Minto unveils Ontario’s first Net Zero Energy townhomes
By Lucas on Sep 26, 2016
(From left to right) Philippe St. Jean, Chief, Energy Technology Policy, NRCan; Kevin Lee, CEO, Canadian Home Builders' Association; Karen McCrimmon, Member of Parliament for Kanata-Carleton; Susan Murphy, Vice President, Land Development at Minto Communities Canada; Marianne Wilkinson, Kanata North Councillor, City of Ottawa; Derek Hickson, Manager, Sustainable Developments, The Minto Group; John Herbert, Executive Director, Greater Ottawa HBA; Robin Sinha, Director, CanmetENERGY, NRCan
Last week, Minto officially unveiled Ontario’s first Net Zero Energy (NZE) multi-family residential complex in Kanata, Ottawa in their Arcadia community. Karen McCrimmon, Member of Parliament for Kanata–Carleton and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence was in attendance on behalf of the Honourable Jim Carr, Canada’s Minister of Natural Resources. Kevin Lee, Chief Executive Officer of the Canadian Home Builders’ Association, was also present. “Net-zero energy homes demonstrate the economic and environmental benefits of energy efficiency,” said McCrimmon. “They are a viable way to create sustainable jobs, protect the environment and advance a clean-energy economy. Through sustained commitment and innovation, Minto Communities Canada is making it easier for Canadians to save energy, save money and reduce energy consumption.”The block of four Net Zero Energy townhomes were developed as part of a national Natural Resources Canada program that aims to prove that energy efficient homes can be built affordably on a community scale. “These are the first townhouses in Canada to be labelled under the CHBA Net Zero Home Program,” said Lee. “They are a great example of Canadian homebuilders delivering quality and value for families across the country.”Minto’s NZE townhomes are priced from $352,900 and boast a selection of high quality interior features and finishes, including 9’ ceiling, open concept kitchens with islands, and ample closet space. Some have mud rooms and laundry rooms on the second floor. What makes the townhomes special is the amount of technology included that gives the homes the ability to generate as much energy as a family consumes in a single year.
Kevin Lee presents Minto with first CHBA NZE townhouse certification. (Kevin Lee, Susan Murphy, Derek Hickson)Some of the Net Zero Energy features (via Minto):
- Owens Corning CodeBord® Air Barrier System that will help retain warmth in colder seasons and protect against drafts
- Two extra inches of exterior insulation
- Triple pane high-performance windows
- Heat pump technology used for space and water heating
- Solar (PV) panels for electricity generation
- LED lighting
- A drain water heat recovery system
- High efficiency water fixtures
- An advanced energy monitoring system to keep homebuyers informed on their energy consumption
“This project addresses affordability in Net Zero Energy homes, bringing competitively priced NZE homes to the market,” said Susan Murphy, Vice President of Land Development at Minto Communities Canada. “What was once only available in one-off, high performance custom homes is now more accessible to the average consumer.”
Minto’s NZE Executive Townhomes will reduce energy consumption by 65%. Not only is this good for the environment, but it lowers carrying costs and saves the owner money in the long run.
“Investing in innovative energy-efficiency initiatives is key to the Government of Canada’s approach for growing the economy and protecting the environment. These Net Zero Energy townhomes are a great example of the kind of leadership and innovation we will continue to champion in the move toward achieving a low-carbon economy.” - The Honourable Jim Carr.
It’s exciting to see Net Zero Energy homes becoming more popular in Ontario. It will be interesting to see how homebuyers respond when more are built on a community scale. Imagine an entire community of homes that can generate just as much energy as the families would consume annually.
