Energy-efficient homes, net-zero homes and passive homes are all designed to reduce energy consumption and minimize their environmental impact. Still, they achieve this in different ways and to varying degrees.
Let’s break down each of these environmentally conscious homes.
Energy-Efficient Houses
A building designed and constructed to use less energy than a standard home is known as an energy-efficient home. It uses better insulation, energy-efficient appliances and lighting, and careful construction methods to achieve this status.
The primary goal of an energy-efficient house is to reduce energy consumption without necessarily generating renewable energy. It focuses on minimizing energy waste through efficient systems and practices.
A great example of this is Schreyer’s White Gold Whistler House project. The team used prefabricated insulated panels that are passive house certified making the house extremely insulated and air tight. Include passive house high-efficiency windows and doors and you have an exceptionally energy-efficient home with a low-carbon footprint that is comfortable all year long.
In their Cedar Ridge Retreat project, Schreyer Construction, replaced all old, deteriorating wood frame windows with new energy-efficient windows. This helped improve air tightness and overall building envelope performance.
Net-Zero Houses
A net-zero house is designed to produce as much energy as it consumes over a year. It combines energy-efficient construction and appliances with on-site renewable energy generation through solar panels or wind turbines.
Net-zero houses often use advanced energy management systems and SMART technologies to monitor and optimize energy usage.
The concept of “net zero” means that the house generates enough renewable energy to offset the energy it consumes, resulting in a net energy consumption of “zero.”
Schreyer Construction is one of the best firms to build Net-Zero, Energy-Efficient Homes in North Vancouver. With their knowledge, experience and highest quality standards, you are getting a home that will last!
Removing any combustion heat source (oil, natural gas etc.) and using electricity is part of a net-zero home. An all-electric solution is possible by incorporating a cold-climate air-to-air heat pump, as it provides 100% efficiency to – 20 C. As our climate changes so must our building practices. Adding an all-electric heat pump is an excellent solution for heating and cooling a home.
Passive Houses
The passive house concept originated in Germany and is an ultra-energy-efficient building standard. It focuses on reducing the need for space heating and cooling to an absolute minimum, typically without relying on active renewable energy sources.
This is achieved by using exceptional insulation, high-performance windows, airtight construction, and heat recovery ventilation.
Passive houses are designed to maintain a comfortable indoor temperature without a traditional heating or cooling system. They are incredibly energy-efficient but may not be net-zero, as they often rely on minimal or no on-site renewable energy generation.
Energy-efficient houses aim to reduce energy consumption using various energy-saving features and technologies. Net-zero houses take this further by generating as much renewable energy as they consume, achieving a net energy balance. Passive houses, on the other hand, prioritize minimizing the need for heating and cooling through exceptional insulation and ventilation, which can lead to significant energy savings but might only be net-zero with additional renewable energy sources.
This was showcased in their Spruce Grove house. This house was built to achieve the highest possible airtightness and energuide rating without energy inputs such as solar, geothermal, etc. While this was done to keep the building costs down, it was designed in a way to allow homeowners to easily add solar panels and other technologies down the road if they wanted based on their budget.
The heart of the passive house is the HRV (Heat Recovery Ventilation) system, which not only helps maintain indoor air quality but also recovers heat from outgoing air and transfers it to incoming fresh air, further reducing the need for traditional heating systems.
Green Renovations
And finally, I think it’s vital for all builders and both potential homeowners and existing homeowners to consider the impact on their next renovation. A green renovation or retrofit is one where the upgrade or remodel considers the environmental impact.
The process uses sustainable design principles and incorporates energy-saving technologies and practices to reduce the environmental impact and improve its overall performance.
Schreyer Construction's goal is to incorporate as many “green” or “energy-efficient” features into their homes and renovations, simply to build you a better home while reducing carbon footprint. Some of these features include:
- Upgrading the insulation to improve efficiency where practical
- Improving the air tightness of the building envelop
- Adding a heat recovery ventilation system
- Adding an air source heat pump to heat and cool the home electrically
- Removing any combustion heat source (oil, natural gas etc.)
- Replacing the hot water source with an energy-efficient hybrid hot water heater
- Replacing windows and doors to improve thermal performance
- Installing energy-efficient or SMART home systems
- Incorporating renewable energy sources, like solar panels
- Incorporating eco-friendly building materials – that includes using available local products or reusing and repurposing existing elements from the build
Each type of new house or remodelling has its unique design principles and goals that not only reduce the impact on the environment but are also more sustainable and energy-efficient, saving you money on your energy consumption and bills. It also allows homeowners to choose the level of energy efficiency and sustainability that best suits their needs and resources.
An energy-efficient home isn’t just about lower electricity and water bills. It means better insulation, cleaner indoor air, improved circulation, less noise and more natural light. That’s what I love about Schreyer Construction and why I’m happy to have them as part of my Holmes Approved Homes network.
Together we’ll build better and Make It Right!