You don't often interview a provincial cabinet minister next to a boiler in someone's home basement, but it can happen. During early November, Ontario Environment Minister George Smitherman attended the official opening of a small development by Rodeo Fine Homes in Newmarket, Ontario to celebrate the achievement of about 60 percent energy savings in each of its 34 units.
It was an obscure photo opportunity, but almost as significant for a Canadian industry in transition is the Ontario Green Energy Act the same minister rammed through during March of this year. Politicians facing periods of intense criticism need good reasons to come out of doors; or good events that symbolize historic change.
Facing economic difficulties in his province that demand industrial transformation, Smitherman noted: "These alternative technology projects allow our contractors, engineers and architects to get ahead of the curve in terms of expertise in a rapidly growing sector."

Diverse industry expertise

As alternative mechanicals become "business-as-usual" for major builders across the country, the phrase ‘green building' will outlive its usefulness. They will all be green, at least greener. The historic change in direction is clear; even if at this point the systems, labels and standards differ from builder to builder and from region to region. Some build to LEED standards (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), others follow Built Green, Energy Star, Greenhouse and other programs.
Some remain committed to dual flush toilets and the improving natural gas furnace, while others collect rainwater and energy from the sun – or combine many "green" features.
Systems can even differ from one project to the next, executed by the same builder. Windmill Developments has created LEED Platinum mixed-use residential/commercial projects in Victoria, Calgary and Ottawa. They all focus on significant energy savings, while employing different energy solutions.
In Calgary and Ottawa it is high efficiency natural gas. In B.C. it's biomass. The newest project will feature geothermal (ground source) heating and cooling. In this case one company must cultivate expertise across a range of technologies. For others it's a question navigating the speed bumps on one new system as they focus on that.
Different builders are replicating the Rodeo Homes system –a blend of diverse equipment –, more or less, in hundreds of homes across southern Ontario. It includes a dual-purpose high efficiency natural gas boiler for radiant floor space heating and domestic hot water along with an integrated HRV and Air Handler with an ECM Motor for ventilation and air conditioning. Solar thermal is used to pre-heat the water and on some homes, and also to pre-heat incoming fresh air.
For water conservation, low-flow, dual flush toilets, low-flow faucets and aerators are used, plus a below-grade rainwater cistern that supplies toilets and an irrigation system.

Common ground

This configuration begins with something that does seem to be a common theme nationally: seeing the whole house as a system and incorporating high level conservation efforts into the building envelope, power planning and homeowner education tools. These include insulation, argon gas-filled windows, roof overhangs, efficient lighting, EnergyStar appliances, power pipe drains, smart thermostats, energy meters and myriad of air quality measures such as HEPA filtration units.
Although the people behind a spate of these developments in southern Ontario seem to have hit a high number in terms of energy savings, builders in other provinces have been building green for seemingly longer on the larger scales.
Jayman Homes in Calgary and Edmonton has been at it for years and has registered thousands of homes to the Built Green standard. EcoCité in Montreal started building small condos with urban geothermal long ago. Avalon Central Alberta of Red Deer pushes for Built Green Gold and has registered more than 500 homes. They are well along the learning curve in terms of ironing out technical surprises such as exhaust freeze-ups and tankless DHW heater flow rate problems.

George Smitherman addresses the crowd at another "green" opening

Selling green

They have also learned a good deal about how to sell green features to homeowners. "The market response has been great," says Avalon president Jonas Neidert, who estimates that these ‘green' houses cost $7,000-$10,000 more to build, but offer home owners utility savings and greater comfort.
"Our customers are very concerned with health," says Jonathan Westeinde, Managing Partner for Windmill Development Group. "All our projects have sold out before they were finished. At first our customers were a little wealthier, but now we think we are reaching the mainstream."
Windmill projects are condominiums and the company wraps the three percent extra cost for its LEED Platinum initiatives into a shared capital expenditure arrangement with the customer. After seven years the extra payment disappears while the homeowner continues to enjoy reduced utility bills. Tridel of Toronto has a similar arrangement.
"To attract homebuyers we emphasize features that save money on utilities or improve health rather than those that reduce greenhouse gas emissions," says Vince Nacaratto from Rodeo Fine Homes. Green developments are selling out in Ontario.
Says Smitherman: "There is a major transformation taking place here. At the college level, Durham had more than 200 applicants for 40 placements in its energy program. There are similar situations at Cambridge, Ryerson and elsewhere. There has been an explosive increase in home energy audits. The evidence is clear that interest in sustainable home systems is very high."
Of course that's what you would expect a politician to say, while standing next to a dual-purpose boiler.

A heat recovering ventilator and air handler provide ventilation and air conditioning.

A high efficiency gas boiler provides space heating and DHW