Wilden Living Lab Releases First Test Results

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According to the EnerGuide testing, the Home of Tomorrow is more than double as energy efficient as the Home of Today. 

Gilles Lesage of Total Home Solutions evaluated the Wilden Living Lab Homes.

Construction of both Wilden Living Lab Homes was completed in early November. Right after completion both homes underwent the EnerGuide for New Homes energy efficiency evaluation. Gilles Lesage from Total Home Solutions in Kelowna evaluated the homes, taking all aspects into consideration including insulation levels, airtightness, windows and door types, space and hot water heating systems and many more.

Gilles Lesage of Total Home Solutions showing students of Okanagan College the measurements of the thermal camera in the Home of Tomorrow during constructions.

“We performed final tests right after the homes were completed. The blower door air tightness test confirmed that the Home of Tomorrow achieved the ENERGY STAR® for New Homes qualification for superior energy efficiency performance”, says Gilles Lesage. “In fact, the home achieved an exceptional EnerGuide rating of 47 GJ/year and GHG emissions of only 0.3 tonnes/year.”

The Home of Today (left) and Home of Tomorrow (right) are identical in floor plan, which makes test results easily comparable.

The Home of Tomorrow exceeds the Home of Today by 52 percent in energy efficiency. Accordingly, the Home of Tomorrow should use less than half the energy than the Home of Today. Further research will show if it meets these expectations.

The insulation techniques tested in the Home of Tomorrow, such as the ICF wall or the Quik-Therm outer wall barrier, are a huge factor when it comes to energy efficiency.

Total Home Solutions, a Kelowna-based company for home inspections and energy evaluation, has worked very closely with the five Wilden Living Lab partners and the suppliers to model and analyse the homes expected energy performance. Components used for the Home of Tomorrow such as geothermal heating/cooling, heat pump water heater, triple glazed windows, ICF foundation as well as elevated ceiling and wall insulation levels are all contributing to the home’s overall energy performance.

Innovation and efficiency are built into the Home of Tomorrow, and also visible in the interior design.

In spring 2017 the Wilden Living Lab group which includes the Wilden Developer, AuthenTech Homes, UBC Okanagan, Okanagan College and FortisBC, will add another component to the research, actual residents. The homes will be sold and as soon as families have moved in, the real life data collection starts.  Individual meters and sensors have been installed throughout the homes to monitor and collect data on individual equipment, building envelope temperature loss, and overall usage patterns. The data and analysis will be made available to the public and to the building industry through various channels and through this website.