EnerGuide

EnerGuide is the official Government of Canada mark associated with the labelling and rating of the energy consumption or energy efficiency of specific products. EnerGuide^TM labelling exists for appliances, heating and cooling equipment, houses and vehicles. [ [http://oee.nrcan.gc.ca/energystar/english/consumers/estar.cfm?Text=N&PrintView=N EnerGuide. NRCOEE] ] [ [http://oee.nrcan.gc.ca/Equipment/english/index.cfm?PrintView=N&Text=N Natural Resources Canada - Energuide] ]

EnerGuide for Houses

EnerGuide for Houses is a Canadian program developed by the Office of Energy Efficiency of Natural Resources Canada (NRCan).

EnerGuide includes a house energy evaluation, including tests to find air leakage and the energy efficiency of its heating. It was designed to help Canadians reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and to save energy. To accomplish the same goals for new home construction the EnerGuide for New Houses program was initiated in 2006.

EnerGuide for Houses was terminated on May 12, 2006 when the 2006 Conservative budget was tabled. Homeowners who completed the first assessment had until March 31, 2007 to complete the final assessment and apply for the grant.

ecoENERGY Retrofit program was launched April 1, 2007 and is scheduled to end March 31, 2011. [http://oee.nrcan.gc.ca/corporate/retrofit-summary.cfm]

EnerGuide for New Houses

The EnerGuide for New Houses program, a sister program of EnerGuide for Houses, helps Canadians plan and build new homes that are cost-effective and energy efficient, that lower greenhouse gas emissions and save energy.

In addition to evaluating the design trade-offs that effect how the annual energy usage of the the home it is also a ranking system. The EnerGuide for Houses scale goes from 0-100 with 0 being the least efficient and 100 being the most energy efficient. In 2005 the average home in Canada had a rating of 66 on the EnerGuide scale. By comparison a home built to the R-2000 standard has a rating of 80.

The steps involved for the EnerGuide for New Houses process are:

1. The EnerGuide for New Houses service starts with an analysis of the new house plans selected by the pending home owner by an EnerGuide for New Houses energy advisor.
2. The advisor recommends energy-saving upgrades and works with the builder to develop a report that lists various cost-effective options.
3. The builder then estimates the upgrade work and provides the client with a price.
4. When construction is done, the EnerGuide advisor verifies the applied energy upgrades and performs a blower door test.
5. After the data has been collected, the home receives its EnerGuide for New Houses rating.
6. The home owner is provided an official label to display the rating on the home’s furnace or electrical box.

ee also

*Energy auditBuilding energy rating systems:
*Australia - House Energy Rating
*UK - National Home Energy Rating
*US - Home energy rating

References

External links

* [http://oee.nrcan.gc.ca/energuide/home.cfm EnerGuide]
* [http://jehhan.ifrance.com/index.html Dividing heating bill by ten to build for tomorrow] (translated from French)