At the present time in Canada, almost all new housing is being built to a relatively poor standard of energy efficiency when judged from a sustainability standard. The anticipated life of most new homes is of the order of a century or longer, and yet proven oil and natural gas supplies are not sufficient for that time period. This project will involve the design, construction, monitoring and technology transfer for a new detached house in Regina that will use Factor 9 (90%) less fossil fuel energy and produce 90% less greenhouse gas production than a conventional house. In addition, water efficiency and other advanced environmental features will be showcased. This Factor 9 project will demonstrate a new level of energy performance and a significant advance on current technology. The project will also be a high profile demonstration project that will help raise the profile of sustainability and Communities of Tomorrow.
Frequently Asked Questions
Special Features of the Factor 9 Home
- Lot selection for passive and active solar gain
- Building Roof, Walls, Floor
- Window selection and area
- Interior Thermal Mass (weight of building)
- Foundation design
- Heating, ventilating, cooling
- Appliances
- Lighting
- Landscaping
- Water supply and usage
- Control Systems
- Equipment commissioning
Technical Objectives
- To design, construct, monitor and provide technology transfer for a new detached house in Regina that will use Factor 9 (90% ) less fossil fuel energy than a conventional house.
- To incorporate in the design water efficiency measures that will reduce water consumption by 50% compared with a conventional house.
- To incorporate in the design and construction environmental features in the following areas:
- Sedimentation control
- Avoidance of ozone depleting substances such as certain insulation materials and cooling equipment
- Use of solar energy for domestic hot water
- Storage space for household recyclables
- Construction waste management to reduce landfill waste
- Use of recycled materials such as cellulose insulation
- Use of carbon fixing materials
- Light pollution reduction from exterior light fixtures
- Rainwater capture for exterior water use
- High standards of indoor air quality through source control of indoor pollutants and the use of an air to air heat exhanger.
