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Improving Energy Performance in Canada – Report to Parliament Under the Energy Efficiency Act For the Fiscal Year 2004-2005

Chapter 3: Housing

Energy Use and Greenhouse Gas Emissions

The residential sector includes four major types of dwellings: single detached, single attached, apartments and mobile homes. Energy is used in dwellings for space heating and cooling, heating water, and operating appliances, electronic equipment and lights. This sector accounts for 17.2 percent (1458 petajoules) of secondary energy use and 15.9 percent (80 megatonnes) of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

Most dwellings in Canada are single detached houses, followed by apartments, single attached dwellings and mobile homes (see Figure 3-1). Because single detached and attached houses predominate, most Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) residential building programs focus on these types of dwellings.

Space and water heating make up 81.3 percent of residential energy use, followed by the shares devoted to operating appliances, lighting and space cooling (see Figure 3-2).

Between 1990 and 2003, residential energy use increased by 13.0 percent, or 168 petajoules (from 1289 to 1458 petajoules). From 1990 to 2003, GHG emissions from the residential sector increased by 14.8 percent. GHG intensity changed little because fuel switching towards less GHG-intensive fuels offset an increase in the GHG intensity of electricity production over the period.

Four main factors tended to influence residential energy use – activity, weather, structure and energy efficiency:

• activity – the increase in the number of households and the size of dwellings (the principal measures of residential activity) increased energy use by 25.7 percent (332 petajoules).
• weather – a colder winter and a warmer summer in 2003 compared with 1990 led to an increase in space-conditioning requirements. This increased energy use by 3.3 percent (42 petajoules).
• structure – the percentage shares of energy end-uses changed over the period such that they increased energy use by 3.5 percent (45 petajoules).
• energy efficiency – improvements in energy efficiency decreased energy use by 19.4 percent (251 petajoules).

Growth in residential energy use was driven in large part by growth in activity. This increase was partially offset by significant improvements in energy efficiency. Structural changes had a minor impact on residential energy use.

The change in overall residential energy use from the years 1990 to 2003, as well as the estimated energy savings due to energy efficiency, is shown in Figure 3-3. Figures 3-4 and 3-5 show how energy consumption differs for houses built to different standards and in different periods, reflecting improvements in building construction. Figure 3-6 shows how average energy consumption of new appliances has improved by comparing 1990 and 2003 models.

NRCan delivers initiatives to increase energy efficiency in the following residential sub-sectors:

• new houses
• existing houses
• residential equipment (refer to Chapter 2)

New Houses: R-2000 Standard and EnerGuide for (New) Houses

Objective: To increase market adoption of energy-efficient new houses by promoting changes in construction practices and by labelling houses for energy performance.

The R-2000 Standard is a voluntary technical performance standard that encourages Canadian builders to Number of Eligible R-2000 Housing Starts, 1990 to 2004 build, and Canadian consumers to purchase, houses that are more energy efficient and environmentally responsible than is required by current Canadian building codes. NRCan trains and licenses R-2000 homebuilders and other professionals in R-2000 Standard construction techniques and practices, and provides third-party quality assurance by testing and certifying R-2000 homes.

EnerGuide for (New) Houses is an energy-performance rating and labelling scheme designed to encourage the industry to build, and consumers to purchase, more energy-efficient houses. The EnerGuide for Houses (EGH) scheme is based on the R-2000 Standard and training, and it targets large-volume, mass-market builders.

Key 2004-2005 Achievements

• Over 2200 industry professionals received training in energy-efficient construction techniques and the sizing and installation of high-efficiency heating and ventilation systems.
• EnerGuide for New Houses rating scheme was launched; over 40 of Canada’s largest tract builders are participating.
• Building Canada teams from western, central and eastern Canada are now involved in recruiting and training key, very large-volume builders to construct and EGH-label energy-efficient houses.

For more information:
oee.nrcan.gc.ca/r-2000/english

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

New Houses: Housing Energy Technology Program

Objective: To accelerate the development and market adoption of energy-efficient housing technologies.

Working in partnership with associations, government and industry, the CANMET Energy Technology Centre (CETC) manages this program to develop and deploy highly specialized solutions that help reduce, in a cost-effective manner, the energy consumption and GHG emissions of Canadian houses. Progress to date includes the identification, accelerated development and broader deployment of a number of promising technologies, such as advanced integrated mechanical systems (now trademarked eKOCOMFORT^TM) and electronically commutated motors.

In whole house design, the development and technical support of the R-2000 Standard has led to extensive technology development and deployment throughout the housing sector. Through its associated Building Energy Simulation Program, CETC’s software tools are widely used to assess the energy use in a home. CETC also develops more energy-efficient frames for windows and is a lead managing agency for the Canadian Centre for Housing Technology (CCHT), an advanced testing facility for assessing whole-house impacts of emerging technologies.

Key 2004–2005 Achievements

• Field trials with five manufacturing groups of the eKOCOMFORT system were completed. These involved oil and gas installations in new and retrofit units in southern Ontario and Nova Scotia. First generation products proved to be robust and carry out expected functions in the field. The results also indicated significant electrical savings. These results are now being used by manufacturers that are developing second generation products.
• Three residential Combined Heat and Power (CHP) technologies have been installed at the CCHT in the last year. These include the first Canadian installation of a residential fuel cell; the installation of three residential-scale solar photovoltaic systems; and both the installation and testing of a Stirling Engine.
• Completed an assessment of energy-efficient ventilation strategies that improve indoor air quality. Results showed that running your furnace fan at frequent and regular intervals does improve the indoor air quality of a home by ensuring sufficient fresh air in all spaces throughout the house at appropriate times. This was shown to be a less costly alternative to running the fan continuously.

For more information:
www.nrcan.gc.ca/es/etb/cetc/cetc01/htmldocs/Groups/buildings_e.htm

eKOCOMFORT is a Trademark of Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada as represented by the Minister of Natural Resources.

New Houses: Super E^TM Program

Objective: To build capacity for exporting energy-efficient, durable and environmentally friendly Canadian housing technology to foreign markets.

The Super E^TM House Program is a strategic housing export initiative delivered by NRCan as part of the Team Canada export strategy. The program adapts internationally leading Canadian energy efficiency standards to foreign markets and identifies appropriate technologies for them to create unique market opportunities for Canadian housing technology companies. Launched in 1998, the Super E House Program has facilitated partnerships between Canadian builders and their foreign counterparts to increase market penetration of Canadian energy-efficient technologies internationally.

The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), the Canadian Forest Service (CFS) and CETC financially support the Super E U.K. program. The Super E Japanese program is financially supported by CETC with in-kind support from CMHC. In both cases, there is strong support from the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (now divided into Foreign Affairs Canada and International Trade Canada). Industry members also contribute to the success of the program through in-kind and financial contributions (member fees).

The Super E^TM House Program is attracting demand and generating real economic benefits back to Canada in the form of at least $30 million for Canada to date. There are 65 Canadian and international companies involved in the program and over 550 houses have been built or contracted in Japan and the U.K.

Key 2004-2005 Achievements

• Launched a new partnership with CMHC to incorporate seniors and flex housing elements into the Super E program in Japan. There is a documented demand for energy-efficient, healthy and comfortable facilities for the growing population of seniors in Japan.
• A five-year contract was signed under the Super E program in the U.K. for 1400 Super E units commencing in January 2005. This represents $100 million in value.
• Official opening of a Super E demonstration house in Beijing, China, was held in March 2005, one of two projects currently active in China. The project was built in partnership with the Council of Forest Industries and the Chinese Academy of Forests. The home will be monitored for energy performance and wood moisture content, and the results will help guide future energy and building code regulatory policy in China for low-rise wood-frame housing.

For more information:
www.nrcan.gc.ca/es/etb/cetc/cetc01/htmldocs/Groups/buildings_e.htm

Super E is an official mark of Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada as represented by the Minister of Natural Resources.

Existing Houses: EnerGuide for Houses and Retrofit Incentives

Objective: To encourage Canadians to improve the energy efficiency of their homes.

EnerGuide for Houses (EGH) provides Canadian homeowners with personalized expert advice on how to best improve the energy performance of their houses, especially when undertaking renovation and maintenance projects. Under EGH, a retrofit incentive was officially launched in October 2003. Homeowners can now qualify for a non-taxable grant, which represents about 10 to 20 percent of their expenditures, when they retrofit their homes. The grant is based on the differential improvement in the house’s energy rating, as measured by a pre- and post-renovation EGH energy evaluation.

Key 2004-2005 Achievements

• Over 77 000 houses evaluated and labelled.
• Issued over 17 000 grants, totalling over $10 million.
• Reduced energy consumption by an average 27 percent in post-retrofit homes; grant recipients reduced carbon dioxide by an average of 4 tonnes per year, per house.

For more information:
energuideforhouses.gc.ca