Off-grid and Net-Zero Housing

The Toronto Healthy House was built in 1996, completely independent of municipal water, sewer and electricity systems. Here is a look back at it.… In 1996, this off-grid house designed by architect Martin Liefhebber was one of two concept homes selected by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) as part of …

The Windsor Park Net Zero House in Edmonton won 2017 Canadian Green Building Award in the Technical category, proving that Green Building a home is both possible and Beautiful… As owners of this project, we acted as both the designer and general contractor. The objective for the new home (to replace a 1950’s bungalow…

Mark Hutchinson, Vice President of Green Building Programs at the CaGBC, speaks about the new Zero Carbon Buildings Initiative…   SAB: What does the CaGBC hope to achieve with the Zero Carbon Buildings Initiative? Mark Hutchinson: The CaGBC launched the zero carbon building initiative in 2016 to champion the move to l…

Energy modeling can help you find the weak link in a building envelope and tweak your design before you start building.… This is the fifth piece in a blog series called Sunshine Saved, written by Craig Anderson as he  documents the design and construction of an off-grid LEED Gold passively-heated home. Find previous p…

How to keep power consumption at a minimum in an off-grid house without affecting quality of life.… This is the third post in a blog series called Sunshine Saved written by Craig Anderson as he  documents the design and construction of an off-grid LEED Gold passively-heated home.  In years past, the mechanical systems…

If you are thinking about going off-grid with solar panels and a battery backup, there are lots of good reasons to do so and ways to do it more affordably. We will outline a few here.… Heating when the grid is down: Beyond lighting, cooking and general home operation, the biggest risk to home comfort and security in a…

Post 3 in Craig Anderson's off-grid living blog covers heating systems - what worked, what didn't, and what changes were made.… This is the third post in a blog series called Sunshine Saved written by Craig Anderson as he  documents the design and construction of an off-grid LEED Gold passively-heated home.  Being a n…

In this second post in a series on off-grid living, Craig Anderson outlines the energy systems of his house and explains why he chose them.… This is the second piece in a blog series called Sunshine Saved written by Craig Anderson as he  documents the design and construction of an off-grid LEED Gold passively-heated h…

This is the first in a series of blogs we will post from Craig Anderson about the ups and downs of building an off-grid home.… The following is a firsthand account of a building project by Craig Anderson and his wife France-Pascale Ménard who bought a large piece of land in West Quebec overlooking the Gatineau River a…

When you're a long way from the amenities of civilization, employing both active and passive solar strategies can provide security, independence and just good living in general.… With their house about three kilometers from the nearest paved road and hydro pole, Craig Anderson and  France-Pascale Ménard had no option …

Soon to be riding along with the Natural Resources Canada R-2000 program will be a new pilot project that will recognize builders who achieve net zero energy performance in homes… From the Natural Resources Canada website: Overview: The R-2000 Net Zero Energy pilot aims to recognize the builders and homes reaching net…