Green construction: A practical guide for greener projects

What is green construction?

Green construction involves renovating or building a home in a way that reduces, or even eliminates, its negative impact on the environment (carbon footprint). To make that happen, you need to think through every stage of the project, from design (blueprint) to how it will be used, including the choice of materials and the construction process itself.

What are the pros and cons of green construction?

There are several benefits to choosing sustainableconstruction:

• Lower environmental impact

• Energy savings

• Improved air quality

• Eligibility for financial assistance programs and grants

The main downside of green construction is the cost. But the price difference between a green home and a traditional home will eventually be offset by savings on maintenance and heating.

Green homes: The EVs of housing

Although electric vehicles are more expensive to buy than traditional cars, the price difference can be offset in the medium to long term by savings on fuel and maintenance. The same concept also applies to homes and housing units built using green construction principles.

What are the core principles of green construction?

First of all, to qualify as a green building, a home needs to integrate harmoniously into the environment without disturbing it. Various aspects of the environment are used in a respectful way: vegetation, terrain orientation and relief, the region’s climatic conditions, etc. There are three other things you must do:

Use green materials

Building a green home involves using materials that are renewable, sustainable, minimally processed, and that pose very few health risks, if any. Examples are bio-based materials like wood, cork, hemp, cellulose wadding, etc. It also involves using reclaimed materials and buying local, which foster eco-friendly production and long-term, sustainable solutions. Here are a few examples:

• Cellulose made from recycled newspaper: it’s inexpensive and efficient

• Steel roofing—with a virtually unlimited lifespan—instead of traditional asphalt shingles

• Plywood or wood panelling on walls

• Hardwood, linoleum, or smooth concrete floors

Tip: Building a house on a slab, without a basement, is an excellent way to limit the amount of concrete required and the construction costs.

Maximize the home’s energy efficiency

Although it’s possible to increase the energy efficiency of an existing home, it’s best to make green choices right from the start, during construction.

• Positioning most windows so they face south is probably the most effective way to optimize energy efficiency. The idea is to take advantage of passive solar energy—generated by the absorption of sunlight through windows—and maximum light. Good to know: This strategy alone generally results in a 15% to 20% reduction in heating costs.

• Putting up eaves and planning appropriate landscaping are effective ways to prevent excess heat during the summer. Good to know: Extending the eaves above the wall with the most windows can block up to 90% of summer sunlight, reducing the heat inside the house.

• Opt for triple-glazed windows.

• Insulate the house over and above current Quebec standards (in French only).

• Choose a wall-mounted heat pump with very high energy efficiency for heating and air conditioning. It requires less energy than electric baseboards. Tip: For best results, keep the heat pump running most of the year, and only use the electric heating system on very cold days.

• Install photovoltaic solar panels that will convert light into electricity. Tip: It’s best to plan for the installation of solar panels at the time of construction, even if it means installing them later.

Did you know?

A Novoclimat-certified home saves you 20% on energy costs compared to a home built to the Quebec Construction Code. You may even be eligible for financial assistance, as long as your project is registered for the program before construction starts and meets the requirements: it must be a residential project located in Quebec, it must use electricity or residual forest biomass as the main energy source for heating, and it must be new construction.

Manage water responsibly

Responsible water management is one of the main principles of green construction. Here a few things you can do:

• Opt for dual-flush toilets

• Install bathroom fans and low-flow shower heads

Good to know: WaterSense-certified products—a certification established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)—use 20% to 30% less water.

CAA-Quebec’s Residential Advisory Services can answer members’ questions about ways to reduce their water and electricity consumption, including through energy-efficient water heaters and energy-saving washing machines.

What financial assistance and grants are available for green homes?

There are several options for reducing the cost of building a green home:

• Federal and provincial government financial assistance programs (e.g., Novoclimat, Rénoclimat, etc.), for building or renovating a green home.

• Programs from energy suppliers, such as Hydro-Québec or Énergir.

• Rebates and discounts offered by financial institutions.

• Municipal programs that give tax breaks for purchasing a home with LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification. Good to know: This international certification recognizes a home’s excellence in technological innovation, resource management, and environmental protection.

View the updated list of financial assistance and subsidies for homes.

Thanks to the Ecohome team for their help in preparing this article.