CHBA Launches Initiative Towards Cost-Effective Net Zero Energy Ready Residential Renovations
OTTAWA – FEBRUARY 23, 2022 – Today, the Canadian home Builders’ Association (CHBA), with support from Natural Resources Canada, officially announced a new 5-year initiative towards cost-effective net zero energy ready residential renovations. In collaboration with local home builders’ associations, Canadian municipalities, and renovators and industry partners, the initiative will target barriers to achieving net zero ready performance in existing homes, and determine the most cost-effective solutions to renovating for higher levels of energy efficiency, including net zero energy ready. In doing so, these efforts will build up knowledge and capacity within Canada’s renovation industry.
Improving the energy efficiency of existing homes is crucial to reaching Canada’s emissions target for Canadian homes. There are over 15 million homes in Canada, so there is a lot of work to do. Many are older and in obvious need of energy upgrades, but even homes built even ten or twenty years ago are less efficient than today’s code-built homes, and can benefit from energy retrofits, especially to the net zero level. Through this initiative we will be advancing innovative technologies and approaches to pursue net zero levels of performance in the most cost-effective ways possible, a key to making it possible for more Canadians to reduce their GHG emissions at home.
This initiative continues a long history of CHBA and its members striving for greater, voluntary energy efficiency advancements in both new and existing homes, beginning with the R-2000 program and progressing since. CHBA established its Net Zero Energy Housing Council in 2014 to guide the association’s efforts in high-performance housing, including developing a labelling program which has now labelled over 800 homes. Last year the program was expanded from new homes to renovations after running a successful pilot. This new initiative will build on those efforts.
“Together, with the great work of our members, local and provincial associations, municipalities, local utilities, energy advisors and service organizations, we can help pave the way for Canadians to have greater access to more affordable energy retrofits, and make Net Zero Renovations a more viable and affordable future for all Canadians.,” said CHBA CEO Kevin Lee during the official announcement.
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MEDIA INQUIRIES
Journalists wishing to interview Kevin Lee, Chief Executive Officer of the Canadian Home Builders’ Association, are encouraged to submit their request by email to media@chba.ca.
ABOUT THE CANADIAN HOME BUILDERS' ASSOCIATION
Since 1943, the Canadian Home Builders' Association (CHBA) has been "the voice of Canada's residential construction industry." Representing one of the largest industry sectors in Canada, our membership is made up of some 9,000 companies – including home builders, renovators, land developers, trade contractors, product and material manufacturers, building product suppliers, lending institutions, insurance providers, and service professionals.
Energy Spectrum with various energy programs compared to the building code, with NZ being the best.
A FULL SPECTRUM OF MARKET OFFERINGS
CHBA supports a full spectrum of voluntary energy performance levels to provide Canadians with higher performing homes. These programs present a complete market offering that is applicable to custom and production homes, renovations, and low-rise multi-unit residential buildings.