R2000 Certification (From the Canadian Home Builders Association)

The R-2000 Standard involves three main areas of construction: energy performance, indoor air quality and use of environmentally preferred materials. The result is a home that is both well-built and extremely comfortable to live in!
The R-2000 Standard is a performance-based standard. It sets criteria for how a house must perform rather than specify exactly how the home must be constructed. This gives builders the freedom to choose the best and most cost-effective approach for each home.

• The Standard sets a target for how much energy a home will require. Typically R-2000 homes will use 10 to 30% less energy than a comparable non-R-2000 home. This means lower heating costs for you.
• In order to deliver these energy savings, every R-2000 home is designed and built to cut heat loss and air leakage. Extra insulation, energy-efficient windows and doors, and careful air sealing are standard features.
• Special computerized equipment measures the air leakage in every home to ensure it does not exceed the rate set out in the R-2000 Standard. This test is part of the mandatory R-2000 quality assurance process for every R-2000 home.
• By comparison, other new homes typically have twice the maximum level of air leakage allowed in an R-2000 home. Older homes often have 10 times as much air leakage.
• The mechanical systems for heating, cooling and ventilation are all chosen for efficiency and performance. R-2000 builders also use advanced systems such as integrated space and hot water heating systems, heat pumps or solar-assisted systems.
• R-2000 construction always includes controlled ventilation to ensure the health of the building and the people who live in it. Every R-2000 home must have a mechanical ventilation system to bring fresh air in from the outside and exhaust stale air to the outside.
• To keep heating costs down, most R-2000 builders use a heat recovery ventilator or HRV where the heat from the outgoing air is used to preheat the incoming air. The HRV is sometimes referred to as a "fresh air machine".
• To further ensure good air quality, builders use building products specifically aimed at reducing chemicals, dust and other indoor air pollutants. This includes products such as EcoLogo-approved paints, varnishes and floor finishes, low-emission cabinetry or the use of hardwood floor.