Planning & Designing Sustainable Green Homes

Wood and organic materials

Hemp building supplies

Hemp fibreboard cabinetry materials as an alternative to standard wood boards for kitchen cabinets - why it makes Eco-friendly sense. Hemp is a very sustainable construction material that is no longer just a fringe product; rather, it is becoming a more accessible mainstream building product, most notably as…

Real estate

Downsizing your home: buying tips for seniors

Things to look for when downsizing from a home to a smaller apartment or retirement home. Buying a house in retirement Are you planning to downsize, move closer to family, or relocate to your dream retirement destination? While changing homes is typically associated with younger adults, many seniors are making the…

How to Find Qualified Green Building Professionals

How to choose a home-building contractor

How to find reliable green home builders in your region and what questions to ask them. How to find a certified green builder? First look in the Ecohome Professionals Directory for a green home builder in your area . To find the right builder, h ere are some tips of what to look for and what to avoid. First, start…

Off-grid and Net-Zero Housing

A Toronto Off-grid home 20 years later; how did it fare? How could it be optimized?

The Toronto Healthy House was built in 1996, completely independent of municipal water, sewer and electricity systems. Here is a look back at it, with some tips on optimizing an off-grid home. In 1996, this off-grid house designed by architect Martin Liefhebber was one of two concept homes selected by the Canada…

Green building certifications

Powerhouse: the new standard for positive energy design

The new Powerhouse standard factors the entire energy consumption and life cycle of buildings from cradle to grave. Powerhouse Paris Proof is a relatively new building standard that originated in Norway that is based on the Paris Agreement’s 1.5°Celsius target. The standard lists maximum and total CO2 emissions per…

Lifestyle and environment

Emergency preparedness guide for homes

How to prepare for emergencies and power outages. We are seeing more frequent and more severe weather events as our climate changes, and all evidence points to that trend continuing. Here we have a list of ways to prepare yourself in the event of grid failure or absence of municipal services. Storing emergency food…

Lifestyle, location and commuting

Home-buying tips for seniors looking to downsize

Are you a senior citizen looking to move to a smaller home? Here are some easy tips for downsizing and things to look for in a new home. 'Age In Place' home buying strategies for seniors More and more seniors are buying homes now as the downsizing trend is in full effect. If you’re on the fence about relocating to a…

Waste management

How to dispose of construction waste responsibly

Sensible design, material re-use and using recycling centers can reduce what you send to a landfill. Whether you are building a new home, renovating an existing property, or completely deconstructing a building , you will end up with substantial amounts of waste, and some of these building materials can be reclaimed…

Passive House

The Passive-aggressive house - our history of a Passivhaus build

Recounting the trials — and joys — of building a Canadian home to meets the "Passivhaus" standard. First, the background to this Passivhaus My partner and I are geeks. Our idea of a romantic dream was to build a house so well insulated you could heat it with a hairdryer. For added fun, we wanted to do this on a…

Green building certifications

The first Net Zero-labelled homes in Canada

A Saanich, BC. home is the first certified with the CHBA's Net Zero Label. Net Zero Homes - the design & certification process In May of 2017, the Canadian Home Builders Association [CHBA] officially launched its Net Zero Home Labelling Program , following the successful completion of a 15-month pilot project to…

Concept and design

Important tips for a successful build or renovation

Planning and budget tips for home building and renovating. Make a realistic building budget and schedule This is, without a doubt, the starting point to a successful build - don’t underestimate the time and money it will take to complete a build or renovation . Even professional contractors tend to underestimate the…