Our current townhome project at 1210 Broadway Avenue is being built to achieve Energy Star certification. To become an Energy Star home builder in Saskatoon, home builders need to take Energy Star training and then become certified as an Energy Star home builder.
To have a specific home classified as an Energy Star home, the home then needs to be constructed to much higher energy efficiency standards than a standard home. This is accomplished by performing a number of required efficiency upgrades as well as selecting a number of optional upgrades to achieve the Energy Star efficiency level.
Energy Star homes will generally perform better than standard homes in terms of insulation, air tightness, electricity consumption, water consumption, and ventilation. Energy Star homes are typically 30% more efficient than conventional homes. Energy Star homes provide the following benefits:
1. Lower ownership costs
2. Higher level of comfort
3. Higher quality assurance (closely inspected by independent 3rd party authorized by Natural Resources Canada)
4. Health and fresh air
5. Good for the environment
At the 1210 Broadway Avenue project, we plan to perform the following upgrades to achieve the Energy Star certification:
1. R50 insulation in the attic
2. Triple pane Low E Argon windows
3. Instantaneous hot water heater
4. R20 basement insulation
5. Heat Recovery Ventilator (HRV) system
6. Direct vent fireplace with spark ignition
7. Low flow, dual flush toilets
8. Energy Star approved air conditioning (SEER 14.5)
9. High efficient furnace
10. Sealing all supply and return ductwork
11. Car timers