The EnerGuide for New Houses Service
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The EnerGuide for New Houses Service

When you build your own home, you want the best product on the market – one that’s as energy efficient as possible and will keep your energy bills under control for years to come.

Do it right the first time. Before you build, get expert EnerGuide advice.

Within This Page

• Why build with EnerGuide?
• How does the EnerGuide for New Houses process work?
• Who are EnerGuide for New Houses advisors?
• Where does the EnerGuide for New Houses service apply?
• What's the difference between an EnerGuide for New Houses evaluation and a home inspection?

Why Build With EnerGuide?

Reviewing data from your blueprints, an expert EnerGuide advisor will make upgrade recommendations about:

• air leaks and sealing
• the proposed structure's resistance to heat loss
• the energy efficiency of building components such as windows and doors
• passive solar heat gain and house orientation
• heating system efficiency and heat distribution
• air exchange systems, including exhaust fans in kitchens and bathrooms

By implementing EnerGuide advice, you’ll save money. But because much of the energy we use in Canada is produced from fossil fuels such as coal, oil and gas, the energy you save heating your home could also reduce the greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change. And that helps our environment.

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How Does the EnerGuide for New Houses Process Work?

1. The EnerGuide for New Houses service starts with an analysis of your new house plans by an EnerGuide for New Houses energy advisor.
2. The advisor recommends energy-saving upgrades and works with your builder to develop a report that lists various cost-effective options.
3. Your builder then estimates the upgrade work and provides you with a price.
4. When construction is done, the EnerGuide advisor verifies the applied energy upgrades and performs a blower door test.
5. After the data has been collected, your home receives its EnerGuide for New Houses rating.
6. You’re provided an official label to display the rating on your home’s furnace or electrical box.

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Who Are EnerGuide for Houses Energy Advisors?

• Experts. EnerGuide for Houses advisors are independent experts in energy efficiency for homes.
• Professionals. They’re affiliated with professional organizations across the country that work with Natural Resources Canada to deliver the EnerGuide for New Houses service in your area. Both the service organizations and the individual advisors are well-versed in the application of energy-related systems, assemblies and components for improved residential energy efficiency.
• Proven. Among EnerGuide for New Houses advisors you’ll find building engineers, architects, home inspectors, building and renovation professionals.
• Certified. Before being certified, each EnerGuide for New Houses advisor must complete training in a number of fields related to residential energy efficiency and also conduct several home evaluations under the guidance of an instructor.
• Monitored. As well, independent quality assurance personnel from Natural Resources Canada monitor the efforts of all EnerGuide for New Houses energy advisors, to ensure that their work conforms to the strict requirements of EnerGuide for Houses, and that the requirements are applied consistently across Canada.

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Where Does the EnerGuide for New Houses Service Apply?

Homes in new subdivisions. Some new home builders who construct entire subdivisions now offer one or more energy upgrade packages for their models. These packages are prepared by the builder with an EnerGuide for New Houses energy advisor helping to assess building plans, predict energy costs and recommend ways to increase energy performance.

One-of-a-kind homes. For an owner planning a one-of-a-kind home, an EnerGuide for New Houses rating that certifies its level of energy efficiency will increase future marketability. You can obtain the one-time services of an EnerGuide for Houses advisor to evaluate your plans and identify opportunities to improve your energy costs and comfort.

Beyond EnerGuide. The energy advisor can also help you find an R-2000 home builder. R-2000 homes are efficient to operate and comfortable to live in. Houses built to the R-2000 Standard must achieve high energy-performance goals, be mechanically ventilated for excellent air quality and use environmentally friendly products and practices during construction.

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What's the Difference Between an EnerGuide for New Houses Evaluation and a Home Inspection?

While an EnerGuide for New Houses evaluation does share certain traits with a standard home inspection, each provides a very unique type of home assessment.

Similar Approach …

• Both identify problems with houses through a visual inspection process.
• Both are conducted by experts with backgrounds in all areas of residential construction.
• Both provide unbiased opinions based on professional expertise.

… But Different Objectives

A home inspection is generally arranged to assess homes after buyers have made an offer to purchase a property or before closing the deal. Once the home has been inspected, homeowners receive a written report or checklist of all findings. Home inspectors check:

• the exterior, foundation, basement and above-ground structure for defects
• the plumbing, electrical, heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems for mechanical problems

An EnerGuide for New Houses evaluation focuses on how a house can be improved in order to reduce energy costs and increase comfort. The EnerGuide evaluation begins before your first visit to your builder's model home. Builders working with the program have their house plans evaluated by an EnerGuide for New Houses advisor. They then work with the advisor to develop energy upgrade packages that have money-saving features you will want to include in your new home.

EnerGuide for New Houses evaluators:

• use Natural Resources Canada's computer software to model different options, looking for cost-effective measures that will improve your comfort and lower your energy bills
• focus on ways to improve the energy efficiency of:
  • heating and ventilation equipment, such as the furnace
  • the building envelope, such as windows and doors
  • insulation levels, such as in the attic

Builders will offer you options, but you make the final choice about what you would like to include in your home. After your new home has been built, the EnerGuide for New Houses advisor returns to conduct a walk-through tour of the house to confirm that the energy efficiency upgrades have been incorporated.

Different Affiliations

• EnerGuide for New Houses advisors are professionally affiliated with EnerGuide for New Houses.
• Home inspectors operating in Canada are affiliated with the Canadian Association of Home & Property Inspectors.

Different Services

An EnerGuide for New Houses energy evaluation is provided as a stand-alone service – it doesn't include a building inspection. However, some home inspectors may also offer energy efficiency evaluations.

To know you're getting a qualified professional who can truly show you how to …

• improve your home's energy efficiency
• reduce greenhouse gas emissions
• save money

… make sure that the advisor you choose is certified by EnerGuide for New Houses.

R-2000 is an official mark of Natural Resources Canada.