Better Builder Magazine, Issue 15 / Fall 2015

1

BETTER

Builder MAGAZINE

the builder’s source

ISSUE 15 | FALL 2015WWW.BETTERBUILDER.CA

Making the Old New AgainRenovations and Missed OpportunitiesTop Five Reno Must DosRenovation Time BombsHigh Performance RenovationClimate Change and Existing HomesPu

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14 IN THIS ISSUE The Renovation Issue

A b r e a t h o f f r e s h a i r .

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FEATURE STORY16 The Challenge of Urban Renos Urban renos can be more extensive than expected, as Philip Barton discovered when he rebuilt a home on a busy Toronto street. BY ALEX NEWMAN INSIDE THIS ISSUE02 Publisher’s Note:�;OL�4\S[PWSPLY�,ɈLJ[ BY JOHN GODDEN

03 The Bada Test:�9L[YVÄ[Z��9LUV]H[PVUZ�HUK�4PZZLK Opportunities BY LOU BADA

04 Industry News: Passive Design Strategies for Renovations BY MICHAEL PATHAK

06 Industry Expert: Top Five Renovation Must Dos BY GORD COOKE

08 Builder News:�9L[YVÄ[Z�¶�3VVRPUN�H[�(SS�(UNSLZ� BY BETTER BUILDER STAFF

11 Builder News:�)\ZPULZZ�3LHKLYZOPW�>PUULY! Krumpers Solar Blinds BY ALEX NEWMAN

13 Industry News: Renovation Time Bombs BY MICHAEL LIO

23 :P[L�:WLJPÄJ! High Performance Renovation BY NOEL CHEESEMAN

27 From the Ground Up: Climate Change, Carbon Footprints and Existing Homes BY DOUG TARRY

29 Builder News:�(�;V[HS�9LUV�7YVTV[LZ�/VTLVÛLY� (^HYLULZZ�H[�,]LY`�:[HNL��BY JANE LOGAN

32 Builder News:�)`�[OL�5\TILYZ!�[OL�,JVUVTPJ�� )LULÄ[Z� �,ULYN`�,ɉJPLUJ` BY ROXUL AND BETTER BUILDER STAFF

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Cover: Kinswater Renovation Project

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Publisher Better Builder Magazine, 63 Blair Street, Toronto, ON M4B 3N5 416-481-4218 fax 416-481-4695 [email protected]

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This magazine brings together premium product manufacturers and leading builders to create better, differentiated homes and buildings that use less energy, save water and reduce our impact on the environment.

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Copyright by Better Builder Magazine. Contents may not be reprinted or reproduced without written permission. The opinions expressed herein are exclusively those of the authors and assumed to be original work. Better Builder Magazine cannot be held liable for any damage as a result of publishing such works.

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undeliverable mail Better Builder Magazine 63 Blair Street, Toronto, ON M4B 3N5Better Builder Magazine is published four times a year.

In 1982 I graduated from university in the

middle of a recession. Not able to find a job

in my chosen field, I went to work for Canada

Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC)

and the Canada Home Renovation plan. This

stimulus program used federal tax dollars to

give a rebate to homeowners who spent money

on home renovations. The program directors

claimed it saved the economy. A mighty claim. I

wonder, did it have a lasting effect?

Recently at Olympia Tile in Toronto, Steven

Harper announced that if re-elected, his party

will make the Home Renovation Tax Credit

a permanent program. Remember there was

a temporary Home Renovation Tax Credit

program launched and ended in 2009, result-

ing in almost a third of Canadian households

keeping $700 of their own money. Here’s how

it worked. By spending $10,000 on home reno-

vations, a credit for the GST was applied to the

homeowner’s personal income tax. It worked,

effectively stimulating households to spend.

Rebates on incentives are different. Incen-

tives from utilities or government give rate-

payers/taxpayers (us) our own money back

– money that was paid in the form of utility

bills or taxes. Ecoenergy incentives are our

tax dollars paid back to us at a fraction of the

value at which these same dollars were paid

out. Why the change in value? The government

has to manage the high overhead it carries in

the form of civil servants’ wages, pensions and

servicing the debt.

Approaching the election, each political

party presents its own formula for deal-

ing with the recession some think we are in.

Whichever way we vote, we all pay for it. The

multiplier effect (ME) in the economy happens

where an increase in spending produces an

increase in national income and consumption

greater than the initial amount spent. Incen-

tives by their nature reduce the ME because

each dollar collected does not find its way

back into the economic flow. These incentives

produce market distortions – think boom and

bust scenarios. When the incentive is available,

people spend. When it’s not, they don’t. The

incentive does not create longer term market

effects because it can’t be sustained. Wouldn’t

it be grand if politicians would play nicely and

share good ideas that benefit us all, regard-

less of their party affiliation? Specifically the

proposition of a permanent home renovation

tax credit we know can create long-term posi-

tive effects in the marketplace.

Scotiabank’s market analysis reveals

home renovation is a $50 billion business in

Canada. Most of that money is not spent on

energy efficiency, but on new kitchens and

the proverbial granite countertops. Educating

homeowners so good sustainable choices can

be made is needed. The ever-popular home

improvement shows would better serve the

masses if they shifted their focus from the

drama associated with the home improvement

process to energy efficiency and remodelling

to promote conservation.

Energy audits provided by a third party are a

powerful tool for educating and training home-

owners, renovators and designers – education to

be called on to make good sustainable choices

when faced with the multitude of options in the

marketplace, and balancing the “house porn”

being watched on TV. Our fall issue provides

plenty of technical information and stories of

real-life renovation projects demonstrating that

balance can be achieved and savings realized.

The word renovate means “To restore to

good condition; to make new as if new again

or repair.” It’s time to renovate our approach,

educating and allowing people to spend their

money in a way that fosters the green econ-

omy and reduces global warming.

I’m a fan of Ben Franklin’s principle “A

penny saved is a penny earned.” So by apply-

ing the multiplier effect – each penny saved

from energy conservation equals more pennies

for your future. BB

The Multiplier Effect

publisher’snoteB y J o h n G o d d e n


3WWW.BETTERBUILDER.CA | ISSUE 15 | FALL 2015

Ever wonder why you don’t have

a John Godden- or Gord Cooke-

type host on HGTV? Although

I do find these two fellows rather

entertaining at times, reality TV is

supposed to be entertainment, not

building science. Every aspect of tele-

vision is contrived and John, Gord and

others in their field are certainly not.

There’s a good reason some people

call these programs

“house porn.”

Although difficult to

measure and correlate,

I believe most would

agree there has been a

definite trend toward greater cosmetic

upgrades in new and existing homes.

I would put forward they often come

at the expense of sustainable/energy

conservation improvements because

budgets by definition are limited.

According to a Scotiabank report

from December 2014 quoting Statis-

tics Canada figures, Canadians spend

about $50 billion a year on home

renovations, outpacing new construc-

tion. It would be difficult to discern

how much of that would go to energy

efficiency upgrades intentionally. Win-

dows and furnaces get replaced all the

time due to reaching the end of their

normal life spans. It’s also difficult to

know whether customers are purchas-

ing the most energy-efficient products

available for their projects.

A quick, informal polling of some

of the renovators and suppliers I know

would lead you to believe that top-

end, energy-efficient retrofits do not

make up the bulk of spending when

it comes to purchasing renovation

products or spending on renovation

projects. It’s similar to our experience

when selling new home upgrades. We

all need to do much better on this. It’s

an enormous lost opportunity.

I met John Godden shortly after I

built my new home in 2002, then in

accordance with the 1997 Ontario

Building Code (OBC). I built what I

believed was a relatively airtight home

with the best mechanicals

and windows available at the

time. John tested my home.

I achieved a 3 air changes

per hour (ACH) leakage rate,

better than most, but not as

good as I’d hoped. I had an EnerGuide

75 rating (code for the home would’ve

been about 57). John pointed out some

flaws, largest of which was a detail I

used for my second floor ceiling/attic.

In the ensuing years, I’ve foamed my

attic, replaced all the mechanicals (fur-

nace, heat recovery ventilator (HRV) and

air conditioner) before I needed to with

the latest and greatest. I also installed

a condensing water heater, drainwater

heat recovery, energy-efficient lighting

and then retested.

I achieved a respectable 2 ACH

and had the home rated as a Home

Energy Rating System (HERS) 47, which

would be about 18% better than the

current 2012 building code (HERS 60

or EnerGuide 80). The home has very

good indoor air quality, is comfortable

and relatively inexpensive to operate.

Although I incurred some expenses, I

am very happy with the outcome and

saved a few more tons of CO2 from

being expelled into the atmosphere.

In truth, if I were to resell the home

today, I wouldn’t likely make back the

investment, but if I stay there long

enough, I will make the money back

and be more comfortable.

Part of the problem is an unjustly

expensive real estate market. Homes

are looked upon as an investment or

commodity. The “fix it and flip it”

philosophy, as showcased on many

TV programs, reflects a certain type

of consumer sentiment about their

homes. They are seen as investments

and money makers. A kitchen renova-

tion is always considered before a new

furnace or windows. New homeowners

aren’t immune from this speculative

mindset either.

We’re missing an enormous oppor-

tunity to improve the huge existing

housing stock while we continuously

ratchet up the energy conservation

requirements for new construction.

Although government and utility

incentives can be problematic, there

could be a role if properly structured.

Changing the narrative is the difficult

part. Rather than look at homes as

a speculative investment, we should

begin to look at sustainable and afford-

able homes as an investment in the

public good. Government would need

to rethink its approach to our industry.

There are no easy answers here, but

maybe we can roll out John and Gord

as the “Energy Efficiency Brothers” on

TV and see what they can tell us about

the efficiencies of homes across the

GTA. Perhaps there’d be a lot of public

shaming, but I’d certainly watch. BB

Lou Bada�PZ�JVUZ[Y\J[PVU� �JVU[YHJ[Z�manager for Starlane Homes.

The Multiplier Effect

thebadatestB y L o u B a d a

Retrofits, Renovations and Missed Opportunities

Canadians spend about $50 billion a year on home

renovations.


This article defines passive

design strategies as strategies

which use the ambient utility

sources (energy and water) available

to the building, in place of design

strategies that use purchased energy,

such as natural gas or electricity.

Examples of these passive design

strategies are natural ventilation,

solar energy, daylighting and rainwa-

ter usage. It is important to note that,

in this definition, passive water con-

sumption strategies are also included.

While this article

focuses on renovation

options, passive design

strategies can also be

used in new construc-

tion. Although there

are numerous passive

design strategies, this

article will focus on

three topics – control-

ling solar gain, passive

cooling and rainwater

management.

When designing

an efficient building, we first look to

maximize energy conservation, then

identify passive design opportunities,

and finally explore renewable energy

generation, such as adding solar

photovoltaic (PV) panels. Doing so

allows for the mechanical and renew-

able energy generation systems to be

sized appropriately to match reduced

energy demands. This means that,

before the passive design strategies

are considered, it is assumed the

building already has a well-perform-

ing thermal envelope, at minimum

with an air leakage no higher than 1

air change per hour (ACH) at 50 Pa

(pascals of pressure or lbs/sq. in.) and

overall insulation values, inclusive of

thermal bridging, of R30 for walls,

R50 for roofs and R5 for windows.

When a building has a good enve-

lope, solar gains, in terms of thermal

energy from the sun collected in a

building, can have a significant effect

on heating and cooling loads, so man-

aging solar gains differently in sum-

mer and winter is important. With

proper solar gain management, gains

are maximized dur-

ing the winter for

free heat, and mini-

mized during the

summer to reduce

the cooling load.

This reduces overall

utility costs. In Can-

ada, the south- and

west-facing sides of

the building receive

solar gains which

coincide with peak

cooling demands,

and therefore windows on these sides

need to be optimized to maximize

solar gain benefits.

A possible solution, if space per-

mits, is to plant deciduous trees on the

south and west sides of the building.

In the summer, the trees will pro-

vide shading, allowing the building

to remain cooler, while in the winter,

when the leaves have fallen, the build-

ing will receive solar gains from the

sun. If trees are not a possibility, then

adding overhangs can provide a similar

effect. The overhangs can be a perma-

nent structure or more flexible, like

a retractable awning commonly seen

in Europe. Regardless of choice, the

overhangs or awnings need to be sized

correctly so when the sun is high in the

sky, as it is in the summer, the over-

hangs provide shade, and when the

sun is low, like in winter, the sunlight

can directly enter the window.

Blinds are another solar gain

control solution. They can be on the

interior or exterior of the windows,

and either manually controlled or

automated. Interior blinds typi-

cally reduce 30% of solar gains while

exterior blinds can cut solar gains up

to 100%, since the exterior blinds are

rejecting the gain before it enters the

window. A manually controlled system

will require owner discipline to open

or close the blinds depending on heat-

ing and cooling demands of the build-

ing. An automated system will better

optimize the needs of the building,

but will require controls and sensors

to make the system work, which adds

extra capital and running costs. In

some cases the system will fail to opti-

mize, such as on a partly cloudy day.

If changing the windows is part

of the renovation, a solar-rejecting

glazing could be part of the package.

Choosing glazing with a lower solar

heat gain coefficient (SHGC) means

the amount of solar gain entering

the window will be less, reducing the

cooling load, but also increasing the

heating load as there will be less solar

heat collection in winter. A cheaper

alternative, assuming the windows are

still acceptable, would be to have a

professional low SHGC film installed

on the existing windows. Lastly, storm

industrynewsB y M i c h a e l P a t h a k

Passive Design Strategies for Renovations

When a building has a good envelope,

solar gains, in terms of thermal energy

from the sun collected in a building, can have H�ZPNUPÄJHU[�LMMLJ[�VU�

heating and cooling loads, so managing solar gains

differently in summer and winter is important.


windows can be added to the exterior

of the windows for the heating sea-

son. This additional pane of glass will

add extra insulation and is typically

vented to prevent moisture buildup.

With solar gains of the building

under control, further reducing cool-

ing demands using passive design

strategies can help reduce or elimi-

nate the need for air conditioning.

One strategy is to use natural ventila-

tion to cool the building. It is known

that hot air rises and the hottest part

of a building are the highest levels,

whereas the coldest point is at the

lowest level. Therefore, adding opera-

ble windows or skylights to the upper

level, and operable windows on the

ground floor, will allow for hot air to

leave the top of the building, drawing

the cooler air from the ground level

inside. In the cooling season, when

the evening air is below 20°C, allowing

the buildings to naturally ventilate

overnight will precool the building. In

the morning, the building is closed up

to keep the cold air in, so it will stay

at a comfortable temperature as the

day warms up.

Another passive cooling strategy

is to look at the base ventilation load.

Good indoor air quality requires

proper ventilation. As the airtightness

of houses increases, homeowners can

no longer rely on fresh air to simply

infiltrate through cracks in the build-

ing envelope. Natural or mechanical

ventilation strategies are needed to

provide required ventilation. To assist

with preconditioning the air enter-

ing the building, an earth tube can be

installed. Instead of the supply duct

drawing air directly from the outdoor

ambient air, it is run underground

to allow the ground temperatures to

temper the supply air. This will cool

the supply temperature in summer and

preheat it in winter, helping reduce the

ventilation cooling and

heating load.

Rainwater man-

agement is also an

important passive

design consideration

for reducing the use

of potable (domestic)

water use. Rainwater

collection can be as

simple as using rain

barrels at the end

of downspouts. It

can also be a more

work-intensive solu-

tion such as using

underground storage.

Where storage is used,

the water can then

be pumped or gravity

fed to water plants

and for other uses at

a later time. Stored

rainwater can even

be used for laundry, but may require

some treatment for quality, as it is

typically soft water which improves

the performance of laundry detergent.

On the market there are many rain-

water collection systems which are

simple to install, so this passive solu-

tion does not require detailed design

or cost to work.

Passive design strategies range from

controlling solar gains to managing

your stormwater. Each strategy should

be implemented with or after conser-

vation measures, such as an improved

envelope, have been completed. To

provide the most benefit, strategies

need to be assessed to optimize the

best solutions for the building. BB

Michael Pathak,�4(:J��PZ�H�WYVQLJ[�THUHNLY�H[�:\Z[HPUHISL�,+.,�3[K��WYV]PKPUN�ZLY]PJLZ�in mechanical engineering and sustain-able building consulting. Contact michael.WH[OHR'Z�LKNL�JVT�

industrynewsB y M i c h a e l P a t h a k

Passive design strategies implemented in a house: deciduous tree, overhangs, Low E coatings on windows.

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When you think of the

compelling changes

made in the energy

efficiency of new homes, even

over the last 10–15 years,

there is reason to look back

and question what is or could

be done in the 13 million

existing Canadian homes. It

is well documented that the

Ontario Building Code (OBC)

changes even since 2000 have

resulted in a 50% reduction in

space heating energy use in

a new 2015 code-built house.

On the existing home side, the

popular EcoENERGY program

that ended in 2012 resulted

in over a million homes in

Canada having an energy

audit done.

Hundreds of thousands

of the homes tested had

new high efficiency furnaces

installed, windows replaced

or insulation added, and

renovation contractors can

learn from the success and

findings of the program. For

example, it is pretty clear

that energy efficiency alone is seldom

the motivation for renovation work,

but every renovation project can and

should include some energy effi-

ciency improvement elements.

We can even set an improvement

goal. While we saw a 50% improve-

ment in new homes over the last 15

years, that is seldom a reasonable

goal for existing ones. A responsible

goal is a 15%–20% reduction in energy

use for the homes you work in. That

reduction can come in space heat-

ing, space cooling, water heating or

usage, or electrical use. Whatever you

are working on, improve the energy

efficiency of that element by 15%–

20%. Following are what I consider

the top five opportunities and the

real motivation for doing them.

First, always, always air seal. Do a

prerenovation airtightness test, incor-

porate recommendations to improve

it in your scope of work, and aim for

a 20% reduction in air leakage. In a

kitchen remodel, open up that valence

or soffit box over the cabinets to air

seal and insulate it properly. My skep-

tical neighbour, who didn’t

want to do this, was shocked

by the mouse droppings and

wasp nest they found in this

area that were eliminated

by air sealing. Similarly, in a

bathroom redo, pull that tub

that’s on the outside wall to

air seal so they can enjoy a

longer soak. Pull down that

garage ceiling and air seal

so the kids sleeping above

aren’t breathing car exhaust.

Caulk all casings and base-

boards before any redeco-

rating work. Remember the

easiest place to get large

leaks is in the attic. Seal

around pot lights, exhaust

fans, plumbing stacks and

masonry fireplaces. Drops

over showers and bathtubs

could also be inspected.

Second, if you are resid-

ing a building, add a fully

flashed weather barrier

that will be simultane-

ously airtight and add at

least R5 insulation to the

exterior – better would be

R10. Yes, this means building win-

dows and other penetrations out, but

imagine the next time this home will

be resided may be 50 years from now,

and who knows what energy costs

will be then? Water intrusion destroys

buildings, and every project you do

must reduce the chances for leaks.

Third, always, always switch to

direct vent-sealed combustion appli-

ances – furnaces, water heaters and

fireplaces. This is as much for safety

as for energy efficiency and, for

the most part, appliance efficiency

Top Five Renovation Must Dos

industryexpertB y G o rd C o o k e

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Blower door fans enable contractors to conduct pre-renovation airtightness tests. The results are used to find ways to aim for a 20% reduction in air leakage.


regulations have eliminated chim-

ney-vented furnaces already. Don’t

miss the opportunity to improve

the efficiency of the water heater. A

power-vented water heater still only

has an energy factor of just 0.67 or

less. Let’s recognize that our clients

will be interested in the new condens-

ing tank or tankless water heaters

that simultaneously save space, offer

flexibility in location, are safer and

provide consistent hot water. I see

the efforts companies such as Navien

and Rinnai have made to improve the

performance and hot water experi-

ence of tankless units, and feel it

is time to empower your clients to

include these in every bathroom and

kitchen project.

Fourth, include ventilation on

every project – at least a good, quiet,

efficient bath fan or range hood.

Certainly, you know I want you to

consider an energy recovery ventila-

tor (ERV) on every project as well –

not because you are making houses

tighter, but because your clients are

staying inside more often and not

opening windows as much as they

used to. You are putting your clients

and yourselves at risk if you don’t

have a fresh air conversation with

them as part of every project you do.

Help them uncover air quality prob-

lems they may already be having, but

don’t recognize. That musty smell in

the basement, the plug-in scents, the

scented candles are all symptoms of

an issue you can help them resolve

while lowering their energy bills.

Finally, let’s not forget electri-

cal usage. Two important trends are

converging – the price of electricity

will be going up regularly over the

next 15–20 years, and the availability

of very cost-effective LED lights has

quickly arrived. I recently purchased

LED GU10 lights for a bathroom fix-

ture for less than the halogen equiva-

lent. Better yet, I had a choice of light

colour to complement my décor. Every

renovation project can be enhanced

with a true lighting design that takes

advantage of the flexibility LED lights

now provide, while saving energy.

That’s a quick list and, of course,

there are lots of other opportunities in

every project. Notice though, in each

case, simultaneously when you make

homes more energy efficient, you also

improve the health, safety, comfort and

durability of the home. It’s a real win-

win for you and your customers. BB

Gord Cooke is president of Building Knowledge Canada.

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A ll Angles Renovations is a

Toronto-based, family-run

residential renovation firm.

They say one of the best parts of being

a renovator in the city is the oppor-

tunity to work with all the quirks and

unique characteristics older homes

exhibit. Working with older homes also

means huge opportunities for energy

upgrades as most of these lovely

abodes are leaky, need a little love,

and someone who understands their

uniqueness to help give them a new

lease on life.

The company, led by owner Ken

George, continually reinforces that

sustainable practices and materials be

used in their renovations, and believe

strongly in making sure they success-

fully convey the importance of these

practices and materials to their clients.

This is the standard approach for any

All Angles renovation. Larger scope

projects allow for many of the energy

efficiency upgrades that may otherwise

be cost prohibitive. Smaller, less inva-

sive renovations can be more challeng-

ing, yet they have found ways to make

upgrades that still make an impact.

Some of the typical smaller scale

sustainable recommendations are

exterior wall insulation upgrades using

ROXUL batt and IS board insulation,

window replacement with Strassburger

or North Star ENERGY STAR windows

for better efficiency and to incorporate

more natural light, exclusive use of

LED lighting throughout, attic top-up

of blown-in insulation to R50, use

of Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)-

certified framing lumber, Rainforest

Alliance- and FSC-certified trim, low

flow toilets and faucets to reduce

indoor water consumption, and low

VOC paints, to name a few. When tar-

geting indoor air quality in renovation

projects, the ventilation fans of choice

are the Panasonic Whisper Sense fans.

These fans have an electronically com-

mutated motor (ECM) which runs con-

tinuously, providing spot ventilation

at a lower cubic feet per minute (CFM)

rating, yet is motion sensor activated

to provide higher ventilation when

required. They are also big fans of the

VanEE heat recovery ventilators (HRV)

and energy recovery ventilators (ERV),

and have installed these in various

projects when ventilation is key.

Ken finds their best approach when

discussing energy retrofits with new

clients is to emphasize the increase

in comfort level and improvements

in indoor air quality that would be

achieved, along with the benefits of

return on investment (ROI) and long-

term money savings. Usually when

all those points are explained, clients

readily embrace the concepts.

One tool that has helped sell these

improvements is a blower test and

energy audit, coupled with programs

like Enbridge’s Home Energy Conserva-

tion program. These provide valuable

incentives to the customer, and the

required energy audits present impar-

tial information that reinforces their

recommendations.

Recently All Angles Renovations has

completed several relatively smaller

renovations that did not involve the

entire home and yet covered most ele-

ments that typically only large-scale,

full home renovations would be able to

incorporate. One of the most success-

ful upgrades for these and other reno-

vation projects has been the replace-

ment heating, ventilating and air

conditioning (HVAC) system they have

been promoting. Ken was so impressed

with this system after installing one in

his own home, it has become the go-to

system for his company.

The truly Canadian NY Thermal Inc.

(NTI) combination hot water boiler/

heater, combined with an AIRMAX air

handler, circulates warm air throughout

the home. It also handles domestic hot

water in an on-demand capacity, and

can be easily adapted to incorporate

in-floor radiant heating throughout the

home or connect to any other hydronic

system. Combining all heating require-

ments through one boiler effectively

reduces the amount of off-cycle losses

and is also fully modulating, with a

turndown ratio of 8:1. Simply put, this

system will allow you to tune it to the

buildernewsB y B e t t e r B u i l d e r S t a f f

Retrofits – Looking at All Angles Even If You Have to Borrow, [OL�9L[YVÄ[Z�7H`�MVY�Themselves*HZL�:[\K`�9L[YVÄ[�Upgrades $15,200New furnace, DHW and insulationYear 1�¶�(UU\HS�:H]PUNZ��Year 1�¶�*VZ[�[V�IVYYV^�'��

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improvements you make to

your home. Incorporating this

system in a number of recently

completed renovation projects

resulted in a 50% gas consump-

tion reduction postaudit, with

significantly lower electricity

costs due to the removal of

the electric domestic hot water

systems – a definitive success.

All Angles is currently

in the final planning stages

for a large-scale exterior

energy retrofit project. This

1920s two-storey gem was

untouched. It was drafty,

had little to no insulation,

original windows and a cold,

unfinished basement. Phase

one was completed last year

with the existing basement

underpinned, hydronic in-

floor heating installed, and a

two-storey addition completed

to expand the living space. A

new insulated concrete form

(ICF) foundation was poured

and the main floor kitchen

expanded into the new space.

Phase two, completing the

basement renovation, wrapped

up this spring. All basement

windows were replaced,

ROXUL IS board insulation was

affixed to all exterior walls,

and ROXUL batt insulation

installed throughout for a total

exterior wall R-value of R22.

Phase three will include

replacing the rest of the win-

dows, the biggest challenge

being insulating the entire

exterior of the house. The

plan is to use a Larsen truss

system – deep enough to

allow for a larger than usual

amount of insulation.

To avoid disruptive interior

renovations and allow the

family to live on-site through

the upgrade, retrofitting from

the exterior is the easiest way

to add significant insulation

value to a building as well as

getting the most continuous

air barrier. The resulting R30

wall will then be ready for

installing fibre cement siding.

Because this project was

divided into stages, there have

been some unusual challenges

and a lot of foreplanning

required. When renovating

the basement, the windows

needed to be built out ahead

of time to accommodate the

new deeper walls, and weath-

erproofed to withstand the ele-

ments during the phase before

the exterior work would be

completed. All the remaining

windows will also have to be

built out in the same manner

again before the exterior work

gets underway. Ken and his

team are sure this project will

be an exciting and successful

addition to their repertoire.

Ultimately, All Angles

Renovations has committed

to sustainable strategies in

their renovations, using energy

auditing and benchmarking as

essential tools to understand-

ing the initial performance

of the homes they work on.

Presenting these approaches,

goals and targets to clients and

trade partners reinforces their

importance, making all parties

feel completely informed. This

easily allows the team to sell

energy-efficient upgrades and

most importantly, gives them a

sustainable final product they

can be proud of. BB

buildernewsB y B e t t e r B u i l d e r S t a f f


The Smart Way to Use Electric Power

RESIDENTIAL ENERGY STORAGE IS HERE

Our intelligent battery system can:

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EneTelus Hybrid Inverter and Lithium Ion Battery Unit


A t the recent Scotiabank EcoLiv-

ing Awards, Krumpers Solar

Blinds won in the business

leadership category. You might won-

der why mere window blinds – out

of all the possible components that

go into building a home – would win

such a major award.

But that’s because you haven’t seen

them in action. Even for solar blinds,

they’re unique. Essentially, they’re

two-sided blinds that can be physi-

cally turned around so that in sum-

mer they reflect 76% of the heat back

outside, and in winter they actually

generate heat in direct light. And they

also insulate the window.

They work like regular blinds, says

Diana Livshits, who with her husband

purchased the sole Canadian rights

to the technology from the inventor

almost eight years ago, and opened

Krumpers Solar Solutions in Ottawa to

manufacture and sell the blinds.

“The material is unique,” she says.

“It’s proprietary technology, with

a layer of aluminum and a layer of

nano-carbon graphite sealed together.

One side is solar absorptive, and the

other is solar reflective.

“The material is perforated, with

every hole done on a different angle for

two reasons. One is so heat reflection

is random and doesn’t create hot spots,

and the other is so light transmission

is the same frequency as the retinal

receptors in the eye. You’ll never get a

headache looking through these blinds

the way you do with most.”

The blinds are then laminated with

third-grade encapsulated polyvinyl

chloride (PVC), which Livshits says

they intend to change

once the technology pro-

vides another material

that works as well.

The research sup-

ports the claims. “This is

the only window treat-

ment on the market with

independent lab results

that show a reduction

in heating and cooling

costs between 39% and

44%. They also provide

museum-grade ultraviolet

(UV) protection, which is

anything above 92%.”

However, it’s not

air conditioning (AC),

Livshits says. “It won’t

take your house from

40°C to 18°C, but it will

take the temperature

down to 28°C or 30°C. That’s why the

lab results show the AC and heating

load is 40% less. You can feel hot sit-

ting on the couch, pull down the blind,

and you’ll find you’re not hot.”

It works the same in winter – you

put the blinds down and it feels

warmer. On a sunny winter day, a 4’x4’

window will generate 2096 BTUs, equiv-

alent to a 600-watt electric heater, she

explains. “Moreover, because it insu-

lates the window, it also prevents heat

loss. Even with Low E argon windows,

you get 68% of hot air transfer. With the

blinds that goes down to about 18%.”

Krumpers’ client base is wide –

everything from trailers to estates,

Livshits says. She remembers get-

ting called to a trailer, and really

understanding once she walked in

why they needed the solar blinds.

Business Leadership Winner:

Krumpers Solar Blinds

buildernewsB y A l e x N e w m a n

Diana Livshits explains that Krumpers Solar Blinds are two sided – they can be physically turned around so that in summer they reflect 76% of the heat back outside, and in winter they actually generate heat in direct light.

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“You couldn’t breathe in there, even

though the AC was going full blast,

because the sun was pouring in.”

Naturally, condos, with their floor

to ceiling banks of windows, are a

huge market. “People are more than

happy to pay a premium for the view

in a condo, but then they have to live

with the climatic conditions of that

view, so they end up covering what

they paid to have,” Livshits says.

However, these blinds are so trans-

parent, she says, “You can distinguish

which birds are flying. It’s kind of like

sunglasses for your windows.”

The other thing is what that unre-

lenting natural light does to interior

climate – and appliances. Livshits

recounts making a customer call to

a condo when the owner was on the

phone to Miele. “It was the fourth fridge

that needed to be changed in three

months. Because the sun was beating

directly on the stainless steel fridge, it

was raising the temperature inside. It

hadn’t occurred to anyone that it wasn’t

the fridge, but the sunlight coming

through the window that caused this.”

They also make vertical blinds in

the same material because condos in

the winter can be hot during the day,

but cold once the sun sets. With a

vertical blind all you need to do is pull

the cord to make them turn 180° to

either winter or summer setting. “It’s

really ultimate control,” Livshits says.

She had no prior experience in this

kind of business. She was a Nortel

employee and her husband an electron-

ics academic. They were looking for a

solution to a problem in their home

that was resolved by these blinds.

“When Nortel went under, my hus-

band insisted we buy the rights to this

technology, and try this as a business.

We initially outsourced the manufactur-

ing, but less than a year later set up our

own manufacturing facility.”

They make both commercial and

residential blinds, and have even

engineered a solution for oddly shaped

windows and skylights. Turning the

blinds around winter or summer takes

six seconds. Livshits knows because

she’s timed it. “If you can change a roll

of toilet paper, you can turn these.”

Once people see how the blinds

work, she says, “It’s pretty much a

nonissue for them to buy and our

lead to close ratio reflects that – it’s

over 90%.” BB

Alex Newman is a writer, editor and researcher at www.alexnewmanwriter.com.

buildernewsB y A l e x N e w m a n

,W·V�RIÀFLDO��The blinds from Krumpers Solar Solutions are outstanding. For one thing, the company has been honoured with the Best of Ottawa Homestars Award in Shutters and Blinds. The award is the ultimate UHFRJQLWLRQ�RI�H[FHOOHQFH�EHFDXVH�LW·V�EDVHG�RQ�UHYLHZV�E\�FXVWRPHUV��)RU�DQRWKHU�WKLQJ��WKHUH�DUH�PDQ\��PDQ\�UHYLHZV�²�DQG�WKH\·UH�JORZLQJ�

0DQXIDFWXUHG�LQ�2WWDZD��WKH�XQLTXH�ZLQGRZ�FRYHULQJV�UHGXFH�\RXU�heating and cooling costs while allowing you to enjoy an unobstructed YLHZ��7KH\�DOVR�LPSURYH�\RXU�KRPH·V�HQHUJ\�HIÀFLHQF\�DQG�HQKDQFH�LWV�FRPIRUW�OHYHO��´7KH\�HPSOR\�D�YHU\�FXWWLQJHGJH��&DQDGLDQ�WHFKQRORJ\�WKDW�VDYHV�\RX�PRQH\�DOO�\HDU�URXQG�µ�H[SODLQV�RZQHU�'LDQD�/LYVKLWV��´7KH\·UH�DQ�HOHJDQW�KRPH�VROXWLRQ�WKDW�ÀWV�ZLWKLQ�\RXU�OLIHVW\OH�µ

7KH�EOLQGV�DUH�WUDQVSDUHQW�DQG�UHÁHFWLYH��VR�WKH\�OHW�LQ�QDWXUDO�OLJKW�while keeping your home cool in summer. In winter, they reduce heat loss and collect energy to keep your home cozy. Through the year, Krumpers solar blinds protect fur- nishings from fading, reduce glare, LQVXODWH�ZLQGRZV�DQG�SURYLGH�GD\WLPH�SULYDF\��$QG��IURP�DOO�DFFRXQWV��.UXPSHUV�6RODU�6ROXWLRQV�SURYLGHV�VXSHULRU�FXVWRPHU�VHUYLFH�

1R�ZRQGHU�FXVWRPHUV�DUH�WKULOOHG��´,�UHFHQWO\�SXUFKDVHG�WKHVH�ZRQGHUIXO�VRODU�EOLQGV�IRU�WKH�1RUWK�VLGH�RI�P\�KRXVH�µ�RQH�RI�WKH�UHYLHZHUV�QRWHV��´:KDW�DQ�LQFUHGLEOH�GLIIHUHQFH��1RW�RQO\�GLG�,�KDYH�SULYDF\�ZLWK�D�YLHZ�RI�P\�IURQW�JDUGHQ�EXW�,�ZDVQ·W�GULYHQ�RXW�RI�P\�OLYLQJ�URRP�GXH�WR�WKH�H[WUHPH�KHDW�RQFH�WKH�VXQ�KLW�WKH�ZLQGRZ��,�was so impressed with these results that I immediately ordered blinds DQG�SDQHOV�IRU�DOO�RI�WKH�UHVW�RI�P\�KRXVH��1H[W�\HDU��,�ZLOO�GR�P\�WKUHH�H[WHULRU�GRRUV��$�GHÀQLWH�ZLQ�ZLQ�µ�&KHFN�ZZZ�NUXPSHUV�FD�or�613-864-4921 for details.

3UHVWLJLRXV�DZDUG�HQHUJ\�HIÀFLHQW��HOHJDQW�VW\OH'LDQD�/LYVKLWV-R

KQ�0DMRU�3KR

WRJUDSK\

��&OHDGRQ�'U�Ottawa, ON

K2H 5P3T. 613.864.4921F. 613.829.2718

www.krumpers.ca


Older homes, for all their

old-fashioned charm, can

require large amounts of

energy to heat and are often uncom-

fortable, particularly for the grow-

ing number of seniors. In Ontario,

nearly 1.8 million aging homes

could use one type of energy-effi-

cient retrofit or another.

For government, the savings in

greenhouse gas emissions, and even

the potential for tax revenue, make

this fertile ground for new policy

and regulation. All three levels of

government have become active

in capitalizing on the potential for

energy-efficient retrofits.

The federal ecoENERGY program

offered incentives for energy effi-

ciency improvements in homes. The

program applied to existing Part 9

residential buildings and sought to

motivate the homeowner to action by

offering a customized, house-specific

report using standardized software

and trained certified energy evalua-

tors. The homeowner had 18 months

to complete the measures and have

their house retested to qualify for

grants. Prescriptive-based incen-

tives were used for this program. In

Ontario, there were over 435,000 ret-

rofit incentives paid under the ecoEN-

ERGY program, with by far the largest

incremental upgrade being new

furnaces (75% of all retrofits included

a furnace upgrade, see Table 1).

Through the Green Energy Act, the

Government of Ontario has signalled

its intention to make the disclosure

of a home’s energy consumption

mandatory at the time of sale. While

Renovation Time Bombs

industrynewsB y M i c h a e l L i o

the Act is in

place, regula-

tions to support

this part of the Act

have yet to be adopted,

leaving the disclosure requirement

unenforceable. However, should

regulation be adopted, this manda-

tory disclosure would likely drive

energy-efficient renovations as home-

owners look to increase the value of

their homes.

Municipalities are beginning to

offer financing for energy-efficient

retrofits under an existing municipal

revenue tool, the local improvement

charge (LIC). Homeowners can receive

financing to increase the energy effi-

ciency of their home, and are charged

an LIC on their municipal tax bill.

Essentially a loan on the property,

this can make renovations accessible

to more Ontarians who would oth-

erwise be unable to afford to do so.

They in turn would save money each

month on their utility bills to offset

the property tax charge.

Given this interest from govern-

ment, it would be no surprise if the

number and scale of home renova-

tions significantly increase over the

next decade. While governments

capitalize on new HST and income

taxes, and reduced greenhouse gas

emissions, bad renovations can leave

homeowners with major problems.

The move toward energy-efficient

retrofits, supported and sometimes

even funded by government, assumes

renovations will be completed by com-

petent renovators doing quality work.

Poorly executed renovation work,

however, can leave homes with hidden

defects and put occupant health and

safety at risk.

For the last ten years, home reno-

vations/repairs has been in the top

three of the Ontario Ministry of Gov-

ernment and Consumer Services’ list

of Top 10 Complaints and Inquiries.

The most recently available data has


it occupying the third spot

after collection agencies and

water heater rentals/removal.

Clearly, there seem to be real

problems in the home reno-

vation market in Ontario.

The house is a collection

of interrelated systems, com-

prised of hundreds of mate-

rials and components, and

inevitably changes to one

system can adversely affect

others. For instance, sealing

and air tightening can affect

indoor air quality and occu-

pant health. Adding insula-

tion increases condensation

potential, making mould and

rot a risk only proper air

sealing and vapour protec-

tion can reduce. Replacing a

furnace to improve energy

efficiency without resizing

based on heating loads can

result in furnace cycling that

would significantly erode

efficiency improvements.

Without a proper understanding of

building science principles, renova-

tors risk leaving homeowners with a

time bomb that could explode many

years after the renovation. Home-

owners, or subsequent homebuyers,

could be saddled with a tax bill and

a house not fit for occupancy. Mould,

mildew, and rot can damage the shell

of the house. Impaired indoor air

quality can make people sick. Replac-

ing an old furnace with a new one

that cycles can make everyone cold

and uncomfortable.

The resulting problems would not

manifest immediately. The impacts of

a wrong-sized furnace would not be

felt until the following winter. Mould

and rot problems from improper

air and vapour barriers may not be

known for years after a ren-

ovation. The risks to home-

owners could be significant

where there are insufficient

safeguards. Before govern-

ments jump on the energy

retrofit bandwagon, they

need to seriously consider

the harm to homeowners

that might result from their

programs or regulations.

It is time the provincial

government considered

licensing professional ren-

ovators. Licensing should

require a mandatory

demonstration of build-

ing science and contract

management expertise.

A warranty fund should

be established for home

renovations as it exists for

new homes. The regulatory

system should be admin-

istered by a delegated

administrative authority

that protects public health

and safety, and provides economic

relief for homeowners with defective

renovations or absconded deposits.

It is irresponsible for governments

to call for mandatory energy retrofits

without providing the necessary pro-

tection homeowners are entitled to. BB

Michael Lio is WYPUJPWHS��3PV� �(ZZVJPH[LZ��TPJOHLS'TSPV�JH�


Table 1: <W[HRL�VM�9L[YVÄ[�0[LTZ�PU�[OL�LJV,5,9.@�9L[YVÄ[�7YVNYHT

January 2008 – November 2010

9L[YVÄ[�0[LTFrequency (% of Program Participants)

Furnace/boiler replacement 75

(PY�SLHRHNL�YLK\J[PVU 39

Central air conditioner replacement 33

>PUKV^�YLWSHJLTLU[ 27

([[PJ�PUZ\SH[PVU�\WNYHKL 24

Toilet replacement 17

Basement insulation 15

Door replacement 13

>HSS�PUZ\SH[PVU 11

Floor header insulation 11

Domestic hot water heater replacement 6

Ground source heat pump installation 4

Heat recovery ventilator installation 3

Lifebreath MAX Residential HRVs:

� Maximum efficiency� Maximum reliability� Maximum choice




T here were nights Philip

Barton would wake at 2

a.m. and not go back to

sleep. The 49-year-old

Toronto contractor had

taken on the challenge

of a lifetime – renovating

a semidetached live-work space, add-

ing an underground garage and rear

addition, for a total of 6,500 sq. ft.

(which made it 200% lot coverage). It

was also on one of Toronto’s busiest

downtown streets and the client was a

well-known architect.

Barton, who’s been in construction

since 1988, is a licensed carpenter

and opened his renovation company

Kinswater Construction and Project

Management in 2009. He does every-

thing from bungalow top-ups to com-

plicated structural additions in the

$300,000–$3 million range. Although

he’d worked on several previous

projects with architect DeeDee Taylor

Eustace of Taylor Hannah Architect

Inc., when she asked him to project

manage the site with her, he didn’t

realize the extent of the job – or the

potential challenges – until he saw

the drawings.

But by then he was intrigued by the

challenge. “It was an as-built situation

with every challenge being met at the

time of occurrence … no way to antici-

pate and prepare ahead, so you had to

be on site a lot.”

Eustace says Barton was “abso-

lutely the right person to project man-

age this with me. He’s conscientious,

… does all the things you’re supposed

to do. I can’t have someone working

who doesn’t respect those things,

especially on such a densified site.”

While Barton worked the labour

and trades component, Eustace

engineered and worked with the

City on the zoning bylaws. “Part of

my specialty as an architect, interior

designer, and developer is to look at

zoning and figure the most favourable

and best use of the design.”

The Neighbours – a Constant Presence and Construction Challenge Anytime there’s a party wall, the

renovation is bound to have chal-

lenges. To compound matters at this

site, the third-level wall was just one

brick thick, so construction required

an accordion method or zigzag

approach of demolishing and rebuild-

ing in sections, bracing between the

old and new, replacing ceiling joists,

then reframing piece by piece.

A new underground garage and

rear addition called for major excava-

tion and serious underpinning which

also affected the demolition.

Because the third floor party wall

was not strong laterally, Barton didn’t

want to take away more than 20 ft.

at a time. So the demo and framing

crews had to take everything down

and rebuild in sequences. On this job

there were five such sequences.

Had the existing basement ceiling

height stayed the same, the process

would have been easier, but Eustace

wanted higher ceilings, and a walk-out

for better light and outdoor access. To

accomplish that required very deep-

stepped underpinning of 15 ft. at the

basement party wall. Shoring (steel

piles and lagging) were required for

the garage and addition at the rear

of the building (there was an 18 ft.

drop in elevation from the street

to the laneway). Dump trucks and

rubble bins could not manoeuvre the

hairpin turn from the laneway to the

backyard, so all the excavated materi-

als were carried to waiting trucks via

bobcat through the laneway.

“To achieve the front walkout, we

would have needed to submit our

proposal to 12 City departments and

get approval to place shoring equip-

ment on the City sidewalk, but that

would have taken months and set the

project back. So [Barton] elected to dig

featurestoryB y A l e x N e w m a n

The Challenge of Urban Renos


of Urban Renos

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A new underground garage and rear addition called for major excavation and serious underpinning which also affected the demolition.


by hand and timber shore about 14 ft.

below the sidewalk, all while staying

on our property.”

“It was always a question of time

versus money,” Barton says. “This

monumental hand dig would cost the

same as shoring, but not waiting for

the report allowed us to get further

ahead and save time.”

With such tight quarters many

materials had to be carried in. In

some cases, things normally built

off-site had to be constructed inside

– the open riser stairs between each

floor, for example. “There was no

way we could have turned the corner

on the side entrance to bring those in

already assembled,” Barton says.

For the same reason, excavated

materials had to be carried out

through the rear laneway to wait-

ing trucks on Pears Ave. Because

the water truck couldn’t make the

tight turn, cleaning up afterward

took hours with power washers.

And when road construction on Bay

Street stopped all road permits in

the area, they had to pour the garage

footings using motorized wheel-

barrows buggied from Pears Ave.

through the laneway.

UnderpinningTo prepare for underpinning, the

distance between cuts is measured

and then numbered on the wall – one,

two, three and so on. (The distance

depends on soil conditions, Barton

adds.) After digging under all the foot-

ings marked number one, you pour

the concrete, then pack nonshrink

grout between the new concrete and

existing footing to let it cure. Then do

all the number three cuts, and skip

back to do the number two cuts.

In the party wall agreement that

had been negotiated, the neighbour

had a say on how close those cuts

would be. Barton’s structural engi-

neer felt every 3 ft. was appropri-

ate, but the neighbour’s consultant

wanted 18 in. cuts.

Barton says usually an engineer will

observe a couple of pours, as will the

building inspector, but the third party

agreement insisted on inspectors and

engineers being present for every

underpinning cut. They also wanted

cuts done and cement poured the

same day. Eustace paid for both her


With limited access manpower was the name of the game. Wheelbarrows moved concrete and soil for underpinning. Red iron was moved and placed by hand.

7/6;6

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engineer and the neighbour’s, which

added about $25,000 to the final cost.

EXTERIORWith the residential-commercial

zoning of the site, exterior walls had

to be noncombustible. This meant

using 18-gauge metal studs screwed

together, then covered with Dens-

Glass Gold, which were then clad with

HardiePanel and limestone. To ensure

proper fire separations between office

and residence, double drywall was

installed with a resilient channel, all

joist cavities were filled with R24

ROXUL SAFE’n’SOUND®, and metal fire

doors hung between the two spaces.

The building design required Bar-

ton to build moment frames, which

means installing steel columns from

basement to roof, and across the top

and bottom of every window to pro-

vide lateral stability. This process is

commonly used on high-rise buildings

to resist lateral loads from wind or

earthquakes.

Flat RoofAlthough flat roofs today perform as

well as peaked, Barton called in a roof

specialist to consult on the job because

of the potential for moisture problems

due to runoff and dew points, and

advise on whether or not to vent, and

whether and how much to insulate

above or below the roofline.

INTERIOR ,ULYN`�,ɉJPLU[�(ZWLJ[ZThe three mechanical systems each

have forced air high efficiency gas

furnaces, with two-stage electronically

commutated motors (ECM) that are

more energy efficient. Windows are all

Low E argon, or Low E2 double glazed.

A boiler drives the radiant heat in the

walkout walls and floor (for added

frost protection), and in the garage.

ROXUL is the main insulation which

also provides sound attenuation.

OTHERWorking in a major city centre pres-

ents a number of challenges including

tight spaces, strict bylaws and dealing

with high traffic streets.

Parking was a major issue, Barton

says. Scaffolding over the shared drive

between the site and the next door

neighbours meant providing alterna-

tive parking for them. That added

another $14,000 in parking meters

and tickets to the bill. Barton’s crew

incurred another $10,000 in parking

expenses and each vendor racked up

about $1,000. Barton figures the total

parking cost was about $40,000.

Paid duty police officers were

hired for traffic control in the lane-


way, not because it was

required, but to reduce

neighbour questions or

complaints, Barton says.

And they hired someone

to help people over the ramp

under the hoarding that cov-

ered the sidewalk on Daven-

port Ave.

In spite of “doing every-

thing by the book” – even

printing off letters to

inform nearby residents of

the schedule – Barton says

neighbours were hard to

please. He thinks it’s partly

because the affluent area

may generate NIMBYism

(Not in My Backyard), but

also because the site got

a 200% lot coverage (100%

residential and 100% com-

mercial) with no committee

of adjustment.

The building inspector’s

voice mail was filled with

neighbour complaints, and

Barton says they had two

site visits from the Ministry

of Labour to “investigate

unsubstantiated reports

of unsafe work. There was

someone from the council-

lor’s office, from the rate-

payers’ association, lots

of people with clipboards,

doing what, I don’t know.”

The weather didn’t co-

operate either. Just as the

crew was about to take

down the structure’s last

20 ft. along Davenport Ave.,

the ice storm of 2013 hit,

followed by months of deep

freeze temperatures. It

wreaked havoc with con-

struction schedules, Barton

says. “At -18°F you’re get-

ting only 30% productivity

out of your crew.”

Barton is amazed at

Eustace’s fortitude in deal-

ing with so many compli-

cations. Eustace is more

sanguine about it all. “I’ve

built a lot of complex things

– my cottage is on 70 ft. of

steel cantilevered over the

water. To me it was just a

process, shoring the site,

underpinning, and all the

various ways of going about

building it. There are issues

with any structure – of the

thousands of details that

go into one build, there

will always be things that

go well, and others that

take more time. The secret

is working through it with

your trades.”

Although he’s not sure he

would want to tackle another

project of this complexity

again, Barton feels a certain

sense of accomplishment. “I

can’t believe what was done

there. We made the impos-

sible possible. Even the

building inspector was blown

away when he did the final

inspection, especially consid-

ering the location.”

In retrospect, Barton

says, “It would have made

great TV – the stakes were

always high, the obstacles

constant, and ever-present

neighbours.”

Eustace loves her new

home and office. “It’s stun-

ningly beautiful. At the end

of the day, I’m the first sin-

gle-family home on Daven-

port Ave. just shy of 7,000

sq. ft. with 1,500 sq. ft. of

roof garden and another

200 sq. ft. of mahogany

terrace off the kitchen. I’m

very lucky.” BB

Alex Newman is a writer, editor and researcher at www.alexnewmanwriter.com.



Telephone 905-760-9894Toll Free 1-800-465-5700Fax 905-660-5967

Mike MartinoI am a “GOOD MAN”

MikeMartino

www.martinohvac.com

HVAC2014

We provide home comfort solutions that exceed our customers’ expectations

through professional design, installation, service and use of environmentally friendly, energy efficient products.

CALL US FIRST!



A fter living in our Toronto

1940s two-storey brick home

that leaked air, was drafty

and had high energy bills, we were

motivated to create a high perfor-

mance house. So we set out to reduce

our energy and water use through an

extensive renovation in 2009.

A major renovation is a project

for the long term. A key goal was to

reduce our energy consumption, veri-

fied through our actual utility bills.

We set an energy reduction perfor-

mance target of 25% while expanding

the area by 75% to 2,700 sq. ft. This

would amount to a reduction in elec-

tricity and natural gas consumption

per square foot of 57%. Besides the

need for greater space for our family

of four with two young children, we

wanted more natural light, a space

that delights, and good indoor air

quality with no more drafts. There

was much research done and I was

fortunate to be able to tap into build-

ing science experts given my work as

a management consultant in the area

of energy-efficient buildings.

The main energy and water perfor-

mance areas we focused on were:

� make the house as airtight as

possible

� use as much insulation as pos-

sible

� use the highest efficiency heating

and domestic hot water system

� have high water efficiency.

In addition, we wanted to:

� come up with a better solution

to insulating double masonry

walls from the inside without

compromising the exterior

brick’s durability

� incorporate mainstream proce-

dures and technologies that were

readily available for reasonable

costs.

Even an extensive house retrofit is

much more challenging to do well as

you have to live with certain layouts

and related cost constraints. Our

house had a large tree shading it, and

was oriented so we had very limited

opportunities to take advantage of

solar gains.

What We DidWhile we greatly improved the

airtightness of the house from 7.5

to 3 air changes per hour (ACH) at

50 Pa, I was disappointed we could

not get below 2. My colleague and

expert in sustainable houses John

sitespecificB y N o e l C h e e s e m a n

High Performance Renovation

On June 25, 2015 the Sus-tainable Housing Founda-tion (SHF) hosted its annual Green Builder Challenge golf tournament. The SHF promotes education and awareness for sustainable housing in Canada.

Builders and manu-facturers from across the GTA attended the nine-hole event. Bruce Young from 0JÙLUL�^VU�[OL�SVUNLZ[�drive competition on the fifth hole. Martin Kuypers from Henry Canada won the closest to the hole at the forth. The Green Build-er Challenge raised money MVY�[OL�(\[PZT�:VJPL[`��0U�the photo, Patsy Duffy, the executive director of the SHF presents the dona-tion cheque to Agatha Pisi from the Flemington Park Golf Club with Steve Doty of Empire Communities looking on.


:<77

30,+

�7/6;6


Godden suggested it is very difficult

to achieve that tightness in an old

house, but I thought about what we

could have done better. Our trades

meant well, but didn’t fully under-

stand the importance of the details

for airtightness. Contractors will

serve their clients – and the earth –

better if they commit to raising the

bar on airtightness levels in a house

renovation.

Our new windows were double-

glazed, Low E2 argon-filled wood

and aluminum clad with some high

performance fibreglass. The Low E2

coatings were tuned on different wall

elevations to either take advantage of

solar gain in the winter or block it in

the summer.

We insulated the existing walls

from the inside using a combination

of ROXUL R14 batts inside a con-

tinuous layer of DRAINBOARD® (now

known as COMFORTBOARD®) directly

against the masonry. This greatly

increased the effective R-value of the

wall as it provided a thermal break

for the 2x4 interior wall. The addi-

tional 1” layer of just R4 continuously

across the entire masonry wall, before

the 2x4 framing, increased that wall’s

effective R-value by 47% over a typical

one without the R4 layer.

This was one of the first times this

product was used in this application,

according to ROXUL. With so many

houses in Toronto and across the

country built with a double masonry

wall and no insulation, this approach

will deal with the movement of

moisture from the outside through

the brick and cinder block. Without

careful attention when insulating

from the inside, the freeze-thaw cycle

on the masonry wall can lead to brick

spalling. Addressing this issue was a

major goal for this project.

ROXUL R22 batts in 2x6 walls

were used in the new extension and

when the exterior 2” expanded poly-

styrene (EPS) foam was added for the

stucco, we knew we had a good solu-

tion with a relatively high R-value

and limited thermal bridging. The

basement also employed full length

COMFORTBOARD® against the block

before the interior framed R14 2x4

walls. In the ceiling we used R50 cel-

lulose insulation.

The last critical area of focus was

the mechanical system. Here I was

fortunate to obtain a hardly used

small Viessmann 95% efficient boiler,

which became the heart of the hot

water heat source for our forced air

furnace (air handler), the radiant heat

in-joist loop we installed in the two

second floor bathrooms, the radiant

loop in the slab of the new section

of the basement, and the domestic

hot water (DHW). For the DHW, we

used an indirect 30-gal tank with

high insulation. We also installed

an energy recovery ventilator (ERV),

which we interlocked with the air

handler electronically commutated

motor (ECM) fan, and use it practi-

cally year round on a 20/40 minute

on/off cycle to bring in fresh air.

For water efficiency, we installed

the necessary low flow fixtures and

6-litre toilets. But we also had the

plumber run all the toilet water lines

together on a separate circuit that

can be easily redirected to a future

greywater system we plumbed for in

the mechanical room. We installed

a drainwater heat recovery pipe to

preheat the cold water going into the

hot water tank.

While the tree shading prevents

solar use today, eventually when the

tree dies we’ll be ready. We installed

copper tubing and control wire from

the attic to the basement mechanical

room for a future solar thermal sys-

tem to preheat domestic hot water.

The Healthy Home SpecialistsBuilder Services:

Aeroseal Duct Sealing Validate/Refute Homeowner comfort related complaints Data logging for: temperature, RH, Equipment

run times, etc. Chronic icicles Excess moisture issues Thermal Imaging Air Leakage Investigations Written Reports with Photos/Thermal Scans Recommendations for remediation HVAC balancing HRV Balancing Exhaust Fan performance measurement For homeowner/consumer services

please visit our website

[email protected]



PerformanceWe took a year of postrenovation

electricity and gas bills to determine

the performance numbers. Initial

computer-based modelled numbers

done for the project were EnerGuide

83 and Home Energy Rating System

(HERS) 50. These rating systems

generate numbers used in new home

construction when there are no

actual bills on which to base perfor-

mance. But once a house is a home

with people living in it, real perfor-

mance matters, and that comes from

the actual consumption on our utility

bills over a year.

Our actual consumption reduction

came in at 18%, or an energy inten-

sity of 9.9 equivalent kWh per sq. ft.

(ekWh/sq. ft.), which is quite good.

The average house in Toronto uses

10,000 kWh and around 3,000 m3 of

gas annually – about 20 ekWh/sq. ft.

for a 2,000 sq. ft. home. Our actual

annual emissions reductions are just

over 1 tonne eCO2 (carbon). We could

not report on water as we had a mal-

functioning water meter.

I recently went online to Scotia-

bank’s EcoLiving Home Energy Savings

Calculator (www.ecoliving.scotiabank.

com/calculate-savings) to see what it

suggested we do and what we could

save. After entering our profile infor-

mation through easy step-by-step

questions, it produced a list of rec-

ommended upgrades and what the

savings would be for our house in

Toronto. While it was not able to incor-

porate our area expansion, the recom-

mendations were almost exactly the

ones we did. From replacing our heat-

ing system with a combined space and

hot water system to more insulation in

the walls, it was encouraging that the

recommendations were relevant to our

situation. And it showed we could save

about $1,300 per year for energy and

water at today’s prices.

Our work and promotion of resi-

dential performance metrics earned

project finalist in the 2012 Green

Toronto Awards for Energy Conserva-

tion. It’s not difficult to measure the

actual performance of our homes. We

will build and renovate better when

we measure what we have done and

learn from the data. Our hope is that

more contractors will become more

familiar with performance metrics

and best practices. With better pro-

cesses, including standardization

methods like labelling for houses and

training, we will all pay more atten-

tion to what makes a high perfor-

mance house. BB

Noel Cheeseman is president of Equanim Systems.

Dow’s full house of insulation, air sealants and adhesives work together to create an airtight, moisture resistant structure from roof to foundation, helping builders and contractors meet or exceed building codes, reduce callbacks and create a comfortable, durable, energy efficient structure for their customers.

DOW BUILDING SOLUTIONS1-866-583-BLUE (2583)

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®™The DOW Diamond Logo is a trademark of The Dow Chemical Company © 2014

Whole-House SolutionsTHAT HELP BUILDERS AND CONTRACTORS OUTPERFORM




to develop

wall system

improvements

for existing

older homes by

developing and

testing exterior

insulation/

wall assem-

blies that can

be retrofitted to

existing buildings.

The research is far

enough advanced that

a training program can

and should be developed for

renovators. It is important

they be properly trained, but

it does not mean the training

has to be either extensive or

burdensome – no different than the

ENERGY STAR and R2000 training is

for builders.

In discussing this issue with a

number of MPs, it was suggested

they develop a robust national home

renovation program to tackle several

issues at once. Here are the win-win-

win priorities of the program that

should be enacted:

� Create an ongoing revenue

neutral home tax credit program

for homeowners who complete

energy-efficient home renova-

tions, specifically improving their

building envelope through air

sealing, improved insulation, bet-

ter windows, and then installing

higher-performing mechanicals.

There is a growing sense of

urgency around the concept of

climate change and what to do

about it. The headlines range from

bold to alarming, anything from “G7

Targets Huge Emissions Cuts” (The

Sun Times, June 9, 2015) to “The

Boiling Planet” (Toronto Star, June

27, 2015). At the recent G7 Summit,

leaders agreed to reduce greenhouse

gas emissions by 40%–70% by 2050

compared to 2010 levels. Those

reductions are going to have to come

from somewhere, and you can bet our

industry will play a large part in meet-

ing those targets.

As an industry, we have long been

advocating for more energy-efficient

housing and have had voluntary pro-

grams for decades. Recently the con-

versation has begun to focus on net

zero homes. While it is aspirational

to think of building homes that cre-

ate as much energy

as they consume, it

seems we are miss-

ing the point.

The far bigger

issue is the exist-

ing housing stock

of leaky old homes

that are not energy

efficient. If we really

want to drop the carbon footprint of

housing, we need to deal with exist-

ing homes. It is time for the govern-

ment to step forward with a program

aimed at improving the energy

performance of existing homes. This

fromthegroundupB y D o u g Ta r r y

program needs to have a

primary focus on the

building envelope

to help reduce

energy needs.

Done prop-

erly, this pro-

gram will have

broad consumer

appeal and can

be designed to be

revenue neutral,

which should allow

the Federal and Pro-

vincial governments

to maintain the pro-

gram permanently.

At the same time, con-

sumers should be aware

of what they are buying. I

believe it is time to require manda-

tory labelling of all homes at time of

sale. There are enough energy raters

now that this pro-

gram could be put

into effect within

24 months.

From past arti-

cles, many of you

will know our com-

pany developed the

Optimum Basement

Wall with ROXUL

Insulation, and had it studied by

the Applied Research Green Innova-

tion Lab Experience (ARGILE) project

from George Brown College. How-

ever, you probably don’t know that

the ARGILE project was designed

Climate Change, Carbon Footprints and Existing Homes

The far bigger issue is the existing housing stock

of leaky old homes that HYL�UV[�LULYN`�LMÄJPLU[��0M�^L�YLHSS`�^HU[�[V�KYVW�the carbon footprint of

housing, we need to deal with existing homes.


� Prepare our industry’s renovators

for the market transformation of

mandatory labelling of existing

homes to ensure the updates are

completed by qualified renova-

tors.

� Level the playing field on the

underground economy further

by requiring receipts and build-

ing permits for the work to be

completed. (Statistics Canada has

a really good study on the under-

ground economy that shows its

numbers dropping concurrent

with the previous EcoENERGY pro-

gram.)

� Provide ongoing affordability to

consumers by enabling them to

reduce their heating and cooling

loads, and their exposure to rising

energy costs.

� Maintain Canada’s historic lead-

ership in housing, building sci-

ence for housing, and carbon

footprint reduction by reducing

overall heating and cooling energy

consumption. This technology can

be exported to other countries

who have not done this type of

research.

� Create a more durable building

envelope, better able to withstand

the changing weather patterns

climate change brings.

Here is a potential program that

can be revenue neutral to the gov-

ernment, protect consumers from

fraudulent renovators, reduce the

underground economy, and improve

affordability of home ownership

while increasing Canada’s leadership

role in both energy-efficient building

and climate change initiatives. Our

suggestion is to make it a permanent

program. This will allow industry to

plan and grow into it.

I’d say that’s a pretty good place

to start. BB

Doug Tarry Jr. PZ�KPYLJ[VY�VM�THYRL[PUN�H[�+V\N�Tarry Homes in St. Thomas, Ont.

fromthegroundupB y D o u g Ta r r y


fromthegroundup buildernewsB y J a n e L o g a n

Mark Madigan, owner of Total

Renovations Inc. (www.total

enovations.com), was intro-

duced to sustainable building expert

John Godden (www.clearsphere.ca) at

a Project FutureProof home seminar

hosted by Better Builder writer Alex

Newman. It was a perfect opportunity

to discuss green energy initiatives and

ways to implement them in his projects.

Mark proposed putting Future-

Proof into practice with clients

George and Maureen MacDonald. The

retired couple had recently purchased

a bungalow in Toronto’s East End

that they planned to totally gut and

renovate, including a large addition.

Maureen’s wish was to have a larger

kitchen which opened onto a deck

and backyard, with lots of room and

seating for family gatherings.

Since everything in the home –

from the insulation to the windows

to the furnace – was being replaced,

Maureen and George agreed it was

the perfect time to upgrade their

home’s efficiency. They were intrigued

with the idea of future proofing, and

with the prospect of major savings

on future heating, cooling and water

costs for their new home. “That did

the trick,” says George of their deci-

sion to future proof their home.

Initially they were simply thinking

about installing a more efficient fur-

nace. However, they soon discovered

A Total Reno Promotes Homeowner Awareness at Every Stage

:<77

30,+

�7/6;6


there were many more energy-saving

options available to consider.

“There was so much information

to take in, it made our heads spin,

but we were kept in the loop during

the whole process,” says Maureen.

“Ultimately, we felt comfortable

going with the systems and products

Clearsphere and Total Renovations

recommended.”

Clearsphere and Total Renova-

tions guided the MacDonalds through

the Discovery Home process, which

includes testing and energy modelling

to determine the home’s current energy

use. This data was shared with the Mac-

Donalds and together the appropriate

course of action was decided.

Total Renovations installed BP

EXCEL sheathing on the home’s exte-

rior, which is made with 98% recyclable

materials with an R-value of 2, to create

a secure building envelope and mini-

mize heat loss and air leakage. ROXUL

insulation was used in the cavities.

The MacDonalds opted for the

AIRMAX small duct high velocity air

handling system. The powerful system

runs briefly but frequently, maximiz-

ing its efficiency throughout the home.

Panasonic WhisperGreen Select ventila-

tion fans and an energy recovery venti-

lator (ERV) were also installed, provid-

ing both spot ventilation in bathrooms

and whole house continuous ventila-

tion with energy recovery.

A Power-Pipe drainwater heat

recovery system was installed. Waste-

water from the shower flows down

a copper pipe. At the same time,

cold fresh water travels up copper

tubes wrapped around the pipe. The

warm wastewater going down the

pipe clings to the inner sides, heating

the incoming cold fresh water. The

water being delivered to the new NY

Thermal Inc. (NTI) boiler on demand

is already warmed, which reduces

the amount of heating required. This

energy-conserving system reduces

water heating costs by as much as

35%, and also greatly reduces the

home’s greenhouse gas emissions.

The den and basement both have

radiant floors, which are heated

with warm water from the NTI boiler

through polyethylene pipes imbed-

ded in the floor. So the den, which

sits above the garage, is always cozy.

It also makes the basement very

comfortable, which the MacDonalds’

grandchildren appreciate when they

visit, says George, as they are fre-

quently drawn to the basement pop

fridge and family room.

The home has also been roughed

in for greywater recycling. With this

system, grey wastewater from tubs

and sinks is directed to a reservoir,

treated, and then reused for toilet

flushing and irrigation. When installa-

tion of the greywater recycling system

is complete, it will result in significant

water savings for the MacDonalds.

When renovations were complete,

Clearsphere retested the home using

the Home Energy Rating (HERS)

system. A blower door test was done,

and the ventilation and air handling

systems balanced. As displayed on

the Project FutureProof label issued

to the MacDonalds by Clearsphere,

their home’s HERS energy rating

score is now 54, roughly 11% bet-

ter than code. Here is the proof that

building and renovating with sustain-

ability in mind works.

Better air quality, better heat dis-

tribution, lower utility bills, and the

Enbridge Home Energy Conservation

program rebate they received with Cle-

arsphere’s help, are among the many

benefits enjoyed by the MacDonalds

in their newly renovated and future-

proofed home. They have already

noticed appreciable reductions on their

heating/cooling and electricity bills.

In addition, sustainable Canadian

oak hardwood floors were installed

throughout the home. “From an

ecological point of view, it all makes

great sense. It really is the way of the

future,” says Maureen.

Now that it’s done, George and Mau-

reen don’t actually think about it much,

which is great for this active, family-

oriented couple. “The guidance John

Godden provided made it easy for us

to operate the systems, and once they

were in place and balanced, there was

nothing else to do, really,” says George.

“We would definitely recommend this

process to other homeowners.”

Homeowners George and Maureen MacDonald with Mark Madigan.

:<77

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�7/6;6

buildernewsB y J a n e L o g a n


Mark Madigan says, “I and my team

at Total Renovations appreciate the

opportunity to collaborate with John

Godden and Clearsphere in applying

green technologies to this project.

I believe it puts Total Renovations

on the leading edge of renovators

of existing homes who are working

toward better energy efficiency and

sustainability of resources. Most

importantly, applying this new tech-

nology benefits our client through the

resulting permanent energy efficiency,

a healthier atmosphere, and a higher

level of comfort, coupled with ease of

operation and lower operating costs.”

Effecting change, both in industry

and society, is a challenge, but Mark

feels that “This is absolutely the way

of the future. It’s time to embrace a

new method of renovating, one with

sustainability in mind. Total Reno-

vations will definitely continue to

incorporate sustainable practices and

products, and green initiatives wher-

ever possible. Everyone wins.” BB

Total Renovations Inc. is a Toronto-based design/build company. Mark Madigan can be reached at 416-694-2488. www.TotalRenovations.comJane Logan is a freelance writer and adminis-trator in the homebuilding/renovation industry.

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E.

“It’s a choice not a chance!”


Being energy conscious goes

beyond simply lowering

monthly expenditures. It can

actually stimulate economic growth

and promote job creation. A report

delivered at the 2014 Energy and

Mines Ministers’ Conference titled

Economic Benefits of Responsible

Energy Use explores the concept

of how there is a direct correlation

between a country’s investment in

energy efficiency and its improved

overall economic health.

When energy-conscious consumers

invest in their homes by upgrading win-

dows, doors or insulation, demand is

created for goods and services. Jobs are

created in numerous industries, rang-

ing from research and development,

production, sales, service and instal-

lation – all of which lead to increased

consumer confidence and spending.

Did you know that keeping a

home’s temperature comfortable

year-round makes up as much as 2/3

of the average family’s energy bill?

Installing insulation keeps tempera-

tures stable and has been proven to

reduce a building’s energy use by as

much as half. It’s one of the easi-

est and most cost-effective ways to

improve energy efficiency.

“Insulation takes effect immedi-

ately and continues to have a measur-

able impact over the lifetime of the

building,” says Dave Smith, residential

segment manager at ROXUL Inc. “The

installation of ROXUL stone wool

insulation can drastically reduce the

monthly cost of heating and cooling

your home while providing a number

of other significant benefits.”

Lowering monthly expenditures on

energy costs will provide more dispos-

able income, allowing homeowners to

spend that money on consumer pack-

aged goods, additional home renova-

tions, or luxuries like recreation and

travel. This spending creates a ripple

effect, generating what the report

defines as a “double bang for the

buck” in the economy.

Increased savings for consumers

and ratepayers are obvious benefits.

However, energy conservation has

proven to go beyond simply financial

savings and compensation. Accord-

ing to a recent study conducted by

Natural Resources Canada (NRCan),

every $1 spent on energy efficiency

programs generates between $4 and

$8 to the gross domestic product

(GDP), while every $1 million invested

in energy efficiency programs gener-

ates up to 57 job years (that’s one job,

for one year, for 57 years).

In 2011, it was found that Cana-

dian consumers saved over $20

billion and businesses over $14 bil-

lion in energy costs from all energy

efficiency improvements since 1990.

Considerable savings like this can

unquestionably propel investment

and job growth. According to the

Environmental Careers Organiza-

tion, there were over 100,000 active

energy efficiency-related occupations,

totalling $7.7 billion in wages. NRCan

estimates the energy efficiency indus-

try accounted for approximately 3%

of GDP in 2013 or $54 billion.

Another recent study by the Inter-

national Energy Agency (IEA) ranked

Canada a world leader in energy effi-

ciency, which is particularly impressive

given the many challenges we face in

this country. Extreme seasonal temper-

ature fluctuations, dispersed popula-

tion, and an energy-intensive industrial

sector each pose their own unique set

of obstacles to be overcome.

Out of 15 countries, Canada was

ranked second for its energy efficiency

improvement from 1990 to 2010.

Canada earned high marks as a result

of energy improvements that focused

on higher efficiency rather than energy

savings that resulted in a shift from

industrial manufacturing to more

service-focused industries. As a nation

we continue to work toward greater

improvements. The Economic Benefits

of Responsible Energy Use report noted

that “Approximately $300 million in

utility, municipal, provincial and ter-

ritorial incentives” currently promote

energy conservation and efficiency in

homes and businesses, and “Twelve

provinces and territories have adopted

or are in the process of adopting

more stringent building codes…. The

result is that building owners will see

approximately $70 million in cost sav-

ings in 2016.”

More nations and corporations are

realizing the benefit of adopting green

practices to bolster efficiency, sustain-

ability and profitability. Energy savings

can be reinvested to increase capacity,

fuel research, development and com-

petitiveness, or passed along to con-

sumers. Ultimately, we all benefit from

greater energy efficiency. It may seem

overly simple, but as a homeowner,

when you do your part by building a

more energy-efficient home, you’re

helping to make an indelible contribu-

tion to job creation and sustainable eco-

nomic development in this country. BB

buildernewsB y R O X U L a n d B e t t e r B u i l d e r s t a f f

By the Numbers:

Economic Benefits & Energy Efficiency


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By the Numbers:

Economic Benefits & Energy Efficiency


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Better Builder Magazine, Issue 15 / Fall 2015