Government is making homes even more affordable with its first Passive House in Truro, built by a Nova Scotia contractor.
The new duplex was built using an energy efficient design based on North American Passive House Standards. Heating costs for these new homes are expected to be as low as $350 per year for each unit, which is an 80 per cent energy savings compared to a similar home built to code.
“Today marks a new chapter, as we put a modern twist on building affordable housing in Nova Scotia,” said MLA Terry Farrell, on behalf of Joanne Bernard, the minister responsible for Housing Nova Scotia. “Passive Houses can dramatically decrease the operational costs of a home, which can help families manage costs in other areas of life.”
Passive House is one of the world’s leading energy standards. It focuses on conserving energy by reducing heat loss through the building and maximizing solar heat gains. In addition to energy cost savings, a Passive House design can also result in improved indoor air quality, increased durability of the building, and improved sustainability because of the low energy consumption and durable construction.
“As a province, Nova Scotia builders have always been, and continue to be, champions of energy efficiency in new home construction, leading the way for others across the country to learn from what we are doing,” said Sherry Donovan, CEO, Nova Scotia Home Builders’ Association. “This Passive House project is an excellent example of how builders, industry and government can work together to create change.”
“We support the goal of Housing Nova Scotia to show that with a minimal amount of training and oversight, any contractor can build a Passive House,” said Stephen MacDonald, CEO, Efficiency One. This home was built by a small local contractor who received training and on-site help, and in the end, built a beautiful, super efficient duplex.”
The total cost of the project was $500,000.
More information on Passive House Standards can be found at www.passivehouse.ca .
Source: Release
