sept/oct 2009 | home builder canada

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THE MAGAZINE OF THE CANADIAN HOME BUILDERS’ ASSOCIATION

Visit us on-line at HomeBuilderCanada.com

Energy EfficiencySpecial Features:

C Constructions Sodero: A Leader in Quebec Green Building

C What Can the Canadian Green Building Council Do for You?

C New Column: Looking at the Neighbourhoods We Build

C Geothermal Business is Heating Up

C Tool Talk Delivers Cuts and Clips in New Ways

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contents

Home BUILDER Magazine is published by Work-4 Projects Ltd. six times a year. Editorial/Advertising: 4819 St. Charles Boulevard, Pierrefonds, Quebec, Canada, H9H 3C7. Tel.: 514-620-2200, E-mail: [email protected]. Entire contents copyright September 2009 by Work-4 Projects Ltd. Reprints only by written permission. Opinions expressed are those of the authors or persons quoted and not necessarily those of the pub-lisher or any other organization. The occasional appearance of photo-graphs depicting safety violation does not represent an endorsement of the practice by the publisher or any other organization. Subscription rates in Canada: $30* a year, $50* for two years, $65* for three years. U.S. and foreign subscriptions payable in U.S. funds only. ISSN No. 0840-4348. Legal deposit — The National Library of Canada and Bibliothèque et Archives Nationales du Québec, 2007. Canada Post Permit #0295647. *GST included. Registration #R105741383 • Date of mailing: September 2009

Columns Economics

Customer Satisfaction

Community Development

Building Science

Tool Talk

Departments News

Association

Information

CHBA Report

Renovation

Industry News

Calendar

Advertisers Index

Products

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COVERThe Abondance le Soleil home, situated in Verdun, Quebec, represents a shining achievement in green home construction for Robert Deschamps and his team at Constructions Sodero.

Home BUILDER September/October 2009 5

9JOb GROwth will bE KEy tO SuStaininG RECOVERyThere are signs of economic recovery popping up everywhere, but the real key to recovery will lie in how the economy deals with excess capacity and unemployment.

10iS yOuR banK hOlDinG yOu hOStaGE? The recovery would seem to be under way, yet builders are still having trouble raising the financing they need to grow their business. What’s behind this? Paul Cardis

and Bill Lurz weigh in.

16builDER PROfilE

There’s green building, and then there’s what

Constructions Sodero does. The Quebec

builder and its president, Robert Deschamps, tackle projects that push

the boundaries of sustainable building.

19QuEbEC MaRKEt REPORtThe Quebec housing market has held up relatively well through the recession. But unlike other provinces that have begun their recoveries, the worst may still be yet to come for Quebec.

20DiGGinG DEEP tO SOlVE EnERGy PROblEMSThere’s been a boom in the market for geothermal energy over the last few years. The reasons behind it and how the technology has changed are at the source.

12a GOOD hOuSE iS bEttER in a GOOD nEiGhbOuRhOODIn his inaugural column, Fannis Grammenos looks at how we build not just homes but neighbourhoods, and how we can improve on our current approach.

22lEEDinG thE way fOR CanaDian builDERSThe Canadian Green Building Council is still quite young. The LEED standard is not. Where do builders sign up? What’s in it for them? How long does it take? We have the answers.

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OTTAWA – July housing sales across the country

were the best on record for the month, spurred by the

largest year-over-year increase in two years, accord-

ing to the Canadian Real Estate Association.

50,270 units were sold via the Multiple Listing

Service (MLS) in July. That marks an 18.2 per cent

increase from a year ago and the first time sales

have topped 50,000 units in July. MLS sales at SAAR

have risen in six straight months and are up 61.2

per cent from the decade-low

set in January. In fact, sales are

now only 1.4 per cent below their

May, 2007 peak. British Columbia

turned in strong sales numbers

for the month of July, with MLS

sales having increased 53.5 per

cent year-over-year.

Prices are now up 7.6 per cent

($326,832) from last year. A lack

of supply is the main driving force

behind rising prices – there is now

just 4.4 months of unabsorbed

inventory in the market. C

an annualized rate of 1.3 per cent in the third quarter.

That being said, unemployment is expected to con-

tinue to rise for some time to come.

“We are on track for the recovery both in Canada

and globally,” said Bank of Cana-

da governor, Mark Carney.

The report goes on to predict

growth will accelerate through

late 2009 and the first half of 2010,

eventually reaching a growth

pace of four per cent, before slow-

ing down to less than three per

cent by the last half of 2011.

The report credits a number of

factors in the turnaround, most

notably consumer confidence,

the housing market, stimulative

monetary and fiscal policy, firmer

commodity prices and improved

financial conditions. C

Housing Starts Decline in JulyOTTAWA – After two consecutive months of

growth in new home starts, there’s been a pull back.

The seasonally adjusted annual rate (SAAR) of new

home construction in Canada dropped in July by

4.1 per cent, to 132,100 units from 137,800 units in

June, according to Canada Mortgage and Housing

Corporation.

“The slight decline in July’s housing starts is mostly

attributable to the volatile multiple starts segment,”

said BoB Dugan, chief economist at the CMHC’s

Market Analysis Centre. “Although July registered

a decline, housing starts are expected to improve

throughout 2009.”

The CMHC expects that over the next several

years, housing starts will gradually catch up to demo-

graphic demand, which they currently estimate at

about 175,000 units per year.

The Magazine of the CanadianHome Builders’ Association

Vol. 22 No. 5September/October 2009

PublisherNachmi [email protected]

Contributors:Paul CardisJon EakesAnca GalasiuFanis GrammenosAziz Laouadi Bill LurzPeter Norman

Sales CoordinatorPolly [email protected]

Production ManagerKelvin [email protected]

AccountingPat [email protected]

Circulation [email protected]

EditorCharlie [email protected]

Published byWork-4 Projects Ltd.

Advertising/Editorial:4819 St. Charles Blvd. Pierrefonds, QuebecCanada, H9H 3C7Phone: 514-620-2200www.homebuildercanada.com

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Housing Sales Rise Sharply

Bank of Canada Declares Recession OverOTTAWA – The Bank of Canada has called an end

to the recession in its latest quarterly Monetary Policy

Report. After shrinking in the last three quarters, the

report suggests the Canadian economy will grow by

Real GDP growth is expected to rebound in the second half of 2009

So

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Overall, urban starts decreased 5.5 per cent

to 113,500 units SAAR in July. Multi-family starts

weighed heavily on that figure, as they decreased

nine per cent to 61,000 units. Single-family starts,

meanwhile, moved down by a more modest 1.1 per

cent, to 52,500 units SAAR in July. C

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association

2009 CARE Award Nominees Announced

Finalists for 2009 OHBA Awards Announced

ONTARIO — Finalists for the 2009 Ontario Home Builders’ Association

Awards of Distinction were announced recently. Aspen Ridge Homes

led the way, hauling an amazing seven nominations overall, including

five for its Scenic on Eglinton project. The Amexon Development

Corporation was close behind with an impressive six nominations,

including five for its South Beach Condos + Lofts, Phase One project.

Among the other notables are Phelps Homes, which garnered three

nominations for its Smithville on the Twenty North development, Reid’s

Heritage Homes, which is up for four prizes and Oke Woodsmith

Building Systems, which nabbed a trio of nominations.

Home Builder Magazine’s July profile story subject, Durham Cus-

tom Homes, was nominated in the 2009 Green Builder of the Year

category. C

VICTORIA — This year’s finalists for the Construction Achievements

and Renovations of Excellence (CARE) awards were recently announced.

The awards will be handed out at a ceremony to be held on October 2.

Nominees are selected in the categories of residential planning

design and construction, interior design, commercial planning and

design, customer service, sales and marketing, special achievement and

special interest. Finalists are chosen by a panel of industry professionals

using such criteria as architectural character, quality workmanship, use

of space, energy efficiency and sustainability.

“These CARE Awards finalists demonstrate there is a home for every

lifestyle,” says CARE Awards chair, Gordon EnGlish. “Students, families,

empty-nesters and seniors — all are represented in this wide array of

housing, which consumers can enjoy during the People’s Choice Award

contest.”

The People’s Choice Award contest will ask the public to vote on

nominated projects and give them the chance to win a stay at the Long

Beach Lodge Resort: the 2002 CARE Awards Project of the Year.

The CARE Awards were created by the Vancouver Island HBA in 1991

to recognize the West Coast’s creative design and craftsmanship, and

celebrate excellence in the industry. To view the full list of CARE Award

nominees and to see the projects in the running for the People’s Choice

Award, visit www.careawards.com. C

8 Home BUILDER September/October 2009

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With seven months of housing starts data now avail-able, a clearer picture of the shape and longevity of the housing downturn in Canada is emerging. The antici-pated return of economic growth in the third quarter of 2009 is expected to lead to a gradual improvement in the quarterly pace of housing starts as well, but the key word is gradual and thus the key response from those of us in the industry should be patience.

Total Canada-wide housing starts came in at 128,100 units seasonally adjusted at annual rates (SAAR) in the second quarter of 2009, according to the Canada Mort-gage and Housing Corporation, which is down about eight per cent from the first quarter and at the lowest level since the third quarter of 1996. Housing starts rose modestly to 132,100 in July, suggesting modest upward momentum. The upturn is expected to be focused in single-family starts, as apartment starts continue to struggle.

There are growing signs that Canada’s economy may be emerging from its long recession. The economy con-tracted by some 5.5 per cent in the first quarter (quarterly on an annualized basis), but these declines are likely decelerating, and the estimate for the second quarter is a more modest 2.5 per cent decline. Furthermore the odds are strong that the third quarter will see slight posi-tive growth.

A factor encouraging for economic growth is the modest recovery in commodity prices, especially oil. This is tempered by a corresponding rise in value of the dollar, which will continue to weigh heavily on Canada’s manufacturing sector.

The greatest challenge an economy faces following a recession is how to cope with excess capacity. Gener-ally we concentrate on citing the marginal percentage changes from month to month, or quarter to quarter, in economic growth, but it is also telling to focus on the actual size of the economy. In May, Statistics Canada reported that the total size of the economy (as reported in constant 2002 based dollars) was $1.184 trillion. This is down almost $52 billion from a peak in July 2008 and

Job Growth Will Be Key to Sustaining Recovery

Peter Norman is member of the CHBA Economic Research Committee and is Senior Director of Economic Consulting at Altus Group (formerly Clayton Research), a firm of urban and real estate economists.

By Peter Norman

We don’t expect to see any impressive sustained job growth numbers until the latter half of 2010.

brings the economy back to its size (in inflation adjusted terms) of February 2006.

Jobs Recovery May Not Be ImminentTurning back the clock 40 months on economic prog-

ress can have a lot of implications, but primarily it sug-gests caution with regards to expectations for a jobs recovery. The number of jobs in Canada declined by some 13,300 over the course of the second quarter — some-what slower than the 272,900-person decline over the previous three-month period. All told, Canada’s labour market continues to be of concern. The unemployment rate in June reached 8.6 per cent — an 11-year high and up 2.8 percentage points (and 538,000 persons) from the beginning of 2008.

Typically, solid recovery in the job market lags improvements in output following a recession by sev-eral quarters, and this time will be no exception. Despite all the job losses in Canada since October 2008 (some 370,000 job losses), Canada’s workforce remains almost 500,000 persons stronger than it was in February 2006. While we don’t expect further large job losses, these numbers do suggest that there is considerable room for the economy to grow and expand without requiring substantially more workers. Therefore we don’t expect to see any impressive sustained job growth numbers until the latter half of 2010.

Some Positive Signs of LifeUltimately, job growth is critical for a solid recovery

in housing demand. Recently, “green shoots” in housing demand have been encouraging. Existing home sales through the Multiple Listing Service have surged in the past four months, erasing most of the recession’s losses, while new home sales are rising in markets such as Toronto.

Clearly, lower mortgage and modest wage gains (among those with jobs) have been positive for housing affordability, and this, along with a certain amount of pent-up demand from depths of the recession, is making the housing market a bit bubbly. But without a sustained recovery in job growth these gains may be temporary.

Recent research we undertook on behalf of the Cana-dian Home Builders’ Association suggests that underly-ing levels of housing demand in Canada are currently close to 175,000 units per year. This suggests that there is considerable room for the new housing construction sector to recover from its second quarter performance of 128,100 units (annualized), but anticipated sluggish recovery in jobs will mean that the recovery in housing will also be slow. We expect some 131,000 total hous-ing starts for 2009 as a whole with a modest recovery to 144,000 in 2010. Clearly we have a long way to go, and patience, as always, will be a virtue. C

economics


Turning Back the Clock 40 Months

Customer satisfaction

When Bank of Canada governor Mark Carney told an Ottawa press conference in late July that the recession is over in this country, it was a clear signal to all Canadians to stop wallowing in the gloom still emanating from south of the border. Canada will no longer be held a cap-tive by the US-led, worldwide economic Armageddon.

Home builders from Halifax to Victoria should e-mail a copy of Carney’s remarks to every local banker with whom they do business, because builders tell us their lenders aren’t getting the message. And the housing industry needs financing, right now, to meet surging demand for new homes.

“Money is very tight,” says Eric Andreasen, vice presi-dent of marketing and sales for Adera Development Corp. “What will hurt most going forward, is that lenders are not financing new projects, and we’re running out of product. There’s an inventory vacuum building, and that will put pressure on prices.”

The Canadian housing industry has always been separate and distinct from that of the US, and a big reason is the inherent conservatism of the Canadian mortgage industry and financial institutions, which are much more closely regulated than their American coun-terparts. Unfortunately, in this case the timidity of lenders may restrain the housing industry from its traditional role of leading a robust recovery. While home sales are up in most Canadian markets, housing starts are still down, and many builders point to tight money as the root cause.

“There was really no need for our housing markets to collapse as they did last fall,” says Ron Bird of Lifestyle Homes. “The psychology of fear perpetrated by the media led to a knee-jerk reaction in our financial institutions, and credit dried up overnight. It’s still hard to get money today. They don’t want to lend for building spec inventory at all, even when we show them there’s a huge demand for spec homes to meet the needs of buyers moving to Calgary from out of town.”

Canadian and US Markets Headed in Different Directions

There’s now mounting evidence that the gulf between the Canadian and US housing industries is widening. Canadian builders are on the cusp of a boom, while US builders are fighting just to keep their doors open. But a lack of financing could nip the Canadian bud before it blooms.

“The market never evaporated,” says Bruce Nicol, vice president of Tartan Homes. “But sales were off consider-ably, and we had to let some people go. That all ended in the spring. The resale market in Ottawa is now red hot, and as the overall market came back, our own new home sales picked up. We now have steady traffic and our sales people are happy.”

Is Your Bank Holding You Hostage?In the Greater Toronto Area, new housing has joined

the resale market with a resiliency economist Frank A. Clayton of the Altus Group says this is remarkable in a world experiencing the nastiest recession since the 1930s. New home sales for this June are up year-over-year by 16 percent, to 3,782 homes.

“It took about six months for our people to figure out how different the situation is in Canada, so our markets came roaring back this spring,” says Stephen Dupuis, president and CEO of the Toronto-based Building Indus-try and Land Development (BILD) association. “We just got caught in the global financial crisis, so we took a big pause, but that’s all it was.”

Canada’s resource-based economy is separating from the US in many other industries beyond housing. The recession is still visible in portions of Southern and Southwestern Ontario, where the borderless North American auto manufacturing industry, and its troubles, still dominate. Out west, however, oil and gas exports keep Alberta in the pink, while agriculture is solid across the region.

“All of the markets in Alberta are pretty strong, but not as strong as three years ago,” says Bruce Galts, president of the Alberta Home Builders Association. “Margins are not what they were then.”

That’s another troubling aspect of this budding recov-ery. Because it’s concentrated at the affordable end of the pricing spectrum in virtually every market across the country, it’s fragile.

Builders hunkered down to fight their way to profit-ability without knowing how deeply they would need to cut. They slashed prices on standing inventory, they renegotiated with trades to reach lower pricing levels and consumers responded to the improved affordability. We spoke to builders all across Canada, and virtually every one said the recovery is concentrated in smaller, smarter, more affordable homes, often townhouses or condo flats. A number of builders even told us the move-up market is still stagnant.

“As the market came back, we saw a couple of things driving it,” recalls Andreasen. “First, it had to be afford-able, and second, it had to be ready for occupancy. The biggest obstacle we face is financing. I’ve got a project planned, but the lenders are telling me, unless it’s 70 per cent pre-sold, I won’t get the money to build it.”

To meet the demand for affordable homes and spec product, builders need financing that doesn’t bust their budgets. They’re lobbing that ball into the lenders’ court. Will the lenders be able to return it? We’re all waiting with bated breath to find out. C

By Paul Cardis and Bill Lurz (above)

While home sales are up in most Canadian markets, housing starts are still down, and many builders point to tight money as the root cause.


Bill Lurz has worked for over 30 years for such names as Professional Builder, Housing Giants and Canadian Building magazine. He is now senior editor of AVIDBuilder.ca.Paul Cardis is the founder of AVID, Canada’s leading provider of customer loyalty management and sales generation services for the home building industry. He can be reached at [email protected] and you can visit AVID on-line at www.avidratings.ca.

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Community Development

Developers and builders generally display a handful of house models for prospective customers to choose from. They are flipped right and left, and adjusted slightly to evolve into a street of various building facades and shapes; variety with rules – like Jazz.

Generally the house models are created by drawing upon a set of previous designs and customer feedback. Customers, who use the house daily, know its strengths, quirks and limitations, and let the attentive developer know what they like and what they don’t like. The suc-cessful builder listens and creates an improved model, often repeating a best-seller in several projects – the good house almost everyone wants.

But to fetch its best price, the good house must sit on a good lot and be in a good neighbourhood. Fortunately, there are models for a good neighbourhood as there are for houses.

What Makes a Neighbourhood?House elements are easy to list: living room, dining

room, kitchen, bedrooms, bathrooms, storage, decks, balconies, etc. Every house must have these in order to be a comfortable place to live. The key to making life enjoyable, not just comfortable, is getting the balance and relationships between these elements just right. You know the better place not by its looks, but by living in it.

Initially, it seems easy to list the elements of a neigh-bourhood: streets, lots, blocks, parks, and in bigger ones, schools and shops. Here too, the elements that make up a neighbourhood are not created equal, and how they relate to each other is critical in determining how well the neighbourhood works. You can only tell how neighbour-hoods function by living in them, and well-functioning ones command higher prices.

Lot size does matter, but it’s the surroundings that really drive prices. When lots face water, ravines, parks, large easements or a golf course, their prices rise. Research and surveys repeatedly show that people will pay premiums for views of nature or open space and for the experience of tranquility and delight that come from that view. Michael Bond’s 2002 study analyzed lake-facing lots and found an almost 100 per cent increase in property value. Andrew Miller’s 2007 examination of small neighbourhood parks found a 14 per cent increase in values within 800 feet of parks.

The street type matters as well. No family likes to live on through streets; most people are annoyed by the noise, the unpleasant exhausts and risks to children. The street types that avoid these stressors are the loop (or crescent), the mews and the cul-de-sac. Research and surveys have shown that lower-risk streets mean more child’s play and more socializing occurs. As a result, price listings there show higher values. Home buyer line-ups in advance of sale confirm this preference, as do statements by prominent urban thinkers.

“I am not embarrassed to say, ‘if I could afford this [cul-de-sac neighbourhood] I would happily raise a family in this environment’,” says Jeff Speck, a prominent planner and critic of the cul-de-sac.

Residents of some through streets have erected bol-lards to achieve a similar no-through-traffic effect.

Fused Grid Offers New ApproachSome planners argue that these street types are

unfriendly to pedestrians because they are disconnected. Also, they can slow traffic to a crawl. This need not be the case, though. At the neighbourhood scale, Village Homes, of Davis, California, and at the city scale, Milton Keynes, UK, show how pedestrian paths and regular traffic can coexist.

Research by Dr. Larry Frank and Chris Hawkins at UBC (2007) showed that people will walk more when pedestrians are favoured by the layout of streets and paths. Meanwhile, an IBI group study in 2007 showed that traffic can move faster if cars are given a grid that suits them.

But how do you combine the two? A newcomer in the evolution of neighbourhood layouts, the Fused Grid model produces a system that embodies delight, walk-ability and traffic flow management.

It was shaped by home buyers’ expressed preferences in neighbourhood form, quality and amenities, what they pay for and what pleases them. In addition, it considers what has not worked in recent and older neighbour-hoods, and what measures were taken to fix it — street closures and traffic calming for example. In other words, it blends and fuses familiar and proven elements into a new model, just as a new house model does.

It’s evident that we need to put as much thought into the neighbourhoods we build as the homes we build. Today’s customers expect models that are practical, meet their aspirations, reduce costs, help the environment and deliver a well-functioning neighbourhood. C

Fanis wishes to thank Doug Pollard for his valuable edits.

A Good House Is Better in a Good Neighbourhood

By Fanis Grammenos

Fanis Grammenos is a principal of Urban Pattern Associates and was a senior researcher at CMHC for 20 years. He can be reached at [email protected], and you can see his planning work at www.fusedgrid.ca

When lots face water, ravines, parks, large easements or a golf course, their prices rise.

A computer rendering of a Fused Grid neighbourhood.


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BUILDING SCIENCEBUILDING SCIENCE

Window shading devices have been used for many years to prevent overheating of houses. Few studies have been done, however, to quantify the benefits in a meaningful way.

The twin houses of the Canadian Centre for Hous-ing Technology (CCHT) afforded the National Research Council’s Institute for Research in Construction (NRC-IRC) an excellent opportunity to conduct tightly con-trolled studies to assess the benefits of using two types of window shading devices: exterior insulating rollshut-ters and highly reflective interior screens. These devices were installed in the CCHT test house in two different experiments and their performance was compared to that of typical interior (Venetian) blinds installed in the otherwise identical reference house

Exterior Rollshutters The exterior rollshutters were studied in the winter

and summer of 2008. They were made of fixed and articu-lated aluminum slats (beige color) with sandwiched polyurethane insulation. The slats could be arranged so that they were tightly abutting (winter), or with a small gap between them to admit some light and provide a

view from the inside (summer). They were not designed to allow the slats to be angled,

and could only be adjusted up and down in the vertical plane of the window using

side railings installed on the brick walls. A rubber gasket installed between

the side railings and the walls sealed the air space between the shut-ters and windows. The bottom of the shutters was unsealed to allow for water drainage.

In the winter, the shading devices in both houses were kept open (shutters fully retracted and slats of interior blinds horizontal) from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. to admit daylight and solar heat gains indoors, and kept closed (shutters drawn down and slats of interior blinds tightly squeezed) at other times. At night, the rollshutters reduced the heat loss through the windows of the test house by about 20 per cent compared to the reference house. They reduced the heating energy use by four per cent ± two per cent. These energy savings were propor-tional to the ratio of the total window surface area to the total envelope surface area of the house (windows make up 11 per cent of the liveable surface area).

In the summer, the shading devices in both houses were kept closed throughout the testing period to explore the maximum effects; it is important to note that most residents would open shading devices for some of this

period, and thus the savings reported below would be reduced. Indeed, a follow-up NRC survey on household indoor climate controls found that about 50 per cent of households would open or close their shading devices during daytime. Effects of such realistic shading controls on house energy use are included in a whole-house ener-gy simulation model to predict the energy performance of other shading types in other Canadian building sites.

The rollshutters reduced the daily energy use of the air conditioning unit of the test house by about 45 per cent compared to the reference house. When the energy use of the furnace fan was factored out, the net reduc-tion in daily cooling energy use was roughly 26 per cent ±10 per cent. The fan thus accounted for more than 30 per cent of the energy use of the air conditioning unit. The fan ran continuously on a full nominal speed with the air conditioning unit, and on half the nominal speed with the heat recovery ventilator when space cooling was not required.

Interior Reflective ScreensThe experiments with the interior reflective screens

were conducted in the summer only. The shades were mounted outside (against) the window frames leaving an open air space between the shades and the wall to reduce the risk of excessive window glass temperatures and glass breakage caused by heat build-up. The shades were made of a PVC-coated glass fibre material with an openness factor of four per cent, which allowed a view-through to the outside.

The results with the interior reflective screens showed that the daily air conditioner energy use of the test house was about 13 per cent lower than that of the reference house. The maximum difference in the daily energy use was about 18 per cent, and the lowest about 10 per cent. When the energy use of the furnace fan was factored out, the daily cooling energy use of the test house was on average roughly eight per cent ± two per cent lower than that of the reference house.

Window Moisture also ReducedIn addition to saving energy and reducing peak elec-

tricity demand, the exterior rollshutters reduced the risk of moisture condensation on the interior window sur-faces during the night in winter by keeping interior glass surfaces 4oC warmer than those of the reference house. The colder window surfaces of the reference house were, however, shielded by the closed interior blinds. Conse-quently, the rollshutters and interior blinds resulted in similar thermal conditions near the windows. C

Additional information about the energy performance of the tested shading devices is available at: http://irc.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca/pubs/ci/v12no4/v12no4_13_e.html and http://www.ccht-cctr.gc.ca/projects/solar_e.html

Solar Shading Devices Save Energy in Houses

By Dr. Aziz Laouadi and Anca Galasiu

Dr. Aziz Laouadi is a research officer in the Indoor Environment program of NRC-IRC. Anca Galasiu is a technical officer in the same program.


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Experience EQuilibriumWhen Canada Mortgage and Housing

Corporation launched its EQuilibrium Hous-

ing Initiative, Constructions Sodero jumped

at the opportunity to participate. Together

with EcoCité Developments, Studio MMA,

Pageau Morel and Associates and Professor

Michel Bernier from École Polytechnique de

Montréal, the Abondance le Soleil home was

brought to life.

The group’s entry is a triplex in the Verdun

suburb of Montreal. The project houses three

families (nine people in all) and uses 80 per

cent less energy than average.

Achieving this kind of energy efficiency was

a herculean task that required the company to

come up with innovative solutions to complex

issues.

“The most important thing was to reduce

builder profile

Across all sectors, the word “green” is mutating from the focal point of a movement into a marketing tool. Slapped on all types of products and installations, often with little or no standardized value attached to it, few builders can say they build green homes with anything close to the kind of vigour and performance being delivered by Constructions Sodero of Mont St-Hilaire, Quebec.

President roBert DeschaMps and his team

tackle projects that push the envelope of what

can be done in green construction. It is work

that is not only valued by its customers, but

serves as an example for other builders across

the country as well.

the need for energy in the house,” recalls Des-

champs. “We used only energy efficient appli-

ances, including the furnace, but it was still too

much of a draw on the photovoltaics. Then we

realized that all the electrical charges that we

don’t see, like computers and the television,

were using about 30 per cent of our energy. We

had to find a way to cut that consumption.”

The solution they came up with was to

put each household’s non-essential appliances

(i.e. not the refrigerator) on a master kill switch,

which could easily be flipped by the front door

when leaving the house.

The home is powered by a combination

of geothermal heat, photovoltaic (PV) panels

for electricity and solar thermal panels for hot


Building a Greener

Future

Building a Greener

FutureBy Charlie Blore

418

The Abondance project required the collaboration of several organizations to pull off.

Robert Deschamps

Cin

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water. Altogether it’s designed to produce more

energy than it consumes in a given year.

Then there’s the R-45 wall insulation, the

R-68 ceilings, the elimination of thermal bridg-

es…the list of measures taken for the sake of

efficiency simply goes on and on.

Valuable Lessons Learned Abondance le Soleil wasn’t just about

energy efficiency, mind you; it also boasts a

rainwater retrieval system, which reduces the

property’s use of city sewers by 75 per cent, and

a state-of-the-art air exchange system. That

last feature was necessary given how tightly

the home was built.

“It was a big job to make sure we were air-

tight,” says Deschamps. “The first thing we do

now is work on the insulation. We make sure

there’s no thermal bridge, that we’re airtight,

and we put more insulation in than we used to.

We’re starting a project in two weeks and we’re

going with a really special outside wall.”

Efficiency is something all builders strive

for, especially when it comes to producing a

tight, well insulated building envelope that-

maximizes energy efficiency. But with a tight

envelope and excellent insulation comes the

danger of volatile organic compounds poten-

tially polluting indoor air quality.

“If you’re going to be airtight, you need to

have something to maintain air quality,” Des-

champs says. “We’re so airtight these days; we

need to put less into machines for heating and

cooling, and more into the heat exchangers

to make sure we’re not losing hot air to the

outside.”

These lessons really go to the heart of the

EQuilibrium Housing Initiative’s goal. It was

designed to exhibit the state of the shelf in

green building. In other words, the initiative

was meant to answer the question. How green

can builders be right now? This wasn’t an exer-

cise purely of value to those involved; it was

meant to enlighten the builders of Canada as

a whole. Which begs the question: What has

been learned from this exercise?

“To be honest, that project asked us to

imagine ourselves in the year 2030, but one of

the things we learned is that to get there from

now, we don’t have to go that far,” notes Des-

champs. “For now it’s too expensive to use PV

and geothermal on all projects, but we can start

with better insulation and airtightness. We

learned lessons there that we can apply now.”

Lessons such as the importance of prop-

er airflow to minimize health dangers when

building for said airtightness. Sodero and its

partners managed to deliver a rate of 0.4 air

exchanges per hour.

As homes become increasingly airtight,

green builders will have to show continued

awareness and caution in dealing with this

issue.

Veterans of the Green Construction Game

Despite the company’s success in the indus-

try, it remains a specialized operation. Based

out of tiny Mont-St-Hilaire, Quebec, and with

a staff of just a handful, Constructions Sodero

take on very few projects. This has allowed them

to focus their attention on the rapidly growing

niche market for sustainable housing.

“We’re ahead of the competition in terms of

sustainable building,” says Deschamps. “We’re

on the cutting edge. There are maybe one

or two other companies in Quebec who’ve

gone as far as we have. We worked for two

years with the Université de Montreal and our

partners to develop the concept and design of

the Abondance le Soleil project. We searched

all around the world to find the most efficient

products for every detail.”

In a sense, the EQuilibrium Housing Ini-

tiative was what Sodero has been working

toward for over a decade. Deschamps had his

first brush with green building when the Can-

dian Home Builders’ Association’s R-2000 pro-

gram came along. Since then, the company has

specialized in highly energy efficient construc-

tion — both new homes and renovations.

“I started to be green in 1992-93, when I first

saw the R-2000 house. We had a course there

and I thought it would be logical to go towards

that,” says Deschamps. “It seemed stupid not

to! We have the knowledge, material, every-

thing to do it. Why make cheap houses?”

With the success of Abondance le Soleil

filling their sails, Sodero is booked through

spring 2010, with more projects in the works.

No recession blues around here. Everything

keeps coming up green. C

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164


The Abondance team paid added attention to air exchangers and heat recovery systems.

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“It seemed stupid not to! We have the knowledge, material; everything to do it. Why make cheap houses?”— Robert Deschamps

429

and governmental affairs for the Association

Provinciale des Constructeurs D’habitations du

Quebec (APCHQ).

The Canada Mortgage and Housing Cor-

poration reported that July starts came in at

38,000 on a seasonally adjusted annualized

basis. That’s well up from 2009 lows reached

in February, and actual starts for the month

were down just eight per cent year-over-year.

The rebound may be

losing steam though;

the APCHQ is projecting

annual starts of 40,100

units for 2009, which is

more or less the current

pace of construction and

would be 16 per cent fewer than the province

produced in 2008.

The market is being weighed down by the

city of Montreal and growing labour market

woes. Montreal starts between January and

June of this year were 26 per cent lower than

The Quebec housing market has

been experiencing something of

a slow burn over the last year or

so — which may not be so bad

given the alternatives. While other

parts of the country have seen

sharp declines in activity over the

last year, stemming from the global

economic downturn, Quebec’s housing mar-

ket has seen a slower, more gradual decline.

But the news isn’t all good in la Belle Province,

because, while the rest of the country embarks

on their respective roads to recovery, the out-

look isn’t as bright in Quebec.

“The difference in Quebec is that in the long

run the demographics suggest we should see

a continual decline in new home starts for a

long period of time — about 15 to 20 years,”

says Daniel laplante, director of economic

By Charlie Blore

Will Quebec Bounce Back Further?in 2008. Unemployment, meanwhile, now sits

at nine per cent, the highest level Quebec has

seen since 2004. Sales are also expected to

drop to 2004 levels, with roughly 70,000 units

expected to change hands. These factors along

with a number of others, including a backlog

of inventory, are expected to continue to weigh

down starts through 2010: the APCHQ is pro-

jecting 39,928 starts next year.

“Despite the fact that interest rates are rela-

tively low at the moment, there’s one thing we

can’t forget, which is that there’s been a decline

in wealth from this economic downturn that in

the near term will slow the new home market,”

says Laplante.

Market report

“The difference in Quebec is that in the long run the demographics suggest we should see a continual decline in new home starts for a long period of time – about 15 to 20 years,” – Daniel Laplante


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If you pump that air into a home, you’ve effec-

tively given it heating for the winter and air

conditioning for the summer. Systems may

differ based on materials and design, but they

all essentially do this same job: delivering to

the consumer energy savings that by most

estimates range from 30 to 70 per cent.

Certainly, the growing energy efficiency

movement and ever-rising energy prices have

also played a major role in the industry’s growth.

Oil prices more than tripled between 2002 and

2008 and, not surprisingly, this coincided with

the beginning of the geothermal boom.

“The current economic state as it regards

new alternative energy sources has been key,”

says Duck. “Homeowners are getting all kinds

of incentives from the government — local,

federal and provincial — to have geothermal

installed in their homes. So this has really

kicked the industry up.”

Government Subsidies Act as Game Changers

Government support has been strong at

both the federal and provincial levels, and it

continues to grow by the month. From loans,

to grants and tax breaks, subsidies abound in

Canada for home owners looking to install


report

Is it price? The desire to be green? Is it a question of availability? Or government subsidies? Maybe it’s all of the above?

The market for geothermal energy in Can-

ada has skyrocketed in recent years. Provinces

across the country have reported geothermal

sales growth in excess of 100 per cent. In

2007-08 alone, the industry grew 50 per cent

in Canada. It’s a meteoric rise that has come

about so suddenly that it has many impartial

observers scratching their heads and wonder-

ing where this is all coming from.

How could one not be puzzled by the trend?

Geothermal heating isn’t exactly new; geother-

mal pumps have been a viable temperature

control system for decades.

Price Landscape Has ChangedSure, they still aren’t cheap — today, geo-

thermal systems generally come with a price

tag in the $25,000 range — but costs have

dropped dramatically in the last decade. Gov-

ernment subsidies are one part of the story, and

more affordable equipment is the other.

“With the boom in geothermal, there’s a

huge market for contractors, builders and

HVAC installers to get into it, but spending

$200,000 to $300,000 on equipment to get into

the industry hardly seems worth it,” says Elliot

Duck, sales manager for RigKits, a manufac-

turer of geothermal drilling equipment. “So

we’ve developed our technology into kits to

make it affordable for the smaller guys who

aren’t into the big drilling stuff.”

More affordable equipment from compa-

nies like RigKits has lead to lower costs passed

on to the client and increased competition

among installers.

What does that money buy? Geothermal

systems hinge on one very simple principle:

the temperature below the surface of the earth

remains at a stable temperature all year round.

Digging Deep to Solve Energy Problems

or retrofit their homes with geothermal sys-

tems. In some cases, homeowners can expect

subsidies to cover as much as half the cost of

installation.

In addition to direct subsidies, the feder-

al government scored a home run with the

development of the Canadian GeoExchange

Coalition, an under recognized driving force

behind the surging market. The CGC has been

in existence since 2003, and has been a leader

in promoting geothermal energy in Canada.

“The governments have played two very

important roles along the way,” says CGC presi-

dent, DEnis tanguay. “First, they helped us

develop our program. Second, they came on

board with important subsidies at the right

time.”

The CGC has been a strong promoter for the

industry and has taken the lead in fighting the

unaccredited installers who’ve seized on the

opportunity presented by this rapidly grow-

ing industry. The speed at which the industry

has grown left regulators scrambling to catch

up. The CGC has promptly stepped in to fill

that void with its own certification program.

They’ve also launched a campaign to educate

the public on the dangers of using uncertified

contractors to install geothermal systems.

“We developed our training program and

marketing campaign, and then we started

making some noise,” says Tanguay. “Now

we’re seeing people who had foregone our

certification program come back to it because

customers are starting to ask for it.”

As the certification program grows, it

should bolster the legitimacy of the industry as

a whole; only serving to solidify geothermal’s

position as a mainstream alternative to more

traditional heating and cooling systems. C

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The CaGBC has launched several projects

to promote the LEED program in this country.

That being said, in terms of selling builders

on certification, success is the best breeder

of success.

“There are hundreds of homes that are cur-

rently going through the program,” says Chris-

topher higgins, program coordinator for LEED

Canada Homes. “The program was initiated by

a number of builders who became sponsors

of the program. It was formed through a case

study of about 50 builders who were building

about 500 homes across the country. Those

builders really gave input, which ended up

shaping the program.”


report

In its short lifespan, the Canada Green

Building Council (CaGBC) has already

had a tremendous impact on the Cana-

dian construction industry. Since its

inception in 2003, the council has suc-

cessfully enlisted partnerships with

seven providers in Canada, including

four in Ontario and one each in Quebec, British

Columbia and Saskatchewan, with Manitoba

and the Atlantic Provinces expected to come

on board shortly.

The council’s stated mission is to “lead

and accelerate the transformation to high-

performing, healthy green buildings, homes

and communities throughout Canada.” This

goal is pursued through a four-pronged attack

of changing industry standards, developing

best design practices and guide-

lines, advocating for green build-

ings and developing educational

tools to support its members in

implementing sustainable design

and construction practices.

At present, the CaGBC’s pri-

mary focus is on growing the

Leadership in Energy and Envi-

ronmental Design (LEED) cer-

tification program in Canada.

Already a world-wide success,

the LEED program, which was

originally established by the

USGBC over a decade ago, seeks

to establish a set of standards

for environmentally sustainable

construction.

LEEDing the Way for Canadian Builders

Certification Can Be Key Marketing Cog

For builders, the value of participating in the

program and gaining certification is evident.

As consumers become increasingly saturated

with claims from supposedly green builders,

LEED certification provides an established

and clear standard against which to measure

energy efficiency claims — a standard that is

increasingly recognizable and sought after by

customers.

“The value is in true third party certifica-

tion,” notes Higgins. “From the pre-drywall

phase to the blower door test, they’ll have the

home and the approach they’ve taken to build-

ing it evaluated for energy performance, water

performance and indoor air-quality. It’s a third

party assurance that can form a substantial

part of a builder’s marketing piece toward

home buyers.”

How Do Builders Get Involved?Though it is unlikely that builders are read-

ing about the LEED standard here for the first

time, the CaGBC and its certification program

are relatively new to Canada. Fortunately,

builders have a number of avenues by which

to enroll themselves. Thanks to partnerships

that have been formed between local HBAs

and the CaGBC, most builders in Canada can

simply contact their locals to be put in touch

with the nearest service provider. Alterna-

tively, and this is the approach favoured by

the CaGBC, builders can contact the CaGBC

directly, or visit the council’s website, to find

their local provider.

Not only is certification easily accessible, it’s

easy on builders’ budgets and time

as well. The CaGBC recommends

enrolling for certification during

the design phase, thereby mini-

mizing the cost should changes to

the project be necessary.

A recent study from Seattle

Build Green found that third

party certified green homes in

the American Pacific North West

sold for an average 10.5 per cent

premium on a square foot basis

versus non-certified homes. The

homes also stayed on the market

for 24 per cent less time. Green

certified homes (those that do not

have the third party process), on

the other hand, sell for 5.9 per

By CharLiE BLorE

Building More Than Homes

At Genworth Financial Canada, we know that building homes is more than just the bricks and mortar. It’s where families take root and communities grow. Helping you make homeownership more accessible for more Canadians is what we’re all about. In partnership with you, we can help homebuyers prepare for a successful journey into homeownership and help them make the best choices for their lifestyle.

To find out how we can help you put more families into your homes, call 1 800 511-8888 or visit www.genworth.ca

© 2008 Genworth Financial

http://www.genworth.ca/content/genworth/ca/en/home.html

of drywall, then nail or screw this holding tool

over the edge of that panel. Slide the next panel

into the sloped slot, up square against the first

panel, and it is held there while you work on

the other end of the panel. One-man paneling,

even on ceilings, is now easy and accurate

without support poles. Check out the product

tab on the Nailer Web site to see the video.

The Nailer: www.TheNailer.ca

Prest-On: www.Prest-On.com

The Cutting EdgeOver the last year, three new blades have

come out that you will want to know about:

Have you tried cutting cast iron drain pipes

recently? Lennox has made your life easier

with its Diamond 2122 Recip blade for cast iron.

At $15, it tested out cutting through 4” cast iron

pipe three times faster than carbide, making

over 15 cuts per blade. Finally, a clean quick cut

through cast iron with your existing tools.

Stainless steel has become an increasingly

TOOLTalk

Drywall Framing ClipsThere are two companies competing to

give us clips for attaching the edge of board to

structural nailing, thereby avoiding that extra

stick of wood just for a nailing edge. In corners,

this eliminates the double stud and leaves

more room for insulation where heat loss

can cause problems. On ceilings, this

can uncouple the drywall from the

framing to deal with truss up-lift.

Prest-on’s Corner-Back clip

has been around for a long

time. It clips onto the edge of

the drywall and then offers a tab for

attaching to the facing stud. It does, however,

require the right size to match the drywall thick-

ness and can give you problems on a rough

edge. It has done

us good service

for years, but

moving a board

around with clips

on the edge can

be a problem.

Enter the Nailer,

which allows you to fasten

the clip to the wood first. If

you like, it can also be screwed

to the drywall first, so you have


Energy efficiency can often be enhanced by simple changes in construc-

tion techniques, and products change with time to help us do that. These

products illustrate that evolution and show that, as the materials we work

on change, the blades we use to cut them change as well.

the best of both worlds. And if the legs don’t line

up with your structure, just snip them off.

Prest-on has fought back

with its own version of

attaching-to-the-wood-

first clips: the Framer-

back.

The large holes on

the stud side in the Nailer are

actually easier to work with than

the mesh style, which is designed to receive

a drywall screw blindly from through the dry-

wall, in the Prest-on model.

I’ll vote for the Nailer.

Unfortunately, you will probably have to

go on-line to buy any of these advanced fram-

ing clips because the stores haven’t figured it

out yet.

On a related note, the Boardmate, invented

in England, is a very interesting tool for hold-

ing drywall panels in place while getting those

first fasteners in. You put up your first panel

Evolutions in Cutting and Clipping

“BOARDMATE” Board Support Tool

Previous Board

Stop BladeSet Nail or Screw

in Pre-Drilled HolesShim or Spacer Plate

Current Board

Joist or Furring Strip

Angled for Easy Access

steels. They are available in 18-TPI for 8- to

16-gauge steel and 36-TPI for thinner steel,

from 16- to 26-gauge. For optimal performance

and durability, it is recommended you add oil

to the cutting surface to reduce heat build-up.

Also, the tool should not operate above 1,500

strokes per minute in a non-orbital stroke

mode.

The Bosch T308B 12-TPI blade has preci-

sion ground scalpel and pointed teeth. The

scalpel teeth produce the cleaner cut on the

bottom of the surface while the pointed teeth

common design element, so Bosch has

brought out special jig saw blades just for this

material: the Bosch T118GFS 36 tooth and

T118EFS 18 tooth. The Stainless Steel blades

are suited for cutting thin and medium gauge

TOOLTalk

from the shank to the middle of the blade

provide the cut for the top surface. The 4-1/2”

blade increases productivity by allowing users

to cut a greater number of materials such as

hard and soft woods, MDF, melamine, plywood

and laminated particle board.

And last but not least, my tool accessory les-

son for this month: If you can’t find that special

blade where you usually shop, don’t waste your

time; go right to Amazon.com. It will be much

faster than a retail store special order.

Montreal-based TV broadcaster, author, home renovation and tool expert Jon Eakes provides a tool feature in each edition of Home BUILDER.www.JonEakes.com

TOOL

TALK

TOOL

TALK

Asktheexpert

Home BUILDER Magazine’s interactive feature on professional tools welcomes readers to air beefs, share praise and talk tools with Jon Eakes.

Send your question on-line. Visit www.homebuildercanada.com and click on “Ask the Expert”.

All stainless-steel fasteners resist corrosion.

Some also resistinstallation.

While all stainless-steel decking screws might provide corrosion resistance, many can be tricky to install or don’t provide the desired results for your job. Each of our stainless-steel decking screws is easy to install and delivers consistent, superior results in a variety of decking materials:

• Cedar / Redwood • Preservative-treated wood • Ipê / Tropical hardwood • Composite / PVC

For more information call (800) 999-5099 or visit www.swansecure.com.

We proudly welcome Swan Secure into the Simpson Strong-Tie® family.

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information

Spectacular Homes of Western CanadaPanache Partners

This is the 22nd book of a

popular hardcover coffee-table

book series. This edition docu-

ments the work of more than 40

of the finest professional interior

designers and decorators in

British Columbia, Alberta and

Manitoba.

Containing more than 200

full-colour photographs and

images, the book features the

work and commentary of some

of the most well respected

designers in the industry, such

as Robert Ledingham, Monica

Stevens, J.C. Scott, James

McIntyre, Ronald Bills, Thu

Watson, Geele Soroka, Damion

Farrell, Lucille Fares and Douglas

Cridland.

Order information: $24.54

(reg. $38.95) from amazon.ca

Cordwood Building: The State of the ArtNew Society Publishers

Cordwood masonry is an

ancient building technique which

is making a bit of a comeback.

For those unfamiliar with the

technique, it uses transversely

laid log ends to construct walls,

making for an easy, economical,

esthetically striking, energy-effi-

cient and environmentally-sound

barrier.

Cordwood Building collects

the wisdom of over 25 of the

world’s most successful practi-

tioners, while also detailing the

long history of the method and

demonstrating how to build a

cordwood home using the latest

and most up-to-date techniques.


(reg. $26.95) from amazon.ca

Construction Process Planning and ManagementA Butterworth-Heinemann Title

Author Sidney M. Levy, who

is a best selling author with over

40 years of experience in the

construction and general con-

tracting business, provides tools

for managing projects, maximiz-

ing profits, minimizing costs and

keeping orders and project docu-

ments under control.

Levy examines the common

problems that are a result of the

long-term nature of construction

projects. From project genesis,

through design development to

contractor and contract selec-

tion, on to construction over-

sight, punch list and successful

project close-out, this book will

point out those pitfalls to avoid

and offer practical advice at

every step along the way.


from amazon.ca


The CHBA National SAM Awards honour the performance of new home builders, renovators, residential developers and new home sales and marketing professionals who are building dreams across Canada.

The Call for Entries for the 2009 awards has been issued. Visit our

website www.chba.ca/SAMS for complete information.

The 2009 National SAM Awards will be presented at the CHBA

National Conference in Victoria on March 6, 2010. Please join us

for an unforgettable evening.

The deadline for entries is November 6, 2009.

PreSeNTed By:


Association

CHBA National SAM Awards

MAkING Your

MArkDeadline for EntriesNoveMBer 6, 2009

http://www.chba.ca/members-area/your-chba/sam-awards/2010.aspx

It’s been a very busy summer for the CHBA. We've been “hard at it” in a number of important areas from building codes, to tax issues, to monitoring the economic developments affecting our markets.

As we head into the fall season, I want to update you on some of the projects that have been keeping the national office busy over the summer.

Focus on RenovationThe home renovation side of our industry continues

to perform well in this challenging market environment. So it is more important than ever to let consumers know about the benefits of hiring a professional who can do it right.

The Association is putting additional efforts into sup-porting our professional renovator members, providing resources and tools they can use to get their message to prospective customers. Here are some of the high-lights:

Renovation Month 2009: While the CHBA’s Reno-vation Month campaign has traditionally been launched in the fall, we felt that this year there was much to be gained by starting earlier. As a result, the 2009 Renova-tion Month toolkit was released in July, providing local associations with media materials, an event organiz-ing guide and other resources they can put to use right away.

This year’s theme is Love Your Home: Talk With a Professional Renovator. Seven new media background-ers focus on topics that are particularly relevant today, including green renovations, the federal Home Renova-tion Tax Credit, the importance of selecting quality prod-ucts and, of course, why homeowners should only work with a professional renovator. In addition, a revised and updated guide to organizing Renovation Month activities has also been released to assist local renovation commit-tees in their work. We thank Home Hardware Building Centre, Genworth Financial Canada, RBC Royal Bank and Delta as national sponsors of the campaign.

Homeowners’ Guide to Green Renovation: Development of this new 12-page consumer publication was one of the recommendations from the Green Reno-vation Task Group, made up of CHBA renovators from across Canada. It's now a reality, and a copy was mailed to all Association renovation members in June.

This is a “virtual publication” that CHBA renovators can download, customize with their company informa-tion, and then print as needed. It is colourful, informative and a great tool for professionals to use when working up renovation plans with their customers. We’ve received very positive reaction to this new publication, and I encourage renovators to use it.

Get it in Writing! Gets a Boost: CHBA’s Get it in Writing! campaign is getting a boost from an expanded partnership with Canada Mortgage and Housing Cor-

We’ve Been Hard at Work Over the Summer

Gary FriendPresident, CHBA

CHBA EXECUTIVE BOARD

President:Gary Friend, Surrey, BCImmediate Past-President:John Hrynkow, Edsmonton, AB First Vice-President:Joe Valela, Toronto, ONSecond Vice-Presidents:Don Darling, Sussex, NB Victor Fiume, Oshawa, ON Treasurer:Jane Morgan, St. John’s, NLSecretary:Bob Finnigan, Toronto, ON Presidential Appointees:Mike Cochren, Oakville, ONDon Doolan, Cochrane, ABRon Olson, Saskatoon, SK Urban Council Chair:Michael Moldenhauer,

Mississauga, ON Chief Operating Officer:John Kenward, Ottawa, ON

CHBA Contact:Michael Gough, CAE,National Office, Ottawa, ON

Now is the time to start looking over your projects, getting great photos that show your achievements, and putting together your 2009 SAM entries.

CHBAreport

poration (CMHC). The Association is working closely with CMHC to overhaul the Get it in Writing! consumer website, develop an updated consumer pamphlet and step up promotion of the campaign to consumers. We expect the new website and pamphlet to be on-line this fall, so stay tuned. Get it in Writing! continues to be a very effective tool in our efforts to combat underground “cash” operators. The CHBA welcomes this increased support from CMHC.

Renovation Incentives and Grants: Reports from renovators continue to indicate that the federal Home Renovation Tax Credit is doing its job — motivating home owners to “get off the fence”, move ahead with their projects and choose to work with legitimate companies. This is certainly welcome news. In addition, the increase in grant amounts available under the federal ecoENERGY Retrofit Grants is leading to increased “green” renovation activity. The CHBA strongly supports these federal initia-tives, and I'm very pleased to hear that they are resulting in more work for Association members.

More Good News on the Environmental FrontOver the summer, the CHBA released an update of

last year’s report on energy use and greenhouse gas emission performance in the residential sector. This includes results through 2006 — the last year for which data are available.

The bottom line is that housing continues to be one of the greenest sectors in Canada. Between 1990 and 2006, the energy efficiency of the average home in Canada improved by 19 per cent. This includes both the exist-ing and new stock, which is very impressive. It means that the expected increase in energy use in homes has been cut by about two-thirds and greenhouse gas emis-sions from homes actually fell over this period by 8.5 per cent.

This compares with a 26 per cent increase in emis-sions from commercial and institutional buildings, and a whopping 33 per cent increase in transportation-related emissions. These are achievements we should all be proud of!

A Welcome Announcement on the R-2000 Front

In July, Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) announced the launch of consultations on the updating of the R-2000 Standard. This represents a key commitment, and an important step, in restoring this important initiative to its leading-edge “best in class” position. NRCan will be forming a broad-based committee with the appropriate expertise to take on this task, and this committee will use CHBA’s proposed changes to the R-2000 Standard as a starting point. We are very pleased that NRCan is taking this action.

In addition, NRCan has also announced a commit-428


CHBAreport

ment to develop the “next generation” EnerGuide Rat-ing System (ERS). An ERS Advisory Committee will be organized over the summer to undertake this work, with the goal of having a renewed ERS in place by the spring of 2011. Again, this is an action that has CHBA’s full support.

New Radon AdvisoryIn July, the CHBA released an update on developments

related to the radon issue that have taken place since last November. The 2010 National Building Code will include new requirements related to radon gas infiltration. Prior to the introduction of these requirements, new home builders should begin to adjust their business practices.

This update advises builders to inform clients about the need for post-occupancy radon testing, and con-firm this in writing. The update includes a link to the full report, which provides consolidated information for builders on the radon issue, such as how to access accredited expertise. This report can also be found in the Members' Area of the CHBA website.

New Study on Tax PyramidingWe all know that the tax burden placed on new home

buyers is far too high, and increasingly unfair. The wide range of government imposed costs on new homes contributes to an ever-rising tax bill and is seriously undermining housing affordability in many parts of the country.

A new CHBA report, Tax Pyramiding in Canada: A Growing Concern, points to one of the most unfair aspects of this tax grab. Tax pyramiding, or ”tax-on-tax”, involves one level of government taxing the tax already charged by another level of government.

Consider the various costs imposed by your munici-pality: permit fees, development charges, lot levies, land dedications, application and processing fees. These costs can easily add up to a significant part of the selling price of a home — and these taxes are then taxed again when GST or HST is applied. As shown in the CHBA report, if the various government-imposed costs push a new home's price over the GST rebate threshold, the marginal tax rate can be over 21 per cent.

That is just plain wrong. Tax pyramiding is unfair and runs contrary to accepted tax principles. Quite simply, taxes should not be taxed. This is the message the CHBA is delivering to governments.

CHBA Completes Housing Demand StudyThe CHBA has recently released an important new

report that examines long-term housing demand in Canada, at both the national and regional levels. Devel-oped by Altus Group, this 30-year forecast highlights the impact that shifting demographics are likely to have on both the number of new homes built, and the market segments that will drive this demand.

The report forecasts less demand than in the recent

274 past, with starts rising to 160,000 units by 2011, and then leveling off at between 170,000 and 180,000 units through 2016. The rate of household growth during this period is expected to accelerate in Manitoba, Saskatch-ewan and British Columbia. The analysis also expects the new home market to be increasingly dominated by empty-nesters and first-time buyers, with a drop-off in the traditional move-up segment.

This report provides essential business intelligence for all members. New home builders, renovators and developers will find it particularly useful in developing their business plans. If you haven’t already reviewed it, you can download a copy from the Members’ Area of the CHBA website.

2009 SAM Awards - Making Your MarkThe Call for Entries for the 2009 National SAM Awards

was sent to all new home builder, renovator and devel-oper members in early September. All of this material, including entry forms and Competition Guidelines, is available online at www.chba.ca/SAMS.

Now is the time to start looking over your projects, getting great photos that show your achievements, and putting together your 2009 SAM entries. Then get ready to ”make you mark” at the National SAM Awards, this coming March during the CHBA National Conference in Victoria.

HST and the Renovation Sector The CHBA has commissioned Altus Group Eco-

nomic Consulting to prepare a report on the impacts tax harmonization will have on the renovation sector: The Potential Impacts of Sales Tax Harmonization on the Residential Renovation Sector in Canada. The report discloses that the proposed HST will increase the effective tax rate on contractor renovations in Ontario to 8 per cent and in British Columbia to 7 per cent.

In Ontario and British Columbia combined, the tax burden on homeowners and rental housing investors will increase by close to $1 billion annually. The report observes that the most effective and efficient way to ameliorate this impact and achieve tax neutrality is for the provincial governments to reduce the rate of the HST applied to contractor renovations. In Ontario, the tax rate for residential renovation contracts should be 2.6 per cent for the provincial component of the proposed HST and 2.3 per cent in B.C. CHBA President Gary Friend urges members to share this report with their elected representatives in Ontario and BC, as well as with their representatives in other provinces that may be consider-ing implementing a Harmonized Sales Tax. To access the report, visit the Members’ area of www.chba.ca.


In Ontario and British Columbia combined, the tax burden on homeowners and rental housing investors will increase by close to $1 billion annually.

report


Government Incentives Provide Some Help

As has been the case in much of the rest

of the country, the Quebec renovation market

has fared better than its new start counterpart.

Québec City and Montreal both indicated that

the number of households having completed

renovations in 2008 increased by two per cent.

Several reasons account for this, most notably

an aging existing stock of houses. This, paired

with an aging population, has Daniel Laplante

thinking renovators should see a further appre-

ciation in their business as homeowners turn

to professionals to complete the projects they

no longer can do themselves.

cent more than the average home on a per

square foot basis.

“The ideal point to register a project is

during the design phase, because one of the

strengths of the program is that it encourages

the use of the integrated design process, where

you have all the trades and all the people who

are working on the project around the table

initially to decide what the goals of the project

are,” Higgins remarks.

From that point on, certification tracks con-

struction, meaning it is usually granted within

a year, or about the time it takes to build the

home. And at a cost of roughly $400-500, it

LEED224generally provides builders with a substantial

net value-added benefit.

In addition to the certification program,

the CaGBC also offers training programs to

builders looking to green their methods. The

one-day seminars are targeted toward builders

who already have some degree of green build-

ing experience and are looking to learn about

“I think there will be an opportunity to be

seized by our entrepreneurs in terms of renova-

tions, and a helping hand from the state could

allow the industry to maintain its employment

levels,” says Laplante.

Government incentives have already been

key in generating work for renovators. The

provincial government is currently offering

credits to cover 20 per cent of homeowners’

expenses, up to a maximum of $2,500, and this

is not including the federal Home Renovation

Tax Credit. With growth in the new home sector

expected to be slow in the next housing cycle,

the province’s renovation market should be in

a position to blossom. C

making the extra steps necessary to gain LEED

certification.

There’s no denying the value a green certi-

fication can add to the value of a home. But as

more and more builders fight for their share of

the growing market, certification with a rec-

ognizable and established standard will only

grow in importance. C

QuEbEc markEt rEport194


Association

Recognizing Commitment & Celebrating ExcellenceAcross the country, committed industry volunteers are driving our Association forward. The CHBA’s

National Awards Program recognizes members who are making things happen through their

outstanding service and accomplishments.

CHBA National Awards also recognize the accomplishments of provincial and local HBAs that

deliver real value through services to members.

Contact your local Home Builders’ Association or visit the Members’ area of www.chba.ca for

information. The deadline for entries is December 31, 2009.

2008 National Award winners

CHBA National Awards:

Join the celebration

of excellence at the

Awards Ceremony at the

2010 CHBA National

Conference in Victoria.

Strong Renovation Activity in 2nd HalfThe Chief Financial Officer for Rona Inc., the country’s largest

renovation supplier with about $6.3 billion in annual sales, expects the

market for renovations to be strong in the second half of 2009. Claude

Guevin sees the desire to take advantage of the federal Home Renovation

Tax Credit before it expires, along with other local incentives, as spurring

growth in renovation activity between now and the end of the year.

Though he acknowledges that the federal tax credit hasn’t had a tre-

mendous impact yet, he sees it playing a more significant role as it nears

expiration. “It hasn’t helped us much so far, but we’re confident it will,”

Guevin says. “People will also realize there isn’t much time left to take

advantage of the tax credit. Consumers remain extremely careful.”

The federal government has

said it expects 4.6 million families

will take advantage of the tax

credit. The success the program

has already enjoyed has the fed-

eral government considering its

renewal for another year.

“It will stop on January 31,

2010, but I may say we already

have many requests asking us to

postpone it for one more year, so

I am sure the minister of finance

will look at that carefully,” said

Minister of National Revenue,

Jean-Pierre BlaCkBurn. C

Tough Times Ahead for RenovatorsRecent research by the Altus Group, on behalf of the Canadian Home

Builders’ Association, suggests that the costs of sales tax harmonization

could be tremendous for the average renovator.

As it stands, Ontario and British Columbia are both scheduled to

harmonize their provincial sales taxes with that of the federal goods and

services tax, effective July 1, 2010.

This means renovators in both these provinces are facing the pros-

pect of substantial tax increases on the final price their consumers pay.

The Altus Group report, entitled The Potential Impacts of Sales Tax Har-monization on the Residential Renovation Sector in Canada, reveals that

the proposed changes to the tax system will mean renovations in Ontario

will cost an average of eight per

cent more, and seven per cent

more in British Columbia.

The Canadian Renovation

sector accounts for some $53 bil-

lion in economic activity every

year. With over half of that esti-

mated to come from these two

provinces, the impact on the

industry could be tremendous.

It’s widely expected that if the

proposals go through in their

present forms, they will push a

greater share of the business into

the underground economy. C

renovation

BC Renos Take Hit after Program Cancellation


Subscribe to Home BUILDER

Magazine and get the information

that will keep you up to date

with the Canadian residential

construction industry’s latest trends,

developments, home improvement

techniques and building products

that Canada’s top home builders,

contractors and renovators are using.

Get Your own CopY todaY!Now you can subscribe online. Visit www.homebuildercanada.com and click on [ subscribe ]. You can also fax (514-620-6300) or mail us the completed form below.

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overseas subscriptions payable in U.S. funds and add US$54 a year for postage.

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Type of Construction

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BE INFORMED

Renovation projects in the province of BC took an unexpected hit in

August when the provincial government abruptly ended its LiveSmart

BC program.

The initiative offered incentives to replace appliances like aging

furnaces, install efficient windows and perform other environmentally

friendly renovations. The program’s sudden withdrawal entrained a

number of cancellations from home owners who planned on using the

program.

The program, which was scheduled to last three years, was cancelled

after it successfully reached its target of 40,000 home energy assess-

ments in just 15 months. C

http://www.homebuildercanada.com/subscribe.htm

Investment in Skills Trading Yields 147 Per Cent Return

OTTAWA —The Canadian Apprenticeship Forum’s (CAF) recent

report titled It Pays to Hire an Apprentice: Calculating the Return on Train-ing Investment for Skilled Trades Employers in Canada suggests that an

investment in skills training yields substantial benefits for employers.

According to the study, employers receive a benefit, on average, of

$1.47 for every dollar invested in training. This is a significant benefit

and a nine cent increase from the previous figure included in the 2006

CAF report. C

IndustryNews


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US Housing Starts Decline by One Per Cent

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The American housing market appears to

have stopped to take a breather in the month of July. Coming off an 11 per

cent rise in June, the market stayed more or less flat in July, shedding one

per cent to 581,000 units on a seasonally adjusted annualized basis. The

news is being perceived as slightly disappointing given that analysts had

predicted starts would rise by about two per cent to 600,000 units.

Multi-family starts weighed down the pace of construction, falling

13 per cent from a month earlier. Single-family starts meanwhile, which

account for roughly three-quarters of the total US housing market, rose

for a fifth straight month, this time by one per cent. They are now at the

highest level they’ve been since October of 2008.

To put things in perspective, however, July’s housing data was 38

per cent below where it was this

time last year. So while the news

is good, the industry is still a long

way from pre-recession levels.

Applications for building per-

mits, which are an indicator of

future activity, also disappointed,

falling 1.8 per cent to an annual

rate of 560,000 units. Expecta-

tions were for this figure to be

around an annual rate of 580,000

units. Looking ahead, the ever-

growing unemployment ranks

and the pending expiration of

the ten per cent federal tax credit

for first-time home buyers look

like ominous obstacles on the

horizon. C

C A L E N D A Rseptember 23 – 26IIDeX/NeoCon CanadaToronto, Ontariowww.iidexneocon.com/2009/

October 22CIPHeX Roadshowwinnipeg, MBwww.ciphexroadshow.com

October 23 – 24CHBA semi-annual MeetingOttawa, Ontariowww.chba.ca

december 2 - 4Construct Canada Trade show Toronto, Ontariowww.constructcanada.com

http://fantech.net/

http://www.cid.ca/Default.aspx


Advertisers in this issueAdvertiser Page Phone Web site

IndustryNews

nOv/deC 2009Industry Leaders Speak

Computers & Technology, Trade SecretsFor more information, call 514-620-2200 or e-mail [email protected]

Home Builder Magazine is looking for an advertising salesperson to service existing accounts and prospect new ones for our magazine and Web site.If you possess an in-depth knowledge of the construction industry and have magazine sales experience, we’d love to hear from you.Send your resumé to [email protected].

Magazine Advertising Sales

A W O R K - 4 P R O J E C T S L T D . P U B L I C A T I O N

TULSA, OK – Hilti has announced the launch of a new program

that will allow its customers to minimize downtime caused by tool

breakdowns. While their tool is under repair, Hilti Premium Tool Fleet

Management customers will be offered a loaner tool of the same model

as the one being repaired at no cost.

A wide range of tools are eligible for the loaner service, including

most hammer drills, demolition hammers, diamond core rigs and drills,

rotating and pipe lasers and select powder- and gas-actuated tools.

When the tool breaks down, qualifying Premium Tool Fleet Manage-

ment customers simply request a free loaner via express delivery. When

the tool is fixed, customers send the loaner back using the pre-addressed

and pre-paid shipping labels, which are included with the tool. This

means the whole process takes place at no cost and virtually no incon-

New Feature in Hilti’s Tool Fleet Management

British Columbia to Harmonize Sales Tax

Following in the footsteps of Ontario, British Columbia has

announced that effective July 1, 2010, the province’s sales tax will be

harmonized with the federal Goods and Services Tax at a rate of 12 per

cent — the lowest rate of any of the provinces that have harmonized

sales tax regimes. The move is intended to cut the cost of doing business

in the province, but that may not be the case for those in the province’s

construction industry.

British Columbia joins the growing list of Canadian provinces that

have a harmonized sales tax system. This is expected to ratchet up

pressure on those remaining provinces that still use a separated tax

regime.

The province had previously turned down the idea of a harmonized

tax, but BC Premier Gordon Brown acknowledged that the fact that

Ontario has announced its own plans to adopt the system would have put

the province at a competitive disadvantage had they not followed suit.

The harmonization is projected to reduce taxes paid by business by

$1.9 billion and save them $150 million in administrative costs. However

the cost to consumers could be heavy. A number of products that weren’t

previously subject to provincial taxes will be under the new regime,

including sales of new homes and renovation projects.

Similar to the original Ontario proposal, new homes sold for under

$400,000 will be exempt from the effects of the tax reform. However

it’s estimated that a new home with a value of $700,000 could pay an

additional $18,000 in new taxes. C

venience to the customer.

Hilti’s tool loan program is only one aspect of its Tool Fleet Manage-

ment service, which also includes theft coverage, tool upgrades and

more.

For more information or to sign up for the program, visit: www.

ca.hilti.com and look for Fleet Management. C

Altus Group Limited . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 . . . . . 416-699-5645 www .altusgroup .com

Canadian Industrial Distributors Inc . . . 31 . . . . . 877-280-0243 www .cid .ca

CertainTeed Gypsum Canada, Inc . . . . . 15 . . . . . 800-233-8990 www .certainteed .com

CertainTeed Insulation Group . . . . . . . . . 4 . . . . . 610-341-7739 www .certainteed .com

CHBA - Conference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 . . . . . 613-230-3060 www .chba .ca

CHBA - National Awards . . . . . . . . . . . 29 . . . . . 613-230-3060 www .chba .ca

CHBA - SAM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 . . . . . 613-230-3060 www .chba .ca

Delta Faucet Canada / Masco Canada . 3 . . . . . 905-712-3030 www .deltafaucet .com

DMX Plastics Limited . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 . . . . . 416-751-5851 www .dmxplastics .com

Dow Chemical Canada Inc . . . . . . . . . . 36 . . . . . 866-583-2583 www .dowbuildingsolutions .com

Exaktime, Inc ./The Joblock System . . . . 8 . . . . . 888-788-8463 www .exaktime .com

Fantech Limited . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 . . . . . 800-565-3548 www .fantech .ca

GE Appliances - Commercial Sales - . 17 . . . . . 905-315-2367 www .gebuilder .ca

Genworth Financial Canada . . . . . . . . . 23 . . . . . 800-511-8888 www .genworth .ca

Home BUILDER Buyer's Guide . . . . . . . 13 . . . . . 514-620-2200 www .homebuildercanada .com

Home BUILDER Canada . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 . . . . . 514-620-2200 www .homebuildercanada .com

Home BUILDER Subscription . . . . . . . . 30 . . . . . 514-620-2200 www .homebuildercanada .com

Home Hardware Stores Limited . . . . . 6, 7 . . . . . 519-664-2252 www .homehardware .ca

Jubilee Rose Enterprises . . . . . . . . . . . 34 . . . . . 604-535-7339 www .jubileerose .com

Knauf Insulation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 . . . . . 800-825-4434 www .ecobatt .ca

Meridian Computer Corp . . . . . . . . . . . 34 . . . . . 604-224-1366 www .corecon .com

Owens Corning Canada LP . . . . . . . . . 11 . . . . . 800-533-3354 www .owenscorning .ca

Rhino Linings Corporation . . . . . . . . . . 19 . . . . . 800-747-6966 www .rhinolinings .com

Simpson Strong-Tie Canada . . . . . . . . 25 . . . . . 800-999-5099 www .strongtie .com

Tip Top Parts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 . . . . . 800-665-2500 www .cyclovac .com

Tuff Industries Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 . . . . . 877-860-9333 www .tufdek .com

Phone: 514-620-2200 Fax: 514-620-6300 E-mail: [email protected]

Home BUILDER is the advertising avenue of choice among Canada’s largest

manufacturers of building products and suppliers to the residential construction industry.

Their marketing research has shown Home BUILDER delivers the best value because

it is read by more of the customers they need to reach.

More advertising from major manufacturers

and suppliers than any Canadian magazine in

the business.

Advertise Where the Action is

Our readers build over 80% of all the new homes in Canada and handle the biggest,

most demanding renovation contracts.

PRODUCTS ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

CORECON Construction Management Software

Corecon is a suite of software that han-dles all estimating, job cost control, project management, scheduling, documents and collaboration. Corecon can be integrated to Quickbooks, Simply, SAP-B1 and more.

Corecon is inexpensive, flexible and power-ful. It integrates all aspects of the construc-tion business process, saving time and elimi-nating double entry of data.

For more information, contact:Ian BroadfootPhone: 800-630-8813 604-224-1366E-mail: [email protected]

Calculated Industries® Puts Answers at Your Fingertips!

SCALE MASTER II® makes it easy to do linear, area and volume take-offs with speed, accuracy and confidence. Whether you’re estimating, bidding or planning, it offers the ultimate in take-off capabilities. Optional PC interface for input directly into spreadsheet or estimating programs. CONSTRUCTION MASTER PRO® is the most advanced and complete construction calculator. From designing and engineering to estimating and bidding, this tool can help you solve any construction-math problem quickly, simply and accurately.

For more information, contact: Jubilee Rose Enterprises Ltd. Phone: 604-535-7339 Fax: 604-535-7691www.jubileerose.com

Builder’s Recommended Power Unit

MVac Central Vacuum Systems offer power and silence, versatility, improved air quality, and reliability supported by a manufacturer’s extended warranty of up to 10 years on selected models. MVac vacuums can be used with or without a convenient bag. HEPA filtra-tion retains finer particles from circulating in your home environment.

The Hide-A-Hose Retractable Hose comple-ments your Central Vacuum System. Finally, no cumbersome hose to lug around. It’s easy and simple!Installers Available Nationwide. Phone: 1-800-665-2500www.mvac.com

“The World’s Strongest Vinyl Decking”

Tufdek is the industry leader in waterproof vinyl sundecks. Using proven roof technology and drawing on more than 25 years of PVC manufacturing experience, TUFDEK makes the highest quality vinyl decking on the market. Tested to Canadian and US require-ments for PVC roofing, Tufdek is building code compliant.

TUFDEK third party certifications take the guess work out of code compliance. We are fast becoming the professional’s choice for waterproof excellence in Canada. For dealer inquiries or product information, please call: TufdekPhone: 1-877-860-9333Email: [email protected]


New Building Product Announcements now on-line. Get exposure to over 250,000 unique visitors a year!

Take advantage of this new and highly effective way to put yourself in the spotlight… and reach home builders, renovators and contractors from coast to coast. More than 250,000 of your potential buyers visit Home BUILDER Magazine’s Web site every year, making it an ideal medium for reaching the residential construction and renovation industry.

Check out the New Product main page:www.homebuildercanada.com/wp_main.htm

On-line and print version package available. Advertise on both versions for maximum exposure and save big! Contact us at: [email protected] or 514-620-2200

Introducing an exciting new marketing opportunity for Home BUILDER Magazine’s advertisers!

The Future is HomeJust as spring follows winter, this is the beginning of a new era for home building in Canada.

This new business environment is challenging. You need to understand what’s going on in the marketplace, and how to position your business for the opportunities ahead. You must be agile and at the top of your game to succeed.

The 2010 CHBA National Conference in Victoria will deliver the critical business knowledge you need now.

• Emergingnewmarketopportunities.• Yourcustomers–whotheyareandhowtoreachthem.• Essentialdesigntrendsandfeatures.• Improvingoperationaleffectivenessforincreasedcustomer

value, and profit.• Leveragingnewtechnologiesandpractices.• Maximizingyourperformanceandcompetitiveness.

This Conference will be about one thing – opportunity.

For more information, and online registration, please visit:

www.chba.ca/conference

67TH CHBA NATIONAL CONFERENCE

The Fairmont Empress Victoria, British Columbia March 5 – 7, 2010

http://www.chba.ca/members-area/your-chba/national-conference.aspx

®™ Trademark of The Dow Chemical Company (“Dow”) or an affiliated company of Dow™ © 2006, VANOC

Energy Efficiency. Win the Game.

At Dow Building Solutions, we’re proud

to team with the Vancouver Organizing

Committee to help the 2010 Olympic and

Paralympic Winter Games achieve their

goal of a carbon-neutral event. 2010 Winter

Games venues are using high-performance

STYROFOAM™ Brand Insulation solutions

from Dow extensively

to deliver peak indoor

comfort for athletes

and spectators during

the Games – and peak

energy efficiency and

CO2 emissions reduction

for decades to come.

That’s peak performance,

sustained.

www.dow.com/2010

The Whistler Sliding CentreSTYROFOAM™ Brand Spray Polyurethane Foam Insulation is used on the exterior side of the concrete sliding track for superior adherence and long-term thermal resistance.

http://www.dowat2010.ca/dbs/

sept/oct 2009 | home builder canada

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