Canadian HERS Rating

HERS Energy Rater or Building Code Energy Modelers can model a buidling using the exact building compoonents selected by the project team - whether high performance windows, advanced HVAC systems, innovative wall assemblies or other customized features. The building is considered compliant if the energy consumption of the propsed design meets or exceeds the energy consumption of the perscriptive package noted in the local code. 

• New Homes
• Home Additions
• Low-rise Residentical Building 

• Builders the freedon to design cost effictive, innovative, or trade-off based solutions
• Homeowners the ability to choose the products and systems they want whil still meeting local codes
• Code officials a standardized, nationally recognized method for verifying performance based design
• Solution, CRESNET offers projected energy ratings for Performance Path for Code Compliance using REM/Rate software and after following the steps can produce a Canadian HERS Energy Rating. CRESNET also offers a HERSH2O Rating and soon a HERS Carbon Index

• Better Quality of Life -HERS rated buidlings with low HERS Index Ratings are significantly more energy efficient than standard homes. This results is increased comfort, more consistent indoor temperatures, improved air quality, lower utility bills, and a reduced environmental carbon footprint.

• Lower Operating Costs -When building a home, many people focus primarliy on the mortgage but overlook the ongoing operating expenses. Energy costs, however, greatly affect a homes long term affordability. HERS ratings allow homeowners to understsand a homes projected energy use fore purchasing, helping them to build a homes that will cost less to operate on a month-to-month basis.

• Informed Home Building Decisions -A HERS Index Rating gives homeowners a clear, easy to understand measurement of energy efficiency which provides more conficence knowing they are buidling a better performing product with more comfot an da proven wise use of money both for the upfront cost and the reduced fture month to month costs.

• Opportunites for Incentives and Rebates - Using the HERS Index is another way to provides energy comsumption compison reports to apply for insentive and rebate programs.

1. Contact either a Building Code Energy Modeller or HERS Energy Rater, see CRESNET's Accrediated members section and select a member that is closest to you.

2. Provide the accredited member with a set construction drawing. The accrediated member will complete a plan takeoff to determine the buidlings geometry and all associated openings.

3. The accredited member will identify a perscriptive compliance package to meet the local code and compare it against the proposed design of teh buidling components and mechancials.

4. Compare the energy consumption between the prescriptive compliance package, the reference building to the proposed building design. 

• The comparision of energy consumption can be completed using one REM/Rate file, the Code Compliance Certificate (CCC) report; if the build is in Ontario, the mechancials have fuel fired heating appliance with a standard air conditioner unit and the wall to window ratio is less than 17%. If any of the noted parameters are different or the buidling site is outside of Ontario than two REM/Rate files will need to be created. One file will show the reference building components and mechanicals and the other file will show the proposed building components and mechanicals. Both files will use the same geometry of the building.
• Note: in Ontario the proposed design method is reflecteed on the Energy Efficiency Design Summary (EEDS) form that is submitted for permit.

5. The resulting REM/Rate reports serve as a verification that the design meets or exceeds the applicable prescriptive compliance package requirement of the local code. At this stage the energy consumption of the proposed building is a Projected Rating for the future built home.

After the builder/homeowner receives the building permit they may choose not to proceed any further beyond this stage; however the building will not be able to receive a Canadian HERS Rating without completing the remiander of the steps.

1. Contact either a Field Inspector or HERS Energy Rater, see CRESNET's Accrediated members section and select a member that is closest to you.

2. Before the drywall is installed contact a Field Inspector or a HERS Energy Rater and request they come to the build site and inspect eh insulation to ensure that it has been installed correctly. They will analyze the house and will advise on any areas that need improvement. This will help to achieve the best possible air tightness results. The tighter the home the better the hosue will rate on the HERS Index.

Note: A Canadian difference from the RESNET process through the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with RESNET is that the duct blaster test has been waived for Canadian buildings.

1. Contact a HERS Energy Rater, see CRESNET's Accrediated members section and select a member that is closest to you.

2. Step 3 includes a blower door test. The blower door test depressurizes the buidling testing for the number of leaks or cracks in the building envelop. The fewer leaks and cracks means a more air tight energy efficient buidling.

3. A visual walk through of the build site is completed to verify that the buidlng components and mechanical systems that were intended to be installed were actually installed. All on site components and the results of the air test are recored on an inspection report.

4. The HERS Energy Rater will update the original REM/Rate file used for Performance Path Compliance for the project rating with the inputs and findings of the inspection report. The REM/Rate software will generate a Canadian HERS Index Rating. This is a Confirmed Rating and a HERS label can be printed for the builder/homeowner.