Net Zero Homes: Are they the future of building?

A net zero home is a home that generates the same amount of energy it uses, and it is a big step for the future of living. Making buildings and industrial sectors more eco-friendly will help reduce the impact on climate change.

 As we all know countries around the world are committed to the environment and willing to become as environmentally friendly as possible. In Ontario, Canada, Net Zero homes are expected to be the future of the province, but the high cost is still a big concern. This article by TVO explains the state of the economy in Ontario and the future of building homes in this province and across the country.

There is an ongoing trend of green building practices that are inspiring building, design and construction communities. Together they are approaching the point where achieving net zero energy for new homes is technically viable. Delphi’s research for the CaGBC study provides an overview of the economic contributions of the green building sector in Canada. The study shows the current status of activities in Canada’s green building sector as well as provides an overview of the evolution of the sector, current trends and market opportunities such as costs, risks and barriers to growth.

Specifically the province of Ontario has a plan to expand the Net Zero building projects with a program called “ Home Energy Rating and Disclosure program” that is scheduled to launch in 2019. This project is part of the Government’s new “Five Year Climate Change Action Plan” and ensures any newly built home in Ontario must undergo an energy audit, that will indicate their overall energy consumption before it is put on the market for sale.

A net zero home is such a high performance building with high energy efficiency that the renewable system will either offset all or most of your current annual energy consumption.

 Get ahead of the curve and start considering a Net Zero home for your next custom build. Download the Residential Construction or the Construction Guide for Builders and Architects to discover how energy efficient Normerica Timber Homes & Cottages can be.