Understanding Ontario New Home Certifications for Home Buyers and Owners R2000 ENERGY STAR for New Homes GreenHouse LEED for Homes

Gillian Lind November 16, 2009

Introduction Green, sustainable, energy efficient and conservation, are words we now see everywhere as energy costs rise, peak oil concerns, as we are becoming more environmentally conscious and concerned for green house gas emissions and air pollution. This has led people to invest in energy efficient upgrades in their homes and an increased interest in buying energy efficient homes. A recent survey by EnerQuality found that 9 out of 10 new home buyers believe that builders should build energy efficient homes as the standard. This is evenly distributed between GTA and Ottawa Carleton respondents.1 All new homes should be built as energy efficient, it should be the standard

How should builders offer energy efficiency in the homes they build

Energy efficient features should be offered as an option

89%

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The number one reason for investing in home energy efficiencies is cost savings. When buying a new home 79% of buyers surveyed were purchasing at least one energy efficient feature for their new homes, a big jump from the 60 per cent recorded in a 2008 Survey. The survey also found an increase in other reason behind choosing green options. They include, 82% supported improved air quality, 76% for water conservation, 64% for reducing construction waste, 61% for increasing use of recycled materials and 52% for using less construction materials. Homebuyers are willing to pay an average of $13,183 more for an energy efficient home and 92% of homebuyers would buy another energy efficient home in the future.2 The rising statistics mean more and more energy efficient homes will be built with our market driven economy. But how can homebuyers be guaranteed that they are investing in an energy efficient home? How can we compare the homes and what features they include? Green home certifications verify that certain energy efficient and/or other sustainable measures have been provided and installed in the home. Overall, close to one-half of Canadians (46%) say that certification labels would be extremely or very important in their home purchase decisions and 82% percent say they would be willing to invest more money in a home purchase if it was certified.3

EnerQuality Survey, 2009, 1,638 New Home Buyers EnerQuality Survey, 2009, 1,638 New Home Buyers 3 Nielsen PanelViews ‘At Home and At Work Survey’, January 29 – February 12, 2009, current or prospective home owners (n=4,025) 1 2

Canadian Housing Certifications

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Willingness to invest is higher among the following groups:

18% 46%

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Younger Households