Green Building

At McFarland Construction and EMAX Residential we are very proud to offer Energy Star Certified and Registered Homes as our Standard! In fact our homes are built not only to meet Energy Star requirements but to exceed that standard. Every home we build is tested for efficiency and air tightness.

Our Blower Door Tests are performed by an independent Energy Evaluator trained and certified by EnerQuality assesses the home’s energy efficiency and verifies it meets the requirements of the program. These evaluations have demonstrated that our homes exceed Energy Star standards of 2.5ACH@50Pa and even exceed the R-2000 standards of 1.5ACH@50 Pa

Avondale Model (1645 sqft bungalow with basement):  

8 Admirals Court rating of 1.3 ACH@50Pa

704 Stonehenge Street rating of 1.22 ACH@50Pa

Kirkburn Model (1245 sqft bungalow with basement):

91 Windermere Blvd rating of 1.09 ACH@50Pa

Comparing Blower Door Test Results

Common Air Tightness Metrics for a Typical 2000 ft2, Single Story Home Without Basement
ACH@50 Pa CFM@50 In2ELA@10Pa
Older Home 7 – 20 2100 – 6000 250 – 800
IECC 2009 Reference 7 2100 250
IECC 2012:
    C.Zone 1-2 5 1500 200
    C.Zone 3-8 3 900 150
Canadian R-2000 1.5 450 70
Passive House 0.6 180 30
Tightest House Measured by Ci 0.16 50 10

Energy Star for New Homes – Web Page

WHAT’S ENERGY STAR® FOR NEW HOMES?

ENERGY STAR® for New Homes is Canada’s most successful green building program. ENERGY STAR®qualified homes are approximately 20% more energy efficient than those built to minimum building code requirements. In 2014, 32% of all homes in Ontario were ENERGY STAR® qualified.  More Ontario homes are being built as part of the program than ever before. 

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS?

Energy savings every month and peace of mind are the two most important benefits a homeowner can count on when they buy an ENERGY STAR® qualified home. Homebuyers can also take satisfaction from the knowledge that saving energy means doing their part to lessen their family’s carbon footprint! An ENERGY STAR® qualified home is a high performance home that’s better for you and the environment.

HOW DOES ENERGY STAR® FOR NEW HOMES WORK?

Smart builders register in the ENERGY STAR® for New Homes program, and design and build homes accordingly. An independent Energy Evaluator trained and certified by EnerQuality assesses the home’s energy efficiency and verifies it meets the requirements of the specifications. Based on this verification, EnerQuality certifies the home and issues the ENERGY STAR® for New Homes label to be affixed to the home. This whole process is backed by the Government of Canada. And this label helps buyers make an informed decision and benefit from the advantages of owning an ENERGY STAR® home. 

ENERGY STAR® FOR NEW HOMES: FEATURES BEHIND THE LABEL

To earn the ENERGY STAR®, builders choose from many possible improvements to the home’s ‘building envelope’ and HVAC (Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning) systems, as well as ENERGY STAR® appliances and lighting. Typical upgrades include:

  • AIR-TIGHT CONSTRUCTION

    Holes and cracks in the envelope are sealed to reduce heat loss from air leakage and minimize drafts, moisture, dust and pollen as well as outside noise.

  • MORE INSULATION

     ENERGY STAR® homes have properly installed, floor, wall, attic and basement insulation, and more of it than what is required by Building Code.

  • WINDOWS AND DOORS

    ENERGY STAR® qualified windows, doors and skylights reduce energy costs alone by more than 10%.

  • EFFICIENT SYSTEMS

    Energy efficient furnaces, air conditioning units, hot water tanks or tankless systems, and bathroom and kitchen exhaust fans make for a more comfortable and less costly home.

  • ENERGY STAR® PRODUCTS AND APPLIANCES

    Everything from light bulbs to appliances, make a difference. Look for the blue label! Each ENERGY STAR® qualified home has a minimum of 400 kWh of electrical savings.