LEED / Discussions

LEED certification services for homes in Quebec - Evaluation Ecohabitation? Is it worth it?

...LEED. We would appreciate any insights, thanks. Yes, you can choose LEED Providers from outside Quebec to get a LEED home certified in Quebec. There are no provincial boundaries that the CaGBC recognizes preventing you from shopping around for the cheapest way to get a LEED home certified. Here is a listing of LEED for...

Posted by Ian Shermann Sept. 24, 2025 LEED Homes 3 responses

Can these homes be built on screwpiles as an alternative to slab foundations?

Looking at a development project using screwpile support pillars instead of traditional concrete. The manufacture says that they are engineered to support the load of houses etc. Assuming we had engineered plans and the proper load points would it be possible to out one of the prefab homes on the piles? We have many mo...

Posted by Mark Pospisil July 28, 2020 Architecture and plan design 1 response

Hello EcoHome I was wondering, do you offer your home kits to Massachusetts?

...LEED and Passive House ready kit houses on this page here, and yes, they are available in the Eastern US seaboard, how soon are you building? There has been a lot of demand and our manufacturers are booked up until at least next summer. The best way to know when they will be available would be to become a free member o...

Posted by Kimberly Luce July 23, 2020 Architecture and plan design 3 responses

What size of lot is needed for the Eco habitat 1600?

...LEED Platimum prefab kit house is delivered in panels and parts that are assembled on site, so size-wise it wouldn’t be any different that building from scratch on the same spot. 

Posted by Andrew Wallace July 21, 2020 Architecture and plan design 1 response

Are your prefab kit homes available in Central Florida?

How about hurricane, flooding and heat resistant kit homes?  You can see our prefab modular kit houses available across Canada and the US here There has been a lot of demand for houses and we are currently talking to prefab manufacturing companies across the US to increase distribution, When are you building? We are al...

Posted by Johali Mathews Sept. 6, 2021 Architecture and plan design 1 response

Can I purchase a prefab Eco Home kit house for land in Ottawa or Edmonton?

...LEED ready, meaning the house would pass inspection, so if you meet all the LEED prerequisites for location, site and landscaping  you should be able to get it LEED certified. You can see our models here –  LEED and Passive House ready prefab kit houses for Canada and the US.  For additional manufacturers, try these tw...

Posted by Ismael Rumzan March 29, 2021 Architecture and plan design 1 response

Is there a 1200 sq ft Prefab Eco home for Ontario?

...LEED and Passive House ready prefab modular Eco Home kit houses for Canada and the US  There is currently  the S1600 kit house model that is a little bigger than the 1200 you were looking for, but on the get a quote page you’ll a box to tick off about size. We have so much demand for prefab homes that without a doubt w...

Posted by Anne Stevens March 17, 2021 Architecture and plan design 3 responses

What are the most cost-effective green building strategies in new home construction?

I'm toying with the idea of building a custom home. I've done research on contracting, home building, Passive House Certification, etc. I'm by no means an expert but I have some knowledge that would make me wiser when choosing architects and contractors. I don't think I can convince my partner to go full-on passive, bu...

Posted by M T Nov. 4, 2019 Concept and design 3 responses

Can you do an update on Ecohome’s new demo house?

Legalett's air heated radiant floor system uses a sealed, closed-loop system, in part, to control moisture in the tubing and therefore mold growth. In Ecohome’s new demo house, did Legalett also build the Solar Air Panels to ensure a continuation of its closed loop system? In the last article about this latest demo ho...

Posted by dean c Oct. 16, 2019 Concept and design 1 response

What is the best option for building our next resilient home?

We are currently living within the GTA area but looking to buy a land (within the next couple of years) about 2 hours away from the central Toronto area and build a new home. It will be a small 2-bedroom bungalow or rancher (just under 1400 sqft) that we would keep, essentially forever. We are both few years away from ...

Posted by John Bae Aug. 27, 2019 Efficient home design 3 responses

In your Edelweiss house you use 2x6 studs. Why not use 2x4 studs and add 2" rigid on the inside?

8" semi rigid and 5 1/2" between the studs.  why not use 8" semi rigid, 3 1/2" between the studs and 2 " more semi rigid on the inside beneath the gyprock?  Is that possible? Hi Tom, 2x4s can be used for homes no problem, but it definitely fattens up the posts required between windows. The sections of wall between the ...

Posted by Tom Wagar Aug. 25, 2019 Wall assemblies - new construction 1 response

If a passive house is designed well is it worth the extra cost for Low E window coatings?

...LEED V4 platinum Edelweiss House where we employed a very comprehensive passive heating and cooling strategy in our and we had different coatings on the north windows compared to the south. The south windows were a lower R-value, so they do lose more heat in the night, but the Low-E coating was chosen and applied in a ...

Posted by Joe Van Kuren June 7, 2019 Passive solar home design 1 response

What is the best way to frame window openings when adding exterior insulation?

...LEED Platinum house), but it helped get our air leakage rate to about 0.6 ACH (here is our air barrier installation video). As for ideal window placement within a wall assembly, if you are looking for the best performance from your windows and to reduce thermal bridging through the rough opening, they are best set insi...

Posted by Anwas Qwelten May 30, 2019 Windows and doors 1 response

how do I get a free quote for the EcoHabitat S 1600 for Ontario?

in southern ontario If you go onto pages of any individual models of prefab kit houses for sale and in your case the S1600,  you will see a tab to request a quote. I know that demand is pretty high at the moment, how soon were you looking to build?    

Posted by sheila miller July 10, 2020 Architecture and plan design 1 response

Can these be built in California or Washington?

Looking for info on builders on the west coast.  Hi Steven, Just confirming - you're asking if our prefab kit houses are available in Washington  and California? If so, when are you building?  We hope to be able to provide high performance modular prefab kit houses to in the Western US states in the near future. 

Posted by Steven J July 4, 2020 Architecture and plan design 1 response

Where can I find a prefab home in Canada?

I have lakefront property and I was thinking of a prefab home.  Modern.  What should I be asking and what are the pitfalls?  I love this one: L’Abri 1850-BV But customer service is not responsive and that worries me..... Sorry that you didn’t hear back from the manufacturer, I know they have been swamped with requests....

Posted by Kathleen Thomas June 27, 2020 Architecture and plan design 1 response

How hard is it to build a LEED Platinum House?

...LEED AP (Accredited Professional), or even having a LEED AP on your design team. You could receive a point towards certification by having an AP on your design team, but it isn't mandatory.  Here is a page to get you started -  How to build a LEED Certified Home What you need to do first is contact a LEED provider in ...

Posted by Sattar Alfa Aug. 31, 2018 LEED Homes 1 response