Renovation/Addition (Toronto, Ontario)

• before EcoEnergy rating: 55 (approx.)
• after EcoEnergy rating: 79 (rated)
• R30 walls, R50 roof, R4 and R5 windows
   
• one of two most energy efficient renovated houses in Canada for 2001
   
• 1500 sq.ft. second floor addition and complete 3000 sq.ft renovation of a small bungalow  
  
• on the second floor, the addition created four spacious new bedrooms: two with window seats, a new main bathroom and laundry room and a master bedroom with bay window, ensuite bathroom, gas fireplace and walk-in closet
• the main floor was renovated to provide new spacious living room with chamber music and music teaching area with double sided gas fireplace, a dining room with sunny window seat, a family room, new front airlock entrance area, powder room, large galley kitchen, mud-room/airlock side entry and French doors to a beautiful back eat-in porch overlooking a solar heated salt water swimming pool
   
• the basement was reconfigured to include 2 office spaces, a large woodworking shop, rec room, change stalls for the pool, new bathroom, and large “attic” storage room: in order not to compromise the additional attic insulation, attic storage was assigned to the basement
   
• all new fiberglass casement windows were installed, with low E argon and non-conductive edge spacers, triple-glazed in bathrooms and laundry room
• the old part of the house was insulated on the outside with Roxul rigid insulation and on the inside with non-settling blown-in cellulose insulation, providing a delightfully cozy R30 insulation factor
• wood frame construction was all at 16 inches on centre in order to conserve wood
• electricals were upgraded to 200 ampere service, all plumbing was replaced with copper and PEC piping to use less less copper as it becomes scarce
• old kitchen cupboards were recycled into basement workshop
• heat is provided by a “combo” system: hot water and forced air, with provision for the gas fireplace in the family room to have the capability to supplementally heat the house as sensed by the proximity of the thermostat and the provision that when the room gets warm enough, the system will kick in to distribute the heat through the house
• increased interior thermal mass was created with 5/8” drywall throughout, cork and linoleum flooring and natural wool carpet with fibre underlay which doesn’t offgas
   
• sound insulation was installed between the first and second floors
   
• air conditioning is rarely needed because of ceiling fans on main floor and in each bedroom, because of pleasant cross-ventilation, deciduous trees and super insulation
   
• master electrical disconnect switches were installed in each bedroom to reduce electromagnetic frequencies during sleep times
   
• there is a constant flow of fresh air from the heat recovery ventilator, with exhausts from the high humidity areas of the bathrooms and kitchen
   
• owner does not turn heat on before the end of November and uses air conditioning for a maximum of one week a year due to the carefully installed and uncompromised seal of the vapour barrier and due to the extra super insulation

Before

After