Renovation Programs
Consistent with our other programs, Built Green's Renovation programs take a holistic approach that includes energy efficiency as a key focus and goes on to other critical aspects of sustainable building—like materials and methods, water conservation, and waste management—and includes advanced building technologies. The programs are affordable, and in select markets, incentives and rebates are available. We will be reintroducing this program later this year.
Single Family Renovation
Our Single Family Renovation Program considers the scale of the renovation and its ability to impact greater energy efficiency and the certification is based on the performance improvement of the home at the time of completion as compared to the home’s original performance. There are three renovation types:
- Whole House (75% or more): EnerGuide required (Single Family Checklist applies).
- Renovation (40 – 70%) as well as a secondary suite: EnerGuide required.
- Small Home Improvements: Room Renos (less than 40% and/or bathroom, or kitchen, or basement): EnerGuide is encouraged and rewarded, but not mandatory.
High Density Renovation
The HD Reno program is contained within the High Density New Construction program checklist. The main differences affect Energy & Envelope, Materials & Methods, and Waste Management; further details are outlined here. HD Renovation types include:
- Mixed-Use
- Repurposed
- Heritage
Home Certification
We label projects that have met the compliance requirements for energy performance as well as the other six key areas of sustainability outlined in Built Green's holistic programs. Our checklist guides the builder through the program, offering options on green features to integrate into their projects.
Certification recognizes the authenticity of a project, offering third-party verification to the build's energy efficiency and green features. There are levels of achievement—Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum—each requiring incremental increases in both energy performance scores and overall checklist points from the other six sections of the program.
The Single Family Renovation program is a two-in-one certification: the EnerGuide label through Natural Resources Canada and the BUILT GREEN® seal through Built Green Canada, with the exception of Small Home Improvements, for which EnerGuide is only encouraged.
Meanwhile, in the High Density Renovation program, substantial upgrades/retrofits must be made to energy-related building systems, and the existing building’s energy performance must be modeled with approved government software, such as EE4, EQuest or CanQuest, with the energy performance of the building’s upgrades and retrofits compared to the prescriptive requirements of the energy standard used for modeling (NECB 2011 or ASHRAE 90.1-2010). And so, again, this program results in certification through Built Green Canada, with an energy performance requirement.
Training
Our Built Green Whole-House Energy Retrofit online training is an affordable, on-demand, self-guided option for all industry, with a discount for BUILT GREEN® Members. This course aligns with our Renovation Programs but is valuable to any professional renovator.
Program Tools
Built Green Canada offers program-specific tools, including a checklist, guide, and process flow, available to members for the purposes of BUILT GREEN® certification. To learn more, please email us.
Product Sourcing
Our online Product Catalogue features materials for builders and developers interested in sustainable building. These products have been reviewed by our Technical Standards Committee and are intended to help builders save time sourcing; their use may help earn projects points towards certification.
Builder Support
We are committed to supporting our builders and ensuring the successful certification of their projects. Built Green provides affordable, online training—and we can provide builders with further assistance, including technical advice and on-the-ground support from other experience builders and industry professionals.
Built Green Canada welcomes industry’s continued input during the pilot phase of these programs, which are complementary to the leadership efforts of the Canadian Home Builders’ Association's and CMHC’s Get it in Writing initiative.
You can also review our Request for Interpretation log, which includes questions and answers previously submitted; recommend an update to the Checklist; or email us if you require clarification on a checklist item(s).