Taking a page from its corporate mantra, the company’s EcoVicar ENERGY STAR® homes are constructed with the same attention to detail.
“The key to a successful home is based on a solid foundation, built with quality material and by experienced craftsmanship. We built our company the same way we build your house.”
Those criteria are evident, in spades, with the meticulous detail found in the EcoVicar homes. Not only are health and safety paramount, but the myriad of options and features ensures fresh air distribution throughout.
With an EcoVicar home, making a house airtight keeps the living space free of outdoor dust, pollen and noise. And each home is equipped with an intelligent ventilation system that doesn’t just flush out odours, but brings in new fresh outside air and distributes it throughout the home.
And standards are maintained with the ENERGY STAR® stamp of approval. The federal government-backed labelling program has a reputation for producing significantly better buildings and ensures consistent quality with inspections and tests.
EcoVicar welcomes inspectors. Unlike a ‘code-built’ house, EcoVicar solicits third-party trained and certified auditors to test air tightness air barrier systems and inspect key mechanical systems to make sure they meet the upgraded specifications set by the ENERGY STAR® program. And the key plank in any ENERGY STAR® home is setting a stringent limit on indiscriminate air leakage. This saves money, while ensuring an abundance of fresh air. (Air leakage in a home leads to discomfort, dryness, excessive noise, dust and pollens from outside.)
There are five key, balanced features, namely:
* A complete thermal enclosure system for comfort, durability and reduced maintenance;
* Fresh air, with an airtight thermal envelope;
* Efficient lighting and appliances, which mean reduced operating costs;
* Integrated inside and outside water systems;
* And an integrated heating, ventilation and cooling system with optimal design and installation.
Comprehensive air sealing, properly installed insulation and high-performance windows combine to deliver better comfort, better durability, reduced maintenance costs and lower monthly bills. During construction, partners must meet all the requirements of the EPA’s comprehensive thermal enclosure system inspection.
Because the designed intent of an EcoVicar home is to save money and produce a more durable building by ensuring an airtight thermal envelope, it’s paramount to exchange the stale air produced indoors by a typical family. Most new homes in Ontario use ‘exhaust’ only strategies to pull in outside air through a leaky house, but that approach can cause issues that are easily avoided by installing ‘balanced’ ventilation and heat-recovery ventilator.
A little-known fact is that the lighting and appliances in homes come with two price tags – the purchase price and operating costs. EcoVicar homes offer higher quality appliances that require less maintenance, are quieter, and provide lower monthly utility bills, all the while creating a perfect style most homeowners are looking for.
Managing water both inside and outside homes has never been more important. EcoVicar homes provide features that conserve water volume, but also lower the cost of producing warm water for a growing family. Additionally, the homes come with built-in features that ensure rainwater is managed with a passive system and backed-up power systems.
The ENERGY STAR® program insists on ensuring the mechanical system is sized precisely for the house and that the mechanical components selected for the house communicate well and co-operate for maximum efficiency. The process doesn’t stop at the planning stage but carries on through to field inspections to ensure that the planned specifications are followed and specified models are installed. During construction, ENERGY STAR builder partners must meet all of the requirements of EPA’s comprehensive heating and cooling system.
As a result, you get a home with a complete heating, ventilation and cooling system – a better approach to building a better home.
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