Parade of Homes

By Pat rediger >> Prairie home builders are finding it quite easy to live by the code. The province adopted the national Energy Code for Buildings two years ago, and the Manitoba Build- ing Code upped the ante earlier this year with new requirements to increase energy efficiency. But lo- cal builders have long been ahead of the curve. "We're building houses in a tundra climate. Your houses have to be super efficient, super warm and air tight. If you get one leak and it's minus 35 out, then you're in trouble," says Maric Homes vice-pres- ident of architectural design Peri Maric. Manitoba was the first prov- ince to adopt Heat Recovery Ventilation (HRV) — which warms incoming air with heat from outgoing air — and as of April 1, 2016, new homes must be equipped with drain water heat recovery systems, which can reduce a hot water heater's energy consumption by 25%. One big push these days is LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design). The rating system is a green building certification pro- gram that recognizes best-in- class building strategies and practices. Projects must meet prerequisites and can then earn points to achieve different levels of certification. Maric notes that many homes are 90% to 95% of the way there when it comes to LEED certification. With a few additional upgrades, they could achieve an even higher rating. In 2015, Maric Homes custom built a 4,440-square- foot home in Headingley's Deer Pointe develop- ment, which at the time was one of about 20 resi- dential buildings in Manitoba built to meet LEED standards. "We had to look at literally hundreds of different aspects in building this home. There were a lot of checks and balances," Maric says. "It's equipped with water- and energy-efficient fixtures such as a water sprinkler regulated by a soil moisture moni- tor. A computer app controls a window blind sys- tem that helps maintain a comfortable indoor tem- perature. There's also a geothermal heating system supplemented with small gas fireplaces." Parade of Homes FALL 2016 127 ™ "Reliance", "Reliance Superior", "Reliance Superior Heating and Air Conditioning", "Rent and Relax", "We're not comfortable until you are" and the Reliance Superior logo are trademarks of Reliance Comfort Limited Partnership. For over 50 years, thousands of homeowners and builders in Winnipeg have trusted Reliance Superior with their most important investment. Depend on us for the same reason they do: when it comes to customized mechanical designs, we're your go-to home services company. At Reliance Superior, you'll be offered: • A full range of solutions, including heating & cooling, duct design and installation, innovative mechanical layout design, water heaters, heat recovery ventilators and more • Licensed, in-house experts • Quality brand name equipment • Choice of payment options, including a rental program which offers no upfront equipment costs and coverage for most parts and labour repair costs • Annual maintenance and protection plans Discover why we can deliver solutions that are as unique as the home you want to build. Contact us today. A custom build home needs custom comfort. Furnaces • Air Conditioners • Water Heaters Clean Air Systems and More 204-259-2706 reliancesuperior.ca Cont'd on page 128 'Your houses have to be super efficient, super warm and air tight. If you get one leak and it 's minus 35 out, then you're in trouble'

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