The following are a few of the project’s consulting team and key product suppliers:
Accurate Dorwin Fiberglass Windows and Doors
A crucial component of a green home is high performance windows and doors. Accurate Dorwin is a Canadian manufacturer of fiberglass windows and doors providing high R-values and excellent air tightness. Also key is their ability to customize the glazing options to specify the solar heat gain coefficients.
Fiberglass frames have several green benefits in addition to their energy performance. Fiberglass has 8 times the strength of PVC which means the frames are smaller resulting in more glazing in the opening. The manufacturing of fiberglass consumes less energy than all other types of frame materials. Also the frame expands and contracts at the same rate as the glass, which is key to the durability of the window.
In the window market for over 50 years, Accurate Dorwin developed a new and unique window system in 1983 that utilized a pultruded fiberglass frame, insulating foam and high performance insulated glass. Today, Accurate Dorwin provides fully customized window products with a variety of colours, trims, finishes and glazing options.
Continental Plastic Industrial Flooring
With an engineered slab as the foundation and the benefit of the thermal mass of the concrete to the energy performance of the house, it makes sense to use the concrete as the finished floor. Our past experience with acid stain and sealer have not resulted in the durability we would like to achieve. Adopting technology from commercial concrete finishing leads us to the solution of diamond polishing the concrete prior to staining and sealing. Stefan, the owner of Continental and trained in Europe, worked with us to specify a floor finish that will be beautiful, durable and cost effective. We are also excited about his suggestion to use an alternative stone in the concrete to create a more variation in the colour once the concrete is ground down to expose the aggregate.
Continental is a progressive Canadian construction company committed to providing quality materials and labour related to the installation of marble, granite, state, ceramic and porcelain flooring, epoxy and urethane coatings, polished stone and concrete, and industrial grinding, corrective slopping and concrete restoration.
E-mail: stefanhein@eastlink.ca
Domestic hot water is the largest user of energy in the house after the heat load is reduced. A solar hot water system provides about 30-40% of the hot water needs for the home, helping us reach the total, energy use target for Passive House. We want to insure the system is reliable, installed properly and easy for homeowner operation. For these reasons we selected the Enerworks single panel system with a thermo-siphon design from Creative Solar. A unique feature of this system is the controller/monitor that calculates the amount of electricity and cost savings on a monthly, yearly and lifetime basis – all useful feedback for the homeowner.
Creative Solar is a Nova Scotia supplier/installer of thermal systems representing several different manufacturers and their innovative heating products. They recommend the most appropriate solar system for an application based on many factors, some of which include available budget, owner energy goals, difficulty of installation, and the need for quantitative monitoring. They focus on custom designs treating all solar installations as unique and deserving of special attention and consideration.
The equipment manufacturer, Enerworks, is a well established, Canadian company, formed in 1998. Their products meet all current standards in the industry including CSA 378 & 379.
Passive House E-Design
Passive House E-Design is the project owner responsible for the design, energy modeling, construction, and sale of the project. At Passive House E-Design we are dedicated to working with designers, builders and owners to create certified Passive Houses in Canada. We bring the knowledge of Canadian residential construction practices, the Passive House design principals, the PHPP energy modelling software expertise, and a practical approach to construction solutions.
This demonstration project is the first in Atlantic Canada to recieve Passive House and LEED certifications while incorporating local materials and construction practices to a new level of energy efficient and environmentally responsible home.
The Roofing Connection
The Roofing Connection is the provider of Certainteed siding and roofing products for the project. A high performance house needs attention to the details of the exterior finishes. Certainteed siding is a durable, prefinished, fiber cement, lap siding with a high recycled content. A key detail is this siding can be nailed on 24” centers which is critical to working with the project’s wall assembly. Roofing shingles for the project are Certainteed two-piece laminated fiber glass-based construction with a 50 year warranty.
ThermalWise
LEED for Homes certification is a key goal for the project to ensure a broad base of green building strategies is integrated in the planning and building of the home. Partnering with ThermalWise, the sole LEED® Canada for Homes provider in Atlantic Canada, is critical in achieving this goal. Also, ThermalWise provides the website design and hosting and assistance with the communication strategy of the project.
In additional, Jordan MacDonald, President of ThermalWise is also a Certified Passive House Consultant, who generously provides a sounding board and input on passive house details for this first passive house built with local Nova Scotia building solutions.
ThermalWise is a building performance company that helps building owners, developers, builders and home owners assess, certify and communicate energy-efficient, green building practices. ThermalWise offers LEED® Canada for Homes services, thermal imaging and energy auditing services in New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador.
Thermo Homes brings a solid knowledge of building science and a willingness to do things differently. With our 12” cellulose walls, it is critical that the insulation is installed correctly and a consistent density and this takes some patience and knowledge from the installer. Thermo Homes brings a fresh attitude and knowledge to the project.
Thermo Homes is a Nova Scotia business focused on providing energy management services to homeowners and builders. Thermo Homes offers a full suite of services that includes: energy efficient building design, energy retrofits for existing homes, thermo-graphic imaging, renewable system design and a full suite of insulation services.
We believe through proper education and sound application of building science we can help Nova Scotians find cost effective solutions that reduce their home’s energy footprint.
TrueFoam Solutions
Truefoam Type III EPS products provide the best possible solution for insulation under the engineered slab foundation. It combines an R-value of 4.26 per inch with high moisture resistance and a compressive strength of ~ 30 psi. More importantly, Truefoam is a local manufacturer with the ability to custom cut foam slabs as required. With this option we were able to order pieces that become both the concrete formwork and a full thermal break to the slab.
Also key in our decision to use Truefoam is the fact that EPS insulation has a fraction of the global warming impact during manufacturing compared to the alternative XPS insulation. Combining this with the local manufacturing, Truefoam is a very green product for LEED certification.
Finally, this is the most cost effective insulation product for this slab assembly.
From its humble beginning in the late 1960s in Halifax to its present position as the leading manufacturer of insulation products in Atlantic Canada, Truefoam Limited has concentrated on the fundamentals necessary for success in the Atlantic Canada economy: innovation and service.
