Efficiency Manitoba
house, thanks in part to excellent airtightness. Airtightness, in a nutshell, refers to how well the exterior building envelope prevents uncon- trolled air leakage through gaps or cracks. In this case, the home achieved 0.95 air changes per hour compared to the Canadian standard of 2.5 ACH for single-family homes. Lower air leakage means heat and cold move more slowly through the walls, ceilings and floors, which helps keep temperatures more even and reduces the amount of moisture travelling through the building enclosure. For families, that translates into fewer drafts and a lower risk of condensation. Orientation matters, too: south-facing rear windows bring in more natural heat on sunny days so the furnace doesn’t have to work as hard to keep the home warm. It’s a good example of how thoughtful design and modest upgrades can still create a home that out-per- forms a basic code-built house. Together, these two homes show that whether you go all-in on efficiency or choose a more modest set of upgrades, you’re investing in a home that feels better to live in and is more resilient to Manitoba’s storms, outages and long winters. And because both show homes are open to visitors during the Fall Parade of Homes, families can experience these fea- tures in person — walking through the spaces, talking to the builders and deciding which path fits their own needs and budget.
To help families understand and finetune their energy use, 141 Yolande also includes an energy monitoring system. Homeowners can see how and when their household uses energy and spot opportunities for improve- ment. Combined with the home’s solar-ready design, it gives future owners a clear path to further reduce reliance on the electricity grid if they choose to add solar panels down the road. At 288 Masters Ave., Ventura Custom Homes focused on a smaller-scope efficiency package with modest upgrades that still deliver meaningful benefits. The home performs about 30 per cent better than a minimum code-built
Photos courtesy of Efficiency Manitoba
Homes in the New Homes Program are energy-modelled and tested so builders can see how choices such as wall systems, window packages, mechanical equipment and airtightness affect overall performance before the house is built.
114 FALL 2026 PARADE of HOMES | homebuilders.mb.ca
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