Unlocking Canada Greener Homes Grant

Unlocking Canada Greener Homes Grant

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Unlocking Canada Greener Homes Grant: Your Comprehensive Guide to Home Retrofitting

Discover How Homesol Building Solutions Leads the Way in Saving you Energy and Money through Home Retrofitting, While Qualifying for Government Grants and Interest-Free Loans

Have you noticed that your energy bills are becoming increasingly expensive? Are you interested in reducing your environmental footprint while also saving money? If so, then home energy retrofitting may be the solution you need. Energy retrofitting is the process of upgrading your home’s energy efficiency by adding or improving insulation, upgrading heating and cooling systems, switching to more energy-efficient lighting and appliances, or installing renewable systems, like solar. In this comprehensive guide, we will show you how Homesol Building Solutions can help you unlock energy savings through home energy retrofitting while also qualifying you for the Canada Greener Homes grants of up to $5,600, and the Canada Greener Homes Loan which is an interest-free loan of up to $40,000 with a repayment term of 10 years. You might also qualify for thousands of dollars in additional provincial grants. Below is an explanation how it works and what steps to take.

Assessing the current state of energy consumption in your home

The first step in retrofitting your home is to have Homesol Building Solutions assess the current state of energy consumption in your home. Our team of professional energy advisors will provide a comprehensive energy audit that identifies the primary areas where you can improve your home’s energy efficiency, which range from envelope upgrades like insulation, window replacement and air sealing to heating system upgrades like heat pumps, all the way to renewables like solar panel installation. Based on the results of the audit, Homesol creates personalized retrofit suggestions for your home, using our advance training and the whole home approach, which outlines the most significant areas of improvement while considering safety, comfort, and your return on investment. The retrofit plan will include a list of recommended upgrades and what order you should complete them in, it will also show you how much energy ($$) you can save by implementing each upgrade.

Insulation upgrades

Generally, one of the most significant areas of improvement in home energy efficiency is insulation upgrades. Proper insulation helps keep warm air in during the winter and warm air out (or cool air in) during the summer. In fact, The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that the average homeowner can save 15% on heating and cooling costs by adding insulation in attics, basements, crawl spaces, and basement rim joists.

Upgrading heating and/or cooling systems

Another significant area of home energy efficiency is upgrading the heating and/or cooling systems. Many clients choose to apply for Greener Homes Canada programs and combine it with the provincial rebates to install heat pump system, including mini-splits, fully ducted air source system or even geothermal/water source heat pumps. Not only do these upgrades save energy and reduce your environmental footprint, but they can also lead to significant cost savings on your energy bills over time. In fact, you can expect to save anywhere from 30-70% per year on your heating/cooling bills when you convert from an older system to a high efficiency heat pump system.

Air Sealing

The next step in retrofitting your home for energy saving is air sealing. Every home has air leaks that lead to energy waste. Homesol Building Solutions will identify the air leaks in your home, so in your retrofit plan you can choose to seal them off using a combination of caulking, spray foam, and weatherstripping. This process is low cost and will help keep your home more comfortable and improve its overall energy efficiency. Professionals will attest that the best return-on-investment with home energy is air sealing. Our team will also be able to determine if your home is too air tight and should have additional ventilation added like a heat recovery ventilation system to improve air quality, health and comfort in your home.

Installing solar panels

Last but not least, installing solar panels will not only reduce your electrical bill, it will also increase the value of your home. More and more home buyers are prioritizing energy-efficient homes, and as such, solar panels have become a valuable asset. By installing solar panels, you are investing in your home, saving on electricity bills, and increasing your property’s value. Solar panels require very little maintenance, and since they have no moving parts, the likelihood of repairs is minimal. Many provinces now provide net metering, this removes the need for expensive batteries for energy storage. With net metering when your solar system generates more electricity than is being used your meter will run in reverse sending that additional electricity back to the main grid. You can then use those “energy credits” when your solar system is not providing enough electricity for your demand. It’s a win-win situation.

In conclusion, the Greener Homes Canada Grant provides homeowners with a fantastic opportunity to make their homes more energy-efficient and environmentally friendly, while giving you significant incentive, up to $5,600 which can be combined with provincial grants in thousands of additional dollars as well. And if you want to do more deep energy retrofits or can’t afford the cost up front, we can guide you toward applying for the up to $40,000 interest-free loan. By taking advantage of these programs, you will reduce your energy bills, improve the health and comfort for your family, save money and increase the value of your home, while at the same time doing your part to combat climate change and move towards a better future. So, win-win-win-win-win!

If you are interested in making energy-efficient upgrades to your home, be sure to contact Homesol Building Solutions to provide you more information and guide you through the process.
#GoGreenWithHomesol and contact us today!

Net Zero Training by Homesol

Net Zero Training by Homesol on April 25 in Curran

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Improving the energy efficiency of existing homes is crucial to reaching Canada’s greenhouse gas emissions goals. There are over 14 million existing homes in Canada, all of which need to achieve Net Zero ready performance by 2050. Through the Canadian Homes Builder’s Association (CHBA) Net Zero Home Labelling program and their Towards Net Zero Reno Initiative, we will be advancing proven technologies and approaches to pursue net zero levels of performance in the most cost-effective ways possible, a key to making it possible for more Canadians to not only increase the comfort in their home, but also reduce their energy consumption and GHG emissions.

With support from Natural Resources Canada, the CHBA Towards Net Zero Reno Initiative is working with select Municipalities that have programs supporting deep energy retrofits to give direction to their constituents on viable pathways to upgrade existing homes to Net Zero or Net Zero Ready. The scope of this project is to support the industry in delivering 100-150 Net Zero Renovations across Canada, representing a variety of climate zones and geographical areas and to build capacity through providing Net Zero training for Renovators, Builders, Energy Advisors, relevant contractors, and municipalities, and to develop tools and processes that will allow for a scalable and cost-effective house-as-a-system approach to improving homes through the CHBA Net Zero Home Labelling Program.

Homesol Building Solutions is a Net Zero Qualified Service Organization with Net Zero Qualified Energy Advisors and Trainers. We are one of the leaders in the industry providing Net Zero training to home builders, renovators, and contractors, and have helped over 150 projects achieve Net Zero labels.

The next training session is the Advanced Building Science course (a prerequisite for the Net Zero Builder course) in Curran Ontario, 896 Elizabeth St, K0B 1C0, on the 25th of April 2023 from 8 am to 4 pm. The cost will be $400 + tax.

Contact Mark from our Ontario division to get your tickets: mark.wease@homesol.ca

Existing Home Evaluation

Existing Home Evaluation: What to Expect

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Introduction

When you have an Energy Advisor come to do an evaluation on your home, they’re using the EnerGuide Rating System developed by Natural Resources Canada, which is an essential part of energy efficiency grant and loan programs.

Regional partners and Licensed Service Organizations such as Homesol use this rating system to evaluate the energy performance of your home and make recommendations that will provide you with the information to make your house more comfortable with less energy waste, which will get it closer to Net Zero energy.

Before the evaluation is complete, here are some tips on what to expect.

If you have a wood-burning fireplace or stove, it needs to have ash and coals removed (swept clean) and the dampers closed. This is to prevent ash and soot from getting all over your home.

Upon arrival, the Energy Advisor will greet you and ask you questions like: Do you experience any comfort issues, Are you already considering specific upgrades?

The Energy Advisor will begin by taking measurements & photos of your home both inside and outside.

The Advisor will record the make and model of your mechanical systems which includes; heating, cooling, ventilation, and hot water, and document if there are bathroom exhausts, a rangehood, or a clothes dryer.

The Advisor will perform an Exhaust Devices Test, the purpose of this test is to determine if your exhaust fans can draw combustion gasses into your home from fuel-burning appliances.

The blower door test is next, to determine the air tightness of the house. This simulates a 32 km/hr wind pressure on all sides of the building. Please note: If vermiculite is identified, the blower door test cannot be performed, due to the potential for asbestos.

While the house is being depressurized, the Energy Advisor will show you where the air leaks are around your home so that you can visualize where the energy is being wasted.

After completion of the home evaluation, your Energy Advisor will complete the energy model within two weeks, providing an EnerGuide label, a homeowner information sheet, and a renovation upgrade report, which will be submitted to Natural Resources Canada.

The renovation upgrade report will provide you with measured information that can help you determine which upgrades will have the biggest impact on providing a more comfortable house that also reduces energy waste.

You can’t manage what you don’t measure, so get started by booking an evaluation with Homesol Building Solutions today!

Get started

Multi-Unit Residential Buildings

Ontario EAs Now Service MURBs

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Multi-Unit Residential Buildings

It’s official! Homesol Building Solutions now has Energy Advisors who specialize in servicing and assessing Multi-Unit Residential Buildings or MURBs as they are also known. There are many rebates available in the Canada Greener Homes Grant exclusively for MURBs, and MURBs can receive up to $20,000 under the program. Contact Homesol Building Solutions today to get started!

Homesol is Raising Money For The Canadian Red Cross

Homesol Is Raising Money For The Canadian Red Cross

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Canada

Homesol Building Solutions is raising money for the Canadian Red Cross’s disaster relief program.

About the Fundraiser

The strength of the Canadian Red Cross is our dedicated volunteers and donors. Help us build stronger communities at home and abroad.

From situations ranging from house fires that affect one family, to wildfires and hurricanes which can disrupt entire regions, The Canadian Red Cross is there every step of the way, providing communities with tools and skilled responders preparing for, responding to, and recovering from disasters.

Beyond disaster relief, the Canadian Red Cross also provides other essential services to those who need it most. Whether it’s teaching students about violence and bullying prevention, or providing essential health services to an elderly patient so they can live more independently, or delivering water safety and first aid courses to help build safer communities, no organization is better equipped to serve the most vulnerable people in our communities than the Red Cross.

Donate Here

Final Home Evaluation

Final Home Evaluation

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Introduction

The follow-up for a Mid-Construction Air-Test is a Final Home Evaluation. The team from Homesol Building Solutions provides a final inspection of a newly built or renovated house to assure all of the mechanical systems are in place for the energy certificate or label.

Final Home Evaluation

At final inspection or evaluation, we come to the house close to when the house is completed and we do an air-tightness test. It’s one of the things that we do for all about Energy Star and Net-Zero R2000 homes. And the process would be that we would take photo documentation of the exterior of the house and elevation so someone can compare to the plans and to the energy model that the house is what it is and also to document the mechanical systems and anything else that is visually available for us to document at this stage.

And then all that gets put into the file and then it gets cross-checked with what is put into the energy model and what the specs are. And if anything differs in a substantial degree than we can count as a deficiency and work with the builder to offset any that may be present.

Final Air Test

So another part of the process of the final evaluation set up to blower door at the front door or any of the exterior doors, make sure that all the windows and doors to the exterior are closed. Make sure all the interior doors are open so that there’s good flow throughout the house and then run the air test to check for additional holes and leaks.

Quality Assurance

So even though a project has had a passing, mid-construction, air-test a final test is still required because many things can happen between that mid-construction air test and the final holes can be put into the air barrier that gets covered up and represents an air leak. So that’s why it’s good quality assurance for the final air test to confirm the actual air tightness of the house.

If you are interested in a Final Home evaluation for your houses or construction projects, get started with Homesol Building Solutions today!

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Homesol on The Building Science Podcast

Homesol on The Building Science Podcast

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Featuring Our Ontario Manager, Stephen Magneron

Recently, our Ontario Manager, Stephen Magneron was featured on the This Must Be The Place: The Building Science Podcast by Shawna Henderson. Shawna and Stephen spoke at great lengths about the current challenges the industry faces and what we need to do to overcome those challenges to be environmentally friendly and more energy efficient. Listen for free on Apple Podcasts or Spotify!

Listen Here!

mid construction air tightness (1)

Mid-Construction Air-Tightness Testing

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Mid-Construction Air-Tightness Testing

Homesol Building Solutions offers mid-construction air-tightness tests to builders looking to make more energy-efficient homes. Our mid-construction air-tests show builders where the air leaks are in their builds, so they can be properly sealed before the work covers them up leading to less energy waste.

The Importance of a Mid-Construction Air-Test

The first requirement in conducting a mid-construction air-test, the house needs to be prepared. For a house to be prepared, the air barrier needs to be complete. Whatever the primary air barrier is, there could be multiple air barriers, but as long as one is complete, then we can come in to do a mid-construction test that will include the windows and doors needing to be installed prior to our test.

The mid-construction air-test is a great marker to make sure that the air barrier is as complete as possible at that point so that they can continue on in the process of construction, knowing that they’re already achieving the air tightness target. And if they happen to not be, then we can go around looking for air leaks before they get covered up.

How the Test Works

So the process that happens with the mid-construction air-test is that we come in and we have to have power, that’s a big one, which is not always the case in the during construction, in which case sometimes they’ll bring over a portable generator. But as long as we have power, then we can run our fan and run our laptops. Then we set up the blower door. We make sure that all the windows and doors are closed. We spot check for other areas where the air barrier may not be complete, and then we run the test.

And when we finish the test, we can get a result to see if we need to look around for air leaks. And when we look around for air leaks at this time, the best method is to feel with our hands and use special infrared cameras in typical areas where we find air leaks, and then inform the builder on where they are so they can be sealed before construction can continue.

Interested in a mid-construction air-tightness test for your construction operation? Contact Homesol Building Solutions to get started!

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being an energy advisor

What is it Like Being an Energy Advisor?

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Written by David Hope, Energy Advisor and Ontario Assistant Regional Manager at Homesol Building Solutions

Over the last 3+ years, I have had the good fortune of being a Registered Energy Advisor (REA) with Homesol Building Solutions Inc.

Starting this new career was not the easiest transition for me, but it has yielded tremendous opportunities. My previous career as a Certified Carpenter provided a lot of transferable skills to assist in the EnerGuide Rating System (ERS) on-site residential home energy evaluations. It was the computer modelling and report writing, aka desk work, that challenged me. After finding a new balance and realizing the potential flexibility in my work and personal schedule, I found a great appreciation for my new position as an REA.

Attaining your Natural Resources Canada licence to become an REA can be just the beginning. Beyond the Federal Greener Homes Grant Initiative there are opportunities to pursue continuing education as a Multi-unit Residential Building (MURB) Energy Advisor; Quality Assurance Specialist in both Residential and MURB’s; EnergyStar, NetZero, LEED, and Passive House Third Party Verifier; and Building Science Consultant on both existing and new residential home construction.

Homesol Building Solutions Inc. has conducted itself as a group of professional Energy Conservation Consultants since 1999. Founded in Perth, Ontario, we now serve Canadians from coast to coast!

Homesol’s Energy Advisors and green building consultants work with builders, renovators, designers and homeowners in Ontario, Atlantic Canada and throughout North America, to deliver energy-efficient green building solutions for residential new construction or retrofit projects, from energy modelling, thermography and “blower door” air leakage testing, to ENERGY STAR Certified homes and third-party verified EnerGuide Ratings, and high-performance R-2000, Net Zero, Passive House and beyond.

Residential buildings, done right, can easily enjoy fresh, clean air and comfortable temperatures year-round, with a substantial reduction in energy use over standard construction, while addressing water use, indoor air quality and environmentally-preferable materials.

RND Farmside

RND Construction’s Farmside Green Development

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Carlington, Ontario

Right near the Experimental Farm in Carlington, is Ottawa’s first Net-Zero home development project by RND Construction. In this new development, nine homes were built (3 singles, 6 semis) above and beyond the code for homes in Canada, making them extremely energy-efficient, environmentally friendly, and Net-Zero ready. The addition of solar panels will make them true Net-Zero.

Environmentally Friendly

Not only are these homes built far more efficiently than traditional homes, but they were also constructed with the environmental impact in mind. Before these homes were built, nothing sat here but an empty lot, when construction began only a handful of dead trees were cut down for the homes to be built, the rest were saved and maintained, providing some very nice shading for these new homes in the front and backyards.

The grand opening of this development was joined by Mayor Jim Watson speaking about how this kind of development will not be the last, and that there are several more on the way in Ottawa, and that the need for solar and Net-Zero homes in Ottawa is more important now more than ever.

Homesol was RND’s Net-Zero Energy Advisors for this project. Homesol consulted RND throughout the construction process making sure that efficiency targets were being met for the labels and certifications.

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