We’re thrilled to announce the launch of three more e-learning courses, designed to support your journey in building or renovating Net Zero Homes. Whether you're just starting out or looking to sharpen your edge, these self-paced, high-impact courses designed specifically for residential construction and renovation professionals are available 24/7/365. Learn more and register here.

• Net Zero Builder. Members eligible for $400 rebate
• Net Zero Market Advantage. $400 discount
• Net Zero Energy Advisor (Available in January). Members eligible for $750 rebate

JAN 14 | 1-3 ET | ONLINE

Balancing budget and performance? Looking for pro tips on installation? Join CHBA and Building Knowledge Canada for our final webinar in this Towards Net Zero Renos “Renovating for High Performance” series. This session, "Window Selection and Detailing: Getting it Right – from Design to Install!" explores the role of window selection in improving the comfort, control, and energy performance of your renovation projects. We’ll be addressing retrofit challenges to maintaining airtightness as we dive into practical strategies for window installation from experienced renovators and building science experts. Don’t miss out! Register here.

Avalon Master Builder, a CHBA Net Zero Council Management Committee member, is one of the participating builders in the field trials being conducted as part of the Resilient Homes Task Force (RHTF) collaboration between the CHBA and the Institute for Catastrophic Loss Reduction (ICLR). The field trials are in various locations across Canada to test four specific natural hazard contexts: basement flooding, wildfire, hail, and high wind. The learnings from those outcomes helped produce simple checklists to translate complex technical guides into digestible solutions for resilient new homes, renovations, and homeowner maintenance to protect property and residents from increasing weather extremes and catastrophic loss. Earlier this week, members of CHBA’s team met with ICLR to wrap up the first two years of the RHTF, with work likely to continue in future. Learn more about the Avalon field trial here and here. Read more about the RHTF and find the checklists here.

CHBA has been participating in codes and standards meetings and industry forums on how the residential construction industry can reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Although CHBA has significant concerns about how the requirements were developed and approved, we have released two new backgrounders to help members learn the lingo and what future carbon requirements in codes will look like so they can prepare for new codes. The Operational GHG Emissions backgrounder explains the 2025 National Building Code’s first-ever rules for reducing emissions from home operation, covering performance levels, compliance paths, and practical implications for design choices. CHBA will continue to advocate to fix the shortcomings of this code change, but in the meantime, we want to make sure members have as much information as possible. The Embodied Emissions backgrounder looks ahead to potential 2030 NBC requirements on material-related carbon emissions. It outlines what embodied carbon is, why it matters, and how simple material choices can significantly reduce a home’s carbon footprint. It also introduces tools and strategies for estimating and lowering emissions during design and construction. Are you new to the carbon emissions topic? Explore the CHBA Tech Essential for key terminology that will help you better understand our latest backgrounders and make the most of these resources. For any questions on this topic, please email Bilal El-Zaylaa.

CHBA is working with industry partners and decision makers to address a critical cost-saving issue in the Canadian Electrical Code: allowing energy management systems for any load – not just EV charging. While Ontario already amended its electrical Code in Section 8 to allow this, a recent national code proposal to expand the use of Energy Management Systems (EMS) beyond EV charging, which would help avoid costly electrical panel upgrades, was narrowly kept alive after a tied vote. While the subcommittee initially recommended closing the subject, the full committee agreed it needs more review after CHBA pointed out the high cost of unnecessary upgrades. This is an important step because an EMS can allow builders and renovators to manage peak loads without upsizing service, saving thousands of dollars per project. For the next Committee meeting in June 2026, CHBA will push for a coordinated approach that considers all related proposals and product standards, ensuring Canada aligns with international best practices. Our goal is practical solutions that maintain safety while reducing unnecessary costs for homeowners and builders. For more information, please email Frank Lohmann.

As the energy efficiency of homes becomes a higher priority for Canadians, many are trying to decide if a Net Zero Home is right for them. With the ease of information sharing these days, there are also a lot of myths about these high-performance homes. As a result, these myths sometimes cause confusion about what Net Zero Homes really are and how they work. So, in this blog post we debunk the top 9 myths about Net Zero Homes in Canada and explain what makes them the ultimate in comfort and efficiency.

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Visit our website here to read more of our Net Zero blog posts. You can also find and share all our Net Zero blog posts (geared towards consumers) via our four social media accounts; LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and X.

CHBA's Net Zero Virtual Expo Hall offers solution providers with 24/7/365 exposure to builders and renovators looking for Net Zero solutions for their projects. By consolidating essential information and best practices, and offering valuable insight, this new webpage empowers our members to showcase their mechanical, envelope, energy, or other innovations. Learn more and apply here!