Canada’s recent commitment to the Kyoto acccord and reduction of greenhouse gasses has once more placed energy efficiency in the spotlight.

The residential construction industry is a staunch advocate of energy efficiency. “The industry has been out in front on environmental issues for several decades,” says Jim Thomson, President of the Canadian Home Builders’ Association (CHBA). “We are proud of what we have already accomplished, and we are committed to working with governments to reach Canada’s environmental goals.”

Canadian homes are among the most energy efficient in the world. Over the past few decades, the energy consumption of our homes has dropped significantly. The average new home today uses about 40% less energy than a similar home built in the 1970s; an R-2000 home uses even less energy.

The housing industry believes strongly in voluntary, market-driven measures based on consumer choice rather than environmental regulation—an approach that clearly works. “Over the past two decades, the residential construction sector has achieved greater energy efficiency gains than any other sector of the economy. In fact, greenhouse gas emissions from Canadian homes are already projected to be lower than 1990 levels by the end of this decade,” explains Mr. Thomson.

The single largest factor in the industry’s “good news” story is the R-2000 Initiative which began in the 1970s, when world energy prices soared. A voluntary market-driven initiative, R-2000 has had a profound and positive impact on the way in which all new homes are built today and is recognized as the world’s leading energy-efficient housing system.

The R-2000 Initiative is a close collaboration of the federal government and the housing industry. Over the years, the R-2000 Technical Standard has evolved to take advantage of ongoing development in energy-efficient building techniques, products and systems. This ensures that an R-2000 home continues to be the most energy-efficient home available in the marketplace; it also contributes to further improvement in all new homes as the industry applies the knowledge gained through the R-2000 Initiative more broadly.

The CHBA is engaged in a wide range of activities to get the environmental message to consumers, including the annual New Homes Month campaign, home shows and consumer seminars. EnviroHome is a special initiative, undertaken jointly with TD Canada Trust, to showcase homes built to demanding technical and environmental standards, including R-2000 certification.

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