EFFICIENT FUTURE MODERN HOME BUILDER. TOTAL CONTROL The Hanover Company ensures its success in urban markets. Page 26

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1 TOTAL CONTROL The Hanover Company ensures its success in urban markets. Page 26 MODERN HOME BUILDER LAND GRAB Paran Homes found success in buying undervalued home sites. Page 52 FALL 2015 Reid s Heritage Homes is at work on five Net Zero homes to be completed by Page 18 EFFICIENT FUTURE

2 Reid s Heritage Homes EFFICIENT HOMES FOR THE FUTURE Cambridge, Ontario-based Reid s Heritage Homes is at work on five Net Zero homes to be completed by BY ALAN DORICH For the last decade, Reid s Heritage Homes, a Cambridge, Ontario-based homebuilder, has operated with the mission of bringing healthier homes to its customers. As economic factors change and lifestyles and family dynamics evolve, we must as a building industry provide a product that is of value to buyers, says Jennifer Weatherston, Director of Innovation. We need to address the issues facing our health, environment and lifestyles to ensure the needs of our buyers are being met. The nearly 40-year-old company has established itself as a leader in the homebuilding industry through such initiatives as building the first LEED Platinum home in Canada in At the time of its release, it was also the highest-rated LEED home in North America. Five years later, Reid s Heritage Homes became the first homebuilder to receive the Energy Star Award for homebuilding and was named the Ontario Homebuilder of the Year in We have been recognized as a leader in innovation and our partnerships with industry leaders such as Owens Corning have helped solidify this status, Weatherston says. THE NET ZERO PROGRAM When the American Association of Architects set the goal that by 2030 all homes could be built to produce as much energy as they consume, the Ministry of Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) and Owens Corning sought to test that objective with the Net Zero program. The project includes the construction of 25 Net Zero Energy homes in four provinces, including Alberta, Ontario, Quebec and Nova Scotia. Reid s Heritage Homes is building five Net Zero homes and will have them complet- PROFILE Solar panels mounted on roof to produce energy that is stored and allows the home to stay off the grid for up to three days. REID S HERITAGE HOMES ReidsHeritageHomes.com Headquarters: Cambridge, Ontario / Employees: 250 Specialty: Homebuilding

3 Triple pane windows provide increased insulation and reduce noise from neighboring homes. They also improve the efficiency of the home and eliminate drafts. Fall

4 Reid s Heritage Homes WE WANT TO BE LEADERS FOR OTHERS IN THE INDUS- TRY TO BUILD MORE ENER- GY-EFFICIENT HOMES. ed by 2016 in its Westminster Woods community in Guelph, Ontario. The Reid s Heritage Homes construction of Net Zero homes reflects its desire to lead the industry with positive changes. We want to be leaders for others in the industry to build more energy-efficient homes that provide better air quality, comfort and value to buyers so they may enjoy a healthier and more sustainable lifestyle, Weatherston says. INSTRUMENTAL ASSISTANCE Supported by a grant from NRCan and Owens Corning, Reid s Heritage Homes works with third-party consultants who are closely tied to its daily business interactions. We have a fantastic relationship with the folks at Building Knowledge Canada, who have been instrumental in assisting us through the unknowns or validating the crazy ideas we come up with, Weatherston states. We have looked at various options for the builds while communicating with our trades and suppliers to find a system that offers value and ease in a production environment, she continues. Building Knowledge has been a key factor in steering us in the right direction or validating our requests. PROVING THE FUTURE Reid s Heritage Homes has surpassed the challenges of investigating and finding solutions to the construction of the Net Zero Improved air sealing reduces air leakage, resulting in savings on energy bills. Zoned home comfort systems allow the homeowner to control the temperature on each floor of the home. Discovery Home, including selecting which products to use. Each has its own little niche or sales pitch, Weatherston says. We have selected products that make sense from a costreduction perspective, trade friendliness, durability and are manufactured by reputable companies, she says. If a warranty issue arises in five years, we want to ensure that the manufacturer or installer will be around to service it. As well, our end-goal is to provide a cost-effective solution as we build the homes, she says, noting that this proves that Reid s Heritage Homes is offering the best options for Net Zero while maintaining an affordable option for buyers. It has to be repeatable and widely available, Weatherston says. We have to prove to the industry that this is the future of homebuilding. NUMEROUS FEATURES Net Zero homes by Reid s Heritage Homes will incorporate features such as: ) Solar panels mounted on the roof to produce energy. The energy produced is stored in batteries located in the basement so if there was ever a black-out, the home could stay off the grid for up to three days. The company is also

5 considering integrated solar panels that will be mounted directly to the roof sheathing on strapping, as opposed to over shingles. Utilizing integrated solar panels provides increased roof longevity and durability for the home, as well as long term value to the homebuyer as the need to replace shingles is no longer necessary. ) Increased insulation throughout the home, including the attic, walls and basement which keep the home warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer, eliminating the need for thermostat setbacks the house maintains the temperature. ) Improved air sealing, which reduces air leakage resulting in savings on energy bills as it will cost less to heat or cool the home. ) Triple-pane windows to provide increased insulation and reduce noise from neighboring homes. They also improve the efficiency of the home and eliminate drafts that most homeowners feel when sitting beside their windows in a regular home. ) Air source heat pumps use the energy provided by the solar panels for heating the home in the cooler seasons and work in reverse to cool the home in the warmer seasons. ) Zoned home comfort systems, which allow the homeowner to control the temperature on each floor of the home. This means the basement could be as warm or as cool as the top floor. ) An air-source hot water tank extracts energy from surrounding air and uses it to pre-warm the water in the water tank thus utilizing less energy to heat the water. ) A drain water heat recovery unit extracts energy from warm shower water and pre-warms the water going into the hot water tank, saving on energy. DISCOVERY HOME The first Net Zero home by Reid s Heritage Homes will be a prototype Discovery Home that displays the company s first excursion into this technology. The home is in the finishing stages and is scheduled to open to the public in September REACHING OUT With the Net Zero project, Reid s Heritage Homes has received a strong response from the industry as well as homeowners and educational institutions. It is participating in builder forums, interviews and tours, and answering questions from industry professionals. The company is also advancing the knowledge of Net Zero homes to consumers through strategic marketing and a kick-off campaign for the highly anticipated opening of the Discovery Home. When we launched this initiative, we reached out to our partners our trade base and fellow team members internally and externally to seek engagement and the response was overwhelming, Weatherston recalls, noting that Rogers Communications is working with it for home automation. The University of Guelph with their business and engineering colleges are developing dashboards for the energy production/consumption that appeal to users of high-level technical data Fall

6 Reid s Heritage Homes Energy Star rated appliances (above) provide energy efficiency and conserve water. The Rogers Home Automation dashboard (right) provides convenience to homebuyers by allowing them to directly or remotely control the home s temperature, lighting and door locks. or base level, Weatherston explains. Owens Corning and their products are instrumental in this project their support has been exemplary. Reid s Heritage Homes is also looking to partner with an automotive manufacturer to take advantage of energy production and electric cars. We are looking to take home automation to a whole new level, she says. ADDRESSING ITEMS Weatherston sees more Net Zero homes in Reid s Heritage Homes future. Our Senior Vice President of Residential, Blake Seeberger, has noted that by 2017 our goal is to offer Net Zero Ready Homes for all new single family communities, she says. This would result in highly efficient homes that would offer superior comfort to our buyers, with only one component missing solar panels, which a buyer could add to the home when ready, Weatherston continues. Our base level Net Zero-ready home takes into account obstacles that the buyer might encounter. These include conduit from the basement to the attic for future solar panels, dual gang meter bases and 60-amp disconnects. This ensures buyers will be limited to or free from significant charges for hydro disconnect from the main service when panels are applied. We are addressing items up front so we save the homeowner costs down the road, she says. We are really focusing on meeting the needs of tomorrow s buyer, today. For more information on the Net Zero Discovery Home by Reid s Heritage Homes, visit ) Published by Phoenix Media Corporation Tel: Fax: On behalf of Reid s Heritage Homes 2015 Phoenix Media Corporation. All rights reserved.

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