SUSTAINABLE BUILDING STANDARDS: WHAT DO THEY MEAN AND HOW DO THEY COMPARE?
In today’s homebuilding world, there are many certifications and associations defining standards for sustainable buildings. Differentiating between them all can be a little overwhelming, as there is much overlap and standards have emerged from all over the globe.
As the construction industry continues to work toward environmentally friendly and sustainable practices, we see improving trends and better common practices emerging, minimum standards more commonly adopted, and visionary initiatives gaining momentum.
We’ve picked six of the more often used and well-known standards from our point of reference (North America) to expand on here, to help you better understand the criteria and considerations for your next build!
In today’s homebuilding world, there are many certifications and associations defining standards for sustainable buildings. Differentiating between them all can be a little overwhelming, as there is much overlap and standards have emerged from all over the globe.
As the construction industry continues to work toward environmentally friendly and sustainable practices, we see improving trends and better common practices emerging, minimum standards more commonly adopted, and visionary initiatives gaining momentum.
We’ve picked six of the more often used and well-known standards from our point of reference (North America) to expand on here, to help you better understand the criteria and considerations for your next build!
ENERGY STAR Certification: ENERGY STAR is an internationally recognized standard of energy efficiency for not just homes but other buildings, facilities and products as well. An ENERGY STAR certified home will be built to a market leading and government backed standard of efficiency. This standard is reached using common elements like energy-efficient windows, HRV (Heat Recovery Ventilators), and 400 kwh/year of electrical savings gained, usually with use of ENERGY STAR certified lighting and appliances. There is also a minimum threshold for airtightness. On average, an ENERGY STAR home is 20 percent more energy efficient than a home built to minimum code. Find more information on ENERGY STAR here (for Canadians) and here (for Americans.)
LEED Certification: LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. This certification considers energy efficiency as just one ingredient in a sustainable home. If this certification is granted by the Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI), it will have taken into account sustainable elements across many areas where credits are awarded: Location and Transportation, Sustainable Sites, Water Efficiency, Materials and Resources, Indoor Environmental Quality, Innovation in Design, Energy, and Atmosphere. Homes are ranked at levels: Certified, Silver, Gold or Platinum. Along with a premium in resale value, LEED certified homes use 20-30% less energy on average than a home built to minimum code (but can certainly save more). Learn more about LEED here.
R-2000 Certification: R-2000 is a Canadian standard developed over 35 years ago, which was updated in 2012. NRCan issues these certifications and labels to homeowners who have hired trained builders and had their home’s efficiency tested by an independent third-party. High insulation levels in walls, ceilings and basements; high-efficiency windows and doors, high-efficiency heating, whole-house mechanical ventilation, airtighness and water conserving fixtures will be used in an R-2000 home. On average, an R-2000 home will be 50% more energy efficient than a home built to minimum code. You can learn more about R-2000 homes here.
Passive House (Passivehaus) Standard: First built in Germany, homes and buildings that meet the International Passive House standard are built to work with their environment, using superinsulation, passive solar heat gain (direct sunlight), shading, advanced window technology, airtightness and heat recovery (recovering waste heat from lighting, other electrical devices, body heat, etc.). A Passive House may have a supplemental heat source, small wood stove or micro-heat pump to heat the water tank, but in general the capacity and energy needed for heating and cooling are quite low and use no more than 60kwh/year of primary energy. In the best examples, this can come close to zero. There are multiple certification bodies for Passive House: Learn more about Passive House Institute here. Learn about Passive House Institute US here.
Net Zero (NZE), Net Zero Energy Ready (NZE(r)) : A true Net Zero Home generates as much clean energy as it uses. With renewable energy systems such as solar panels and wind power and advanced construction methods, the home’s features work together to minimize its environmental footprint. Filtered fresh air systems, advanced heating, cooling and construction methods mean you get a tightly built and well insulated home. Because your home will generate a finite amount of energy throughout the year, how you live in the home determines whether your home is truly Net Zero. A home can be Net Zero capable but not reach true Net Zero status if the homeowner uses more energy than the home produces. A true Net Zero home will be 100% more efficient than a home built to minimum code. In Canada, this standard is qualified by the CHBA (Canadian home builders association). A Net Zero Energy Ready home may not be set up with solar panels but has been designed to work with them once installed. Learn more about Net Zero here.
Living Building: The most advanced measure of sustainability in the built environment today, the Living Building challenge is a call to build structures that will redefine the future of the built environment. There are twenty imperatives that must be met in order for a home to reach this holistic standard, pulled together from the worlds of architecture, engineering, planning, interiors, landscape design, and policy. These imperatives fall under seven performance categories or “petals”; Place, Water, Energy, Health+Happiness, Materials, Equity and Beauty. Regional solutions are created in all challenge projects due to variables like climate factors and proximity to water, and often buildings will emulate natural phenomena in the local environment (ie. the home would act more like a cactus in the desert in collecting water than it would a tree). A living building will not just be completely self sustainable and produce 100% of its own energy, but will create a positive impact on the human and natural systems it interacts with. Learn more about Living Buildings here.
LEED Certification: LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. This certification considers energy efficiency as just one ingredient in a sustainable home. If this certification is granted by the Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI), it will have taken into account sustainable elements across many areas where credits are awarded: Location and Transportation, Sustainable Sites, Water Efficiency, Materials and Resources, Indoor Environmental Quality, Innovation in Design, Energy, and Atmosphere. Homes are ranked at levels: Certified, Silver, Gold or Platinum. Along with a premium in resale value, LEED certified homes use 20-30% less energy on average than a home built to minimum code (but can certainly save more). Learn more about LEED here.
R-2000 Certification: R-2000 is a Canadian standard developed over 35 years ago, which was updated in 2012. NRCan issues these certifications and labels to homeowners who have hired trained builders and had their home’s efficiency tested by an independent third-party. High insulation levels in walls, ceilings and basements; high-efficiency windows and doors, high-efficiency heating, whole-house mechanical ventilation, airtighness and water conserving fixtures will be used in an R-2000 home. On average, an R-2000 home will be 50% more energy efficient than a home built to minimum code. You can learn more about R-2000 homes here.
Passive House (Passivehaus) Standard: First built in Germany, homes and buildings that meet the International Passive House standard are built to work with their environment, using superinsulation, passive solar heat gain (direct sunlight), shading, advanced window technology, airtightness and heat recovery (recovering waste heat from lighting, other electrical devices, body heat, etc.). A Passive House may have a supplemental heat source, small wood stove or micro-heat pump to heat the water tank, but in general the capacity and energy needed for heating and cooling are quite low and use no more than 60kwh/year of primary energy. In the best examples, this can come close to zero. There are multiple certification bodies for Passive House: Learn more about Passive House Institute here. Learn about Passive House Institute US here.
Net Zero (NZE), Net Zero Energy Ready (NZE(r)) : A true Net Zero Home generates as much clean energy as it uses. With renewable energy systems such as solar panels and wind power and advanced construction methods, the home’s features work together to minimize its environmental footprint. Filtered fresh air systems, advanced heating, cooling and construction methods mean you get a tightly built and well insulated home. Because your home will generate a finite amount of energy throughout the year, how you live in the home determines whether your home is truly Net Zero. A home can be Net Zero capable but not reach true Net Zero status if the homeowner uses more energy than the home produces. A true Net Zero home will be 100% more efficient than a home built to minimum code. In Canada, this standard is qualified by the CHBA (Canadian home builders association). A Net Zero Energy Ready home may not be set up with solar panels but has been designed to work with them once installed. Learn more about Net Zero here.
Living Building: The most advanced measure of sustainability in the built environment today, the Living Building challenge is a call to build structures that will redefine the future of the built environment. There are twenty imperatives that must be met in order for a home to reach this holistic standard, pulled together from the worlds of architecture, engineering, planning, interiors, landscape design, and policy. These imperatives fall under seven performance categories or “petals”; Place, Water, Energy, Health+Happiness, Materials, Equity and Beauty. Regional solutions are created in all challenge projects due to variables like climate factors and proximity to water, and often buildings will emulate natural phenomena in the local environment (ie. the home would act more like a cactus in the desert in collecting water than it would a tree). A living building will not just be completely self sustainable and produce 100% of its own energy, but will create a positive impact on the human and natural systems it interacts with. Learn more about Living Buildings here.
There are many more adaptations and standards for environmentally friendly construction projects throughout the world. As you can see, the general commonalities between all standards are: careful planning and design, attention to the high quality building envelope and insulation, and the use of efficient appliances and materials. While building an energy efficient home may take a little extra time and money, the long term effects for the planet and your wallet are well worth it! To learn more about the world of green building, check out our online educational resource, The Conscious Builder Academy.