Sobre
Building High-Performance, Sustainable Homes
Achieve Lasting Comfort, Health, and Value
A truly sustainable home is the result of intelligent design and collaboration that begins long before construction starts. At Falcon Heights Contracting, we initiate a collaborative process at the earliest possible stage, bringing together the homeowner, designer, energy advisor, and mechanical teams. This integrated approach ensures that every opportunity for efficiency and sustainability is seized.
We focus on key principles of green building, including:
- Strategic site positioning to optimize natural light and heat.
- Enhancing indoor air quality for a healthier living environment.
- Creating a high-performance building envelope for superior comfort.
- Selecting durable, moisture-resistant, and low-maintenance materials.
- Mindful resource management and responsible land use.
Throughout the building journey, we act as your expert guide. We facilitate the use of modern practices, advanced technologies, and proven products to ensure your home achieves exceptional energy efficiency. To make this process work for you, we collaboratively align your sustainability wish list with your overall budget, developing a customized green-building strategy that fits the unique goals of your project.
Understanding Net Zero Homes
Building to Net Zero standards is the pinnacle of sustainable construction. This process involves a clear, three-part strategy:
- Radically Reduce Energy Needs: First, we design and build the home to require minimal energy for heating, cooling, and daily operation through superior insulation, airtightness, and high-performance windows.
- Incorporate Renewable Energy: Next, we integrate an on-site renewable energy system, such as solar panels, designed to generate enough power to meet the home's needs.
- Operate with Efficiency: Finally, the home is equipped with energy-efficient appliances and systems, and homeowners learn how to operate their home for maximum performance.
A Net Zero Energy (NZE) home is engineered to produce as much clean energy as it consumes over a one-year period. It is important to note that an NZE home is not "off-grid." It remains connected to the local electricity grid, sending surplus energy back to it on sunny days and drawing power from it when needed at night or on cloudy days. Over the year, this balance results in net-zero energy consumption.
Future-Proofing with "Net Zero Ready"
Even if you don't plan to install a renewable energy system right away, you can future-proof your home by building to "Net Zero Ready" standards. This forward-thinking approach, which is increasingly being integrated into Canada's national building code, ensures your home is primed for a future energy upgrade.
A "Net Zero Ready" home is constructed with the complete high-performance building envelope - including higher insulation values, triple-pane windows, and all the required mechanical specifications of a Net Zero home. This allows you to seamlessly add a renewable energy source, like solar panels, at a later date without the need for costly retrofits.