Formation of the Net-Zero Energy Home Coalition

In 2003, informal discussions began among a group of forward looking home builders and developers of new decentralized energy systems about how future Canadian homes could be better designed for responding to Canada’s clean air and climate change objectives. They also discussed concerns, driven by the Ontario blackout in August, about reliability and supply of electrical power for future homes and the cost of upgrading the electrical system to deal with growth in demand.

The group considered how residential energy could be supplied in a sustainable fashion that minimizes greenhouse gas production. The group also looked at opportunities for decentralized, on-site generation and reduced electrical energy consumption. The conclusion was that renewable energy technologies and energy efficiency/conservation technologies are available that allow homes to consume no electricity from the power grid, on an annual net basis, and to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions. However the technologies need some initial support to help move down the learning/volume cost reduction curve.

The group recognized that Canada has an opportunity to go beyond, and build upon, early adopter programs in Europe, the United States and Japan that supported specific renewable energy technologies or specific energy efficiency technologies to develop a program that delivers a total integrated solution - the Net-Zero Energy Home. The potential of this program builds upon Canada’s pioneering work in energy efficient home construction, embodied in the R-2000 standards, adding residential-scale renewable energy production for household needs and additional energy conservation technologies.

In 2004, the group formalized its efforts into the Net-Zero Energy Home Coalition and began formulating an action plan to involve other stakeholders and government in turning the vision into a reality. Federally incorporated as a not-for-profit in January 2006, the Coalition has continued to grow and lead efforts to find solutions for industry. After being in operation for 5 years, the Board of Directors gathered in August , 2010 to develop the next strategic plan. You'll find the results within the pages of this new website!