Doug Tarry Homes recently celebrated being the first in Canada to build and label 500 Net-Zero / Net-Zero-Ready homes, a significant accomplishment for sustainability in Canadian housing. Though challenging, it was a rewarding journey. So, what are some of the lessons learned?
1. Have a team and a champion, knowledgeable energy advisor and HVAC designer available to the team.
2. Teach staff and trades the ‘why’—why we’re doing this and what we’re trying to achieve. Pay attention to your sales team’s concerns. They need the tools to sell the home—it’s an educational experience for your customers.
3. NZ does not work as well as an ‘option.’ It’s really challenging to work with two sets of details.
4. Moisture management and airtightness matter a lot. Get good at these two first.
5. Right-sizing mechanicals is difficult but not impossible. Reducing duct leakage and balancing loads requires a team effort.
6. Low solar glass (SHGC under 0.25) is extremely important. You cannot manage uncontrolled intermittent heat gains, and it’ll blow up the size of your cooling load.
7. Stop selling air conditioners. Air source heat pumps will not only provide more efficient cooling but also most of your heating. This will help improve performance and reduce the operational carbon footprint.
8. When done correctly, sub-slab insulation can provide your soil gas barrier, better indoor air quality, greater occupant comfort, a dryer basement floor and help reduce total energy loads.
9. Indoor air quality is extremely important. We use Graphenstone paints and specialty coatings for our homes. They have paints that will absorb carbon, have only trace amounts of VOCs, and use limestone as the preservative—not formaldehyde like other paints. It’s healthier for your customers, the planet and your workers who are being exposed to toxins without knowing it.
10. Your team must visit the jobsites regularly—your entire team. And be prepared to solve some problems along the way.
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