Buy, Build, or Rent an
Energy-Efficient Home

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		A home that is already energy efficient relieves the need to make what can be costly upgrades. However, don't forget to practice energy saving habits. Ongoing energy efficient behaviour has the potential to save more energy and money than just about any upgrade you can buy. Affordability Buying 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 Homes have a range of efficiency and therefore cost savings. A well-designed energy efficient house will save money on heating, lighting, cooling, hot water, cooking, and refrigeration. 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 While most often homes that are built to high-energy efficiency standards have high sustainability as a key factor as well, not all do. Find out about the materials and sourcing used on the house and in the landscaping.

What you need to know

• 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.
• 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 Office of Energy Efficiency website to find one near you.
• 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.
• LEED for Homes, Built Green and Natural Resources Canada's R-2000 standard all serve as benchmarks for cost-effective sustainable, efficient design. These standards refer to 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 one of these sets of standards.
• With the same energy efficiency features, a smaller home will use less energy than a larger one. Buy only as much space as you need.

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.
• Whatever building techniques you opt for, ensure that the methods used comply with the building code and would be approved by a building code official.

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.