Year: 2024

On April 4th, EnerQUALITY collaborated with Sustainable Buildings Canada to deliver a webinar on a critical aspect of building performance, Guarded Floor Air Tightness Testing. for Part 3 buildings

We were thrilled to see a fantastic turnout, with over 180 participants registering to glean insights from industry experts, who shared their experiences, lessons learned, and best practices.  EnerQUALITY also launched the “How to Manual” for Guarded Floor Air Tightness Testing, which was made possible with the support of TAF.  We also heard from Venoth Jaganmohan from Enbridge Gas who shared their ATT program which offers builders financial support.
Click here to download the manual

Thank you to the following people for making it successful

Mike Singleton, Executive Director for SBC for facilitating the session,

Industry experts David Stanton from RDH, and Samantha Menard from EQ Buildings as well as Trevor Trainor & Randy Van Straton from SBC

Special Guests, Keith Burrows from Toronto Atmospheric Fund and Venoth Jaganmohan from Enbridge Gas.

Proposed Changes to Probationary Files

We are reaching out to inform you of critical updates and enhancements to the probationary period requirements for new Energy Advisor (EA) candidates, effective June 30, 2024. These changes aim to further ensure the proficiency and quality of evaluations conducted by new advisors in both existing and new housing evaluations.

Additional Changes

· Updates include new qualifications for overseers of probationary periods and detailed prescriptive requirements for the types of files to be completed during the supervised stage.

· An EnerGuide Rating System—Evaluation Authorization Form is required for each probationary file.

· For actual ERS house files, the overseeing EA must use their ID to submit the file as probationary.

· For practice files, supporting documentation must be submitted to NRCan as specified per the revised EnerGuide requirements.

· After June 30, 2024, NRCan will only activate new EAs whose probationary period complies with the outlined requirements.

· NRCan’s QA team will review a selection of probationary files for compliance; errors or issues must be addressed prior to submission.

· Non-compliance may result in actions documented in the NRCan licensing database for both the EA candidate and the service organization (SO).

We urge all concerned parties to familiarize themselves with these updates and to prepare accordingly. Your feedback is invaluable to us; please share any concerns or suggestions regarding these changes with Luis at EnerQuality, by March 22, 2024.

For more information reach out to Luis at luis@enerquality.ca to request the full breakdown of the proposed changes.

Important Note: Builders who wish to qualify for the RBC Green Home Mortgage and have multiple sites must provide a letter issued by enerQuality for each site to RBC, along with a list of enrollments. Please inform us in advance to obtain the necessary letter for each site.

The RBC^® Green Home Mortgage Program

Are you a builder committed to constructing energy-efficient homes? We have an exciting opportunity for you! Team up with RBC and unlock a range of benefits through the RBC Green Home Mortgage^* program, designed to support builders like you in creating sustainable communities across Canada.

• The RBC Green Home Mortgage program was specifically created to help clients finance energy-efficient homes, and to support builders who are committed to building those energy-efficient homes.
• Financing is available for new, pre-construction homes located in energy-efficient certified developments across Canada.
• The RBC Green Home Mortgage program aims to make owning an energy-efficient home accessible, with lower mortgage payments combined with the reduced operating cost of the home itself.

Benefits of the RBC Green Home Mortgage program & why builders should construct energy-efficient homes:

• Extended amortization period up to 35 years.
• A guaranteed capped interest rate – and should interest rates go down, your clients may be eligible for a lower rate 36 months prior to their closing date.
• 25% mortgage insurance premium rebate – available if the new build home falls under the CMHC eco plus program, Sagen Energy Efficient housing program or Canada guaranty energy-efficient advantage.
• Operational costs could be lower due to money-saving, energy-efficient enhancements.
• Your clients could get up to $3,000 to help them settle into their new home.
• Plus, RBC offers a firm mortgage approval for the entire construction period. So once your client’s credit is approved, they stay approved until their closing date.

 How do you know if a home is a “Green” or energy-efficient home?

EnerQUALITY supports builders who are interested in becoming ENERGY STAR^® for new homes and CHBA Net Zero licenced builders. We also provide certification for homes, showcasing to RBC the builder’s unwavering commitment to energy reduction. This not only benefits the environment but also translates to reduced operating costs for your clients.

Get started today!

Are you ready to take your sustainable building projects to the next level? If you’d like to know if your homes qualify, contact our team to learn more about the exclusive benefits of partnering with RBC through the RBC Green Home Mortgage program. Let’s work together to create a greener, more sustainable future for all.

If you have any questions please reach out to Lenette Birdsell at lenette.birdsell@rbc.com, You can also contact your RBC Mortgage Specialist for more details.