The Novoclimat® new home program caters to consumers who want to purchase an energy efficient home. In addition to improving a building’s energy performance by a minimum of 25%, the Novoclimat® program has a positive influence on the residential construction industry by encouraging the advancement of building techniques. On a voluntary basis, entrepreneurs take training courses towards certification. They receive the technical support they need, and the house is inspected during construction and certified by the Department once all requirements have been satisfied.
A private sector evaluator mandated by the Department and not affiliated with the contractor inspects every house registered in the program. For standard homes, there are two inspections. The first is done before the plasterboard panels are installed and includes a blower door test. The second is conducted once construction has been completed. It involves a full visual inspection, verification of airflows and calibration of the ventilation system.
Clientele & eligibility
All new single-family, semi-detached or row houses (town houses)—with the exception of homes built north of the 50th parallel—are eligible for Novoclimat® certification as long as they were built by a contractor certified by the Department and that all Novoclimat® requirements have been met.
For pre-fabricated homes, the buyer will receive Novoclimat® certification if the entire house was built by a Novoclimat®-certified contractor. An attestation of performance covering all materials assembled in the manufacturing plant will be given in the event the buyer has carried out some of the assembly or insulation work himself.
