EnerGuide for
New Houses -
If you're building a new home, there will never be a better time for you to
build in lasting performance and comfort... and do it at the lowest possible
cost. For example, the extra cost of upgrading windows to include energy
efficient glass is typically about 10%, far less than replacing the glass or
windows in the future. And what are the chances of insulating under your
basement floor slab after it is poured?
Energy efficiency improvements are a solid investment. The up-front costs of
energy upgrades are fixed when you build. Savings, however, continue to rise
each time energy prices increase. Homes that use less energy insulate their
owners from future price increases.
What is it?
The EnerGuide for New Houses program is an unbiased home energy analysis tool
developed by the federal government. It helps homeowners make better energy
choices when they build. Homeowners can compare monthly energy savings against
the extra monthly mortgage costs of making energy efficiency upgrades.
The EnerGuide rating is based on a scale of 1-100. The higher the rating, the
more efficient the home.
How does EnerGuide for New Houses work?
After the home is registered in the program, a certified energy evaluator models
the energy performance of your new home based on the building plans. The
EnerGuide analysis will estimate the home's future energy costs and provides an
initial EnerGuide rating. Potential upgrades to improve your new home=s energy
efficiency will be recommended. In consultation with your builder, you decide
which upgrades make sense to you.
After your home is built, an EnerGuide evaluator does an on site inspection to
test the home's air tightness and verify its energy features. This determines
the home's final EnerGuide rating.
What does it cost?
The cost to you is $250 plus HST. Conserve Nova Scotia also subsidizes the audit
cost by an additional $250.
Tell me about the rebates!
With plans underway to make energy efficiency and water conservation standards
part of the provincial building code before the end of 2009, new energy
efficiency levels will be required for our rebate programs.
For homes registered after April 1, 2009
The $250 Energuide for New Houses program registration fee will be rebated to
either the builder or the homeowner (depending on who paid the initial
registration fee) if the completed home has an EnerGuide rating of 80 or more.
A completed home with an EnerGuide rating of 83 or more qualifies homeowners for
an additional $500 rebate.
Building R-2000?
The owners of an R-2000 certified home with an EnerGuide rating of 83 or more
will receive a $1,000 rebate.
More potential rebates - The Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC)
offers a 10% rebate on the premium of your mortgage loan insurance if your home
is either an R-2000 home or has an EnerGuide rating of at least 77.
Enjoy Permanent Energy Savings
Think you can't afford to build energy efficiency into your new home? Think
again. The EnerGuide for New Houses Cost and Savings Chart [PDF] shows that
financing energy efficiency improvements can cost much less than monthly energy
savings. So your extra investment in energy efficiency can actually reduce your
combined monthly payments (ie your mortgage, your taxes and your energy costs).
How can you not afford to pay LESS per month?
How do I sign up for the Energuide for New Houses or
the R-2000 program?
Contact the Nova Scotia Homebuilders' Association at 1-800-668-2001.
Source - Conserve Nova Scotia Website
