Investing in a higher standard of building performance excellence
prairieHOUSE works with homebuilders to create a marketing edge by
Achieving building performance targets, getting ready for code changes, reducing call-backs, and increasing customer satisfaction.
As the contracted service organization delivering Efficiency Manitoba’s New Homes Program modelling and evaluation services, we can also support builders in accessing other provincial and federal Incentive programs.
Our Services..
Looking for information on Rebate, Grant, and Loan programs for Homebuilders?
Energuide Rating System Evaluations
The performance pathway for the 2020 NBC
Energuide Rating System (ERS) evaluations and labels serve as a third-party marketing tool for builders of Part 9 single family and multi-unit residential buildings. It distinguishes your home/product from others in the market and demonstrates your care and attention to quality.
An ERS evaluation can take the guesswork out of selecting upgrades that can improve your performance levels and incentives, lower utility costs, improve durability, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
EnerGuide Evaluations are required by programs including Efficiency Manitoba’s New Homes Program, CMHC Energy Efficiency Loan Programs, MLI Select, and Mortgage Insurance Premium Rebates offered by lenders.
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This is the official EnerGuide rating for you home. The rating is unique to each home and looks at all energy related aspects of the home including insulation, mechanical systems, building size and structure.
The energy advisor will complete an energy model of your house to determine the rating.
The lower the rating, the lower the energy use of the home/Unit
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Complementary to the EnerGuide Label, the Homeowner information Sheet breaks down your homes energy use and heat loss.
It also provides building details including insulation levels, window, doors, and mechanical system performance.
Blower Door Airtightness Testing
Airtightness is perhaps the most important factor in the comfort, efficiency, durability, resilience, and indoor air quality of a home. We use a blower door to both measure airtightness and to locate air leakage.
Testing can happen at two stages:
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Before drywall and/or interior finishes are installed, we apply positive or negative pressure to the building and use fog machines, infrared cameras, or smoke pens to identify leakage points to seal.
This is helpful if your airtightness target is a major factor in achieving incentives.
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Once the build is complete, we set up a blower door to test the house to get a final airtightness value and identify any remaining leakage points.
Mechanical Equipment Selection & Sizing
It’s very common for houses in Manitoba to have oversized heating and cooling systems.
In additional to needless capital costs, oversizing can lead to excessive noise, short cycling of the equipment resulting in poor performance, reduced comfort, poor dehumidification in the summer, and a shortened service life of equipment.
prairieHOUSE uses energy modelling, CSA F280 Heat Loss/Heat Gain calculations, and various other tools to help correctly size mechanical systems for the houses needs.
Properly sized equipment can:
Reduce capital costs
In the case of heat pumps, save energy
Improve thermal and acoustic comfort (reduce noise)
Reduce homeowner call-backs
Lengthen the life of the equipment
Heat Pump Concierge Services
prairieHOUSE can assist builders when incorporating an air source or ground source heat pump. Choices available can vary drastically in terms of cost, efficiencies, accessibility and benefit. We can help simplify the process by providing various resources.
These includes:
CSA F280 Heat Loss/Heat Gain Calculations
Air Flow Duct testing
Consultation on the selection and right-sizing of heat pumps for your build.
Building Forensics
Do you have a build with moisture or air quality issues, or one that homeowners say feels uncomfortable?
prairieHOUSE has decades of experience in identifying causes and solutions to these quality of life related building problems.
If you are commissioning ventilation and heating systems, we will analyze, verify and balance flows to ensure the home’s optimal performance and comfort
Marketing & Sales Team Training
Investing in upgrades that improve the energy efficiency of your home is one of the best things new homeowners can do.
However, as buildings become more energy efficient with new codes, the way we communicate to our customers on the benefits of building and energy performance upgrades has changed.
We work with sales and marketing teams to help navigate and champion the complex conversations with customers around energy savings, comfort, durability, and available incentives.
Building Performance Consulting
prairieHOUSE provides product-neutral analysis and advice to bring better performance and cost-effective to your project
Our team will work with you to review building plans, mechanical systems, air sealing practices, performance goals, and common issues to identify solutions that will help provide confidence in your build and the transition to homeownership.
Navigating the Federal & Provincial Rebate, Grant, and Loan Programs
There are many Rebate, Grant, and Loan programs currently available for home builders and your customers. We have worked hard to put together information on the following page for you that will help guide you through steps involved to ensure its a smooth and educational process for you.
We will support you whether you are looking for information on Efficiency Manitoba New Homes Program, Mortgage Insurance Premium Rebates, MLI Select, or CMHC Loan programs. Our team is knowledgeable in all of the programs and we are here to help along the way as you have questions about your build, eligibility, and the key steps.
New Build Incentive Programs
