Energy advisors are third party consultants that work on residential homes both new and existing. They provide energy modeling and airtightness testing as a portion of the requirements for delivering Natural Resources Canada’s EnerGuide Rating System, ENERGY STAR for New Homes, and CHBA NetZero Labelled homes. In BC, they are also specialists in providing support in demonstrating compliance with the BC Energy Step Code for Part 9 residential buildings.

An energy model calculates how much energy a proposed building is expected to use. Modelled energy consumption in a building can relate to space heating, ventilation, lighting, appliance and plug loads. An energy advisor understands the modelling software, construction details and BC Building Code requirements. The advisor evaluates the size and geometry of the building, the climate at the building’s location, the effective insulation values of assemblies such as walls, ceilings, windows and doors, and the mechanical systems that keep the house comfortable and provide hot water.

Building or renovating a home is a large project and an investment in your future; and project costs are rising. Rebates and incentives can be really beneficial in helping a client become aware of different methods and products available to them while offsetting some of the upfront costs. There are federal and provincial rebates available for both renovations and new construction projects. At Ecolibrium Energy Solutions, we are all Program Qualified energy advisors that can assist you in accessing these incentives.