Home No. 1:
Building the Future
Using the sun’s light and heat
in one’s home is old technology,
dating back to Ancient Egyptian
and Mayan times. A net-zero
dwelling that harnesses solar
power is one of the cheapest
upgrades you can make to your
home in the long run, according
to Koen de Waal of De Waal
Developments. “It’s kind of
surprising that it’s so simple and
yet the technology has seemingly
been forgotten until recently.”
In 2015, de Waal built his
own 3,200-square-foot passive
solar house on a corner lot in the
Windsor Park neighbourhood.
The home also includes a
700-square-foot apartment
and an electric vehicle charging
station. While new construction
homes must have a minimum
wall R-value of 20, his rings in
at R45.
While de Waal acknowledges
net-zero homes do have higher
up-front costs, building better is
cheaper over time: “The increase
in construction costs, spread
over a 25-year mortgage, is less
than our potential utility bills—
so my ongoing monthly expenses
are significantly reduced,” de
Waal says. “It really is the way of
the future.”
A modern
kitchen powered
by the sun
Cover it!
AMA Insurance covers
most eco-home
features, usually with
no additional premium.
Get more info at
AMAInsurance.ca/
HomeQuote
Save with
AMA
AMArewards partners can help you
save big bucks,
now and later
Polar Windows
Upgrade your windows
to more energy-efficent
models and save 32%
SOLAR PANELS
A 20-kW solar array on de Waal’s
south-facing roof and a 5-kW array
on the west-facing roof generate all
the energy required for the home and
apartment—as well as a home office
and two electric vehicles. Large windows on the south-facing wall and
overhangs provide passive solar gain
in winter and cooling in summer.
SPRAY FOAM
Inside the de Waal house, spray-foam
insulation expands to the thickness of
the studs and wall. “It makes the home
very air tight—the r-value is almost
twice as much as fibreglass insulation,”
he says. Traditional fibreglass can
allow for air loss, especially if it’s not
installed properly—a serious drain on
heating and cooling systems. While
spray foam costs up to three times
more, the difference in price is made
up within five years of heating and
cooling savings. spray foam also lasts
longer than fibreglass.
Reliance Home
Comfort
save 25% on ecofriendly heating and
cooling solutions
Home Depot
earn 6% in reward
dollars on solar panels
purchased through the
AMA estore
Parkland Garden
Centre
save 10% on seedlings
for grow-your-own food
1-800-GOT-JUNK?
ditch energy-sucking
appliances! save 15%
on junk removal
Kudos for Wood
Furniture
Commission a custom
counter or table made
with sustainable wood
and save up to 15%
AMA InsIder
FALL 2016
55