Program Bulletin #124 – Final Report on Housing Programs Review & New ESNH Advisory Committee Formation

This bulletin applies to all users of the ENERGY STAR® for New Homes and R2000 Programs

Topics:

1. Finalization of the strategic review of our voluntary new housing programs, ENERGY STAR for New Homes and R-2000 and sharing of our final report
2. Formation of the new ENERGY STAR for New Homes Advisory Committee

Finalization of the strategic review of our voluntary new housing programs, ENERGY STAR for New Homes and R-2000, and sharing of our final report

As many of you know, NRCan retained Dunsky Energy & Climate Advisors to lead a comprehensive review of our voluntary new housing programs, ENERGY STAR for New Homes (ESNH) and R-2000.

We are excited to share that our review is now complete. This initiative was driven by the introduction of the energy performance tiers in the National Building Code 2020 and the desire to align NRCan’s voluntary programs with those tiers. It also supports the Federal Government’s goal of achieving net zero energy ready by 2030. The feedback received from NRCan staff, ESNH program partners, provincial and territorial representatives, program participants, and homeowner representatives has been invaluable in shaping the final recommendations.

Based on the report’s recommendations, NRCan plans to transition to a single voluntary new housing program under the ENERGY STAR brand, while phasing out the R-2000 program. We will leverage the strong ENERGY STAR brand and, over the coming months, work with stakeholders to update the requirements to use the NBC energy performance tiers as the foundation for the standard and address other program issues identified through the review. We look forward to input from the ESNH stakeholder community as we work on these updates. Once the updated ESNH standard is released, we will implement a phased approach to sunsetting the R-2000 program and the current ESNH version. During this transition period, NRCan will provide comprehensive support to all ESNH and R-2000 stakeholders. Our goal is to facilitate a seamless transition to the updated ESNH program, ensuring that all participants are well-prepared and confident in meeting the new standards and requirements.

The final report and recommendations are now available for download here. Please contact esnhprogram-programmeesmn@nrcan-rncan.gc.ca if you would like a French copy of the report.

Formation of an ESNH Advisory Committee and next steps

With the strategic review now complete, our next step is to establish a new ESNH Advisory Committee. The mandate of the ESNH Advisory Committee will be to support NRCan in updating the program, expanding the presence of the ESNH program across Canada, and increasing the number of ESNH-certified homes in support of Canada’s 2030 net zero emissions goal.

This committee will assist NRCan in thoroughly reviewing and adapting the recommendations from the strategic review, recognizing that these are informed suggestions rather than final decisions. In addition to offering strategic guidance, the committee will support the development of a new ESNH program, enhance technical standards, and refine policies and procedures. By bringing together key stakeholders, this collaborative effort will ensure the continuous improvement of the ESNH program and help achieve our energy performance goals.

Further information about the ESNH Advisory Committee will be shared with ESNH stakeholders in the fall wherein we will provide additional details regarding the committee’s formation and role. Please stay tuned for updates.

Questions

If you have questions, please contact the ENERGY STAR for New Homes team at esnhprogram-programmeesmn@nrcan-rncan.gc.ca.