INDIVIDUALS interested in designing an energy-efficient home may want to consider looking into National Resource Canada's R-2000 standard that sets out a series of house performance requirements that, if achieved, assure the homeowner of a healthy, well-built, energy efficient home.
The R-2000 initiative is a voluntary program chosen by builders and homeowners who wish to create a home that performs better than the average and presents a smaller environmental footprint as a whole.
The R-2000 doesn't spell out exactly how a house should be built but rather sets out criteria on how the home needs to perform in order to reach the R-2000 standard, it's left to the architect or designer to come up with specific solutions to best achieve compliance that works best within a given circumstance.
There are a number of specific requirements that need to be met in order to attain the R-2000 standard and these include: a certified builder holding a current R2000 builder licence, a home that operates within a specific energy budget based on climate conditions and specific characteristics of the home, a home that incorporates a whole-house ventilation system that provides fresh air to all living spaces within the house, a home featuring an environmental pick-list of elements that include low-emission building materials as well as recycled products and a home equipped with water-conserving toilets and fixtures.
At the end of construction a home aiming to achieve a R-2000 rating will undergo a series of inspections to ensure it meets the standard, a standard that currently goes well beyond building code requirements pertaining to environmental responsibility, energy-efficiency and the healthy home.
A typical R-2000 home will need 30 per cent less energy to operate than a conventional new home and will help reduce the production of green house gases. It will use recycled and sustainable building materials in its construction and will help conserve water through its target strategies.
To date there are more than 13,000 R-2000 homes in Canada suggesting an interest in the initiative that is hopeful but far from embracing. The R-2000 standard remains voluntary but there's no doubt that in the near future its features, in whole or in part, will be adopted as building requirements. It's only then that we'll see meaningful change.
Kevin Vallely is a residential designer in North Vancouver. His website is vallely.ca.
