Development of the next generation ENERGY STAR for New Homes

Public Review of the Proposed 2012 ESNH Standard
Meetings
Next Generation ESNH Advisory Committee Terms of Reference (excerpt)
ESNH Advisory Committee Members
Observers

Public Review of the Proposed 2012 ESNH Standard

The public review period for the proposed 2012 ESNH Standard, developed by the Next Generation ESNH Advisory Committee, has closed. It was open to public review from October 5, 2011 to November 5, 2011.

Meetings

The seventh Committee meeting took place via webinar on September 7, 2011.

The sixth Committee meeting took place via webinar on September 1, 2011.

The fifth Committee meeting took place in Ottawa on July 13-14, 2011.

The fourth Committee meeting took place via webinar on May 12, 2011

The third Committee meeting took place via webinar on March 11, 2011

The second Committee meeting took place via webinar on March 8, 2011

The first Committee meeting took place in Ottawa on December 16-17, 2010

Next Generation ESNH: Committee Terms of Reference (excerpt)

Vision Statement

The vision of ENERGY STAR for New Homes (ESNH) is to provide consumers with access to energy efficient new homes and builders with a means to building these homes in a timely, simple and cost-effective manner using common building practices.

Parameters

  1. ESNH must align with decisions taken under the next generation EnerGuide Rating System.
  2. The energy target (i.e., space and water heating) should be consistent with the U.S. ENERGY STAR brand. This will entail the following aspects:
    1. ENERGY STAR houses have additional energy-saving features that typically make them 20–30% more efficient than standard houses.
    2. In a given region within Canada, Provincial code or the National Building Code1, which ever is more stringent, should be used as the baseline.
    3. The 20-30% efficiency improvement equates to approximately ERS 83, which appears to be at a level programs are currently at or are planning towards.
  3. Minimum requirements for ESNH shall include the following:
    1. Installation of a heat recovery ventilator (HRV);
    2. ENERGY STAR qualified products; the Committee shall discuss the mechanism for their inclusion;
    3. A minimum airtightness requirement; and,
  4. For the prescriptive approach, where houses are inspected by batch, the house that is chosen to represent the batch shall undergo all tests (on-site verification, blower door test, etc), i.e., the inspection cannot be split up within houses of the same batch.

Scope

ESNH applies to residential buildings that:

  1. are covered by Part 9 of the National Building Code of Canada (NBC), and
  2. contain:
    1. only dwelling units, or
    2. only dwelling units and supporting common spaces,
  3. and are on permanent foundations.

Committee Mandate

The mandate of the ESNH Advisory Committee is to approve recommendations for ESNH to Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) for adoption and implementation.

Committee Composition

The Committee should consist of 15 to 20 voting members created using a balanced matrix approach. It will be structured to capitalize on the combined strengths and expertise of its members, and be regionally representative.

NRCan will provide the Committee Secretary.

ESNH Advisory Committee Members

Julia McNally – Chair
Ontario Power Authority

Francis Belle
FM Residential Design & Consulting

Bob Clarke
R. CLARKE Designs Ltd.

Richard deRuiter
BuyWise Energy Consultants Inc.

Paul Duffy
Icynene Inc.

Keith Hanson
Sun Ridge Group

Sean Mason
Mason Homes

Corey McBurney
EnerQuality Corporation

Andrew Oding
Reid’s Heritage Homes

Doug Overholt
BC Hydro Power Smart

Randy Pekar
Northridge Development Corporation

Paul Pettipas
Nova Scotia Home Builders Association

Claudia Simmonds
Canadian Home Builder Association – New Brunswick

Fred Walter
Climate Change Central

Ex-Officio Members (non-voting)

Jonathan Passe
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Anil Parekh
Natural Resources Canada

Debra Haltrecht – Policy Advisor and Manager of the Renewal Process
Natural Resources Canada

Leslie-Ann Robertson – Secretary
Natural Resources Canada

Mihailo Mihailovic
National Research Council

Rémi Charron
Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation

Observers

Observers are non-voting individuals and representatives of organizations who are on the information distribution list, invited to submit comments at all stages, invited to attend open committee meetings, and may participate in meeting discussions as time permits and at the discretion of the Chair*. If an observer elects to attend a committee meeting, they must notify the Secretary at least two weeks prior to the meeting to determine whether their presence can be accommodated. Observers must indicate whether they will attend the meeting in person or by phone, in cases where teleconferencing is available.

1 An mid-term release of NBC with energy requirements will likely be in place in 2011.