For details and the registration form, click here.

 The 2012 Ontario Building Code will require that all new houses reach EnerGuide 80 Performance levels of energy efficiency. The new Code has 37 compliance packages. Each compliance package includes different insulation, space and water heating strategies that can satisfy the code.

In this workshop, you will learn:

• The pros and cons of each strategy;
• The individual requirements within each strategy;
• How much each compliance package costs; and,
• How your competition might build in 2012.

To secure your spot, simply fill out the registration form and fax it to 416-447-0177.

You can also visit http://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/event?oeidk=a07e5mls5u66571b13d to sign up online.

Recognizing Excellence in the Residential Construction Industry

Waterloo Region Home Builders’ Association (WRHBA) marked the 16^th Anniversary for their Awards of Distinction at Bingemans Ballroom on November 4^th. The gala event, presented in partnership with the Waterloo Region Record, hosted over 470 industry leaders, luminaries and supporters. The celebration saluted this year’s industry achievers, Awards of Distinction finalists and winners.

Congratulations to all award recipients!

To view all finalists and winners – click here.

Jamie Adam, President
Waterloo Region Home Builders’ Association

In May of 2011, Jamie Adam became the 38^th President of the Waterloo Region Home Builders’ Association (WRHBA).  Jamie has proudly served with the WRHBA for the past six years on the Board of Directors and in the last three years on the Executive Committee.

Jamie Adam is also President of Pioneer Craftsmen Ltd, and 3^rd generation of one of our region’s established, full service Design Build Renovation firms.  Pioneer Craftsmen helps home owners experience the true value of their home by finding unique solutions through renovations of all types and sizes. Jamie has extensive experience in the renovation industry from working on the site to estimating, designing and project management. As of April 2010, he became President of the company his grandfather founded 58 years ago.

A graduate of Conestoga College, Jamie understands the importance of continuing education and regularly attends industry seminars and conferences throughout Canada and United States. The combination of hands on experience and continuing education has been pivotal in developing Jamie’s leadership skills.

Recent Articles

Regional Homes – Buying from Plans & Model Homes, April 21, 2012

Regional Homes – Greening Your New Home, April 14, 2012

Regional Homes – Checklist for New Home Buyers, April 7, 2012

OWN Waterloo Region – Ready to Own Your New Home? March 2012

Media Release – Healthy Homes Renovation Tax Credit, November 26, 2011

Media Release – WRHBA Awards of Distinction, November 11, 2011

Regional Homes – Free Renovation Seminar Today, October 29, 2011

Regional Homes – Focus on Renovation Value, October 22, 2011

Regional Homes – Industry Offers up Free Renovation Seminar, October 15, 2011

Regional Homes – Renovate with Confidence, October 8, 2011

OWN Waterloo Region – Payback on your Renovation Investment, October 2011

Regional Homes – Advice on Buying a New Home, August 6, 2011

OWN Waterloo Region – Creating a Better Waterloo Region, August 2011

Regional Homes – Quality Products Make a Difference, July 23, 2011

Regional Homes – Come Home to Your Future, July 9, 2011

Media Release – WRHBA Commentary on Rapid Transit, June 7, 2011

To view the presentation, click here.

Ontario’s building code is scheduled to update on Jan. 1, 2012, and that update includes noteworthy requirements about energy efficiency. Ontario’s Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing (MMAH) has struggled to provide timely direction to Ontario’s municipal officials and building industry, and there is much confusion about how building permits will be approved in January.

Mindscape Innovations is proud to release a FREE online tool that is designed to be simple, and to help Ontario’s builders determine what changes may be required in order to bring their traditional designs into compliance with the new building code. This FREE online tool will help clarify the confusion surrounding SB12, and will help builders plan for the future.

To view the free web-based model to figure our if your design conforms with the Ontario Building Code (SB12), click here.

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The City of Kitchener has provided the following information (Nov. 9, 2011):

SB 12 (new houses)

March 19th, 2012 Green Building Update – March 2012

Update Overview Greetings Ontario home builders and green building enthusiasts!    Here’s the latest news on:   Ontario Building Code – SB-12 Latest EEDS form OBOA directives to municipalities RE: EEDS form use Web tools for SB-12 guidance Software Release FREE: Code Caddy – automate and simplify EEDS and ESNH BOP forms and permit applications EnerGuide and ENERGY STAR 2012 ESNH to be released soon Incentives Marketing Reminder: OEE Directory R-2000 2012 R-2000 standard released Incentives List of green building incentives available Training Green building and SB-12 training offered

1.  Ontario Building Code – SB-12 News Latest Energy Efficiency Design Summary (EEDS) Form: In early February the Ontario Building Officials Association (OBOA) released a slightly revised version of the EEDS form, and have posted it on their homepage.  In case there was any confusion on this, the latest EEDS form makes it clear that it is both the architectural and mechanical designer who sign-off on the energy efficiency design, not the CEA.  The sign-off is intended to indicate that those responsible for the design acknowledge the accuracy of the energy efficiency specifications as listed on the EEDS form.           OBOA Directives to Municipalities RE: EEDS form use: Since SB-12 requirements came into effect in January, several municipalities have made slight alterations to the EEDS Form for their own purposes.  These EEDS form inconsistencies have created confusion for builders and energy advisers.  The OBOA’s intention is to keep the EEDS form standardized across all municipalities.  Builders and energy advisers who find variations in EEDS form requirements should remind municipalities that the OBOA has specifically requested that municipalities not add further requirements.      Web Tools for SB-12 Guidance To help with your energy conservation planning for SB-12 compliance, we would encourage you to check out the following free web tools, in addition to consulting the Building Code literature and Supplementary Standards: SB-12 prescriptive path: www.SB12.ca SB-12 performance path: www.mibop.ca EnerGuide 80 path: www.mibop.ca ENERGY STAR path: www.mibop.ca 2.  Software Release FREE: Code Caddy – Automate and simplify EEDS and ESNH BOP forms and permit applications: Mindscape Innovations is proud to release a free software tool for builders and energy advisers to use in order to simplify the permit application process for complying with Part 12.  Like a Golf Caddy on a golf course, Code Caddy helps the user determine which “club” to use to get through the code successfully (i.e. which eligible compliance path), and then semi-automates the form filling process by generating required to generate EEDS and ESNH BOP forms for permit application.  Download your free copy of Code Caddy tool at www.sb12.ca. 3.  EnerGuide and ENERGY STAR 2012 ENERGY STAR Technical Specifications to be released soon: While no date has been confirmed, the 2012 ENERGY STAR Technical Specifications will be officially released soon, and will take effect for home enrollments after July 1, 2012.  The new benchmark is expected to be equivalent to EnerGuide 83 performance.  Homes enrolled prior to this date may use the existing ESNH standard, provided they are constructed by June 30th, 2014. Enroll your homes with Mindscape today!  We accept both common (former EnerQuality v.4), custom (MIBOP), and performance (EnerGuide) spec enrollments, and have simple tools to help!  Contact us at homes@mi-group.ca.  Marketing Resources – OEE Directory A reminder to Builders that the OEE Housing Member’s Area provides some helpful resource for marketing materials: Ensure your company info is listed and up to date on the OEE New Homes Directory under ‘Builders’ for your corresponding area; Find promotional articles, brochures, logos and videos; Order ENERGY STAR flags and plaques. 4.  R-2000 2012 R-2000 Technical Standard Released NRCan released the 2012 R-2000 Standard in February, and  will become effective for all new R-2000 enrollments after July 1, 2012.  Key changes over the 2005 standard include a 50% increase in energy performance target.  Further changes are planned for a 2014 update, at which point the 2005 standard will expire. R-2000 Website 5.  Green Building Incentives Do not miss out on the following financial incentives to help with your green building projects:   Free Drainwater Heat Recovery Program (Enbridge) SaveONEnergy Incentive for New Home Builders (OPA – $500 / $1000 for ERS 83 / 85, plus electrical incentives) Green Home Mortgage Loan Insurance Refund (CMHC) Energy Efficient Home Mortgage Insurance Premium Refund (Genworth Financial) LEED for Homes financial incentive (City of Kitchener) Rainwater Harvesting Rebate Program (City of Guelph) 6.  Training Green Building and SB-12 Training Mindscape is offering private training workshops on a fee-for-service basis. If you or one of your clients would like to book a Mindscape instructor to come meet with your team, to walk through SB-12, the various compliance options and tools that can help, and to help you make a plan for how your various builds will comply, then contact training@mi-group.ca today. We’re booking up fast, but we’ll be glad to work with you and to help protect your plans for 2012 and beyond.

WRHBA is pleased to have completed its first ever Education House, a place which brought to life all areas of study to educate students on the fundamentals for best building practices, as well as unique and innovative products so they could better understand how and what they learned in school translated to the work site. With the combined efforts from various member companies, WRHBA built the home to support and promote the Association as well as Conestoga College School of Trades and Apprenticeship.

Acting as a living classroom, the Education House combined the students’ class work with tours of the home as it was under construction and the opportunity to discuss what was being built and how it was being constructed with local trades. Being able to watch the staff at Churchill Homes build the house from start to finish meant they could witness for themselves the rewards of a commitment to craftsmanship and quality home construction. The experience proved valuable.  “While taking the theory behind buildings is certainly useful there is nothing as good as going onsite and walking through an actual building in progress,” commented Judi Westcott, Professor of Carpentry at Conestoga College. “Much of what the students saw in the home were aspects we had talked about in class including the structure itself, transference of loads to the ground, energy shield installation concerns, air barrier installation, cutouts in structural members and framing of arched windows to mention a few areas.”

The Education House is situated on a 40’ lot purchased from William J. Gies Construction Ltd. The home is set in the prestigious Waterloo Nature’s Watch community, located at 308 Westpark Crescent. Churchill Homes created their Fort Francis model, a 2195 square foot home with an oversized fabulous upper-floor family room complete with high ceilings and sliding doors that lead to a generous covered balcony; gorgeous hardwood floors along with ceramics and granite countertops in the kitchen all add to the overall beauty of this quality built energy-efficient ENERGY STAR® home.

 The Education House officially opened its doors to the public on Friday, January 28 at its ribbon-cutting ceremony and the response has been overwhelmingly positive. Local dignitaries, most notably Peter Braid, MP, The Honourable John Milloy, MPP, Minister of Training & Education, Elizabeth Witmer, MPP, Dan Glenn-Graham, Acting Mayor, City of Kitchener, Jean Haalboom, Council, Regional Municipality of Waterloo, Zyg Janecki, Council, City of Kitchener, Mark Whaley, Council, City of Waterloo and Dr. John Tibbits, President, Conestoga College, all commented on the leadership demonstrated by the Education House and its strong cooperative efforts to prepare our students to become future trades and a valued cornerstone in the growth of our industry and economy.