“Green” House generates its own power

What better way to fight indoor air quality problems in the home than to build a home that fights indoor air quality?

Avalon Master Builder has finished constructing its Discovery 4 House – the company’s first-ever net-zero home. So what does that mean?

It means the house produces at least as much energy as it consumes, meaning the net energy exchange is zero. It relies on renewable resources like solar energy to power itself.

The Calgary-based home is now on sale for $564,000. Its main goal is to create the ultimate green indoor living space, one that drastically reduces allergens and pollutants. It’s a worthy cause considering that Canadians spend 90 per cent of their time indoors and that poor indoor air quality can cause asthma, migraines, nausea and congestion.

The house’s heat recovery and ventilation system continuously exchanges air throughout the whole house, ensuring that residents are constantly breathing the freshest air possible. The system is crucial because the home is so tightly sealed to ensure no energy is wasted. A tight seal is energy-efficient but can damage indoor air quality by not releasing pollutants outside; the heat recovery and ventilation system remedies that problem.

The home also includes an energy-efficient appliance package and uses a water furnace fan coil to distribute solar-heated, filtered air through the home without using natural gas.

In theory, living at the Discovery 4 Home would give you the ultimate experience in indoor air quality. To ensure that things stay that way, whoever moves in will have to keep track of any basement moisture and consider hiring an environmental consulting firm to ensure the home isn’t at risk for any mold development. Mold spores are among the greatest threats to indoor air quality.

Environmental Services Group is a cutting edge environmental consulting firm based in Toronto and servicing both the Greater Toronto Area and Ontario. We provide state-of-the-art, industry-leading expertise in remedying environmental hazards such as mold, lead, asbestos and much more. Call 416-575-6111 or visit our website today for a pressure-free initial consultation. You’ll be glad you did!