Better Builder Magazine, Issue 35 / Autumn 2020

PUBLICATIONNUMBER42408014
INSIDE
Tapping into Water
Spray Foam Insulation Tips
for Electrical Professionals
Battery Storage Benefits
Reducing Air Leakage
Effects of Window Selection
ISSUE 35 | AUTUMN 2020
THE
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BETTERBUILDER.CA | ISSUE 35 | AUTUMN 2020
16
1
PUBLISHER’S NOTE
2
HVAC That Doesn’t
Go with the Flow
by John Godden
THE BADA TEST
3
Tap into High-Quality Water
by Lou Bada
INDUSTRY EXPERT
5
If Only You Knew How Tight
Your Houses Were Going to Be
by Gord Cooke
INDUSTRY NEWS
9
Leading by Example
What’s Good for New Is
Good for Old (Part 2)
by Paul De Berardis
INDUSTRY NEWS
13
Spray Foam Insulation
Tips for Electrical Professionals
by Paul Duffy
INDUSTRY NEWS
22
Golf Tournament
by Patsy Duffy
SITE SPECIFIC
24
The Benefits of Panasonic
Battery Storage
by Alex Newman
SPECIAL INTEREST
28
Seal of Approval
A new method of reducing air
leakage is opening industry
eyes with its dramatic results.
by Rob Blackstien
FROM THE GROUND UP
31
Builder’s Window Selection
Affects Sizing and
Designing HVAC Systems
and Occupant Comfort
by Doug Tarry
FEATURE STORY
16
Game of Zones
The early results of Enbridge’s study using zoned modulating combination
heating systems suggest dramatic energy savings and GHG reduction.
by Rob Blackstien
28
ISSUE 35 | AUTUMN 2020
On our cover: Regal Crest demonstration home. Photo by John Godden
Images internally supplied unless otherwise credited.
5
22

HVAC That Doesn’t
Go with the Flow
2
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M
ost homes currently built in Ontario have a furnace and a separate hot water
heater. This is the status quo. However, energy performance standards in the
Ontario Building Code are more demanding. More insulation, better windows
and tighter envelopes result in lower heating and cooling loads. The reference house in
the SB-12 (2017) Package A1 prescriptive tables yields a space heating load of 28 MBtu/
hour for single detached homes and likely under 20 MBtu/hour for townhouses.
It seems logical to integrate space and hot water heating into one combination
system. Envelope losses and ventilation account for 50% of space heating, while
hot water accounts for another 18% (refer to the pie chart). One gas appliance – a
condensing hot water heater with a forced air fan coil – can easily and comfortably heat
a large single-family home. This is the finding of a recent Enbridge research project.
Unlike P911’s tested and matched systems used in
ENERGY STAR, the iFlow system goes one step further,
with the full integration of a tankless domestic hot
water (DHW) heater with a smart air handler monitored
in large production houses.
Enbridge’s study was conducted in five homes, and
the early results of using these modulating combination
heating systems suggest dramatic energy savings and
GHG reductions. Read about it in “Game of Zones,” our
feature, on page 16.
In a continuation of an article from fall 2019, Paul De
Berardis brings us up to date on his renovation project
on page 9. His tips and tricks show that incorporating
mechanical upgrades into an existing older home
can achieve performance close to that of a newly
constructed one. Meanwhile, Lou Bada shares his
thoughts on incentivizing responsible home owner
water consumption behaviour. On page 3, he explains
why he believes the BWT Woda-Pure filtration system
will make home owners want to live sustainably.
Equipment sizing and load calculations are
important for HVAC. Gord Cooke discusses the impact
a serious approach to airtightness has on performance
and comfort in the design stage (page 5). We also take a close look at AeroBarrier, an
acrylic sealant that’s showing impressive results. It’s also available to builders through
an Enbridge program (page 28). In addition to airtightness, proper window selection
can enhance performance and comfort. Doug Tarry gives us a clear view for making
the right choice on page 31.
We all know that the easy improvements for home energy efficiency have already
been made. Moving forward requires developing and embracing new, creative
technologies and going with the iFlow. The right envelope design, integrated with
advanced combination heating, is the way to go. BB
publisher’snote / JOHN GODDEN
 Domestic hot water
Hot water is a fairly
large load
 Air conditioning,
lighting, appliances
 Envelope heat losses
 Ventilation losses
32% 31%
18% 19%
NBC Reference Home
Household Energy Use
Combo systems can
work on 68% of the load

FILTRATION
•
Removal of chlorine and
other residual substances
of odour and taste through
highly effective and food
safe activated carbon
•
Safe removal of particles
and suspended solids
•
Reliable retention of certain
organic concomitant
substances
•
Filtrate has good sensory
qualities for perfect taste
ANTI-CHLORINE
Instead, I’d like to talk about
water filtration systems. There are
lots of them on the market today;
many are good at filtration, but
there are differing advantages and
disadvantages with differing products
and technologies. My usual rant
about having a value proposition
for our customers and a cost-benefit
analysis applies to water filtration as
well. It is important, however, that
we keep our goal in mind: achieving
sustainable building practices
and behaviour. Rather than letting
governments regulate everything that
moves, it is usually more effective
to design a better product that
consumers will actually want and use.
In commerce, we usually view
economic transactions and consumer
behaviour through the lens of the
participants’ (perceived) self-interest.
We do not necessarily rely on the
buyers’ and sellers’ good nature for
the success of a product. I believe
the BWT Woda-Pure filtration
system will lead our customers to
an “enlightened self-interest” by
providing a cost-effective, convenient
and high-quality alternative to
using plastic bottles. Cost and
convenience are the primary drivers
of this ecologically friendly product
and the reason for BWT’s success.
A little more about the product: The
rated capacity for the BWT Woda-Pure
S-C Filter Cartridge is 12,000 litres. It
has been system tested and certified
by NSF International against CSA
B483.1 and NSF/ANSI 42 for chlorine
reduction, taste and odour reduction.
Additional facts include:
• High-quality, made by The BWT
Group – Best Water Technology
GmbH (bwt.com);
• Technologically advanced features
– Aqua-Stop and Non-Return Valve;
• Extremely easy to replace,
reasonably priced and easily
accessible filter cartridges – like
changing a light bulb;
• Incapsulated filter cartridge for
the most hygienic conditions – no
contamination;
• Great tasting water with all the
natural minerals included – directly
from your kitchen faucet;
• Eliminates the need for plastic
water bottles and inexpensive to
use and maintain;
• Locally supported (BWTservice
Canada.ca); and
• Great water right from your kitchen
faucet without an extra fixture and
completely hidden under your sink.
Water is a limited resource shared
by 7.5 billion people. 250 billion litres
of water per year are supplied using
plastic water bottles, which is about
200 billion bottles a year – most of
which are not recycled. This staggering
3
thebadatest / LOU BADA
Tap into High-Quality Water
S
ome things are worth repeating. Starlane Homes’s “bottle-free” community
in Oakville, which I introduced in my last column, deserves some further
attention. The environmental benefits of reducing the amount of plastic
produced and consumed are well documented and self-evident, and I won’t
belabor the point any further. Starlane’s decision, along with Rosehaven Homes,
to install high-quality in-line under-counter water filters in every new home in
our Ivy Rouge community in Oakville was a good one.
SOURCE:BWTSALESCATALOGUE2017

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4
number is rising by nearly 5% every
year. BWT took up a challenge to
reduce plastic waste and created a
product that makes sense.
Builders should get credit for
improving the sustainability of our
homes, especially when it comes to
water usage and waste reduction.
When it comes to sustainable
building, the low-hanging fruit
has been eaten. We should now
tackle the more daunting and
difficult task of modifying the
most important component of a
new home – the occupant. Products
that reduce plastic waste and water
consumption seamlessly, and in a
cost-effective manner, will enable
socially responsible behaviour by our
customers. If we fail to recognize how
important it is to intelligently motivate
everyone to act responsibly, we will
fail in our efforts to make our homes
more sustainable. If we neglect to
understand what motivates people to
make good choices, then we’ll have a
pandemic of plastic on our hands. BB
Lou Bada is vice-
president of low-rise
construction at Starlane
Home Corporation
and on the board of
directors for the Residential Construction
Council of Ontario (RESCON).
If we fail to recognize
how important it
is to intelligently
motivate everyone to
act responsibly, we
will fail in our efforts
to make our homes
more sustainable.

If Only You Knew How Tight
Your Houses Were Going to Be
The easy answers are the ones I –
and every other building scientist/
energy rater/certified energy advisor
– have been giving you, builders
and contractors, for over 40 years.
To start, the first, most important
reason in cold climate houses is to
ensure warm, moist air doesn’t leak
into ever-better insulated wall and
attic cavities, condense and result
in mould and rot. That is why the
requirement for a comprehensive,
continuous air barrier was written
into the Ontario Building Code
(OBC) in 1990 – 30 years ago. Then,
of course, we reminded this VP that
reducing air leakage was the most cost-
effective energy savings opportunity
in all climate zones. We then threw in
the bits about improving comfort by
reducing drafts, noise, dust and even
odours in multi-family dwellings.
You’ve heard this all before, as had
this builder. He stopped us short by
asking: But why specifically 3 ACH50?
He understood that tighter is better
and noted they write air sealing
requirements into the scopes of work
of at least six different contracts:
framing, insulation, HVAC, plumbing,
electrical and, of course, insulation
and drywall. He wanted to know why it
was so important to test and know that
they had achieved a specific number,
other than that it is a code requirement
in eight of the 10 states they build in.
Moreover, he wanted to know what
was in it for them. It’s an insightful
question that turned, for him, what
seemed like an arbitrary, almost
notional level of airtightness that is
hard for trade contractors to visualize
into a solid, purposeful objective.
We pointed out that the airtightness
level is used in two objective design
algorithms: (1) the energy simulation
software used by leading builders to
optimize the cost of energy features
in their homes and (2) the heating
and cooling system sizing software
algorithms. The VP was quick to note
that both of these algorithms would
have to be applied before a house is
built, meaning he would need to know
5
industryexpert / GORD COOKE
J
ust recently, I was asked to weigh in on a question from the vice president
of contracts for a large national builder. This company builds thousands
of homes in more than 10 states that each have their own airtightness
requirements written into their codes. The question was: Why three air changes
per hour at 50 Pascal pressure (3 ACH50) rather than 5 ACH50?

or commit to a level of airtightness
before design documents were
submitted for permit. We assured
him we had strategies to overcome
that risk, but first we wanted to
demonstrate the impact of applying
an airtightness value – being able
to know the level of airtightness
they were going to achieve well
before they started to build. In that
builder’s case, much of what they
build is in the southeastern states,
where air conditioning loads and
dehumidification are the prime
concerns. For this article, we
can focus on demonstrating the
impact on heating loads, although
there are some important benefits
on the summer loads as well. In
future articles, we can explore the
opportunities to optimize energy
code requirements using better
airtightness commitments.
The OBC and the National
Building Code of Canada both
direct builders to design and install
heating and cooling systems that
are in compliance with CSA F280:
Determining the Required Capacity
of Residential Space Heating and
Cooling Appliances. (Technically,
you can choose to use other
engineering standards, but F280
is the most commonly used). F280
has a comprehensive algorithm to
assess the implication of air leakage
on heating and cooling loads.
Factors such as size and height of the
building, local wind speeds and local
shielding, design temperatures and
humidity, and the type of ventilation
are considered.
Most importantly, however, the
algorithm requires inputs on the
expected airtightness of the building
and even an estimation of the size
and location of “holes” in the building
envelope. If you know what your
blower door results are going to be, you
can ask your HVAC designer to enter
them. Otherwise, the designer has to
choose a default airtightness level.
Most designers want to play it safe, of
course, so they choose a relatively high
airtightness level.
From my experience, HVAC
designers think like this: If they don’t
know much about you as a builder
or your construction quality, they
choose an airtightness level of 4.55
ACH50. This is from a dropdown
menu in the standard labelled as
“average” construction. If they have
some history with you or confidence
in your ability to build tighter homes,
they may choose 3.57 ACH50, which
appears in the dropdown as “present”
construction quality.
If you choose to build to a specific
energy efficiency program, they
can enter a blower door value equal
to the highest airtightness target
allowed by that program. For example,
the ENERGY STAR for New Homes
program requires homes to achieve an
airtightness level of 2.5 ACH50 or less,
and the R-2000 and Net Zero Energy
programs have a limit of 1.5 ACH50.
The table below shows examples of
the impact on heating for three houses
in southern Ontario, if you knew you
could achieve an airtightness of 1.5
ACH50 rather than the default 4.55
ACH50. In addition, the table shows the
possible reduction in water vapour or
humidity that would enter the homes
via air leakage on hot and humid
days. That is, air sealing doesn’t offer
a significant reduction in overall air
conditioning loads, but the reduction
in latent load is helpful in maintaining
proper indoor summer humidity loads.
The table shows that, in larger
homes, knowing that you are able
to achieve an airtightness level of
1.5 ACH50 would allow your HVAC
designer and contractor to install
a furnace up to one size smaller.
That would also allow the main duct
distribution plenums to be smaller.
For example, by lowering the heating
DESIGN LOAD REDUCTIONS WHEN SELECTING
1.5 ACH50 RATHER THAN 4.55 ACH50
DESIGN HEAT LOSS
REDUCTION
MOISTURE REDUCTION
IN SUMMER
LOWER LEVEL, TWO-STOREY,
STACKED TOWNHOUSE
(1,000 SQ FT)
3,950 BTUS/HR 2–3 LITRES/DAY
THREE-STOREY,
END-UNIT TOWNHOME
(1,800 SQ FT)
TWO-STOREY
DETACHED HOME
(3,200 SQ FT)
The technology is
now readily available
for any builder to
ensure that 1.5 ACH50
can be achieved for
any type of home.

capacity by 16,000 BTUs/hr, a typical
main furnace supply plenum could
be reduced by 4" to 6" in width – an
8" x 20" duct becomes an 8" x 16" duct.
Reductions in the size of return ducts,
and the number and size of supply
runs to individual rooms, could also
be realized. You could easily expect
the total HVAC system cost reduction
to offset the cost of doing airtightness
testing and pay for some of the extra
air sealing effort.
The directives laid down by
that VP provide useful next steps
for all large builders. They made a
corporate-wide directive that every
house be tested and the results
reported back to head office. They
set a limit of no more than 4.0 ACH50
in southern climates and under 3.0
ACH50 in colder climates. Moreover,
they have set a three-year goal to be
under 2.0 ACH50. Most importantly,
those numbers became part of the
key performance quality assurance
measures for all site staff, and they
direct all their HVAC designers to size
equipment and duct work based on
these airtightness levels. They consider
this airtightness initiative to be
cost-neutral, even before they use the
results to further fine tune their energy
code performance measures.
In a Canadian climate, and
knowing where codes are headed, a
more sustainable target is 1.5 ACH50.
As I have written in previous articles,
the technology is now readily available
for any builder to ensure that 1.5
ACH50 can be achieved for any type
of home. I invite you to check out
the Aerobarrier technology and
discover the opportunities presented
by knowing your airtightness
levels before you build. Check it
out at www.aerobarrier.ca. BB
Gord Cooke is
president of Building
Knowledge Canada.
7
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Introducing a Unique Innovation:

The abundance of innovative
product offerings and advancing
technology has enabled new homes to
constantly evolve and helped builders
deliver a superior product to new-
home buyers, ultimately improving
the overall occupant experience.
However, new housing typically adds
less than 1% to the existing housing
stock each year in Ontario. Therefore,
if governments really want to move
the needle in terms of reducing GHG
emissions, the greatest potential
lies with existing housing stock –
especially homes built more than a
few decades ago. While it is no easy
task, if governments are serious about
climate change, they need to develop
a framework towards improving the
existing housing stock instead of
pushing minimal gains in the already
high-performing new housing sector.
In the fall 2019 article, I mentioned
I was undertaking a renovation of my
home, originally built in the 1980s.
Now that I’m in the finishing stages
of the renovation, I thought I would
share some of my experiences to date.
In trying to lead by example, I try to
incorporate, where possible, aspects
of new-home construction into my
renovation to improve the energy
efficiency and performance of the
home. I made some improvements
to the building envelope – but since
this is the mechanical issue, I will try
to highlight the relevant mechanical
components I incorporated into
my renovation using the best of my
knowledge from the world of new-
home construction. While it is easy to
get caught up in and focus solely on
updating a home’s aesthetics during
a renovation, I also tried to take the
opportunity to improve upon the
performance and thermal comfort of
the existing home.
Let’s start with the lungs of the
home. The original, natural (Type B)
vented furnace had already been
replaced once since the home was built,
but the newer, mid-efficiency unit had
been haphazardly fitted to the original
supply plenum (under the previous
home owner) and was definitely not
conducive to optimal operation.
After having heat loss and heat gain
calculations performed by Martino
HVAC, the existing furnace and air
conditioner were found to be oversized,
which led to new, right-sized heating
and cooling equipment being specified.
Since I plan to improve the home’s
airtightness by using AeroBarrier, an
interior-applied air sealing system
that seals building envelope leaks,
the anticipated airtightness level was
also a consideration of the mechanical
system. The heat loss and heat gain
calculations incorporated this
improved airtightness. I opted to have
a new 96% AFUE two-stage, variable-
speed electronically commutated
motor (ECM) natural gas furnace
and a 16 SEER two-stage condenser
installed. The new heating and cooling
equipment were notable improvements
over the existing units and offered
considerable efficiency improvements.
While fitting new HVAC equipment,
a Lifebreath energy recovery ventilator
(ERV) was also incorporated to mech
anically control the supply of fresh
tempered air and help modulate
humidity levels. I selected an ERV over
a heat recovery ventilator (HRV) due to
its ability to transfer moisture, prevent
excess dryness in the winter and reduce
demands on the air conditioning
system in the summer, thereby also
warranting the welcome removal of the
original and maintenance-prone drum-
style humidifier system. The ERV was
also installed in a hybrid configuration,
with a connection to the forced air
system, and ducted to draw from two
bathrooms complete with push button
9
Leading by Example
What’s Good for New Is Good for Old (Part 2)
industrynews / PAUL DE BERARDIS
S
ome of you may have caught my fall 2019 article titled “What’s Good for New
Is Good for Old,” where I discussed some of the leaps and bounds in new
home construction practices over the last 30 to 40 years. Given the continually
evolving Ontario Building Code (OBC), generally updated every five to seven years,
each generation of housing stock benefits from improved energy efficiency as well
as refinement of construction practices and materials. Advancements in the OBC
have transformed how homes in Ontario are built, greatly improving operational
energy efficiency while reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
Incorporating modern
mechanical system
upgrades into a
renovation can go a
long way in helping an
older home perform
close to that of a newly
constructed home.

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controls, thus eliminating the need
for two bathroom exhaust fans.
When it comes to domestic water
heating, the original hot water tank
consisted of an atmospheric vent-type
gas water heater, leaving a lot of room
for improvement. By using a hot water
tank commonly specified in new
homes, I upgraded to an A.O. Smith
94% thermal efficiency condensing
gas water heater that is power-vented,
nearly doubling the efficiency of
the original unit. The new tank also
has secondary side-mounted taps
for a recirculating hot water loop,
which I am utilizing by pairing to
a hydronic radiant floor heating
system, retrofitted in the basement
using Amvic insulation, to provide
supplemental heat.
After looking into the original
installation of the exhaust ventilation
fans, both for the bathrooms and for
the kitchen range hood fan, several
deficiencies were discovered. The
second-storey bathroom ventilation
fans were found to be ducted into
the attic and exhausting near the
soffits, which caused moisture-related
damage in the attic. New Panasonic
bathroom ventilation fans (using
a DC motor and selectable airflow
cubic feet per minute [CFM]) were
installed as replacements, along with
proper insulated ducting connected
to roof-mounted exhaust vents. The
DC motor-equipped ventilation fans
offer greater operational efficiency
compared to the original units, and
the selectable airflow CFM allows
each ventilation fan to be suited to
the installation conditions. A new,
properly sized kitchen range hood fan
was installed as the existing unit was
found to be oversized (it had a capacity
of more than 600 CFM, which has the
potential to create a negative pressure
condition). Even more concerning was
the potential for depressurization,
given the fact that the home had an
atmospheric-vented hot water heater,
which can be spillage susceptible to
backdrafting carbon monoxide into
the home.
Incorporating modern mechanical
system upgrades into a renovation
can go a long way in helping an older
home perform close to that of a newly
constructed home and achieve GHG
reductions and notable energy savings.
Although these types of improvements
are not always easily achievable or
economical, this is what is needed to
improve the performance gap between
the existing housing stock and newly
built homes.
The federal and provincial
governments must work to devise
practical programs to meaningfully
incentivize and support home owners
to raise the bar when it comes to
improving the bulk of the existing
housing stock, which generates
significantly more GHG emissions
than new housing. With the vast
availability of highly efficient building
systems and construction practices,
certain elements of a new home can
be practically incorporated into a
renovation. The next time you hear
someone say “they don’t build houses
like they used to,” think again – we
build them a lot better nowadays. BB
Paul De Berardis is
RESCON’s director of
building science and
innovation. Email him at
deberardis@rescon.com.
11
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ver the last few years, spray
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a seal with adjacent materials, and
insulates more effectively than other
products.
In the past, you might not have
encountered it too frequently, but
SPF has been used in buildings for
more than 30 years; in fact, the basic
chemistry for making this foam has
been known for more than 80 years!
Polyurethane foam is all around
you: in your car, in appliances,
in foam cushions and in other
household goods. Now it is becoming
a common material used in buildings,
and the electrical industry needs to
understand how to work with and
around it as part of the everyday
process of doing business.
Most electricians are at least
peripherally aware of the need to
air seal exterior walls, ceilings and
floors over unconditioned space.
Air leakage is not only a major cause
of comfort complaints but can also
cause increased energy consumption,
concealed condensation and related
problems, such as mould, corrosion
and wood rot. Architects and builders
striving for increased airtightness and
energy efficiency often specify fea
tures like air-sealing electrical boxes,
polypan enclosures behind electrical
boxes and airtight enclosures for
potlights to avoid these problems.
SPF insulation can greatly simplify
these sorts of issues. With spray foam,
the insulation itself provides the air seal,
allowing other trades more flexibility in
some of the products they choose, and
how they are subsequently installed.
Getting to Know Foam
Typically, rough-in electrical will be
done before spray foam is applied, with
the final connection of fixtures and
other devices occurring afterward;
however, it is often impossible to avoid
running at least some circuits in insu
lated walls after the spray foam has been
completed. Running circuits after spray
foam application can be challenging,
depending on the type of foam that
has been applied and the extent of the
supplemental electrical work.
When foam is applied in wall, ceil
ing and floor cavities, the type you will
typically encounter is low-density SPF.
This type of foam is often referred to as
“half-pound density foam” or “open cell
foam” (or maybe even “Icynene foam”).
It has the softness and consistency of
angel food cake and can be easily cut to
allow wiring to be tucked in.
A pocket knife or even a credit card
can be all that’s needed to get the job
done. Minimize the damage to the
foam and practically no repair work
will be necessary. So long as you do not
fully penetrate the foam (for example,
by drilling holes directly from the
interior to the exterior surface of the
foam), you will not compromise the air
sealing it provides.
In other cases, particularly on
the outside of the framing, you may
encounter a tougher, denser, harder
type of spray foam referred to as
“medium-density spray foam” (also
known as “two-pound density foam”
or “closed cell foam”). It is much more
firm, similar in strength to extruded
polystyrene foam board you get at the
lumber yard. The key difference is that
its closed cell structure and adhesive
properties are frequently chosen to
provide a continuous vapour barrier
as well as an air barrier. If you damage
but do not repair this type of foam,
an inspector may require repairs to it
before construction can proceed.
13
Spray Foam Insulation
Tips for Electrical Professionals
Use potlight enclosures that are compatible with spray foam and do not rely on air
movement through the enclosure for cooling thermal protection.
industrynews / PAUL DUFFY

In either case, minimize the
damage and you minimize the need
for repairs. Should you remove large
sections of foam, they will have to be
repaired/replaced. If you are working
around foam, it’s a good idea to
contact the foam installer for recom
mendations and a “kit or canned
foam” product that is compatible
with the material installed.
Remember, foam is produced by a
reactive chemical process. When you
apply even a small quantity of kit foam,
be sure to wear protective gloves,
glasses and clothing, and follow the
manufacturer’s recommendations
regarding ventilation and/or breath
ing protection to avoid having that
chemical reaction occur on your
skin… or in your lungs.
Spray foam does not only produce
amazing thermal performance
results, but can help the project avoid
common issues related to air sealing
and moisture control. Likewise, it
can also produce unwanted surprises
when you do not take steps to avoid
them. Follow these tips to minimize
problems with your electrical work.
At the Rough-In Stage
1 Ensure all wiring is pulled tight
and tacked at least roughly every 24
inches to minimize displacement
as the foam expands. SPF will
also produce heat as it expands.
National Electrical Manufacturers
Association (NEMA) approved
wiring is compatible, but it may be
necessary to run speaker wiring,
network cabling and other services
after the foam is applied to avoid
problems with unrated wiring.
2 Mask the front of all electrical
boxes, panels and equipment
to avoid foam migration into
unwanted areas.
3 Use air sealing electrical boxes if
available to minimize the amount of
foam migrating into the boxes from
the back and sides.
4 Use potlight enclosures that are
compatible with spray foam and do
not rely on air movement through
the enclosure for cooling/thermal
protection.
5 Even though SPF has only one-
quarter of the flame spread of
wood products, it is still considered
combustible. Follow all codes and
manufacturer’s recommendations
for separating heat-producing
equipment and appliances from
spray foam. Gypsum drywall and/or
an air space may be recommended.
6 Follow normal de-rating procedures
for wiring heavy loads in well-
insulated assemblies. Low-
density SPF has an R-value that
is comparable to other insulation
types. Medium-density SPF is
comparable to board stock products.
7 Do not do any wiring while SPF is
being sprayed. A safe practice is
to avoid working in the area while
spraying is taking place plus a period
of up to 24 hours thereafter.
At the Finishing Stage
1 Remove any foam that has been
oversprayed onto equipment or into
electrical boxes.
2 If additional circuits/electrical are
required, run wiring along a path
that minimizes the distance through
foam. Go through interior walls and
floors to get to exterior walls and
ceilings.
3 Try to avoid penetrating supple
mental wiring through foam.
Supplemental air sealing may be
required if holes are drilled through
finished foam directly from the
interior to the exterior.
4 Patch/repair spray foam with
compatible products (for example, a
low-density SPF should be repaired
with a low-density kit foam).
Conclusion
As spray foam insulation’s use
within residential and commercial
construction continues to increase,
it makes sense to avail yourself of
the resources and education offered
by industry to better understand the
products and their functionality, and
how they work in conjunction with
other building materials.
Through education and collabor
ation with subject matter experts in
the insulation space, electricians,
designers and other contractors
during the design or build phase can
better grasp the various types of SPF
available and how they are used in the
building envelope. BB
Paul Duffy has more than 20 years
of building science and engineering
experience, and he’s an active contributor
to the code changes within the United
States and Canada. Paul is currently
chair of the Spray Foam Coalition and
chair of the SFC Research Committee
for the American Chemistry Council –
Center for the Polyurethanes Industry.
Spray foam does not
only produce amazing
thermal performance
results, but can help
the project avoid issues
related to air sealing
and moisture control.

The early results of Enbridge’s study
using zoned modulating combination
heating systems suggest dramatic
energy savings and GHG reduction.
featurestory / ROB BLACKSTIEN
F
rom a public perception
standpoint, many simply see
Enbridge Gas as a natural gas
distribution company.
The reality is that Enbridge is
on the forefront of sustainability,
constantly exploring bleeding-edge
energy efficiency technologies and
creating programs to help make them
accessible and more affordable for
both consumers and businesses.
Game

BETTERBUILDER.CA | ISSUE 35 | AUTUMN 2020 17
From its Home Efficiency Rebate
program to Savings by Design (issue
26) to its AeroBarrier program (see
“Seal of Approval” on page 28),
Enbridge has become a world leader
in energy efficiency.
We now have further evidence
of this in the form of a recently
completed trial in which the
company examined the effects of
using the iFlow smart air handler
(and its zoning capability) with a
combination heating system. The
trials were conducted on five homes
from participating builders Brookfield
Residential, Campanale Homes,
Empire Communities, Heathwood
Homes and Regal Crest Homes.
The study tested this system over
the course of a heating season in
various housing types across different
regions of Ontario. Enbridge’s goal
was to determine the gas savings
and greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction
this system would offer compared to
conventional heating systems (furnace
and domestic water heater).
For the test, Enbridge wanted either
new homes that were connected to
natural gas with a new ducting system
designed to suit the iFlow/combi boiler
installation, or retrofits with at least
two zone ducting systems.
of Zones
From left: Kwon Taesung and
Choi Youngshik, Navien, Inc.,
Mohamed Rani Abdelsalam,
Enbridge Gas Inc., and Park
Joonkyu, Navien Inc., South
Korea, at the Regal Crest
demonstration home.

Launched in summer 2019, the
pilot was run by Enbridge’s Residen
tial Technology and Development
Group, a division focused on “trying
to understand different technologies,
how they work,” explains supervisor
Matt Cable.
According to Enbridge project
manager Mohamed Abdelsalam,
around 75% of Ontario homes use a
gas furnace for heating and a separate
tank or tankless hot water heater
for water heating, so there’s a huge
opportunity here to reduce GHGs if
this system proves viable.
The main objective of the study?
“We want to test the technology
and we would like to understand,
determine and quantify the gas
savings, operating cost savings and
GHG emissions savings if we replace
traditional heating systems with this
modified combo heating system not
used by most builders,” he explains.
Cable says that his group’s raison
d’être is to seek out and test more
efficient technologies that will
help home owners save energy. By
pushing the technology towards
commercialization, his group helps
provide assurances to home owners
that they can buy and install this
equipment with the confidence that
it’s both top quality and will deliver
savings.
He admits that, “I don’t think
people fully understand what we do
here. And our group in particular really
does some cool stuff.”
Abdelsalam adds that Enbridge
runs these types of programs because
it believes it has a responsibility to
test manufacturers’ statements that
everything works as advertised and
delivers the projected savings. “Before
we recommend any new technologies
to customers, we should make sure
100% that it’s working and providing
what it’s promising to provide,” he says.
The preliminary results have been
eye opening. Abdelsalam says that
based on computer modelling, this
system offers up to 29% reduction in
gas usage and thereby GHG emissions.
Beyond a savings on their energy bill,
home owners will also experience
other benefits.
“The thermal comfort aspect of the
home becomes much, much greater,”
Cable says. For instance, he notes,
if you spend a great deal of time in
a particular part of the home under
blankets or in a room that includes a
gas fireplace or wood stove, you likely
won’t need as much heating there.
This is where the zoning plays such an
integral role.
Other benefits include:
• On the heating side, Abdelsalam says
the fact that the system can modulate
between 20,000 BTU and 199,999
BTU will help achieve energy savings.
There’s also a modulating flow on the
AC side, but he says you’ll need a unit
with a variable capacity compressor
to maximize energy savings.
• By combining two pieces of
equipment into one, there’s a smaller
footprint. “If you eliminate one,
it makes your life a lot easier as a
builder,” says Steve Doty, quality
assurance manager, low-rise for
Empire Communities. Even in a 6x6
room, there’s more than enough
space to install this equipment, says
Gary Dhillon, director of multi-
residential housing for Martino
Paul Duffy checks the system
air flow at Brookfield Homes.
Based on computer modelling,
this system offers up to 29%
reduction in gas usage and
thereby GHG emissions.

HVAC, the company contracted to
perform the design and installation
in four of the five test homes. (In the
fifth house, the builder wanted to
use its own heating contractor, and
designs were modified by a separate
HVAC designer.)
• Builders will appreciate the fact that
they only need to run a single gas
line and single venting system into
the unit. Dhillon explains that this
allows for quicker installations, so
builders will save on labour costs.
• At 98%, Abdelsalam says this is the
most efficient system in the market.
• The Navien tankless water heater
can provide endless hot water.
• The iFlow air handling system can
provide up to four different zones
in the home, meaning greater
comfort for the occupants “because
it prevents hot and cold spots,”
Abdelsalam says. “When we’re
talking about zoning, it means gas
savings because, instead of heating
the entire house, you’re only heating
specific zones when required.”
• Martino HVAC’s vice president of
business development, Jeff Martino,
raved about the system’s flexibility.
“You have a lot of flexibility when
it comes to heating with hot water
because you can adjust the flow of
the water, the temperature of the
water and the cubic feet per minute
(CFM) of the actual blower motor of
the air handler.”
Cable concedes this system does
offer some challenges, especially in
going from a traditional to a tankless
water heater. Because it’s on-demand,
there’s no large tank of hot water that’s
available instantly when the taps are
turned on, so there will be some delay.
This is particularly an issue with most
homes in the retrofit market as they
are not likely to feature a recirculating
loop to keep pipes hot.
However, Abdelsalam says
Enbridge did test two different models
of tankless systems, one of which
includes recirculation, and that version
was installed in Regal Crest’s Anchor
Woods house in Holland Landing.
As for the other participating
builders, Empire was a natural fit
for the program as it’s recently been
eschewing traditional furnaces, getting
more involved in the examination of
combi systems, Doty says.
Based on what he’s seen of the
system, he believes it will be especially
useful in smaller townhomes, because
“we can’t necessarily get a furnace
small enough to actually meet our
townhouse heat loss requirements,”
he explains. “So these kinds of systems
might be good solutions moving
forward.”
Tested in one of Empire’s TEETH
(Three Energy Efficient Test Homes)
units in Breslau (see issue 32), the
system offered the advantage of
minimizing the number of venting
pipes required, Doty notes. With just
the two (intake and exhaust for the hot
water heater) to deal with, it makes
life easier for builders. This model
home was retrofitted with the iFlow air
handler and the Navien tankless water
heater (replacing a two-stage furnace),
with the hot water tank removed.
He says this will also help by
allowing builders to downsize on the
air conditioning unit, a trend which
19
Gary Dhillon of Martino Contracting
commissions system at Empire house.
Builders will appreciate the
fact that they only need to run
a single gas line and single
venting system into the unit.

will definitely help push forward the
GHG reduction agenda. Of course, this
will also require a little home owner
education. “People are still in the
mindset that bigger is better,” Doty
says. He’s dealt with home owners
that believe they’ve undersized their
heating system because a contractor
came in and told them the builder
put the wrong system in. Ultimately,
Empire has to get involved and
explain to the contractor that the
house was designed that way.
Zoning offers a solution to this
challenge, given that you don’t need
as much power to drive hot or cool air
specifically to where the home owners
want it. This test home was zoned for
air conditioning purposes from the
front to the back. In the afternoon, the
west windows at the front of the house
can receive more air conditioning to
offset the heat gain. “If you’re able to
put the cooling or the heating where
it’s needed, then yes, you’re saving
energy at the end of the day,” he says.
Doty says one of the things he
found most interesting about this
combi system was that, thanks to
the iFlow application for installers,
contractors can remotely monitor
the unit – so if there’s an issue, they’ll
know the error code and have a clear
idea of how to proceed. The ability to
diagnose the system offsite is another
benefit for builders, he says.
Overall, Doty was impressed with
the trial. “As a facilitator, it was won
derful. It went off without a hitch.”
The results speak for themselves.
Based on computer modelling, annual
energy consumption dropped nearly
4%. The CFM rose from 662 with the
Lennox system Empire originally
had in the house to 779 with the iFlow
– using the same ductwork. “This sys
tem seems to have outperformed our
standard typical furnace,” Doty says.
He thinks the iFlow’s zoning
will also help eliminate the dreaded
comfort calls. Combining this with
the way Empire designs mechanicals
(right-sizing them) and building a
good envelope will go a long way
towards achieving greater customer
satisfaction. “[Zoning is] something I
think every builder might want to look
at,” Doty notes.
Dhillon explains that the reason
the iFlow was used in this program
is because it’s a premium product
compared to the equipment normally
employed in construction. It is only one
of two modulating systems tested in
the lab. Martino HVAC is proving that it
performs in actual production houses
built to the current building code.
He adds that the iFlow is also
the best-suited system for a retrofit
because the zoning is built in and the
product can adapt to conventional
ductwork. That means less design work
in terms of changing the ductwork in
an existing house, which is another
plus for the contractor.
While the contractor had no
previous experience with the iFlow,
Dhillon was impressed with how easy
it was to learn and install the system,
as there are lots of sensors – compared
The iFlow air handling system can provide
up to four different zones in the home,
meaning greater comfort for the occupants
“because it prevents hot and cold spots.”
iFlow co-founder Kevin Moon demonstrates
the zoning operation of the iFlow air handler.

21BETTERBUILDER.CA | ISSUE 35 | AUTUMN 2020
to other air handlers – that automate much of the
process.
“It preconfigures with a lot of the sensors that
iFlow has designed in their product,” he adds.
Martino is hopeful this type of solution
ultimately opens the door to letting builders
choose which fuel source they want to use. “What
we’re excited for would be a form of control that
would allow us to switch from gas to electric
heating [heat pump] when electric heating costs
are lower [during off-peak demand periods],” he
says. As the cost of energy fluctuates, having that
option would be beneficial.
“That’s kind of what we’re hoping is the next
step in this industry,” Martino says.
Now that Phase I is complete, the next step
will be to repeat the test in occupied homes (as
opposed to test or show units) to get an idea of
the domestic hot water savings. Abdelsalam
says that Phase II (scheduled for the 2020–21
heating season) will consist of Enbridge putting
another five systems in retrofit houses in Ontario
to determine the savings for this market and
compare it with the new construction market.
Cable says that discussions have already begun
with the demand side management (DSM) team
– the group that develops Enbridge’s incentive
programs. Once the savings are proven and the
results are modelled, everything will be handed off
to the DSM team to develop an incentive program
around this system.
Abdelsalam says it will be similar to the Savings
by Design program, except designed specifically
for consumers rather than builders. With the
potential for increased flexibility for builders – and
dramatic energy savings and GHG reductions for
consumers – we’re certain to hear more about
Enbridge’s testing in the months to come. BB
Rob Blackstien is a Toronto-based
freelance writer. Pen-Ultimate.ca
AMVIC AMDECK
MODULAR ONE-WAY
CONCRETE SLAB
ICFVL FLOOR LEDGER
CONNECTOR SYSTEM
ELECTRICAL
OUTLET

The Sustainable Housing Founda
tion’s 12th
annual Green Builder
Challenge™
Golf Tournament was
held on June 25 at Flemingdon Park
Golf Club. Nine teams teed off for a
socially distanced best-ball round of
nine holes on a beautiful, sunny day.
The history of the tournament dates
back to John Godden’s 50th
birthday,
when he challenged his green builder
clients and friends to build 50 homes
that were 50% more efficient. It
became known as the “Green is 50”
challenge. They celebrated by
holding a golf tournament, which
has now become an annual event
and a fundraiser for the work of the
Sustainable Housing Foundation (SHF).
This year’s COVID-19 restrictions
posed a barrier, and the event was
postponed until June 25, when groups
of 50 were allowed to gather outdoors.
The golf course owners accommodated
our need to socially distance, even
providing a packed lunch and drinks
cart so that players could participate
without compromising their distance.
As a golfer and SHF Board member,
Paul Lowes of BP Canada commented,
“the event helped bring industry
friends and colleagues together
after a prolonged period of isolation
to participate in the annual event.
The weather was spectacular and
Flemingdon Park Golf Club did an
excellent job ensuring protocols were
met by making modifications to the
pins and catering a delicious boxed
lunch for each player. It was evident
that everyone felt comfortable with
the safety standards implemented
and happy to see each other.” BB
Team Rodeo, from left: Frank Muto, Sergio Conforti, Howard Cohen and Nolan Leiska.
Team Heathwood, from left: Daryl Pirocchi,
Emidio Tramontozzi, Bob Davis and Silvio Longo.
Jeff Martino (left) and Nick Samavarchian
at the fifth hole for longest drive.
industrynews / PATSY DUFFY
The winners of this year’s prizes were:
WOMEN’S LONGEST DRIVE
Jennifer Hurd
BEST TEAM
Frank Muto team
MEN’S LONGEST DRIVE
Daryl Pirocchi
CLOSEST TO THE PIN
Richard Lyall
MOST HONEST TEAM
Silvio Longo team
GREEN
BUILDER
CHALLENGE

sitespecific / ALEX NEWMAN
For now, Canadians enjoy cheap
hydro bills – but those rates aren’t
going to last forever, says Kevin Smith,
general manager of Panasonic’s Life
and Device Solutions Division (LDS).
He now oversees the company’s
growth and culture changes,
particularly as it relates to the home
building community.
But when he lived in the United
States for four years – working at
Cisco’s headquarters in Silicon
Valley – he regularly saw power bills
of $500 a month (thanks partly to
owning a hot tub). “Electricity in
the US is crazy, [at] painful rates,”
he says. “Right now in Canada,
we’re blessed with an abundance
of hydroelectricity. But eventually
we’ll end up with more realistic
energy costs, and people will need to
conserve and manage.”
That’s the need that Panasonic
seeks to fill with its new battery
storage system, EverVolt, which works
both with or without the grid using
solar PV (photovoltaic) panels.
How It Works
The money-saving potential is great.
As Smith points out, you basically
become your own utility, and it allows
you to easily “peak shave.”
That’s a term used for averaging
down – or “shaving” – energy costs, by
buying and storing electricity when
it’s less expensive at night, then using
that stored electricity during the day
when it’s most expensive. It becomes
an energy management and backup
system.
The cost savings are even greater
when the battery storage is used with
solar PV panels, although that also
depends on where you live (that is, the
amount of sunlight you get) and how
much roof you can devote to the panels.
“PV and EverVolt would be the most
complete solution,” Smith says. “But
there are still huge benefits to using
the storage without panels because of
the peak shaving cost savings. As well,
the EverVolt is a reliable power
backup. Not as comprehensive
as a generator, obviously, but
it can keep devices operating
during a short brown-out,
and even for longer outages
depending on how your system
is set up.”
While Smith figures the
system is around the $20,000
mark, builders buying in bulk
should be able to reduce that
somewhat, especially if they’re doing
multiple homes in one go. “We work
with builders to develop pricing that
makes sense for them,” he adds. That
said, this isn’t something a builder
promotes for short-term gains – it has
to be seen as a long-term buy-in.
Given the cost, builders probably
want to know what the incentive would
be for home buyers. Smith believes
there are three things to consider: The
first is being able to create the most
energy-efficient system for your home
The Benefits of
Panasonic Battery Storage
L
ife has changed dramatically, and it’s not just from the coronavirus. More
of us are working from home, especially since COVID-19, and there’s been a
steady rise in electric vehicle (EV) and e-bike sales, creating more need for
at-home electricity. As well, climate change is creating hotter summers, colder
winters and correspondingly greater hydroelectric usage.
EverVolt battery storage system.
“… eventually
we’ll end up with
more realistic
energy costs,
and people will
need to conserve
and manage.”

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For true performance under the hood,
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Ideal for new residential construction,
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builders looking to meet designed airflow
requirements the first time and avoid the
hassle of replacing underperforming fans.
EcoVent is a cost effective ENERGY STAR®
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solution that delivers strong performance. If you need
to bump up the CFM output to achieve airflow design,
simply flip the Veri-Boost switch and increase the
flow from 70 to 90 CFM and you’re good to go!
Learn more at Panasonic.com

through peak shaving, and reducing
costs as utility bills go up. The second
is the security of knowing your energy
system can maintain key functions
in case of temporary power loss,
which is especially important when
working from home. The third is that
it maximizes the potential if you have
solar panels.
The reason for the battery’s high
cost isn’t because of economies of
scale, especially since Panasonic
has scaled up production massively,
Smith says. The real culprit is global
competition for a limited supply of
lithium, a main ingredient in the
battery.
Panasonic enjoys a long-standing
reputation for being one of the largest
producers of batteries in the world,
especially now that the company
has developed electromagnetic
interference (EMI) technology for
cars. The Nevada factory produces
product for Tesla, and it partners with
Toyota as well.
But builders may not realize the
company has, for 50 years, had a
housing arm – the Life and Device
Solutions Division (LDS) – which
provides related products for the
home. In addition to solar and battery
storage solutions such as EverVolt, the
products are wide ranging: air source
heat pumps and interior solutions
such as door systems, storage and
organization products; and insulation
products such as vacuum insulated
panels (VIPs).
An Electrifying Career
Smith has been instrumental in
bringing those various product
groups together to help the building
community benefit from the full range
of Panasonic products and solutions
related to home building. His extensive
background in electronics and the
electrical industry is partly from
family (his dad was in the industry)
and partly from education (a degree
in radio and TV arts from Ryerson
University and one in economics from
the University of Waterloo).
His career has taken him to
companies such as LG (introducing
the brand to Canada in 1988), Daewoo,
Flip Video, Linksys and Cisco. After
four years in Silicon Valley, he returned
to Canada in 2014 to lead Panasonic’s
Canadian launch of the Homes
Living business, as business manager
of housing solutions.
In fact, one of the first things he did
when he returned to Panasonic in 2014
was to engage Environics for a study on
the housing market and what the home
buyer’s journey was. “It was important
to understand why people do things,”
he says. Among other things, they
found that millennials are looking for
turnkey solutions. They want to move
in and have friends over tomorrow,
Smith says. His specialty, it seems, is
understanding consumer mentality.
“It’s partly nature, partly experience,
to be empathic and try to look at any
business from the standpoint of the
end user,” he explains. This is why
Panasonic is well positioned to help
builders hookup home owners up to
these emerging opportunities to save
on their energy costs.
For information about Panasonic’s
industrial energy products, contact
Tony Attard (national sales manager)
at tony.attard@ca.panasonic.com.
For information about Panasonic’s
energy solutions, contact Scott Kraus
(group sales manager) at scott.kraus@
ca.panasonic.com. BB
Alex Newman is a writer,
editor and researcher at
alexnewmanwriter.com.
Kevin Smith, general manager, Life and
Device Solutions Division at Panasonic.
“It’s partly nature,
partly experience, to
be empathic and try to
look at any business
from the standpoint of
the end user,” Kevin
Smith explains.

buildernews / ROB BLACKSTIEN
Despite all this advancement,
air leakage remains a challenge
for home builders. Many builders
employ techniques that involve a fair
amount of guesswork, which means
they grapple to make strides in what
is likely the biggest energy loss issue
within houses today.
That’s what makes AeroBarrier
such an exciting prospect for the
housing industry.
Capable of sealing holes as small
as a hair follicle or as large as 5/8,
AeroBarrier is an acrylic sealant that
is misted into a pressurized home,
creating a fog-like mass that will
be driven to areas “where any
of those unintended leakages
are,” says AeroBarrier sales and
marketing manager Brian Cooke.
As AeroBarrier finds these spaces,
the particles accelerate, causing
them to gather together, coagulate
and ultimately seal the leakage.
While the technology behind this
product is hardly new, it’s never been
applied in such a manner. Fortunately,
the award-winning AeroBarrier is
starting to gain enough traction that
energy behemoth Enbridge – no stranger
to constantly testing new methods to
save energy (see “Game of Zones,” page
16) – has embarked on a new program
to help take the risk out of trying it for
builders. Cooke explains that Enbridge
is “always on the lookout for ideas that
can transform the marketplace.”
Enbridge’s program, which allows
builders to register a maximum of
20 homes to be sealed, costs $1 per
square foot of finished space (with a
minimum base cost of $2,500). This
Seal of Approval
A new method of reducing air leakage is
opening industry eyes with its dramatic results
G
iven the leaps and bounds the housing industry has made in recent years
to make homes more energy efficient, there are precious few areas left in
which dramatic improvements may still be gained.
A blower door is used
to pressurize house
during air sealing.

price includes the first five gallons
of sealant, with additional product
costing $190 per gallon.
The carrot here for builders is the
rebate: $1,500 per house for those that
are 2,400 square feet or larger and $1,200
per house for those that are smaller.
Cooke advises builders to simply
continue doing their usual great work,
but when something slips through
the cracks, that’s where AeroBarrier
can really benefit them. “AeroBarrier’s
going to seek out, find and seal that
mistake or difficult area to seal,” he
says. By allowing builders to develop
consistent levels of airtightness, it will
help reduce the anxiety of a house
failing a blower test, he adds.
As mentioned above, this
technology is hardly innovative. The
sealant – made by Tremco – has been
used in commercial applications for
almost 25 years, Cooke notes.
All AeroBarrier is doing is mixing
it with compressed air and using it
in a different manner. “It’s really just
caulking that we’re applying in a new
way,” he explains.
The original technology,
developed by AeroBarrier’s parent
company, AeroSeal, was used to
seal ductwork. A few years ago,
Cooke says, AeroSeal went back to
the original creators at University
of California, Berkeley to see if the
product could be modified to reduce
air leakage in the entire home.
In 2018, AeroBarrier was launched
at the International Building Show
in Las Vegas, arriving in Canada in
June of that year. In December 2019,
Enbridge launched its program, with
an original scope of testing the product
in 200 new homes.
To date, Cooke says around 100
homes have been completed, with
data available for around 50. So far, the
results have been eye-opening, with
an average air leakage reduction of
50% to 55%. “It’s pretty incredible. This
is why Enbridge is so excited about
it. It’s pretty game-changing in the
impact it can make from an air leakage
perspective,” he says. Cooke estimates
the air leakage improvements will
translate into a 10% to 20% reduction
in heating needs and gas consumption.
The process takes four to five hours,
and it’s safe to go back into the home
within a half hour, making it easy to
work into a production agenda. The
company recommends scheduling the
process before flooring, railing, cabin
ets, etc., are brought into the home.
Royalpark Homes – a graduate of
Enbridge’s Savings by Design program
– is no stranger to seeking better ways
to build efficient houses. The challenge
when a house fails a blower test,
explains service manager Joe Dilecce,
is that “finding the leak is like looking
for a needle in a haystack.” That’s why
he was so intrigued by AeroBarrier.
So when Royalpark was approached
about participating in Enbridge’s
AeroBarrier program, it was a good
fit, Dilecce says. “We’re committed to
29
519-489-2541
airsealingpros.ca
As energy continues to
become a bigger concern,
North American building
codes and energy programs
are moving towards giving
credit for and/or requiring
Airtightness testing.
AeroBarrier, a new and
innovative envelope
sealing technology, is
transforming the way
residential, multifamily,
and commercial buildings
seal the building envelope.
AeroBarrier can help
builders meet any level
of airtightness required,
in a more consistent
and cost-effective way.
Take the guesswork out
of sealing the envelope
with AeroBarrier’s
proprietary technology.
Brian Cooke, AeroBarrier sales
and marketing manager.

LowCostCodeCompliancewiththeBetterThanCodePlatform
This rating is available for homes
built by leading edge builders
who have chosen to advance
beyond current energy
efﬁciency programs and have
taken the next step on the
path to full sustainability.
BetterThanCode
This Platform helps Builders with Municipal Approvals, Subdivision
Agreements and Building Permits. Navigating the performance path
can be complicated. A code change happened in 2017 which is causing
some confusion. A new code will be coming in 2022. How will you comply
with the new requirements? Let the BTC Platform – including the HERS
Index – help you secure Municipal Subdivision Approvals and Building
Permits and enhance your marketing by selling your homes’ energy efﬁciency.
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BetterThanCodeUsestheHERSIndextoMeasureEnergyEfficiency
TheLowertheScoretheBetter–MeasureableandMarketable
OBC 2012 OBC 2017 NEAR ZERO
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betterthancode.ca Email info@clearsphere.ca or call 416-481-7517
building energy-efficient houses for
our home owners to achieve a high
level of interior comfort and perhaps
lowering emissions so their houses
can also be cost effective.”
Having seen AeroBarrier in action,
Dilecce believes using it can give
Royalpark a competitive advantage
from a marketing perspective. He
believes it will say to the world: “hey,
look what kind of builder we are
compared to the rest of the builders
that just do the makeup and the lip
stick to the interior part of the home.”
While Dilecce believes this tech
nology really caters to the educated
purchaser, the fact is home owners
won’t need to be rocket scientists to
notice the difference from a comfort
perspective, not to mention appre
ciate the savings on their utility bill.
He explains that while Royalpark
uses the most up-to-date HVAC systems
in its homes, “a lot of exterior walls are
taken for granted.” Given the challenges
these walls have with heat loss in
colder conditions, Dilecce says the
company was interested in putting its
craftsmanship to the test by trying this.
Employed in Royalpark’s semi-
detached test home in Brampton,
AeroBarrier managed to reduce the
unit’s air leakage from 2.43 ACH to
1.84 ACH – a dramatic improvement.
Dilecce says once the home is fully
complete, the company is hoping for
an even better result.
So for Royalpark – a builder that’s
already well ahead of the curve (see
“Royalpark Powers On” from issue
30, page 12) – a house that was 20.7%
better than Code is now 23.4% better
than Code after the AeroBarrier
application. “It’s pretty brilliant if you
think about it. They’re onto something
here,” Dilecce says.
Cooke says that while Canada
is on the cutting edge of energy-
efficient home building, trying to
minimize air leakage – and doing it
consistently well at scale – is one of the
last hurdles. As a highly efficient and
safe (GREENGUARD Gold certified)
product, AeroBarrier is poised to
dramatically help builders deal with
one of their biggest headaches. BB
Rob Blackstien is a
Toronto-based freelance
writer. Pen-Ultimate.ca

In reality, windows play a critical
role in the homes we build and
should be selected carefully for their
performance attributes along with
their looks. Windows function as a
health and safety device installed to
keep the weather out, while letting
daylight, vistas and fresh air into
the home. They help to protect the
home and the occupant. For example,
installing triple glazed windows will
allow the home owner to have a higher
overall relative humidity during
the winter without having excess
humidity or moisture collecting on
the windows, where it can lead to
mould if not cleaned regularly.
Choosing the right window can
improve energy performance, provide
greater occupant comfort and reduce
common callbacks. Here’s where the
codes and energy programs go off the
rails a bit. In Canada, our windows are
rated using U-value, Solar Heat Gain
Coefficient (SHGC) and Energy Rating
(ER). ER rating is a Canadian thing,
and it’s a red herring as far as improved
energy performance is concerned. ER
favours solar heat gain and windows
that gain heat. Using ER to specify
your window performance can result
in selecting windows that will overheat
rooms of the home that face south,
west, east and even north, depending
on overhangs, the home’s geographic
location and the time of year.
There are those out there that
consider Canada as a heating climate,
so they perceive solar heat gain to be
a good thing. But does it make sense
to dump a bunch of uncontrolled heat
gain into a high-performance home,
where it will cause discomfort and
energy performance issues? Alterna
tively, selecting a window with a low
U-value and a low SHGC can result in
a more balanced heating and cooling
load, reduce overheating and provide
better overall occupant comfort.
Desired Outcome
Selecting the right window glass to
help overall energy performance while
increasing occupant comfort and
reducing peak energy usage. Note:
It is critical to select windows before
doing mechanical design, and then not
change them (unless it is to improve
performance).
What’s the Benefit?
Proper window selection can reduce
the cooling load by half a ton or more
of cooling, depending on the size of the
home and its orientation. More volume
is needed to move the same amount
of cooler air than warmer air, which
means the cooling load now dominates
the design of high-performance
homes. Selecting and installing low
solar glass can reduce the amount of
cold air that needs to be moved to cool
the home, resulting in smaller duct
sizes that are right-sized for heating
and cooling. Spending a bit more on
the windows can actually result in
overall savings.
Personal Experience
I’ve done a great deal of work on this
file over the years, and it has been
an extremely frustrating journey –
especially because the answer appeared
fairly quickly. Getting the regulatory
31
Builder’s Window Selection
Affects Sizing and Designing
HVAC Systems and Occupant Comfort
fromthegroundup / DOUG TARRY
W
indows are often an afterthought in the overall specifications process.
I mean, as long as the window looks good, why spend more on a
better one? Well, I’ve come to find that it is pretty common for one
window to be specified for its performance values, yet a totally different window
performance is selected when the windows are ordered. And that can lead to
significant performance issues.
High performance window label displaying
low U-Factor and low Solar Heat Gain
Coefficient.

approvals to use the answer has been
the source of frustration. The new
National Building Code is addressing
this with a section noting that, if your
proposed home uses more energy
for cooling load than the reference
home, then you have to address solar
gain to reduce the cooling load. That
is a welcome change that should be
applauded.
Over our years of experimenting,
we’ve landed on a triple glazed vinyl
window with a warm edge foam spacer
and low solar triple silver low emis
sivity glass. The total product U-value
is 1.4 and the SHGC is 0.25. I think
this is a great window for our climate
location. The window’s additional
cost is offset by smaller ductwork
and reduced AC size for the home.
The windows also result in a
much quieter, more comfortable and
healthier home that our home owners
consistently appreciate.
Expert Advice
Jeff Baker from WESTLab has been
working with manufacturers on
energy-efficient design of windows
and doors for over 30 years. “Getting
the right windows specified into a
home at the design stage before the
HVAC equipment is sized is vital to
creating a comfortable and healthy
home. Ordering windows that
actually meet these specifications is
critical as the windows become a vital
part of the house design,” he explains.
He shares a further insight:
“ensuring that the windows used
in highly energy-efficient homes do
not cause overheating is critical to
creating the highly energy-efficient,
comfortable and healthy home a
home owner is looking for.” Jeff also
indicates that selecting low U-value
windows with lower SHGC values
will result in better house designs for
highly energy-efficient homes.
Action Plan
It is important to select a window
that will actually perform well in a
number of climate settings. We need
to consider this because Canada
has some pretty extreme weather,
anywhere from 40°C to –40°C.
Depending on where you live and
build, it’s fairly common to have a 50°C
to 60°C swing in overall temperature
throughout the year. That’s a lot of
climatic variation to manage.
If you live in an area with a fairly low
cooling load, you might want a higher
solar heat gain window. In that case,
something like the single silver, high
solar gain, low-e glass or double silver,
medium solar gain, low-e glass might
be appropriate. On the other hand, if
you are in an area where cooling loads
are climbing and the season is getting
longer, you should take a close look
at triple silver low-e glass. A pretty
good place to start would be selecting
a window with a U-value 1.4 and an
SHGC 0.3, while ignoring the ER.
Another factor to consider is the
spacer between the windowpanes.
There are a number on the market,
and they have varying degrees of
performance. Selecting a warm
edge window spacer that will reduce
conduction heat loss will help to keep
the window warmer during the cold
winter months.
One critical step that is often
missed in window selection is sharing
the information with your energy
advisor (EA) and your HVAC designer.
They need this information to properly
size the mechanical equipment
for the home. Once you’ve selected
the specification for the windows
and shared them with your EA and
HVAC designer, do not change the
specifications without consulting
them. Such changes can result in
significant performance issues for the
HVAC system and comfort complaints
from the home owner.
Below are the approximate costs of
these options:
• Triple glazed windows average
+ 21% premium
vs. double glazed windows
• Triple silver low-e glass averages
+ 3% premium
vs. regular triple glazed windows
This article is an excerpt from A
Builder’s Guide to Net Zero Homes,
which I hope to have available later
this year. BB
Doug Tarry Jr is director
of marketing at Doug
Tarry Homes in St.
Thomas, Ontario.
“Getting the right
windows specified
into a home at the
design stage before
the HVAC equipment
is sized is vital to
creating a comfortable
and healthy home,”
Jeff Baker explains.

Trailblazer
Matt Risinger
Builder and building
science expert
COMFORTBOARD™
has received ICC-ES validated product acceptance as continuous
insulation for multiple applications. For more information visit rockwool.com/comfortboard
Continuous stone wool insulation that improves thermal performance
Trailblazing requires conﬁdence, expertise and a desire
to do things right. Matt Risinger uses non-combustible,
vapor-permeable and water-repellent COMFORTBOARD™
to help wall assemblies dry to the outside, keeping clients
comfortable inside. It cuts down on heat loss and
improves energy efﬁciency so that what you build
today positively impacts your business tomorrow.
3773

Better Builder Magazine, Issue 35 / Autumn 2020

Better Builder Magazine, Issue 35 / Autumn 2020

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Better Builder Magazine, Issue 35 / Autumn 2020