First home in Canada labelled under the new ENERGY STAR® for New Homes Standard

GUELPH, ON, April 5, 2013 /CNW/ - Today, EnerQuality Corporation hosted the official ceremonies that marked the labelling of the first home in Canada qualified under the new ENERGY STAR® for New Homes (ESNH) Standard. This custom home was built by Sloot Construction Ltd., in Phase II of its Hale's Manor community in Guelph.

On hand to unveil a plaque on the home that commemorates this distinction were: Peter Braid, Member of Parliament for Kitchener-Waterloo, on behalf of the Honourable Joe Oliver, Canada's Minister of Natural Resources; Mayor Karen Farbridge, City of Guelph; EnerQuality President Corey McBurney; John Sloot, President of the Guelph and District Home Builders' Association and President of Sloot Construction; and Andy Goyda, Market Development Manager at Owens Corning Canada and owner of the home being recognized. Present to provide industry support were Members of the Guelph & District Home Builders' Association, and Executive Officer Stacy Cooper; John Meinen, Ontario Home Builders' Association (OHBA) Second Vice President, and President of Pinnacle Quality Homes; and Manager of Marketing and Media Relations at Building Industry and Land Development Association (BILD) Andrei Zaretski.

Attendees were provided with a pictorial overview of energy-efficient features of the home, and an airtightness test demonstration performed by Angela Bustamante, C.E.T., Energy Evaluator/Administrator, Building Services, Building Knowledge Canada. Passing this test is one of the stringent criteria for qualification under the ESNH Standard that also requires inclusion of energy-saving features such as: efficient heating and cooling systems; more insulation in walls and ceilings; high-performance ENERGY STAR windows, patio doors and skylights; a heat recovery ventilation for fresher air; and electrical savings of a minimum of 400 kilowatt-hours through inclusion of ENERGY STAR lighting, appliances and/or air conditioners.

The ENERGY STAR for New Homes (ESNH) initiative was developed by Natural Resources Canada to help the public easily identify homes that are approximately 20 per cent more energy efficient than those built to minimum Building Codes. An ENERGY STAR qualified home is built by a builder participating in ESNH who incorporates advanced energy-efficient features. To receive the ENERGY STAR® qualified label, homes are inspected to ensure they meet the technical requirements for energy efficiency developed by the Government of Canada. Each ENERGY STAR qualified home is third-party verified by Certified Energy Evaluators, and labelled by EnerQuality, a licensed Service Organization. The ENERGY STAR name and symbol are registered trademarks of the United States Environmental Protection Agency and are administered and promoted in Canada by Natural Resources Canada.

"Our Government is committed to new standards that promote energy efficiency, save Canadians money, create jobs and strengthen the economy," said Peter Braid, Member of Parliament for Kitchener-Waterloo. "ENERGY STAR is an internationally recognized brand and a trusted symbol for identifying energy-efficient products and this new standard will help home buyers identify the most energy-efficient new houses."

Guelph has long been recognized for its proactive stance on the environment. Mayor Karen Farbridge, City of Guelph, brought official greetings from the City.

In her remarks, Mayor Farbridge stated, "Guelph is committed to consuming less energy per capita than comparable Canadian cities and new homes with Energy Star help us achieve this goal. My congratulations to Sloot Construction for its commitment to green development, and to local resident Andy Goyda for championing energy-saving initiatives."

"The home building industry, led by innovators like Sloot Construction, continues to demonstrate their capacity to aim higher and do better," said EnerQuality's Corey McBurney. "The new national Standard raises the bar for better-built homes, and sets a benchmark that is readily achievable by both custom and production residential builders. In five years, this Standard will be the 'new normal', as it will inform the Ontario Building Code minimum requirements," McBurney continued. "As Building Codes evolve, consumers will continue to benefit from operational savings and from knowing that the home they live in is a home that produces fewer greenhouse gas emissions."

Founded in 1979, award-winning Sloot Construction's recent Hale's Manor Phase II community is a collection of truly unique homes in a coveted location in Guelph's south end. Known for its hands-on approach, attention to detail and fine craftsmanship, no two homes will be the same in this 54-lot development located just 10 minutes from Highway 401, and close to a wealth of local amenities. "We encourage our clients to work with our designer to create the custom home of their dreams," said John Sloot. "We are finding that achieving energy efficiency is becoming increasingly more important to purchasers, and that delivering an ENERGY STAR qualified home is a practical solution. The symbol is easily identifiable and it is a trusted brand. Sloot is currently constructing another home to the new ENERGY STAR for New Homes Standard at Hale's Manor, and we have set aside 10 more lots where our goal will be to incorporate high performance efficiencies which even go beyond that," he said.

According to homeowner Andy Goyda, "Because we were able to work so closely with Sloot and its architect and also given the advantage of my role with Owens Corning, we had the opportunity to treat this home as something akin to a 'discovery home'. We pushed the envelope in terms of energy efficiencies on a number of fronts. This home is actually 30 per cent more energy efficient than required by current Code, which equates to 3 to 4 months of free energy at today's costs."

About EnerQuality
EnerQuality designs and delivers green building programs to the residential construction industry. Founded in 1998 as a partnership between the Canadian Energy Efficiency Alliance (CEEA) and the Ontario Home Builders' Association (OHBA), EnerQuality's mission is to transform Ontario's housing into the most energy efficient and sustainable in the world. Its programs are voluntary and market-based. They are designed to encourage and support developers, builders and renovators improve building performance and reduce the environmental impact of housing. The company partners with local home builders' associations, utilities, manufacturers, and consultants to bring its programs to market.

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