Choose A Smaller or Efficient Home

Quick Facts Affordability Cost Savings CO2 Reduction		Moving to a new home is a great opportunity to make energy-efficient decisions that will benefit you for years to come. Look for a home that is sized for your needs, with good insulation and ventilation, and with south or west exposure so you can make the most of natural light and heat. Whether your home is new or new to you, the same features are important. Affordability An energy-efficient home might cost a little more upfront, but the increased health and comfort of a well-lit, insulated, and ventilated home, combined with long-term energy savings, will make the investment worth every penny. Cost savings In addition to moving into a more efficient home, downsizing to a smaller home can be another great way to save on energy expenses. A home that is sized for your needs won’t demand excess heating or cooling and will be easier to maintain. Health & comfort A home that is truly energy-efficient will provide a healthy and comfortable environment with even temperatures, fresh indoor air, good moisture balance, and comfortable lighting. Environmental considerations When moving to a new home, consider not only the features of the building itself, but also your lifestyle in this new location: Is there adequate public transit? Can you bike or walk to shops, schools and other services? How will you get to work? Long car commutes will counteract the efficiency of your home and contribute to greenhouse gas emissions.

What you need to know

• A smaller home that is well built will require less energy to heat, cool and ventilate than a larger one of the same construction. Not only that, they require less of your energy to keep clean! If you are looking to move, think about the size of home that will meet, but not exceed, your needs.
• You don’t have to be buying a home for the size and efficiency to matter. Maximising energy efficiency and comfort are equally important whether you own or rent your home.
• If the home you are moving into is not new, assess its energy efficiency features and the possibilities for upgrades. Moisture issues, uninsulated attics and inefficient heating and cooling can make a home with an affordable price tag, an expensive purchase down the road. Include the costs of needed upgrades into your home buying budget.
• EnerGuide has a rating system for homes. The scale goes from 0–100 and measures how well a house uses energy. 0–50 are old, drafty, uninsulated houses and 80–100 are highly energy efficient. If a house you are looking to buy has not been EnerGuide rated, ask the current owners if they would let you bring in an energy auditor to test its rating. Natural Resources Canada certified auditors work all over B.C. Go to the LiveSmart BC website to find one near you.
• You can have an EnerGuide advisor look over blueprints for your home before you build, to help you make the most energy-efficient construction, materials and design decisions.
• If you are moving into an apartment or condominium, see if there are any LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified residential buildings in your area. These buildings are built to the highest standards of efficiency, sustainability and comfort.
• Natural Resource Canada’s Office of Energy Efficiency developed the R-2000 standard for cost-effective and energy-efficient homes that serves as a benchmark for sustainable, efficient design across the country. R-2000 is a standard for the performance of a house – in terms of energy efficiency, air quality and environmental responsibility – not the design. Many styles of home can be built to R-2000 standards.
  

Taking it further

• If you are going to build your next home, investigate alternative energy-efficient dwellings. PassivHaus, is a standard of home developed in Germany. These dwellings do not need supplementary heating or cooling, they use passive energy capture (from window placement, insulation and other features) to keep them comfortable year-round.
• Earthships are another construction that does not require supplemental energy in most climates. These homes are also made from earth combined with tires, bottles and other discarded items, for an added element of sustainability. 

FAQ

Aren’t new energy-efficient homes so much more money than standard homes that it would take me years to recoup my expenses by savings on my energy bill?
Not generally. Many energy-efficient technologies are becoming increasingly affordable and more and more homes are built to higher standards of efficiency. As well, more people are looking for efficient homes made with sustainable materials, which means your home is more likely to have a good resale value.

Is it better for the environment to buy a new, sustainably built, energy-efficient home or buy an older home and upgrade it?
That depends on many factors: the land where each home is situated, the materials, the condition of the older home, the location and more.

Assuming you use sustainable materials for all your renovations, upgrading an older home can save the bulk of new construction materials and does not require the development of new land. However, some homes are so inefficient or need so much work that it would be just as effective to build a new home.

There are other considerations as well. If one home is closer to shops, schools and your work, it will likely save carbon by limiting the amount you drive or use transit. One approach if you are faced with this decision is to have a thorough inspection and a home energy audit of the older home to ensure you know what it would entail to make it efficient.