Seeking to balance function, efficiency & budget is not an easy task; but this was the brief provided for the Warburg house. The question posed by the client was simple: could a contemporary & energy-efficient home be built for less than $100,000? Yes. How to build a high performance home on a low budget On a wooded…

A well-constructed home will stand long enough to see many families come and go in its lifetime, and they won't all have the same needs. When drawing floor plans, flexible design can make future changes easier. Design basics for flexible housing: Depending on the stage you are at in your life, you might have kids…

Tiny House, Big Living, Tiny House Hunters & Tiny House Nation are all big on the affordability of the Tiny home lifestyle - But is that the whole Story? An investigation into buying a Tiny Home on wheels. To buy, or not to buy, a tiny house on wheels? That is the question... I’ve recently been looking at Tiny Homes…

The energy efficiency of your home is greatly affected by doors and windows, so choose well. Here are some tips about what to look for and what to avoid. Material choices for window frames: Window frames can be made from a variety of materials offering different levels of performance and insulation values. Air in…

Green home building with LEED for Homes There are 8 LEED categories with a total of 136 available points, and a minimum amount is required to achieve certification. This point threshold is determined by the size of the house compared to the amount of bedrooms. To encourage increased housing density, homes with more…

Kitchen and bathroom design can have a significant impact on your energy and water consumption, as well as the durability and air quality of your home. Water and moisture wreak havoc on homes, affecting function, durability and our health. Given that kitchens and bathrooms are the main source of humidity, we need to…

A theory and hands-on workshop for those interested in learning about permaculture gardening. Topics include: organic gardening basics permaculture design and practices companion planting (plants that compliment or protect each other) dynamic accumulators (plants that accumulate nutrients & feed the soil) plant…

CaGBC is hosting Canada's biggest green building event with a series of seminars and a trade show of the latest green building products and technologies. If you are only going to hit one green building event a year, make it this one. Whether you are a homeowner, home buyer or builder, this is a great opportunity to…

Renewable power sources such as sun and wind present challenges for grid operators in being able to consistently meet demand. Tidal and river generators remove that unknown, and Cornwall, Ontario will soon benefit from a river turbine pilot project. A project started in 2002 by Verdant Power Inc. saw tidal turbines…

Are there LEED Certified builders? There are no LEED certified builders, only LEED certified buildings. To build a home to LEED certification is something that is accessible to anyone , no accreditation is required to undertake the process. It is simply a matter of registering your project and successfully…

The LEED for Homes program promotes sustainable, durable, healthy home building. What is LEED for Homes about? LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is an internationally recognized rating system for commercial buildings and homes administered by the CaGBC (Canada Green Building Council)  to encourage…

Find healthy and durable flooring that is right for you. The following is list of the pros and cons, durability, cost and lifespan of various flooring materials. The floors you choose really create the atmosphere in your home and give it its identity. The first considerations should be to choose a durable and…

Historically, prefab homes have not had a reputation for high performance, but with the help of the sleek and sexy Beachaus I from Inhaus Developments Ltd., prefabs are securing their place among the smartest and most sustainable homes on the market. Prefab homes are a very credible option for high performance home…

Rising to the global challenge of creating a more sustainable society, the Centre for Interactive Research on Sustainability doesn't just push the bounds of sustainable building innovation and execution, it also serves as a 'living-lab' for ongoing resear. The University of British Columbia has opened the most…

We spend an average of 90% of our time indoors, where air is usually 3 to 4 times more polluted than outside air. Building practices and building materials can lead a building up of VOCs, chemicals, mold and mildew in our homes. Mold in homes is a bad sign, so how to get rid of it or prevent mold in drywall? Mold…

Choosing zero VOC paints and finishes for your home ensures safer indoor air quality. There is a current trend towards limiting the production of solvent-based paints, replacing them with solvent-free or water-based paints. The move towards safe paint has led to a noticeable improvement in indoor air quality since…

With the help of The Healthiest Home in Ottawa, a couple in Aylmer, Quebec are the first in the National Capital Region to build a home with an innovative wall panel system from a U.S. company called K-Tect. Brian Allemekinders and Deidre Yukich say that despite their new home being twice the size of their previous…

Are houses too airtight? No they aren't! Fresh air circulation is essential to prevent mold & mildew in today's modern energy-efficient homes so Heat Recovery Ventilation (HRV) or Energy Recovery Ventilation (ERV) is fitted. Homes built in the last 40 years in Canada are relatively airtight . Before that we…

Prefab homes make choosing an Architect designed LEED or Passive House high performance house design easy. All the important choices of non-toxic Sustainable materials have been made, add a building lot & in a few months you're home & dry (& warm!). Prefab home kits are ideal for Passive House or LEED certified…