“There was some confusion out there,” Jim says. “When Net Zero and these high performing houses first started coming out, people were thinking about them, and maybe they wanted to do it, but they didn’t know that they could do it. These clients came in knowing they wanted a green house. They knew they wanted solar. But they didn’t think Net Zero was attainable. When they started finding out about the kind of rebates available, and when they learned they could achieve Net Zero within their price point, they were all over it.” Ultimately, energy-saving features of that first home included: solar power; rain barrels for reduced water consumption; an energyefficient heat pump, hot water tank, and furnace; Energy Starrated appliances, triple-glazed windows, and higher-insulation in the ceilings, walls and exterior. The finished product won industry awards and generated local, provincial, and even national media interest and coverage. “We never planned to get so much attention,” Jim says. “It just kind of caught on and became a big story. And then within a year or so, people started calling us and asking for Net Zero homes. That’s been very rewarding. That was why we wanted to do that project.” Jim credits his success on that job – and his success since – to his commitment to continuous learning and education. His hope is that others in the industry make the same commitment moving forward. “If I didn’t go back to school and take these courses and learn about this stuff, I would have never known what was possible,” he says. “Education turned out to be so important. As the industry makes this transition into building greener, as builders we need to be more educated than ever.” THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE CANADA
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