—buying and selling power at an industrial level at far greater cost effectiveness than people can do themselves.” Forman also expects the sun to shine on renewable energy. “We’ll see more and more solar panels on roofs for sure. I also think we’ll see more wind power in rural areas. And I’m hopeful we’ll see more geothermal in cities, particularly where it’s supplying heat for entire neighbourhoods.”

DRIVING INTO THE FUTURE Electric Vehicles are also the wave of the near future, says Forman. “Buildings will be more configured for electric vehicles, since lots of homeowners will have plug-ins. The cost of EVs is coming down, the cost of fuelling them is a fraction of internal combustion cars, and the maintenance is very, very low. They’re so much more efficient than internal combustion engines. And in terms of emissions and addressing climate, they’re phenomenal.” Or maybe there will be fewer cars altogether! “A contrary trend is the rise of autonomous vehicles,” says Worzel. “And if that’s the case, consider that almost a third of the real 46

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estate in major urban centres is devoted to parking. So if the ownership of cars drops precipitously—and it might—then some of that land should get freed up for development.”

WATER TIGHT Another quickly evolving trend is water conservation. “The idea that we use this high-quality drinking water to run our toilets is nuts. We need to be using grey water. It’s a nobrainer,” says Forman, highlighting initiatives at Queen’s University. Forman predicts that all condominium buildings will collect rainwater and feature solar cells and green roofs, the latter of which also help cool off buildings in the summer, lowering electricity costs. “It’s also relaxing to be gardening; it’s a community builder,” says Forman. Such a trend will likely be paralleled by the rise of companies such as Montreal-based Lufa Farms, which designs high-tech hydroponic farms atop corporate and condo roofs. As always when peering into the future, the most reliable prediction is change, suggests Golini. “We’ll see improvements in mechanical systems for sure, as well as the efficiency of some of the renewables. We’ll also see some innovation in how we build our homes in terms of panelization and more of a manufacturing approach. Are we going to have bricklayers in 10 years? Who knows? If we want brick on the outside of our homes, maybe there’s a machine applying brick to the outside of panels. It’s a balancing act of being ahead of the curve, of future-proofing our homes based on what we think will be the technologies of tomorrow, but not going so far ahead that we can’t really execute when it comes to building production housing.” Some of the old fears remain for the future of home building, including a dire shortage of trades. But both Heron and Golini say they’re high on the future. “I think the fundamentals are all there for a healthy market,” Golini says. “Obviously for young new families trying to find a home, it’s not easy. But it’s part of the growing pains of being the young country that we are, but one that still has lots of opportunity.” OHB ohba.ca

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HOT TAKE

With a little push from the government and economies of scale, geothermal energy could be the wave of the future By M a r c H u m i n i l ow yc z

The Brock, a Molinaro Group build in downtown Burlington.

ohba.ca

ontario home builder Summer 2017

New Horizon’s Vibe Condos in Burlington.

In Ontario, the temperature of the ground six to 10 metres below the surface remains at approximately 7º to 12ºC, regardless of the extremes in air temperature. This can be used as a source for cooling in the summer and heating in the winter.

s we may remember from our high school science classes, our planet has an extremely hot core. At a blistering 4,000ºC, this inner heat radiates outward to the earth’s surface. Combined with heat from the sun warming the ground, the temperature of the top 200 metres of Earth’s crust stays pretty much constant year round. In Ontario, the temperature of the ground six to 10 metres below the surface remains at approximately 7º to 12ºC, regardless of the extremes in air temperature. Geothermal heating and cooling technology, otherwise known as geoexchange and ground-source heat pump, has been around for many years. The system is simple and elegant. Using an electric heat pump, heat energy is extracted from the ground via a U-shaped piping loop that carries a heat transfer fluid (usually water/ethanol mix) to warm a building in the winter. In the summer, the system cools the interior by extracting heat and depositing it back into the ground. The energy costs of using a geothermal system are typically 25% to 50% lower than other HVAC systems. And because no fossil fuels are burned on-site, they generate much lower CO2 emissions. (According to data from the U.S. Department of Energy, a typical three-ton residential geothermal system produces about one pound less of CO2 per hour than a conventional system.) Considering the lower maintenance costs and longer equipment life compared to other HVAC systems, it begs the 50

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question why more residential builders are not embracing the technology to heat and cool their projects. While geothermal heating and cooling has been widely adopted in northern European countries and in the southern U.S., it is estimated that only about 1% of existing buildings in Ontario are utilizing this cheap, abundant and sustainable energy. According to Stan Reitsma, president of Geosource Energy Inc. and V.P. of the Ontario Geothermal Association (OGA), the issue lies with the high up-front cost of the system (around $25,000 for a single-family home) compared to conventional HVAC (approximately $10,000 to $12,000), not to mention the responsibility for maintaining the system in the long term. “The ground loop is a sticking point for developers,” says Reitsma. “There’s a delineation line where the pipes come into the building. It’s unregulated territory, and developers are reluctant to take this on. “The idea of building in a geothermal loop has never previously been considered a long-term utility asset for single detached homes, but it is beginning to gain traction,” Reitsma adds. “With geothermal, developers can expect a 10% to 15% return on their investment with respect to heating and hot water, but especially with cooling costs. Plus there are the added benefits of extra floor space, reduced noise/visual impairments and valuable roof space.” In order for geothermal to be widely adopted by developers, Reitsma believes that the technology needs significant government incentives. In his role with the OGA, Reitsma has ohba.ca

Do You Need a Back-Up Plan? Naysayers argue that geothermal systems lose their effectiveness in extreme heat and cold, and there’s no shortage of anecdotal evidence on the internet to support the theory. But it’s a myth, suggest the folks at GeothermalGenius.org. “Geothermal heat pumps do not need a backup heat supply. The myth is completely reliant upon (inappropriate) sizing of your geothermal unit, says the U.S.-based organization. “An undersized system will not only require a backup unit, but will rely heavily on the backup during extreme temperatures. Constant use of that backup unit will end up costing you even more than traditional heating and cooling solutions.” “Like any other system, if it’s not designed right, it can be an issue. But if you have the loads right and do the engineer’s math properly and take into account 100% of the days (weather-wise), I don’t

know how it can be a problem,” says New Horizon Homes President Jeff Paikin, whose company has installed geothermal systems in seven projects thus far. “My partner actually retrofitted his home after we did our first couple geothermal condos, because the system has worked so well. Conversely, I’ve been to a whole bunch of facilities for other purposes, like weddings, where conventional heating and cooling systems just didn’t do the job and get the room cool enough. But we’ve haven’t had that issue come back to us in any of our buildings.” Right-sizing certainly won’t be an issue for SanDiego Homes, who has partnered on a fourhome geothermal project with Enbridge Gas in Innisfil. “I think in the past, because of the pricing, geothermal systems were maybe under-sized or under-designed to keep them more affordable,”

been meeting with Ontario government officials to position geothermal as a viable low-carbon technology that must be included and incentivised as part of the Climate Change Action Plan, the first phase of which include incentives for retrofitting existing homes for greater energy efficiency, while phase two will offer something for new residential developments. “We would like to get to a point where incentives are not grants,” says Reitsma. “It would be better if we got to a level where geothermal markets are sustainable, helped by incentives—much like electricity rebates. In the long term, this allows end users to benefit from the value of the technology.” Reitsma would like to see utilities involved as geothermal energy suppliers in multi-residential developments—to the point where geothermal becomes a default technology. Enter Enbridge Gas Distribution, which has embarked on a pilot project in Innisfil, involving four single-family geothermal homes to be built by developer partner SanDiego Homes. As the first stage in developing geothermal heating and cooling solutions for Ontario’s new-home market, the project is designed to monitor the performance and operating costs of the technology. “We started investigating geothermal in 2016 when we were looking for ways to expand gas services to remote regions of Ontario,” says Steve McGill, Enbridge Senior Strategist, Business Development. “Our proposal to the Ontario Energy Board prompted a cost-effective geothermal option from an interested party.” Looking into Ontario’s geothermal market, Enbridge discovered that the technology had not taken off, primarily due to the aforementioned up-front costs. But it also became ohba.ca

says SanDiego Homes owner Diego Rizzardo. “In our situation, though, Enbridge has guaranteed they will work. They’ve oversized the system to make sure— putting in more vertical loops than required (four to five pipes at 200 feet deep each) and the best heat pump on the market. They will definitely perform better than conventional heating systems.” The price of installation is admittedly higher, but as with many of today’s eco-friendly upgrades, you have to think long-term, says Paikin. “If you take the long-term approach, which the Ontario Building Code has forced us all to do, geothermal has to be the better option.” Apart from economies of scale as popularity of the systems increases, costs are also likely to be reduced as such systems become more regionalized, as they are in several European nations.

apparent that the geothermal industry in this province is small and fragmented. Installations escalated in 2010 after government geothermal funding came into place, but dropped off quickly once the program concluded. “We need to look carefully into geothermal: how to overcome the barriers, how it fits into cap-and-trade and how funding from the government’s Climate Change Action Plan could help with part of the initial installation costs,” says McGill. “Bringing in the utility model would allow us to supply the geothermal loop and, with government funds, amortize the costs over a long term.” Enbridge has been actively involved in numerous discussions with Ontario’s Ministry of Environment and Energy, and is collaborating with the OGA to work on a business model. According to McGill, the company’s primary target market is new residential construction, bringing in a geothermal product line and process designed to drive down costs through economies of scale. “It will offer many benefits to new residential builders,” suggests McGill. “Builders like to differentiate themselves in the marketplace. With geothermal, they can market to consumers a greener solution with little or no up-front cost, tremendous efficiencies compared to conventional heating, cooling and hot water, and a long-term hedge against carbon costs.” When asked why a gas distribution company would consider going into the geothermal business, McGill replies, “It might seem like a left-hand turn, but this fits into our company’s longterm goals. As an energy company, Enbridge has invested over $5 billion since 2002 in wind, solar, geothermal, hydro power and waste heat recovery projects. As at December 31, 2016, these ontario home builder Summer 2017

SanDiego Homes’ Strathmore model. SanDiego has partnered with Enbridge Gas Distribution on a geothermal project in Innisfil.

The Benefits of Owning a Geothermal Home Looking to sell potential buyers on the merits of geothermal? Here are a few incentives:

Lower Utility Bills In fact, they’re 25-30% lower than with conventional systems. Heating and cooling costs for a typical 2,000 square foot home can run as low as $1 per day.

Lowest Maintenance and Life Cycle Cost That’s lower than any other heating and cooling system.

Virtually Free Hot Water Waste heat removed from a home’s interior during the cooling season can lower hot water costs by about 30% annually!

Higher Levels of Comfort Cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter keeps occupants cozy year round.

Fewer Greenhouse Gas Emissions Since a geothermal system doesn’t burn fossil fuels to produce heat, it generates far fewer greenhouse gases than a conventional furnace, even if you factor in its share of emissions from the power plant that provides the electricity to operate the system.

ontario home builder Summer 2017

projects represent 3,026 MW (gross) of green power capacity. Geothermal is an opportunity to grow beyond gas, diversifying our business while maintaining a good value proposition.” While Enbridge is just embarking on its pilot residential geothermal project, two Ontario developers have already erected several such condominiums in the Hamilton/Burlington/Stoney Creek region. New Horizon Development Group has no less than seven mid-rise geothermal projects under its belt: Aldershot Residences, Haven Condos, Vibe Condos, Mint Condos, City Square Condos, Waterfront Trails and Westwood, with Sapphire Waterfront Condos under construction in Stoney Creek. “Why did we go geothermal? My kids made me buy a hybrid car, so we decided to start building homes in a more environmentally friendly way,” says New Horizon President Jeff Paikin. “By using an engineered model for our geothermal installations, we can offer a fixed monthly charge, rolled into the condo fees, that covers the capital costs and maintenance of the system. The best part is that this rate is known and fixed over a 30-year contract, compared to metred gas prices, which are low today but could go up at any time.” Paikin estimates that energy savings can add up to 15% to 28% per year compared to conventional gas or electric heating and cooling. And there are additional benefits. For homeowners, each suite has its own self-controlled air handler with individual temperature control of the ducted geothermal forced air system. For building owners, unlike conventional condos, New Horizon’s geothermal projects have no boiler room. A 10’x20’ geothermal room is situated underground, usually in the garage. And geothermal is also used to pre-warm the home’s hot water supply, requiring less energy (gas or electric) to raise the hot water temperature, as well as for heating ramps to the underground parking garages. “Although there are no government subsidies available now, building with geothermal makes neutral financial sense—neither overly good nor overly bad,” says Paikin. Vince Molinaro, president of Molinaro Group and a Past President of OHBA, sees a bright future for the energy use. His company has built two geothermal condos, including Strata. Completed in 2013, it was a collaboration with Ameresco Canada Inc., an energy management company that provides sustainable solutions and facility renewal services. “Ameresco put in all of the geothermal infrastructure. Under an agreement, the condo corporation paid a fixed fee amortized over 30 years to cover the installation and maintenance,” says Molinaro. “Recently, the condo board decided to buy the geothermal system from Ameresco, so they now own the utility.” Molinaro’s other geothermal condo, The Brock, is a rental unit built in 2015, originally owned by the company but recently sold to another buyer. “Because we owned the building, we could justify the cost of putting in geothermal,” he says. “It was this feature that attracted the buyer who appreciated having utility costs that are set.” While Molinaro currently has no plans to build additional geothermal properties, focusing instead on constructing rental units, he admits that when federal or provincial officials introduce geothermal incentives, his company will definitely be interested. “When the government steps in, I think more and more builders will come on board. We’re all doing things in our own way to be more sustainable.” OHB ohba.ca

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THINKING GREEN

ontario home builder Summer 2017

ohba.ca

Manufacturers are trying to stay ahead of the curve in the demand for environmentally friendly products By T r ac y H a n e s

ven in the most frigid of winters, Ontario has become one of the greenest places in North America. This isn’t about changing weather patterns, but about raising the bar for energy efficiency and sustainability in the province’s new homes. While construction practices and methods have played a role, improved versions of existing products and emerging new ones have put many Ontario builders well ahead of the curve on their road to achieving Net Zero, the Ontario Building Code’s target by 2030. Energy efficiency has long been a part of the conversation, but aspects such as indoor air quality, water conservation and penetration, and provision of natural light are gaining traction. Builders and buyers are also becoming more concerned about what products are best for the environment and best for their health. Efficiency doesn’t refer to just energy anymore. Due to increasingly compact homes such as condos or townhomes, space is another big consideration for builders as they deliberate what products to use and the cost involved. “I was at a BILD breakfast recently and I must have heard the word ‘affordability’ 50 times,” says Dan Murphy, sales and marketing director for Reliance Home Comfort. John Godden, Toronto consultant and rater for R-2000, Energy Star, EnerGuide and LEED for Homes, says looking at a LEED checklist is a good way to determine what products are environmentally friendly, based on how they are made, how much recycled content they include and which ones are acceptable in terms of indoor air quality. “One of the big changes is that products are getting away from using formaldehyde glue—that’s almost a moot point now,” says Godden. “And paints have gone from low-VOC to almost no VOCs. But the caution is ‘greenwashing’—a lot of companies are bragging about their products, but some of them might not be that (environmentally friendly).” Godden applauds the new generation of hot water heaters and combination systems and says air source heat pumps have come a long way too. “They used to only work in above-freezing temperatures, but they now work at lower temperatures and are claiming high rates of return. People are considering using heat pumps now because energy loads are so much lower.” The builders who are early adopters are already well beyond

ohba.ca

ontario home builder Summer 2017

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Code standards and using products that will take them to the next level, says Andy Goyda, market development manager for Owens Corning Canada and an EnerQuality Hall of Fame member who has championed Energy Star and Net Zero for new homes in Ontario. Goyda says several Ontario builders are planning to build Net Zero Ready homes now, which will cost $10,000 to $15,000 more than a Code-built home. He says the only difference between Net Zero Ready and Net Zero homes are the solar panels, which would bump the cost of the latter to $40,000 above Code. But those panels won’t always be so expensive, Goyda predicts. “Low-E argon windows are standard now in production homes now, but they used to be costprohibitive. The same thing will happen with solar panels, and as part of its climate change program, the Ontario government will be offering a $20,000 incentive in 2019 for homeowners to put renewables on their homes.” Here is a look at some of the newest green and sustainable product innovations.

INSULATION AND AIR BARRIERS

“the builders who are early adopters are already well beyond Code standards and using products that will take them to the next level.”

ontario home builder Summer 2017

Ontario builders have pretty much perfected the building envelope, thanks to products that insulate, seal and form a barrier from air and moisture. Owens Corning has created a CodeBord Air Barrier System (CABS) to meet current Code standards and beyond. It acts as an exterior air and weather barrier, eliminating the need for a building wrap. “The beauty is that it’s very affordable—a tried and true technology. And instead of 16-inch centres, you can go to 24 inches and increase the efficiency of the wall system,” says Goyda of the framing technique where studs in exterior walls, floor joists and rafters are 24” apart, reducing the amount of lumber required, while preventing thermal bridging. “You can seal the foam and use it as an air barrier, which makes it very cost-effective to build a Net Zero Ready home.” Using the system along with batt, blown-in and rigid foam insulation, builders can achieve one-and-a-half air exchanges or less, says Goyda. The Foamular Extruded Polystyrene rigid foam insulation that is part of the CABS system is excellent for warding off moisture issues in basements. Used from the foundation to footings and under slab, its closed-cell foam prevents any moisture from entering the basement and makes the space very comfortable. Owens Corning EcoTouch Pink Fiberglas and ProPink Fiberglas blown insulation include 73% recycled content, are GreenGuard indoor air quality certified and formaldehyde-free to ensure a healthy indoor environment. Isolofoam, a Quebec manufacturer of expanded polystyrene insulation products, has also developed an OBC compliance package for builders, as well as those that qualify for LEED credits. Its EPS products contain no ozone-damaging gas and incorporate recycled plastics and non-toxic glue. ohba.ca

WATER AND SPACE HEATING When the new OBC took effect in January, water heater efficiency requirements went up by 15%, and one way this has been addressed is through new high-input storage tanks that are more than 90% efficient, says Dan Murphy of Reliance Home Comfort. Those are traditional tanks and what most Ontario homeowners are used to, but tankless units are coming on strong. The interest in tankless system is twofold, according to Murphy. “One is the Code change that’s demanding more efficiency. Then there are space and affordability issues. With townhouses stacked and back-to-back, there are fewer exterior walls and choices of where to vent. With combination units, builders only have to have one appliance to vent.” “When used in combination with an air handler for space heating, they perform even better,” adds Gladimir Pacheco, project manager and technical consultant for home builders for Reliance Home Comfort. “More builders are using tankless and combination systems because they don’t take the space of traditional tanks. You can hang the units on a wall or put them in a closet.” Some tankless units have a minimum of 94% efficiency,

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with some as high as 99%. “We’ve introduced recirculating technology for tankless units,” says Pacheco. “If hot water is in the lines overnight and nobody uses water, it gets cold and you have to wait for a few seconds for warm-up. This unit has a circulating pump with a thermostatic valve, so it circulates warm water to keep from wasting it. The unit is also programmable, so water is not heated when it doesn’t have to be.” Redmond-Williams Distributing has introduced the Bosch 9800 SE Tankless Water Heater to the Canadian market, with major builders such as Mattamy signing up, says Bob Hiscott, director of marketing. It has a 99% thermal efficiency rating, with another advantage being the ease of installation. “It has two-inch venting, which is a big feature,” says Hiscott. For combination heating, it pairs well with the Red Zone HVS High Velocity Air Handler. Used with a mini duct system that can fit in a two-by-four wall cavity, no bulkheads are required, “so from a construction standpoint, builders love it.” Hiscott says because the Code is changing for water storage tanks; their cost will increase by $500 or $600 as they become more efficient. Air handlers are cheaper than furnaces. And while a bit more expensive than traditional water heaters, tankless heaters that can be used in tandem with air handlers to save on energy costs are “really taking off,” says Hiscott. As for geothermal systems, “interest continues to bubble up a bit,” Pacheco says. “But people are waiting for more government incentives. They are really leaning toward tankless and HRVs.” With homes getting tighter, Heat Recovery Ventilators (HRVs) have been commonplace for some time and are mandated by Code. They eliminate condensation problems in tight houses and provide a constant flow of fresh air, which improves indoor air quality. Their minimum efficiency has increased from 55 to 75 Sensible Heat-Recovery Efficiency (SRE). Some builders are starting to discover Energy Heat Recovery Ventilators (ERVs) that recover humidity as well as heat, but they’re not yet cost-effective for many. Builders need to educate homebuyers on some of the green components, says Murphy, such as HRVs: how they work and why these products are valuable.

KITCHEN APPLIANCES The huge trend towards foodie culture and cooking at home has created a demand for stylish appliances that are small enough to fit in compact condos or townhouses, according to Steve Preiner, director of marketing for BSH Home Appliances. Bosch has introduced a new line of 24-inch European format refrigerators featuring tempered glass fronts with stainless steel, black or white panels beneath. The fridges can also be integrated with cabinetry. “They are easy to clean and follow European minimalist design philosophy with a ridge on the edge rather than handles,” says Preiner. “Builders want to go with latest 60

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“as developments get denser, builders are trying to take advantage of european design and technology.” Water Tight Eddy IQ Smart Meter

trend, and from a design standpoint, this is definitely one.” The Energy Star-qualified fridges use Isobutane as a coolant, which Bosch introduced to North America, using just 357 kW of energy a year. “The amount of coolant used is about the amount that would fill a lighter,” says Preiner. “It has been used in Europe for 10 years and it is highly efficient. Europeans have been used to living in tighter spaces for a long time. As developments get denser here, builders are trying to take advantage of European design and technology.” Bosch has a full suite of European format 24-inch appliances that also includes cooktops and wall ovens, as well as dishwashers as compact as 18 inches wide. “These are a solution for builders who are building small units and dealing with consumers who don’t want to compromise on features or performance,” says Preiner. “They are spending more and more on their living space and they want high efficiency along with maximum space efficiency.” Preiner says sustainability and energy efficiency are part of the European heritage when it comes to electricity and water. He says Bosch goes to great lengths to be environmentally responsible in its manufacturing practices, such as ensuring rags used to wipe solvent from products aren’t washed where water can go down the drain and into the sewer system; and is highly efficient with its packaging.

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Automated systems and systems that can be controlled and monitored from smartphones are must-haves for many homeowners. Launched in 2011, the cleanly designed Nest Learning Thermostat remains on the hot list. Research shows the model to save about 0.5 tons of CO2 per year on average as it learns homeowners’ habits, notes Iuliana Calin of Nest Energy Partnerships, Canada. That means that 100,000 Nest Thermostats could reduce carbon emissions by the same amount as taking 10,000 cars off the road. Eddy Home, meanwhile, has launched a new round-theclock smart metering service that homeowners can use to track their water consumption and protect against floods and leaks. The Eddy IQ smart meter learns homeowner water usage habits and will alert them when there is an anomaly. It can be paired with sensors that track humidity and temperature and will send an alert when there is a flood caused by leaking toilets, running faucets or burst pipes. The system is monitored by a 24-hour control centre and can be used remotely to shut off water supply. “Builders are recognizing this as something that’s necessary and it benefits them well before closing, as it allows them to know of any leaks they can’t see,” says Sue Cerilli, Eddy IQ director of new construction and development. “For example, a drywaller may hammer a wall and nick a water line, which causes a minor drip that’s not ordinarily noticed until it causes damage.” Homeowners benefit too, not only because they are alerted of any issue, but because many insurance companies offer a discount on home insurance rates. They can also track their water usage to see how they can save on water bills. The monthly monitoring fee starts at $9.95 a month. OHB ohba.ca

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Insulation

Triple-pane windows

Blower-tested door

ontario home builder Summer 2017

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LED lights

Vapour barrier

In the push for energy efficiency, are we leaving existing homes and retrofit incentives behind? By P h i l i p P o r a d o

High-efficiency water heater

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t was a typical early 1930s house. Quaint. Loaded with charm. Perhaps a bit small and in need of an addition to accommodate a growing family. Translation: leaky windows, inefficient heating system, energy-hog lighting, barely a scrap of insulation in the walls and attic. “They called us because they needed a new addition and a new master bedroom,” says Jamie Adam, president of Pioneer Craftsmen in Kitchener. “When we went in there and started talking about how to create this new space for them, we also started taking a look at potential energy-efficient upgrades.” He used a combination of re-studding and foam in some areas to add insulation inside the walls. In the end, those walls were brought up to R-20 from somewhere around R-8. Attic insulation was also added and all the lighting systems were upgraded to LED. “They were really happy to be looking at ways to save themselves money on a monthly basis,” says Adam. “If they could save $75 on their heating bill every month and $25 on their hydro bill, that would go a long way toward making the project more affordable.” The anecdote raises many questions. Homes built in Ontario since 2014 have complied with ontario home builder Summer 2017

In Search of Incentives

Natural Resources Canada doesn’t currently offer energy retrofit rebate programs to homeowners. Its now-ended ecoENERGY Retrofit-Homes program, which ran from April 2007 to March 2012, provided grants of up to $5,000 for homeowners looking to improve energy efficiency and reduce costs. “NRCan does not have national data regarding the energy savings from a typical upgrade process,” notes Catherine Leroux, a spokesperson for the Department of Natural Resources. “However, as an example, Canadians participating in the ecoENERGY Retrofit program saved on average 20% on their energy bills.” NRCan says more than 640,000 homeowners across Canada received grants under the program, although Leroux did not supply figures specifically for Ontario. Stephen Hamilton, OHBA’s Manager of Government Relations, says renovators really miss these grants. “Loss of the NRCan rebates is considered a blow to get homeowners to make upgrades,” he says. Since 2012, NRCan has continued to promote EnerGuide evaluations as the first step for energy upgrades. And under the Pan-Canadian Framework the federal government has sought to complement—but not duplicate—regional initiatives. A $2 billion Low Carbon Economy Fund was established to support provincial and territorial investments that reduce carbon pollution. “Using this federal investment, provincial governments may apply for funding to deliver programs that reduce greenhouse gases and contribute to Canada’s climate change plan according to their own opportunities and priorities,” says Leroux. “These initiatives may include home retrofit incentives.” Last year, NRCan also ended its scaling-based rating system in favour of one based on consumption—specifically gigajoules per year. The changes also include alterations to the labels consumers will see for various upgrades, as well as new energy-modelling software and house evaluation procedures. Renovators need to become familiar with these changes, since they’ll likely become the lingua franca for any revised provincial rebates. And they’re also being adopted by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation for its CMHC Green Home program, which gives insurance premium refunds of as much 25% to borrowers using CMHC-insured financing with an eye towards energy efficiency. Specifically, if a home’s pre-renovation energy usage rating is 200 gigajoules per year or higher, a 45 gigajoules annual decrease in energy usage earns a 15% CMHC premium refund, while an annual decrease of 90 gigajoules is in line for a 25% refund. For a home initially rated below 200 gigajoules per year, an annual 20 gigajoule reduction yields a 15% premium reduction, while a 45 gigajoule decrease nets a 25% premium cut.

ontario home builder Summer 2017

EnerGuide 80 standards, which essentially puts an Energy Star on the entire house. And OHBA estimates the new standards will mean homes built this year and beyond will consume half the energy of a comparable home constructed in 2005. But that doesn’t begin to address the 4.8 million Ontario housing units built prior to the establishment of codes aimed at reducing energy use and greenhouse gas emissions. And, since any house built before 2014 is technically a candidate for upgrades, where do you start? Stephen Hamilton, OHBA’s Manager of Government Relations, suggests beginning with homes built prior to World War II. The majority have no insulation, draft-prone windows and doors and, in some cases, still rely on antiquated heating systems. “In the city of Toronto, you’ll still see oil trucks driving around neighbourhoods because people still have oil-based burners, which aren’t efficient from a greenhouse gas perspective—or even efficient at all,” says Hamilton. “You could get a high efficiency unit, but the (existing) ones in that era of homes are probably ancient.” Adam says he’s generally called in for lifestyle renovations, as opposed to projects specific to energy savings; and that customers rely on contractors to tell them which options they should consider if they want the project to do more than look pretty. “Most of them are aware of the advantages of LED lighting, and will ask if there’s an opportunity to add insulation,” he says. “They’re less familiar with what would happen if they went from a mid-efficiency to high-efficiency hot water heater. They’re relying on us as professional renovators to tell them.” ohba.ca

Make Rebates Permanent

One key problem with tax credits aimed at helping homeowners invest in energy efficiency is that they’re frequently temporary. The intermittent nature of the programs thus clash with the province’s new Climate Change Action Plan (CCAP) and the recently announced Home Energy Rating and Disclosure (HERD) requirements, which, starting in 2019, will require all resale homes in the province to undergo energy audits. With buyers poised to weigh a home’s future energy costs as a component of their buying decision, OHBA stated in its pre-budget submission to the province that it makes sense to implement a permanent tax credit. “The tax credit could be targeted and tailored to achieve a number of specific public policy objectives related to climate change mitigation and adaption,” notes OHBA’s pre-budget submission. It adds that program funding could be garnered from the proposed cap-and-trade system and be keyed specifically to upgrades to older housing stock that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by improving a home’s energy efficiency and performance.

Alternative Energies

Beyond insulation, thermostat timing and swapping inefficient heating for thriftier options, Canadian homeowners are increasingly curious about offgrid methods for powering and heating their homes. Geothermal (see page 49) can be an option, if there’s a source to tap, but upfront costs are high. Ontario has gone back and forth on grant programs to help homeowners cover the costs; a program that ran earlier in the 2000s was closed, but a new incarnation is expected to roll out soon. Solar, meanwhile, is increasingly being considered by homeowners now that technologies are improving. Photovoltaic panel installations are easier and are now starting to be combined with re-roof work. And demand could increase as materials providers develop solar shingles that can make up the actual roof, instead of being bolted onto a framework that sits atop the structure. Several sources interviewed for this story say demand was higher for both alternatives when government rebates were in place. Since their cancellation, they say, consumer interest has waned.

Michelle Loleski, marketing lead for the Home Energy Conservation Program at Enbridge Gas Distribution, says one goal of their rebate program (see sidebar) is to enhance conversations between homeowners and the contractors who provide energy-efficiency upgrades. But they’re also working to raise consumer awareness so that the conversations go both ways. “A lot of times the contractors are the ones who promote the program,” she says. “We want to change that narrative and make sure homeowners are aware, so that when they do have contractors in their homes, they’re able to start that conversation.” Larger additions can create opportunities to talk about HVAC upgrades, which generally include a high-efficiency furnace. “Part and parcel is to get an energy audit done on the home, so we can identify any specific efficiency savings options,” says Adam. “Once you’ve got an audit, it points out a few areas that we may not have thought of and are easy to address while we’re doing the bigger renovation. And the homeowner can take advantage of those rebates.” To earn rebates, notes Hamilton, owners must subject the home to an energy audit that includes a blower-door test before and after renovations to determine the level of improvement. Rebates are based on increases in energy performance, as opposed to the number of upgrades completed. “So if the test determines that improvements are minimal,” he says, “the homeowner wouldn’t get very much money.” Adam says that if homeowners are inclined to save energy, there are opportunities to educate them on the full potential once the job is underway. “Even when we’re doing a simple bathroom or kitchen renovation, we’ll open up the walls and see there’s no insulation in a really old house,” he says. ohba.ca

ontario home builder Summer 2017

Utility rebate programs

Ontario’s two main natural gas providers offer rebates for a variety of energy-saving improvements. They’re awarded based on blower-door tests, essentially a high-tech version of the old candle test, using a unit that’s hooked up to the front door to extract the air from the house. “It depressurizes the home (lowering the air pressure) and the auditor goes around with the homeowner to show them where outside air is trying to leak back in,” explains Michelle Loleski, marketing lead for the Home Energy Conservation Program at Enbridge Gas Distribution. “A series of three or four tests is used to provide a rating.” Based on test results, says Union Gas spokesperson Andrea Stass, energy auditors will recommend which upgrades the homeowner is eligible for, and adds that rebates also cover the costs of conducting the audit. Union Gas provides homeowners (even those who use propane or wood for heating) within their coverage area up to $5,000 back on efficiency upgrades, including:

Basement Insulation – Rebates range from $750 for R-12 in 100% of the basement to $1,250 for R-23 or better in 100% of the space; and between $500 for R-10 in 100% of the crawlspace wall to $1,000 for R-23. There’s also a $500 rebate for adding R-24 insulation above 100% in the crawlspace floor.

Exterior Wall Insulation – Rebates range from $1,250 for adding R-3.8 to 100% of the building to $1,750 for adding R-9 or better. In either case, a minimum R-12 insulation factor has to be achieved. Attic Insulation – Rebates range from $250 for improving the rating to R-50 from between R-13 and R-25, and $500 for increasing to R-50 from a prior rating of R-12 or below. There’s also a $500 rebate for increasing insulation of a flat or cathedral roof by at least R-14.

Air Sealing – This rebate ranges from $100 for achieving the base target of an energy efficiency reno to $150 for exceeding the base by 10%. Energy Star Rebates – These rebates cover a variety of upgrades, including $80 for every replaced window, door or skylight, $500 for a water heater, $500 for adding an electric air-source heat pump

ontario home builder Summer 2017

and $1,000 to swap out an aging furnace or boiler. Specific Energy Star ratings for each component or appliancew must be met for homeowners to receive rebates. Funding comes from the company itself, as well as contributions from Ontario’s Green Investment Fund. “It’s Union Gas money matched by the province: $2,500 from Union Gas and $2,500 from the province,” says Stass of the maximum possible rebate. “It does make it more attractive and the aim is predominantly energy efficiency to reduce people’s bills.” Enbridge also features a number of rebate options, as well as $1,600 in incentives for homeowners who achieve a minimum of 15% in energy savings. The incentive amount is based on the fuel savings determined by the before-and-after blower door tests. The home’s age and the amount of work undertaken also are factored, but Enbridge does not assign dollar amounts to specific upgrades. Both gas companies also offer rebates for installation of smart thermostats. For further information on Enbridge rebates, visit HomeEnergyConservation.ca. For information on Union Gas, visit Uniongas. com/homereno.

“So let’s take this opportunity while we have the wall cavity open to add insulation—either new batt insulation or let’s go all out and go with some good urethane foam in the exterior walls.” Starting there often leads to window replacement. Opening the wall cavity can reveal water damage or broken window seals. That creates an opportunity to perform a proper, full-frame window replacement, as opposed to a drop-in unit that fits inside the existing sash. Further, contractors can educate the homeowners about vapour barriers if opening the walls finds that none are present, or that an existing barrier has deteriorated. “Let’s get that barrier back up, because we want to reduce the transfer of energy out,” says Adam. “If we’re working on the outside, we need to make sure we get an air barrier up and add an inch of insulation to the exterior. And instead of just replacing the siding, why don’t we look at an insulated siding? All that has a huge impact.” Another way to motivate homeowners to spend $10,000 or $20,000 on something beyond fancy cosmetic upgrades and to make improvements behind the walls would be to offer a broader-based rebate or tax-credit program. “Consumers may or may not care about climate change, but if you can demonstrate there is a cost savings to putting in new insulation, and a cost savings to installing a new furnace, then people are going to do it,” says Hamilton. What’s more, such a program would help the province address the underground economy, since consumers require receipts to claim rebates. “They can’t pay cash, which is what we heard when the federal home renovation tax credit was in effect,” says Hamilton. “It really did assist in providing an incentive for people to pay taxes.” OHB ohba.ca

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Better Building I de a s for B u i l de r s & R e n ovat or s

The award-winning Bosco Verticale project in Milan, Italy includes 900 trees and 20,000 additional plants.

The Vertical Forest A n Ita l i a n a r c h i t e c t u r a l f i r m i s s e e i n g the forest for the trees

In a world that’s building up instead of out, an Italian architectural firm is trying to incorporate our natural surroundings into the process. Based in Milan, Italy, Boeri Studio’s first such project was the 2014 creation of Bosco Verticale (Vertical Forest). Resembling the overgrown cityscapes of post-apocalyptic cinema, the Milan project consists of a pair of residential highrises that host some 900 trees ranging in height from 10 to 30 feet, accompanied by more than 20,000 plants. The greenery, the maintenance of which is administered by the building’s management, is irrigated primarily by the buildings’ greywater, ohba.ca

including runoff from showers, dishwashers and washing machines. A unanimous winner of the International Highrise Award (IHP) for the world’s most innovative 2014 project, Vertical Forest is a model for a sustainable residential building and reforestation that can contribute to the regeneration of the environment and urban biodiversity without the implication of expanding the city upon the territory. Consider it densification for nature. On flat land, each Vertical Forest would equate to an area of 20,000 square metres of trees. Its vegetal system contributes to the construction of a

microclimate, producing humidity and oxygen, while absorbing CO2 and dust particles. There’s the added bonus of filtering noise pollution. They also increase biodiversity, establishing an urban ecosystem where a different kind of vegetation creates a vertical environment that can also be colonized by birds and insects, and therefore becomes both a magnet for and a symbol of the spontaneous re-colonization of the city by vegetation and by animal life. The creation of a number of Vertical Forests in the city can set up a network of environmental corridors that will give life to a city’s parks, bringing together the green space of avenues and gardens and interweaving various spaces of spontaneous vegetation growth. The choice of trees and plants has required intensive research that included a team of botanists. In the Milan case, the choice of tree varieties was made to complement their positioning on the facades, as well as by height. Each project serves as an ecological billboard for the design team as well as the developer and the city, constantly changing its look over the seasons, depending on the types of plants involved. Boeri, currently constructing a second Vertical Forest project in Lausanne, Switzerland, will also be erecting a twotower project in Nanjing, China—that country’s first such Bosco Verticale. Due for completion late next year, it is estimated that the manmade forests of the Nanjing towers will help fight China’s growing smog issues by absorbing a whopping 25 tons of CO2 annually while producing about 60 kilograms of oxygen every day. Boeri is by no means the only firm exploring such a theme. Apart from other international architects, famed botanist Patrick Blanc has been designing “Vertical Gardens” for years, ranging from major works such as One Central Park in Sydney, Australia, to smaller projects like 53W53 Tower in New York City. ontario home builder Summer 2017

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ontario home builder Summer 2017

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Better Building

There are cost-effective ways to deploy more advanced technologies, says blogger Frank Carnevale. opinion

Why Don’t Developers Build Low-Carbon Homes Today?

Photo: courtesy of Greenbilt Homes

By F r a n k C a r n e va l e , B l o g g e r , t h e G r e e n S t r e e t. c a

While Ontario carbon strategies still require program details, the direction is quite clear to Ontario home builders: Continue to reduce the carbon footprint of new-build homes. Whether the details are found in new building codes or in increased taxes and fees for homes using natural gas, there is a clear direction for developers. The federal government’s commitment, not generally understood, is one beyond the Paris Agreement, and is to achieve an 80% reduction of carbon from 1990 levels by 2050. To put it in perspective, for Canada to meet this, beyond ensuring that every home is using LED lightbulbs, it would require a 70% reduction in heating and cooling loads per home. These figures are based on the International Energy ohba.ca

Agency’s analysis for the United States. The Canadian Energy Efficiency Alliance expects numbers to be similar here. Looking out a number of years, that means that new homes would effectively need to deliver heating and cooling through renewable sources. But can this be done, and can it be done now? The short answer is yes—creating homes today that do not use any fossil fuel for heating and cooling is achievable. While there are designs and proven technologies that can be used to deliver it, here are some of the challenges. First, while conceptual designers exist to design thermal and electrical systems for low-carbon homes, for the most part they’re presenting older, less efficient designs, because developers aren’t accustomed to paying the premium fees

for low-carbon design. If you try to pay the least, you will get the least amount of efficient design. It’s that simple. It’s an HVAC world. There are good reasons why conventional chillerboiler air conditioning systems constitute the majority of units installed across North America. The large HVAC companies and the downstream mechanical engineers and contractors know where their bread is buttered, thus don’t deviate from conventional designs. Yet, places in Europe have an 80% penetration of ground-source heat pumps in new-build installations. The HVAC industry has done a great job in preventing the adoption of far greater low-carbon technologies, and it feeds the mentality downstream. So the reality is that you can’t necessarily count on your typical mechanical engineering or contracting firms to bring low-carbon design experience, because odds are they don’t do it well. Coupled with a developer’s model of commoditizing every element of a new build, there is no room to identify, procure and install innovation. Beyond the procurement side of the equation, there has always been a perceived risk attached to solutions that are customized per site. Therefore, developers and their downstream vendors and suppliers do not have the ability to change. In many instances, the largest developers are vertically integrated and own the designers or installers, and unless their competency is low-carbon design and/or installation, it’s another layer of change that gets in the way. There are some examples of smaller developers being open to more easily adopting low-carbon technologies in designs. The simple answer is that they need to differentiate their projects from those of large developers because they lack the purchasing power to compete on the same footing. They have more easily changed their DNA of design to create other revenue sources, such as owning the energy utility as well. What are the technologies today that can be incorporated to reduce carbon output compared to conventional? For one, build a tighter building envelope ontario home builder Summer 2017

Better Building to make homes more passive, such as through increased insulation or better structural design. Use a ground-source or air-source heat pump system to ensure a majority of heating and cooling is drawn from a renewable source, while only leaving one-quarter or so of the remaining load to electrical use to run a heat pump/compressor. Use hollow core slabs to serve as secondary thermal storage systems that are mainly paid for within structural costs. Creating a greater thermal base load reduces the need for more expensive peaking requirements. In multi-residential applications, the use of E/HRVs (energy recovery units) go a long way to reducing the amount of wasted heating and cooling from fresh air requirements. It’s a quick payback. And LEDs must be the standard. Once you remove thermal loads from a home, the only loads left are really lights and plugs, and LEDs really minimize light loads. Having greatly reduced your overall electrical loads, focus on a few solar PV panels to use internally, behind the meter, to offset your electrical requirements. Electrical storage is critical to managing your peak loads. Too many believe that FIT (Feed-In Tariff) solar is profitable. But if you calculate what you’re paying for the full delivery of electrons to your home against what you earn from your panels, you’ll realize that it is far more effective to store and use to offset your peaking electrical requirements. There are some great home automation control systems that enable you to track and alter high electrical uses in your home, as well as systems that allow you to turn off plug loads. In a home, it’s typically less the HVAC controls that allow you to save money and more the perimeter loads, such as lights and plugs. There are other great technologies that need to be deployed here in North America, like nano solar panel systems and thermal conversion to electricity systems, but they’re not ready for mass deployment. The ones mentioned previously, though, are. If a developer wants a cost-effective way to deploy these, there is a way. 74

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T e c h n o l o gy

A Paradigm Shift in Vancouver What’s an ultra-energy-efficient home go for in North Vancouver? Using Laval, Quebec-based Bone Structure building technology, which employs 3D software in designing and assembling units with a patented galvanized steel construction system, this custom home, baptized the “Paradigm,” is setting a new benchmark for green construction on the west coast. Scoring an EnerGuide rating of 95, it was completed in early 2017 and listed at $2,999,000. The 4,050 sq. ft. home, whose individual steel pieces are laser cut to avoid any waste, includes three levels that are each divided into two living units. There’s a total of five bedrooms, with a main-floor terrace accessed via a large sliding door system with close to 20 feet of glazing, providing excellent light and a great view of the mountain range in the distance. You can also see out to Vancouver Harbour. Contributing to the environmentally friendly nature of the Net Zero Energy home is a 10 kw solar array atop the roof that provides most of the energy needs, while a soya-based polyurethane thermal envelope helps provide superior insulation. There’s also a rainwater system for harvesting, irrigation and flushing, as well as Miele

appliances, air and water radiant heat pumps, an electric vehicle charging station and a whole-house HEPA clean air filtration system. R e n ovat i o n

Dulux offering unique painters’ marketplace

If you’re a professional painter or contractor looking to brush up on your painting skills and grow your business, Dulux Paints has an opportunity. The leading paint brand has launched an online painters’ marketplace to identify pro painters and contractors nationwide who are trained in applying the leading-edge ohba.ca

Dulux Effect Finishes paint. Introduced in late 2016, the Effect Finishes line transforms walls into luxurious, one-of-a-kind creations in two easy steps. Dulux Venetian Silk paint uses innovative technology to infuse walls with visual depth and sophistication, while the company’s Liquid Metal paint adds fluid elegance to a room. Throughout 2017, there will be oneday Dulux Effect Finishes workshops for pro painters and contractors across Canada. Offered for $300, the full-day, hands-on course includes a supply of Effect Finishes products, applicators, sample board and colour tools, the value of which is beyond the cost of the course, says Martin Tustin-Fuchs, brand manager for the Dulux Paints brand by PPG. “Our message is that Dulux will train you under professional guidance on how to use our new product, and then we’ll help raise awareness of your skills and services through our new online marketplace so you can attract and better serve clients,” says Tustin-Fuchs. For a list of workshop locations and dates, and to register, contact your local Dulux Paints store or representative.

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Cutting Carbon early in the process Makes Cents When you reduce carbon you can also reduce costs, but you need to consider it at an early stage, explains Mike Putnam, president & CEO of Englandbased developer and construction company Skanska UK. “You can’t just tackle carbon when you’re partway through a project, because the die is already cast. What you need to do is start up-front when you’ve almost got a blank sheet of paper, and say, ‘What can we do to take carbon out?’” he explains in the latest episode of Construction Climate Talks (Constructionclimatechallenge. com/climatetalks). Putnam is also Chair of the Green Construction Board, developer of the Infrastructure Carbon Review, which sets out a series of actions to achieve carbon ohba.ca

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reductions of 24 million metric tons per annum from the construction and operation of the UK’s infrastructure assets by 2050, yielding a potential net benefit of up to £1.46 billion ($2.52 billion Cdn) per year. But you can’t operate in a vacuum, Putnam stresses. “It’s only collaborating across the industry that will bring everyone up to a much higher level.” T e c h n o l o gy

DuPont rightsizing Targeting single-use projects or smaller applications when flashing doors, windows and exterior penetrations such as HVAC, electrical and plumbing materials, DuPont Protection Solutions has introduced three shorter roll lengths of its Flashing Systems products. Part of the DuPont Tyvek Building Envelope business, the new size options include DuPont Flashing Tape in a 4”-wide x 33-foot roll; DuPont FlexWrap NF in a 9”-wide x 15-foot roll and DuPont StraightFlash VF in a 6” width x 25-foot roll. These convenient roll lengths complement the current longer rolls of DuPont Flashing Systems that are available in 75- or 125-foot options. “DuPont did interviews with installers, builders and contractors that showed that many times excess flashing products from a job do not always get taken to the next job, causing added construction expense,” says Alan Hubbell, Tyvek global marketing manager. “The shorter roll lengths allow remodellers, builders and contractors to use (our) flashing products without the investment of larger bulk quantities.” T e c h n o l o gy

Arriscraft secures Rights to revolutionary Panel System Arriscraft, the Cambridge manufacturer of naturally made products that emulate quarried stone, and its parent 76

ontario home builder Summer 2017

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company General Shale have reached an agreement with T-Clear Corporation for the exclusive North American rights to ProGuard DP Insulated Concrete Board panels. The much-lauded wall system meets today’s building codes in terms of energy performance and installs in a fraction of the time of traditional wall systems. The combined system, which eliminates the separate steps of the drainage plane, insulation, wire lathe and mortar bed, can be used for thin brick, thin natural stone, thin porcelain tile, thin manufactured stone, stucco and synthetic stucco. Featuring ship-lapped edges that eliminate thermal breaks, the fully engineered panels offer great thermal protection to meet energy code (ASHRAE 90.1, SB-10, IECC) Continuous Insulation requirements. T e c h n o l o gy

Taking Control of Wastewater From taking a shower to washing dishes, homeowners use a lot of water. But it’s not until there’s a problem, such as a holding tank backing up into a basement, that people give much thought to the water swirling down their drains. To help prevent such occurrences, Tulsar Canada has updated and rereleased its Pivot Series control panel that offers continuous monitoring of the holding tank in a home, business or vacation property. The Pivot Series uses a series of floats to monitor wastewater levels, turning on the pump to drain the water into the forcemain outside of a home or business. Once the water drops to a safe level, the Pivot shuts off the pump but continues to monitor to ensure water levels don’t run too low and damage the pump or related equipment. Featuring a NEMA 4X polycarbonate enclosure, the Pivot can be safely mounted outside and protected with a pad-lockable hasp to secure the contents. Assembled in Kitchener, it includes a high-level light, alarm test and silence buttons, as well as a visual and audible alarm to alert you of a pump malfunction. OHB ohba.ca

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Product Focus I de a s for B u i l de r s & R e n ovat or s

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Ply Gem’s coffee bean-coloured InsulPlank siding from its Mitten line is designed to withstand hurricane-force winds.

Face the Truth Curb appeal never goes out of style By Da n O ’ R e i l ly

Although based on the opinions of existing homeowners, not prospective purchasers, this year’s Outdoor Design Survey by Royal Building Products provides builders with valuable insight into Canadian attitudes about the exterior of their homes. Conducted by Good Run Research & Recreation and involving more than 1,000 participants, it says homeowners are acutely aware of the value of ohba.ca

curb appeal and are prepared to spend money to achieve it. Almost 90% of the homeowners interviewed said they planned to make a significant exterior product purchase within two years and 58% intend to make that commitment in the next 12 months. The survey also shows those homeowners to be very practical. “Surprisingly, we learned that style is not a significant factor for most Canadian

homeowners, while low-maintenance products is one of the most desired home renovation trends,” says Royal Building Products senior V.P. Simon Bates. “Homeowners want their houses to look attractive without having to put a great deal of effort to keep it that way,” adds Royal’s marketing director, Marilyn Chase. Chase cites the advantages of installing its low-maintenance and “lifetime ontario home builder Summer 2017

Product Focus

Seeing is Believing

Royal Building Products’ Celect Cellular Composite siding features an interlocking seam design.

durable” Celect Cellular Composite Siding. Replicating the beauty of wood and featuring an interlocking seam design, it is available in four profiles and 15 fade-resitant colours. In explaining that wide palette, Chase says there is a strong and growing preference for darker, bolder colours when it comes to siding and trim. The underpinnings for that preference are improved technologies by siding, painting and coating companies that enable their products to “hold up under the brutal sun.” At this point, the use of darker colours is concentrated in the renovation and custom home sector. While continuing to offer “more muted options,” large production builders will eventually be influenced by what’s happening on the custom home side, Chase predicts. Other product representatives echo the sentiment. “Not everyone wants white railings anymore,” says said Doug Mucher, marketing manager for CertainTeed Outdoor Living. Earlier this year, the company added three bold new tones—Black, Rustic Rose and Warm Spice—to its EverNew Railing Systems, which consists of two vinyl versions and one wood/plastic composite. The colours, which complement four existing shades in the line, are injected during the extrusion process and not adhered after the railings have been fabricated, Mucher explains. Intended to provide homeowners with more options, all three new colours are 80

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designed to enhance the look of any porch deck or substrate colour. In the case of street-facing elevations, they can be used to match the trim or the main door, suggests Mucher. “Consumers want bold options not only inside, but outside of the home,” says John Vukanovich, V.P. of marketing for Ply Gem Canada, which produces Mitten Siding. As an example, Vukanovich points to the “outstanding” consumer response to Gunmetal Gray, one of two colours added to the Mitten Siding line in 2015. Four more colours were added last year, with a current total of 37 different colours. “Homeowners often base their choice of siding on their colour preference,” says Vukanoic, who believes the penchant for bolder hues possibly stems from the popularity of television home and remodelling programs. Another trend is homeowners’ desire for a “coordinated rather than a piecemeal approach.” In other words, they may undertake exterior upgrades over a number of years, but with a planned uniformity of design as the ultimate goal. Certainly, coordinated planning is what Brampton Brick Limited and its Oaks Landscape Products division recommend for builders to achieve maximum curb appeal. Its Integrated Design program is intended to harmonize the bricks on the house with landscape elements, such as driveway pavers and curbs/steps.

Increasingly, product manufacturers are enabling homeowners to take a more active role in the design of their home’s exterior before construction commences through the use of interactive web pages. An example is Ply Gem’s online home visualizer tool (plygem.ca/wps/portal/ca/ideas-andlearning/the-designed-exterior), which give homeowners, builders and contractors access to “select tried-and-true combinations for the entire facade, including windows, siding, stone veneer, roofing, trim, shutters, garage doors and entry doors.” Users are invited to choose a home similar to theirs or upload photos of their home and then to start experimenting with a range with colours and materials to create custom combinations. A similar portal service is provided by CertainTeed. Its EverView visualizer tool (Everview.certainteed.com) helps homeowners choose the railing style and colour that best coordinates with the look of their outdoor living space. “Homes today incorporate a minimum of three different materials, and that is just the masonry! Trying to tie in the landscaping products adds further complexity,” notes Brampton Brick marketing manager Kathy Potvin. To promote integrated design, the company holds information sessions with builders, architects and designers to discuss trending colours, textures and designs, as well is its product lines and proposed changes to those lines, says Potvin. Other manufacturers are creating new products or enhancing existing lines to give builders an edge when it comes to first impressions. Arriscraft has unveiled two new iterations of its popular thin-clad Arris.stack product. The Coastal Series and Midtown ohba.ca

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Product Focus are re-configured options that give consumers/designers options for new looks, such as an accent or knee wall. The Cambridge Ontario-based firm describes the Coastal Series as ideal for those who prefer a sleek look with a mortar joint. Its three-face rises (2-1/8", 3-5/8" and 6-3/6") are pre-blended on a skid. Reminiscent of a linear brick, the Midtown is available in two sizes that can be installed separately or combined, and can be laid with or without mortar.

ROCK ON In other product developments, Fusion Stone is rapidly making inroads into the housing market. Shouldice Designer Stone first introduced the exterior natural stone veneer in 2007. Currently available in two styles, Great Lakes and Dry-Stack, it can now be purchased at approximately 1,500 locations nationwide. The reason for that rapid growth is twofold, says Shouldice Director of Customer Solutions Bob Sanders. First of all, its stainless steel clip-andscrew system facilitates quick and easy installation. Second, the stone can be used to upgrade and modernize houses, adding looks and real value. There is an almost equal balance between the utilization of Fusion Stone as an accent feature for both inside and outside homes and its use as the major or near total cladding for the exterior, Sanders says.

its appearance and, for some, a better fit for contemporary designs. In the 30 months since that rollout, the series continues to grow in popularity, moving beyond its initial target of primarily downtown urban areas to rural and cottage markets as well, Deacon notes. At the same time, custom home renovations in the Greater Toronto Area have become the biggest market for Fraser Wood Siding’s Evolution Series. With the continued escalation of cottage country prices, homeowners are refurbishing, remodelling and reinventing their homes “so that it becomes their year-round retreat,” according to Steve Hudson, Fraser’s V.P. of sales and marketing. Unveiled about five years ago, the Evolution siding features a tongueand-groove design on all four sides and a locking technology that eliminates any appearance of face nails. Its urethane-based coating comes with a

30-year warranty, while a conditioning process during its fabrication reduces moisture content of the pine wood to 12%, increasing stability. Builders like the tongue-and-groove design because it’s easy to install and reduces waste, says Hudson. And with three profiles and a range of different textures and colours to choose from, builders and their clients don’t have to worry that houses will be an exact copy of the neighbouring ones. “There can be two houses on the same street with the same colour of Evolution siding and they’ll still look different,” says Hudson.

OPENING NEW DOORS Windows and doors are, of course, critical curb appeal elements. To that end, Strassburger Windows has rolled out its Double Nature vinyl entrance door system. Consisting of sidelites (the narrow, vertical windows positioned The Great Lakes line of easily installed Shouldice Designer Stone’s Fusion Stone.

WOOD IS STILL GOOD But wood siding remains a significant player in the market. In response to a higher demand for contemporary designs and more urban-based projects, Maibec launched its Urbahn Series line in 2014. “Traditionally, because of the milling process which begins at the start of the profiling stage, wood sidings have always been limited to a more rustic, rougher texture and look,” explains Ontario sales Maibec representative Adam Deacon, whose company’s new Urbahn line consists of a select offering of profiles and trims with a “brushed face” that is a little sleeker in 82

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The brushed face of Maibec’s Urbahn Series complements more contemporary designs. ohba.ca

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Aesthetically Blending In

Steel-Craft garage doors, including its twoinch-thick polyurethane-injected steel doors, are designed to complement, not overpower.

on either side of an entry door) and a transom window, the system is a major enhancement of the standard stained fibreglass door slab, says company owner Bob Strassburger. “We are able to give the homeowner a product that gives the look of real wood without the maintenance of a wood product.” That double advantage of appearance and no maintenance is the reason the Kitchener-based manufacturer has also introduced stain to its complete line of vinyl windows, providing homeowners a chance to set their homes apart from white or painted windows. Along with its unique stain process and choice of 50 different colours, the diversified collection enables clients and builders to work together to achieve what the owner considers the optimal curb appeal, says Strassburger.

NOT AN OPEN-AND-SHUT CASE In the quest for products that can best contribute to the overall look of a home, however, some discretion is necessary, particularly in the realm of garage doors, suggests Travis Reynolds, national marketing manager for Edmonton-based Steel-Craft Door Products. Although there is some interest in Canada in glazed garage doors, “they are for looks, not energy efficiency,” Reynolds cautions. A clause in the National Energy Code stipulates a vehicular access door must 8 4

ontario home builder Summer 2017

Strassburger Double Nature vinyl entrance door system.

have a minimum R-Value of 6.25 (or RSI Value of 1.1) when the garage space is separating a “conditioned” (heated) space from an unconditioned (non-heated) one. “Essentially, if the garage space is heated, the overhead door must have a minimum R-Value of 6.25,” Reynolds notes. Steel-Craft supplies a range of style and colour options that will complement either their contemporary or traditional houses, including a two-inchthick polyurethane-injected steel door. Even here, though, Reynolds urges caution. “Overhead garage doors can certainly generate curb appeal, but they should never be the testament statement for a house. Rather, they should complement the overall design; not overwhelm it.” OHB

Achieving curb appeal is more than just selecting and installing the right exterior cladding products. “You have to be sensitive to the community in which you’re building,” advises Lee Koutsaris, VicePresident of Sales, Marketing and Design for Metropia. That’s what the developer has achieved with its Annex Yorkville Connection in downtown Toronto. Comprised of a 27-storey condominium tower and 39 townhouses in two back-to-back blocks, it has been designed to blend in with the existing fabric of the city’s long-established tree-lined residential Annex community. A pivotal feature in achieving that integration is the use of a replica stone— employed as cladding for the townhouses and the condominium podium— to complement the neighbourhood’s existing homes. Another curb-appeal measure will involve the tower’s orientation. It will front on to Davenport Road, a primarily east-west commercial thoroughfare, where the building’s commercial tenants will be located. However, the lobby will be accessed from Bedford Street, a quiet residential street. A number of townhouses, meanwhile, will be built around an internal courtyard and will feature front yards. While the remainder of residences, located on Davenport Road and a side street, will lack front yards, those townhouses will be compensated with rooftop terraces and trees planted in front of the units, advises Koutsaris.

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