Efficiency Manitoba cont.
“It was important to me to know I was building my home in a way that would lessen my impact on the environment. But the financials mattered to me too,” Clarkson says. “Our family’s new home might be the largest purchase we will ever make, and we wanted to do it right. That included investing in energy efficiency as much as we could afford to and accessing programs like Efficiency Manitoba’s New Homes Program and CMHCs EcoPlus program for rebates and refunds.” Manitoba adopted a new national building and energy code in early 2024. Since then, participation in Efficiency Manitoba’s New Homes Program has grown by leaps and bounds, according to Allison Lund, energy-efficiency specialist at Efficiency Manitoba. Lund attributes the program’s success to increased interest from local builders who not only want to understand and meet the new code but to exceed it. “All homes certified Energy Efficient by the New Homes Program perform 25 per cent better as opposed to current code requirements, at minimum,” Lund explains. “What’s really exciting to see is the level of industry-wide participation we now have.” Lund says production builders, custom home- builders and even not-for-profit organizations such as Habitat for Humanity are enthusiastic partners in the New Homes Program. “Luckily for Manitobans, our homebuilders already have experience building some pretty energy-efficient new homes,” she says. “Where Manitoba’s homebuilders really excel is in building very airtight homes. Airtightness, in a nutshell, refers to how well the exterior building envelope prevents uncontrolled air leakage through gaps or cracks.” Lund explains it’s a definite plus for Manitoba residents who face an 80-degree Celsius swing between winters and summers.
“Where Manitoba’s homebuilders really excel is in building very airtight homes. Airtightness, in a nutshell, refers to how well the exterior building envelope prevents uncontrolled air leakage through gaps or cracks.”
– ALLISON LUND, ENERGY-EFFICIENCY SPECIALIST, EFFICIENCY MANITOBA.
126 PARADE of HOMES FALL 2025
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