Canadian home buyers are increasingly showing interest in Net Zero Homes, and builders and renovators across the country are expertly producing the goods. 

This year’s CHBA National Awards for Housing Excellence – Canada’s premiere competition for new homes, renovations, community development, and residential marketing – recognized housing excellence in two Net Zero Home awards categories: Best Production Net Zero Home and Best Custom or Renovated Net Zero Home. Builders and renovators across Canada submitted their beautiful and innovative Net Zero or Net Zero Ready Homes qualified under the CHBA Net Zero Home Labelling Program into one of the two categories, in hopes of gaining national recognition in this year’s awards competition. 

Well, the results are in! In this blog post, we’re highlighting the top 5 projects for Best Production Net Zero Home in the 2024 competition (with another post to follow for the Best Custom or Renovated Net Zero Home category). 

WINNER: “Union Village” by Minto Communities GTA and Metropia

 Minto Communities Management Inc. GTA and Metropia, together with RN Design Ltd., Bluewater Energy Inc., Building Knowledge Canada Inc., and HVAC Designs Ltd. built this award-winning Net Zero Home in Markham, ON.

This Net Zero Home showcases exceptional design and craftsmanship that is synonymous with the surrounding community. Inside, it offers a versatile, open-concept layout with design elements that exude sophistication, such as white oak herringbone hardwood flooring, waffle and coffered ceilings, and French doors leading to a covered terrace.

 Adding to its allure, the home is equipped with an array of smart features, including automated blinds, a state-of-the-art speaker system, adjustable dimmers, and Circadian lighting. The exterior seamlessly merges brick and stone, enhancing the home’s curb appeal.

More than just a beautiful space, this Net Zero Home offers exceptional comfort, performance, and quality. As the first Net Zero Home at “Union Village,” this project led to the overwhelming success of the builder’s upgrade program designed to offer enhanced sustainability and Net Zero packages to customers at production building scale.

The program was an overwhelming success, with ~30% of customers choosing an enhanced envelope, Net Zero Ready, or full Net Zero package for their home. Specifically, this home’s increased insulation, superior airtightness, and triple-pane windows resonated with customers as these elements allowed them to physically perceive the improved comfort and quietness within the home.

Given that this home emphasizes sustainability on a large scale, prioritizing resident comfort, air quality, and holistic wellbeing alongside energy efficiency, there’s no question why the project was awarded the title of Best Production Net Zero Home in 2024.

Worthy competition

Other finalists gave “Union Village” a run for its money this awards season. Four runners-up showcased their beautiful and functional Net Zero Homes. Listed in alphabetical order, the other finalists are: 

“Building the Future: Award-Winning Net Zero Creation” by Sterling Homes Calgary

First up, “Building the Future: Award-Winning Net Zero Creation” by Sterling Homes Calgary shows that Net Zero Home design is inspired. 

This 2-storey front garage home seamlessly blends urban farmhouse aesthetics with the natural landscape.  

Inside, a mix of creamy whites, warm-stained maple, brass, black, and deep green creates an inviting ambiance. The home exemplifies innovation, incorporating a versatile four-bedroom plan, a standout kitchen, and energy efficiency features. 

This Net Zero Home boasts airtight construction, an enhanced building envelope, premium triple-pane windows, and a cold climate air source heat pump for superior comfort and eco-friendly living.

“Deso Netzero Duplex” by Averra Developments Inc. 

Averra Developments Inc. with Design Work Group Ltd. put forth another great example of Net Zero Home design taken to the next level. This all-electric development was the first CHBA Net Zero labelled duplex in Vancouver, BC. 

Design-wise, the exterior of the duplex features Scandinavian-inspired architecture with moody tones of grey. With young families and downsizers in mind, the floorplans are meticulously crafted to provide efficient single-family home amenities. The open-concept main living spaces include functional kitchens, integrated refrigeration, energy efficient induction ranges, large pantries, and ample closet space. 

Built with energy efficiency in mind, each home includes exceptional air quality, a heat pump, a hybrid heat pump hot water tank, and zoned forced air heating and cooling. Solar panels installed on varying roof pitches and the garage allow each home to satisfy the Net Zero requirement of producing as much energy as it consumes in a year.

“Hardwick” by Foxridge Homes

Next up is this thoughtful Net Zero Home by Foxridge Homes. 

Located in Langley, BC, the “Hardwick” Net Zero Home is tailored to young, growing families and up-sizers interested in living in efficient and quality-built modern homes that utilize advanced technology.

Not only does the exterior design fit the neighborhood aesthetic, but it also incorporates a unique solar array that blends seamlessly with the roof. 

The home features spacious, open-concept layouts, including a bright, airy kitchen with oversized windows to allow for ample natural light, as well as durable and stylish interior selections like quartz countertops, soft-close cabinetry, and energy efficient appliances. 

Other Net Zero Home features – aside from unmatched energy performance – include acoustics/sound dampening and consistent temperatures within the home, boasting quality-of-life improvements for the occupant just from those two features alone.

“Watercolour Westport” by Land Ark Homes 

Finally, Land Ark Homes, with HomeSol Building Solutions, Airtight Home Technologies, Building Knowledge Canada Inc., Bluewater Energy Inc., Robinson Residential Design, built this gorgeous Net Zero Ready development in Westport, ON.

Exterior home design in the “Watercolour Westport” community of Net Zero Ready Homes emulates an older craftsman style to match the cottage country location. It enhances the natural surroundings with charming exteriors and welcoming porches that add layers of privacy progressing from the sidewalk to the front porch, into the entry, back to the living area, and then to the primary suite and rear 3-season porch. Plentiful triple-pane windows bring endless natural light. 

Homes in “Watercolour Westport” operate fossil-fuel free, using heat pumps and advanced energy management systems. Solar-powered backup battery walls provide resilience and no greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs). Extraordinary airtightness, dual-filtered fresh indoor air, definitively tested air circulation and space conditioning mean homes in this community are the peak of comfort, healthy living, and efficiency. 

Year-after-year, builders across the country repeatedly raise the stake in energy efficient home design with these Net Zero projects. Learn more about the benefits of Net Zero Homes on CHBA’s website.

Interested in the latest home and design trends? Follow @chbanational and @chbanetzero on Instagram for weekly content featuring beautiful and unique homes from CHBA members across Canada.