The Value of Third-Party Assurance
UNDERSTANDING SUSTAINABILITY PROGRAMS
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)®
Administered by the Canada Green Building Council (CaGBC), Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) is an internationally recognized third party verification program for sustainable building and energy performance.
Through the pursuit of LEED® certification, a green building or home creates a healthier indoor environment for occupants through better indoor air quality and less harmful products. They also reduce waste, conserve energy, decrease water consumption and drive innovation.
By demonstrating excellence in all of this, a home or building can be acknowledged as a healthier, better building that will provide value to homeowners.
We recently worked with TD Economics to produce an analysis on the resale value of LEED® Certified Condos in Toronto compared with conventional condos.
ENERGY STAR®
ENERGY STAR® is an international standard and symbol for premium energy efficient consumer products. Products that display the ENERGY STAR® symbol have been tested and found to meet or exceed higher energy efficiency levels without compromising performance.
By owning an ENERGY STAR® qualified home, it doesn’t just mean you have ENERGY STAR® appliances – your entire home is qualified.
With an ENERGY STAR® home, you will be reducing your energy use by approximately 25% through features such as:
- Enhanced insulation
- High performance windows; and
- Air tight construction.
- Third Party inspected and verified
It would be difficult and more expensive to achieve this level of energy efficiency through renovations at a later date.
EnerGuide
By labeling homes under the EnerGuide program homeowners and homebuyers are empowered to make educated decisions with regards to energy and home purchase and retrofit choices.
With an EnerGuide label you will have direct understanding of how much energy your home is expected to use in a given year and how it compares to typical homes.
In the future it is expected all homes in Canada will require an EnerGuide label before sale. Providing a direct means of comparison even on the resale market helping homeowners re-capture energy efficiency investments at re-sale of the home.
