Additional Energy Efficiency Information in Alberta & Other Key Canadian Sources
Energy Efficiency Programs
ecoENERGY Retrofit Initiative
The Government of Canada has launched the ecoENERGY Retrofit program to promote the efficient use of energy in Canadian homes.
Program highlights:
The ecoENERGY Retrofit Initiative is available to owners of single family homes including detached, semi-detached and low rise multi-unit residential buildings. Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) has increased the available grant amounts by 25 per cent. Homeowners who improve the energy efficiency of their homes may now be eligible for federal grants up to a maximum of $5,000.
Before work can begin, the homeowner must schedule and finance a home energy audit. The total cost of the audit varies depending on location and delivery agent. Full details of this program, including grant amounts for specific improvement actions, are available at the NRCan's website. In Alberta, there is a provincial government rebate of up to $200 for this energy audit. Details are available from Climate Change Central.
The home energy audit consists of two visits to your home.
The first visit is an energy audit to conduct an assessment of your house. This includes a blower door test and focuses on how and where heat is produced and lost in your home.
A few weeks later a report is mailed to you and identifies the most efficient measures to take to lower your total space heating costs, as well as additional energy efficient suggestions. You can then decide the items most economical for your budget, have the work completed and paid for, and request a second visit from the energy auditor to conduct similar tests to the first visit.
The second visit determines what upgrades have been completed and estimates the energy efficiency improvements. From this data, the amount of grant you will receive is determined and the application for the grant is made on your behalf by the energy auditor.
The eligible retrofit work and the second assessment visit need to be completed before a rebate will be paid. Visit the NRCan website for a list of organizations that deliver energy audits in your area.
EnerGuide for New Houses
The Office of Energy Conservation of Natural Resources Canada, OEE/NRCan, has outlined a process to make your new home more energy efficient. The process starts with an analysis of your new house plans and ends with an energy efficient home complete with an EnerGuide rating label. In Alberta, the provincial government is offering rebates of up-to-$10,000 for new energy efficient homes.
The first step is to have an energy advisor working with your builder to develop energy efficient options. There is a nominal fee for this service and may vary by location, so ask for a quote when calling your advisor. In Alberta, the EnerGuide for New Houses program is coordinated by EnerVision, Calgary, (403) 210-5822.
When construction is done, the EnerGuide advisor will verify the energy upgrades you and your builder decided on, and perform a blower door test. This test determines the amount of air leakage in your new home, which when analyzed helps determine the EnerGuide for New Houses rating. A full analysis will be provided in a report to you.
You are then given an official label to display the rating, which is affixed to your home’s furnace or electrical panel.
The EnerGuide for New Homes program is available for any new home whether builders are constructing whole subdivisions or for those designing custom homes.
An energy advisor can also help you find an R-2000 home builder. R-2000 homes are built to a high-energy efficient standard and are mechanically ventilated to maintain high air-quality standards.
All EnerGuide for New Houses advisors in Alberta are individuals who are affiliated with professional organizations that work with NRCan to deliver the program throughout the province. They are also certified by NRCan through a training program in residential energy efficiency and conduct several home evaluations with an instructor before final certification is granted. Ongoing monitoring is also done by NRCan personnel to ensure conformity to the program requirements.
Find more details by visiting the EnerGuide for New Houses program on the NRCan website.
