Planning & Designing Sustainable Green Homes

The Toronto Healthy House was built in 1996, completely independent of municipal water, sewer and electricity systems. Here is a look back at it, with some tips on optimizing an off-grid home. In 1996, this off-grid house designed by architect Martin Liefhebber was one of two concept homes selected by the Canada…

The new Powerhouse standard factors the entire energy consumption and life cycle of buildings from cradle to grave. Powerhouse Paris Proof is a relatively new building standard that originated in Norway that is based on the Paris Agreement’s 1.5°Celsius  target. The standard lists maximum and total CO2 emissions per…

How to prepare for emergencies and power outages. We are seeing more frequent and more severe weather events as our climate changes, and all evidence points to that trend continuing. Here we have a list of ways to prepare yourself in the event of grid failure or absence of municipal services. Storing emergency food…

Design ideas and home-durability measures to help families and homes withstand a changing climate. Future-proofing homes Our society seems to have a collective (but misplaced) trust in its commercial building industry to provide us with homes that meet realistic standard of resilience. They do to an extent, but a…

Are you a senior citizen looking to move to a smaller home? Here are some easy tips for downsizing and things to look for in a new home. 'Age in place' home buying strategies for seniors More and more seniors are buying homes now as the downsizing trend is in full effect. If you’re on the fence about relocating to a…

Sensible design, material re-use and using recycling centers can reduce what you send to a landfill. Whether you are building a new home, renovating an existing property, or completely deconstructing a building , you will end up with substantial amounts of waste, and some of these building materials can be reclaimed…

Recounting the trials — and joys — of building a Canadian home to meets the "Passivhaus" standard. First, the background to this Passivhaus My partner and I are geeks. Our idea of a romantic dream was to build a house so well insulated you could heat it with a hairdryer. For added fun, we wanted to do this on a…

A Saanich, BC. home is the first certified with the CHBA's Net Zero Label providing homeowners with an affordable option to invest in energy conservation measures that go beyond those mandated by regular building codes. Net Zero homes in Canada: The CHBA certification process & a landmark case study In May of 2017…

Planning and budget tips for home building and renovating. Make a realistic building budget and schedule This is, without a doubt, the starting point to a successful build - don’t underestimate the time and money it will take to complete a build or renovation . Even professional contractors tend to underestimate the…

Natural paint is non-toxic, cheap and easy to make & provides a beautiful texture to walls. Ditch the VOC's & improve interior air quality for your family with these tips on making Eco-friendly natural paint at home. Making eco-friendly paint at home is easy when you know how If you want to decorate your home with…

Advice from a green building project manager: how to develop a construction budget and stick to it. The following is an interview with Patrick Ranger, General Manager at Belvedair , a construction company specializing in the design and construction of green homes. Patrick is trained in business administration and…