MSL Show attracts more than 1,200 visitors as it celebrates its 25th anniversary PAGE 7 Keep up to speed with all Greater Ottawa Home Builders’ Association News & Events by following us on Twitter @GOHBA_Ottawa xury Lu m Suppli oo athr B xury er m Suppli V v i er M 1885 w : M O WRO O H S R U O T I S I V w w 8 331 21. 613.5 d R e al ww : ego.ca t . w w Be a Member, Do Business With a Member www.gohba.ca Impact! Canada’s #1 Association Newspaper Vol. 22 Issue 2 April 2016 Greater Ottawa Home Builders’ Association GOHBA New members PAGE 7 GOHBA and Enbridge Curling Bonspiel: Friendly competition and networking GOHBA EnerCare hockey night attracts more than 150 PAGE B1 PAGE B3 GOHBA members recognized with several EnerQuality Awards PAGE 3 Recognizing Net Zero energy homebuilders Minto Communities recognized with other builders for Net Zero Energy Ready Initiative PAGE B2
Transcript
MSL Show attracts more than 1,200 visitorsas it celebrates its 25th anniversary PAGE 7
Keep up to speed with allGreater Ottawa Home Builders’Association News & Events by
following us on Twitter
@GOHBA_Ottawa
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Be a Member, Do Business With a Member
www.gohba.caImpact!Canada’s #1 Association Newspaper
Vol. 22 Issue 2 April 2016
Greater Ottawa Home Builders’ Association
GOHBA New members PAGE 7
GOHBA and Enbridge Curling Bonspiel: Friendly competition and networking
GOHBA EnerCare hockeynight attracts more than 150
PAGE B1
PAGE B3
GOHBA members recognized with several EnerQuality Awards PAGE 3
Recognizing Net Zero energy homebuilders
Minto Communities recognized with otherbuilders for Net Zero Energy Ready Initiative
PAGE B2
2 - GOHBA Impact • April 2016
The Art of Home Tour on May 14 and15 will feature 15 GOHBA builders, withhomes in 25 communities across GreaterOttawa. This showcase of new homes is aconsumer oriented event, which will offerprospective buyers the opportunity to viewa variety of housing types and the latestinnovations in energy efficiency, buildingtechnology, and design trends. More infor-mation can be found on the event website(www.artofhometour.com), including amap of all of the Art of Home Tour stopsand participating builders and communi-ties.
Presented by TRUEdotDESIGN, thisevent is free of charge and Participatingbuilders include:Campanale Homes, Cardel Homes,
Cedarstone Homes, eQ Homes, GlenviewHomes, HN Homes, Longwood Homes,Mattamy Homes, Minto Communities,Richcraft Homes, Tamarack Homes,Tartan Homes, Uniform UrbanDevelopments, Urbandale Constructionand Valecraft Homes.The tour will take place from 11 a.m. to
6 p.m. on both weekend days.
Staff writer Impact! It doesn’t happen too often – but the
City of Ottawa is expected to reducecosts to builders by reducing buildingpermit fees by 10 per cent effectiveApril 1.Ottawa’s planning committee
approved the reduction on March 8.The Building Code Services Branch
recommended the reduction afterreviewing building permit fee reservebalances, which are expected to reach$28.5 million, even with projected weakgrowth this year.Building inspection fees are sup-
posed to be revenue neutral. By law, the“revenue stabilization fund” is notmeant to generate revenue for the city –it provides a cushion for economic
downturns and reduced constructionactivity, the costs of appeals or lawsuits,and capital expenditures related to busi-ness costs.City staff say the fee reduction
would reduce revenues by about $1.5million to $1.875 million this year.“The review shows the city’s fees for
new buildings remain competitive withother municipalities and that there isroom for reduction, offering residentsand developers alike incentive to investmore and help to stimulate growthacross the city,” said planning commit-tee chair Jan Harder.GOHBA executive director John
Herbert says builders are less concernedabout the fees than the timelines andreliability of the building inspection sys-tem.
Staff writer Impact!
The Art of Home Tour toshowcase new homes
Building inspection fees expectedto decline 10 per cent April 1
GOHBA representatives meet with new federalMPs to outline housing industry priorities
GOHBA representatives have met withOttawa’s new members of parliament,providing them with a briefing on thelocal housing industry, outlining issues ofconcern, and building dialogue betweenthe industry and elected representatives.The individual meetings in February
and March with Anita Vandenbeld(Ottawa West-Nepean), Francis Drouin(Glengarry Prescott Russell), KarenMcCrimmon (Kanata Carleton), ChandraArya (Nepean), and Andrew Leslie(Orleans) covered four major issues, saysGOHBA executive director John Herbert,who attended the five meetings with asso-ciation president Bob Ridley. (CHBA’schief executive officer Kevin Lee alsoparticipated in the meeting withVandenbeld, while Rob Pierce of MattamyHomes attended the meeting with Leslie.)Herbert said the MPs were all interest-
ed in the issues raised by the associationrepresentatives as they absorbed the scopeof the industry and its economic impor-tance.
State of the local industry“We explored and discussed the hous-
ing industry in general, especially thestate of its health in the Ottawa region,”Herbert said.“We explained the importance of the
housing industry to the local economy,”he said. “It is the second largest privatesector employer in Ottawa. We have about25,000 people employed, and it con-tributes $3 billion to the local economy.”Herbert said the industry has been
hurting locally because of job cuts overthe past four years at the federal level.
“We believe the federal government has aresponsibility as the major employer inthe city,” Herbert said. “We can competeas a word class capital city. In order to dothat, the government needs to restore eco-nomic health to the region by job creation,through the effective administration of theproposed infrastructure grants.”
Housing affordabilityHerbert said the GOHBA representa-
tives reminded the MPs that governmenthas the primary responsibility for thehousing affordability crisis. “This is fortwo reasons,” he said. “Taxes on newhomes have increased from three per centto 25 per cent today from the late 1980s –but incomes have only increased by abouthalf that amount.”“The second thing is that the intensifi-
cation policy has tripled land costs inOttawa. Between government taxes at allthree levels – federal, provincial andmunicipal – and land policies, housingaffordability issues are solely the respon-sibility of government and that means thegovernments need to take action,” Herbertsaid.
Share infrastructure spending grants50/50 between provincial and federal levelsHerbert says the GOHBA advocated
that revenue sharing arrangements fornew federal infrastructure grants beshared equally between provinces and thefederal government, and that local contri-butions not be required in a three-wayfederal-provincial-municipal split.“These grants can simultaneously help
solve the housing affordability challenge,if conditions on the grants are that 50 per
cent of their benefits need to go to newcommunities and 50 per cent to existingtaxpayers, rather than the past practice of100 per cent support for existing taxpay-ers,” he said.The end of the three-way-split for
grant money will discourage municipali-ties from trying to solve the problem (andraise their share of the funds) “by just try-ing to raise the development charges forit.”
Reviewing CHBA’s pre-budget submissionsThis is the one topic that focused on
national rather than local issues. Materialsfrom CHBA CEO Kevin Lee “focusedprimarily on climate change and talkedabout the tremendous advances the hous-ing industry has made in this regard in thepast 10 years,” Herbert said.
“We’ve taken the low hanging fruit,”he said. “We’ve reached the point ofdiminishing returns on new home con-struction with regards to climate change.It doesn’t make sense adding additionalcosts, but rather the resources should befocused on the existing housing stock.”“For every dollar spent on reducing
climate impact on a new home, you couldhave four to seven times the effectthrough improvements to existinghomes,” he said.“This means that the federal govern-
ment needs to implement a new renova-tion tax credit focusing on energy effi-ciency,” Herbert said. “With this credit,people could get tax refunds for any ener-gy efficiency renovations made to theirhomes.”
Staff writer Impact!
April 2016 • GOHBA Impact - 3
GOHBA members recognized with several EnerQuality AwardsOttawa’s homebuilding community
took home several awards from theEnerQuality Awards gala in Toronto onFeb. 26.“Ontario’s homebuilding industry has
a commendable track record of creativityand innovation,” said EnerQuality presi-dent Corey McBurney. “ENERGY STARfor New Homes is a success story that allOntarians should be proud of, proving thatvoluntary, builder led initiatives work.”For the second year, the Minto Group
has been named Ontario Green Builder ofthe Year, with the launch of their first NetZero Energy model home in the Kanatacommunity of Arcadia.Meanwhile, Mattamy Homes won the
title of ENERGY STAR for New HomesBuilder of the Year for the third time. TheENERGY STAR label is an importantconsumer feature, as these homes are onaverage 20 per cent more energy efficientthan a home built to code.Mattamy Homes was one of the first
builders to participate in the program,which has become the most successfulgreen building program in Canada,EnerQuality said in a news release. Today,32 per cent of all new homes built inOntario are ENERGY STAR qualified.Roy Nandram, GOHBA board member
and chair of the Building InnovationCommittee, won the title R-2000 Builderof the Year, with his company, RNDConstruction. Housing Design Award winning green
home builder John Corvinelli ofCorvinelli Homes was recognized as theENERGY STAR for New HomesChampion of the Year for his initiativeand strong support of the program. Rounding out the local winners’ circle
was Homesol Building Solutions’ StephenMagneron, for his work as Evaluator ofthe Year.
The complete winners’ list includes:The Minto Group – Ontario GreenBuilder of the Year
Tridel – Building Innovation (Mid andHigh Rise)
Reid’s Heritage Homes – BuildingInnovation (Low Rise)
Mattamy Homes – ENERGY STAR forNew Homes Builder of the Year (LargeVolume)
Midhaven Homes – ENERGY STAR forNew Homes Builder of the Year (MidVolume)
Jeffery Homes – ENERGY STAR forNew Homes Builder of the Year(Small/Custom)
Reid’s Heritage Homes – Net ZeroBuilder of the Year
Reid’s Heritage Homes – Best GreenMarketing Campaign of the Year
4syte Design Build – Best GreenRenovation Project of the Year
John Corvinelli – ENERGY STAR® forNew Homes Champion of the Year
Stephen Magneron – Evaluator of theYear
RND Construction – R-2000 Builder ofthe Year
Andy Goyda – Hall of FameSonja Winkelmann – EQ Leader of theYear
Union Gas, Owens Corning Canada,Enbridge Gas Distribution – EQIndustry Partners of the Year
Fernbrook Homes – Enbridge Savingsby Design Award
Staff writer Impact!
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4 - GOHBA Impact • April 2016
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with cancer last year. That's enough to fill the Canadian Tire
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The Ottawa Hospital Cancer Centre cares for
24,000 patients every year, representing more than
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In 2015, an estimated 78,000 Canadians lost their battle
with this disease.
In Ontario alone there were 27,700 people diagnosed
with cancer last year.
1 of every 4 Canadians will die from cancer.
On average, over 500 Canadians are diagnosed with cancer
every day.
On average, over 200 Canadians will die of cancer every
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April 2016 • GOHBA Impact - 5
The Fight Against Cancer is Peddle Powered
This cycling event raises much-needed funding for cancer research at The Ottawa Hospital. It is a chance for our community to have fun, get healthy and make a huge difference in the fight against cancer. The Ottawa Hospital is a world-class organization, conducting cutting-edge research to help fight the scourge of cancer. Efficient, motivated, brilliant–they need OUR community's financial support to change the numbers you see below. Join me and the Merkley Supply Brick Peddlers and share a happy, healthy day together and continue the fight.
The FightersThe Ottawa Hospital Cancer Centre (TOHCC) treats
24,000 patients a year.
More than 50% of the patients at The Ottawa Hospital are
being treated for cancer and cancer-related illnesses.
In the Ottawa Region, TOHCC does 80% of the cancer
surgeries, 90% of the chemotherapy, 100% of
radiation treatments.
300 researchers at the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute
are dedicating their work to the fight against cancer.
The Brick Peddlers team of cancer fighters totalled 156
committed riders in Merkley Orange in 2014.
They raised an astonishing $490,736 for cancer
research in 2014 and $1,254,000 total in five years!
THE RIDE has raised $8.8million to date.
Join the cancer fighting Brick Peddlers from Merkley Supply
Ltd. and help us reach our goal of $350,000 for
cancer research in Ottawa.
To join our team, call Robert Merkley at (613) 728-2693 ext. 222 or email him at [email protected]
Visit our website at visit www.dotheride.ca
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Given the recent focus on climatechange by the federal government, itseemed timely to describe the emissionreductions that have been achieved inCanada’s housing industry over the past10 years and suggest where governmentpolicy should best be directed over thenext decade. First of all, who are the main contribu-
tors to greenhouse gas emissions? Thisvaries significantly around the world butmost sources place Canada in ninth posi-tion with total emissions that constituteabout two per cent of the top 10 countries.Within Canada’s seven main economicsectors, ‘buildings’ represent about 12 percent of emissions compared with trans-portation that is one of the highest atabout 23 per cent. Buildings include all
residential, commercial, industrial andinstitutional uses but we are only going todeal with the residential sector. In 2014 the Canadian Home Builders’
Association (CHBA) financed someimportant research to help policy makersunderstand just how successful emissionreductions in housing had been. In orderto demonstrate the relative magnitude ofthe reductions, they decided to comparetoday’s houses and cars with those from1975. They used construction specifica-tions from a home built in Ottawa fromthat period and computer simulation soft-ware developed by the Government ofCanada. It was determined that a typicalhome, built to the current OntarioBuilding Code requirements would use 66per cent less energy than its 1975 prede-cessor. In comparison, a 2012 ChevroletImpala delivers only a 15.8 per centimprovement over the earlier model. In short, the home’s energy efficiency
has improved four times more than thecar’s. Other car models fared even worsewith the Honda Accord showing only a3.8 per cent improvement over the same
period. When the 2017 Ontario BuildingCode is introduced, it will ensure thatfuture homes will release an estimated 80per cent fewer emissions than homes con-structed in 1975. These advances in tech-nology mean that despite having 38 percent more homes in Canada than in 1990,residential emissions overall are down 11per cent.Today’s new homebuyers benefit from
the tremendous energy performanceimprovement achieved by Canada’shomebuilding industry. Monthly costs aremuch lower than they would otherwise be.And other benefits, like improved indoorcomfort and conveniences, are simply“part of the package.”New housing is doing very well, and
will continue to improve. We therefore donot feel it is appropriate to adopt morestringent codes unless they can be shownto have no impact on costs and affordabil-ity. New housing can and will continue itsenergy and climate performance improve-ments voluntarily with excellent success.Where there is a huge opportunity,
however, is in the energy retrofitting ofCanada’s existing housing stock. Everydollar invested in the average existingCanadian home will yield four to seventimes more GHG reductions than thesame dollar spent on a new home.In a recent presentation to the federal
government’s pre-budget consultationcommittee the CHBA recommended apermanent, refundable home renovationtax credit for energy efficiency retrofitsusing the government’s EnerGuide RatingSystem.
A Home Renovation Tax Credit could:• Achieve a number of specific publicpolicy objectives to reduce GHG fromOntario’s 4.8 million existing homesthrough energy efficient renovations;
• Have the added benefit of stronglyencouraging consumers to use legiti-mate contractors and create a papertrail to deter underground activity;
while stimulating economic activity.• Be funded through a portion of thefunds generated from the proposed capand trade system.Improving the energy performance of
existing homes offers the greatest andmost cost-effective benefit to homeown-ers, utilities, governments and society as awhole. Another tool that would be extremely
helpful in implementing a program toretrofit Ontario’s existing housing stockwould be the introduction of a mandatoryenergy labelling system for the resale ofexisting homes. Provisions for thisalready exist in Ontario’s Green Energyand Green Economy Act and so all thegovernment has to do is implement them.
Benefits of a Mandatory Home EnergyRating and Disclosure System include:• Consumer disclosure through greateraccountability and transparency;
• Professional advice regarding potentialenergy efficient upgrades;
• Market transformation as buyers makeinformed choices based on energy per-formance of housing, while sellerswould invest in energy efficientupgrades;
• Home values would better reflect ener-gy performance; and
• Reducing energy use and loweringGHG emissions.Mandatory Home Energy Rating and
Disclosure in combination with a HomeRenovation Tax Credit are two separate,but directly related initiatives that wouldtarget Ontario’s millions of existing andaging homes for market transformationand achieve significantly higher GHGreductions in a relatively short period oftime. These opportunities represent the‘low hanging fruit’ by using Canada’shousing stock to further reduce GHGemissions and we encourage the provin-cial and federal governments to pursuethem vigorously.
6 - GOHBA Impact • April 2016
ABOUT THE GOHBA IMPACT!
2015/2016 BOARD OF DIRECTORS
The GOHBA Impact! is the official newspaper of the Greater OttawaHome Builders' Association and is distributed to members 6 times a year.Advertising in The GOHBA Impact! supports GOHBA activities, while pro-viding an ideal promotional opportunity for those wishing to communicatewith the residential construction industry in the Ottawa area. Special advertising discounts are available to GOHBA members.Membership and editorial information: Greater Ottawa Home Builders’Association
Advertising: Tim Lawlor (613) 699-2057 ext 210, Writers: Heather Seftel-Kirk, Mark Buckshon, [email protected] Beam Publishing Ltd., 613-699-2057 ext. 114 fax 613-702-5357. Publishing coordinator: Mark Buckshon - [email protected],
Tim Lawlor - [email protected]/graphic design: Raymond Leveille – memoproductions.ca
EXECUTIVE BOARDPresident Bob Ridley Smith & Barber Sculpture Atelier Inc.First Vice-President Josh Kardish Regional GroupSecond Vice-President Roy Nandram RND Construction Ltd.Secretary Scott Ricci Rogers CommunicationsTreasurer Ray Charron Mattamy HomesPast President Pierre Dufresne Tartan Homes
DIRECTORSBuilder Developer Council Josh Kardish Regional GroupBuilder Trade Council Ron Ingram Minto CommunitiesUrban Infill Council David Renfroe Domicile DevelopmentsBuilding Innovation Committee Roy Nandram RND Construction Ltd.Housing Awards Committee Linda Oliveri Enercare Home ServicesNew Membership Committee Josh Doran Smith & Bradley's InsuranceRenovators Council Norm Lecuyer Just BasementsSales & Marketing Council Shelley Beck PostmediaSocial Committee David Walton Cricket Home Comfort
EX-OFFICIOSGiuseppe Castrucci Laurysen Kitchens Ltd.Chuck Mills Chuck Mills DesignGreg Graham Cardel Homes Inc.
In new construction, there’s no room for a one-size-fi ts-all furnace.That’s the beauty of our new Lennox line of high-e� ciency, single-stage gas furnaces. They come in a variety of sizes to meet the individual requirements of today’s construction professionals. Plus, they feature Power SaveTM technology that quietly delivers 33% greater e� ciency for year-round home comfort and savings. In today’s construction, there’s always room for Lennox innovation.
For more information on what our innovative Lennox products can bring to your housing projects, contact Bob Smith at [email protected]
Habitat Greater Ottawa (GO) says it islooking for motivated volunteers interest-ed in becoming a member of the organiza-tion’s build committee.“The main goals of the build commit-
tee will be to help develop and overseeconstruction plans for the chapter’s buildsas well as assist the fundraising committeein acquiring gift in kind build materials orlabour,” the nonprofit said in an announce-ment.Volunteers will serve on the committee
for between one and four years.The committee members either report
to the chair of the Carleton Place chapter,or the chair of the build committee.Committee member responsibilities
include:• Meeting once a month on a regularschedule as agreed upon by the com-mittee and any special meetings asrequested by the chair (example closeto the start of build season);
• assisting the chapter treasurer in creat-ing a build budget;
• becoming familiar with Habitat forHumanity National Build standards;
• assisting in creating a schedule for con-struction and to find ways to maximizeopportunities for the involvement ofHabitat Family Partners and volunteers;
• providing build orientation and trainingfor prospective Habitat volunteers andhomeowners along with the chapter
volunteer and safety co-ordinators;• completing all phases of constructionuntil final inspection, clear all deficien-cies and maintain Habitat for Humanitystanding in accordance with OntarioNew Home Warranty Program as wellas satisfy city or municipal standards;and
• communicating effectively with theSteering Committee and other sub-committees.Habitat GO says certain committee
members will be asked to assist with giftin kind acquisition for materials andlabour, land acquisition, creating housedesigns, applying for all suitable permits,and providing feedback to the executivesteering committee and Habitat GO’s proj-ect manager, builds, and chapters regard-ing construction, and training new com-mittee members.Qualifications include: A construction
or building background; strong organiza-tional and time management skills; and awillingness to work with and train volun-teers with little construction experience.Habitat Build experience is an asset.Committee members should be comfort-able approaching tradespeople, services ofbusinesses for gifts in kind and need todedicate time “towards committee tasksand volunteer on the build site on a regularbasis.”If you are interested or to request more
Merkley Supply Ltd.’s (MSL) annualMSL Show attracted 1,228 contractors,designers, owners, architects and engi-neers to the Ottawa Convention and EventCentre on March 23, marking the show’s
twenty-fifth anniversary as one of thelocal industry’s most significant and suc-cessful networking and educationalevents.MSL president Robert Merkley started
the show in 1991, as commercial showorganizers competed to provide construc-
tion industry trade events in Ottawa.Merkley decided to do some things differ-ently.First, he ensured the show would be
“invitation only,” with invitations issuedonly to individuals active in the localarchitectural, engineering and construc-tion community. Second, he didn’t skimpon the amenities – with full buffet-stylemeal service and an open bar for thosewho could obtain the coveted invitations.The show became an instant success.
Merkley added seminars and instructional
programs provided by exhibitors who arealso MSL suppliers. The combination offood, refreshments, and the networkingeffect with everyone from masonry con-tractors to senior architects in attendancehas fueled the show’s growth, and therelocation from a smaller catering hall tothe larger Coventry Rd. convention centresite.The show also is a venue to support
The Ride – an annual cycling event tosupport cancer research at The OttawaHospital.
Staff writer Impact!
MSL Show attracts more than 1,200 visitors as it celebrates its 25th anniversary
Habitat GO seeks Build Committeevolunteers with industry experience
8 - GOHBA Impact • April 2016
Several Ottawa area land developersreceived a surprise post-Christmas presentfrom the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB)when it issued a ruling putting into ques-tion several aspects of the city’s mostrecent Official Plan Amendments (OPA).The Feb. 23 ruling included instruc-
tions that the city should consider whetherthe planning horizon should be to 2036instead of 2031, and hearings on appealsshould be adjourned until the city com-pletes its employment lands study andLEAR (Land Evaluation and Area Reviewfor Agriculture) studies and – to anyoneoutside of the planning world an arcaneconcept, but vitally important in this con-text, that earlier official plan amendments(140 and 141) “are to be considered partof Planning Act’s section 26Comprehensive Review and thereforesubject to the Section 26 consultativeprocess.”The ruling related to a motion by the
Taggart Group of Companies and WaltonDevelopment and Management (Ontario)LP seeking the denial of approval of OPA140, 141 and 150 “in their entirety.” TheOMB in its February decision didn’t total-ly overturn the OPAs but its ruling cer-tainly changes the picture, says JoshKardish, chair of the GOHBA’sbuilder/developer council.Kardish says there have been many
different perspectives on the issue. The
GOHBA had decided to take a more gran-ular approach, focusing on specific policylanguage within the OPA “so it is less pre-scriptive in nature,” and was working withthe city to “flush out the issues and ham-mer them down into more appropriate lan-guage” as the association considered somelanguage to be more appropriate for spe-cific zoning bylaw rules rather than theoverall official plan framework.Soloway Wright lawyer Ursula Melinz,
who has been representing the GOHBAthrough the OPA process, says the appealfiling deadline for the Feb. 23 ruling haspassed. “We haven’t heard that the city intend-
ed to appeal,” she said. “Staff are workingon preparing the city’s response to thedecision, which is going to the planningcommittee by the end of April.”She said that while some people in the
development community are happy withthe decision, others are frustrated, includ-ing some of her clients who were workingon plans under the new official plan pro-visions, which now may have to be put onhold pending the completion of therequired studies and delayed hearings.“If OPA 150 is truly on hold, and it
may truly need to be that way, and if ittakes until mid-2017 or late 2017 until allthe studies are done, that may mean theplan will be on hold 18 months to twoyears out,” she said.Kardish said the OMB decision
reflects a “validation of concerns raised”
by the industry. “This is being rushed,” hesaid. “You can slow it down” and get itright. The longer time horizon and studies
may show that there are needs for addi-tional lands to be made available fordevelopment. “In a broader timeline,there’s a whole bunch of different doorsopen for the development industry,” hesaid.
Melinz said that some members of theindustry are still attempting to ascertainwhat impact the ruling has on currentdevelopment projects and what the nextsteps may be. What is clear is that the rul-ing confirmed that OPA 150 was deficientin some aspects so more work must bedone by the city and the industry will like-ly have opportunities to be involved.
Nicole McCallion, the GOHBA’s eventand communications manager, is takingleave for a very good reason – she’s aboutto give birth to her first child.Christine Friske will soon be taking on
Nicole’s responsibilities. Christine hailsfrom the Westin Ottawa, where she hasworked since 2011 in a variety of roles,including sales management and as anexecutive meeting specialist, providingher with a genuine perspective of the chal-lenges involved in event co-ordination andmanagement.The Impact invited Christine to answer
a few questions about herself, to allowyou to get to know her a bit better.
Can you describe your favouritethings/activities/experiences?Enjoying good food and wine with
family and friends.Spending time with my two-year-old
French bulldog Chloe. She is the light ofmy life!Golfing in the summer, although I do
believe I got worse this past year. I thinkthat is common with golf?Nesting in my first home/condo pur-
chase at Lebreton Flats with my signifi-cant other. It is really an exciting time tobe in the area and I can’t wait to see whatis to come of it!Traveling near and far whenever I get a
chance. I am heading to the windy city atthe beginning of April to check out thegreat architecture, take in a basketballgame, and experience the famous food!
If you could summarize your life in 50words, what would you say?I have always been the type who
thrives off keeping busy. I grew up curl-ing, skiing, dancing, and traveling withmy close-knit family of four. Now I loveto plan and lust after my future adven-tures, wherever that may be!
What are you looking forward to themost?I am really excited to meet new people.
The team at the GOHBA has already beenso incredibly welcoming and I’m lookingforward to getting to know them further.I’m also eager to participate in my firstevent and meet some of our members! Ihope to become an invaluable resource tonot only my team, but also our 350 mem-bers.
Christine Friske to co-ordinate GOHBA events and communications asNicole McCallion takes maternity leave
Staff writer Impact!
Ottawa’s Official Plan Amendment put on hold with surprise OMB decisionMore consultation and studies required before new rules can go into effect
Staff writer Impact!
GOHBA members will find the latestissue of Ottawa Renovates magazine, pro-duced in co-ordination with the GOHBArenovators’ council, in this issue of theImpact.“We’ve distributed more than 33,000
copies of Ottawa Renovates with the OttawaCitizen, and the magazine is also availableonline at www.ottawarenovates.com,” saysPaul Scissons, who co-ordinates advertisingin the magazine.“The magazine, after seven years, has
proven increasingly effective in helpinghomeowners narrow down their renova-tion contractors, and also relevant servicesand suppliers,” he said. “It has an incredi-ble shelf life. Some readers keep severalback issues as they contemplate futurerenovation plans, pulling them out whenthey are ready to decide on their next ren-ovation.”Scissons says the next issue of Ottawa
Renovates will be co-ordinated with thesecond fall RenoTour (RenoTour2016.com)on Oct. 2.
For more information about participating,please contact Paul Scissons at (613) 818-0106, email [email protected] visit www.ottawarenovates.com.
Ottawa Renovates insideStaff writer Impact!
April 2016 • GOHBA Impact - B1
The Ottawa Senators fell behind theTampa Bay Lighthing on March 3 in a 4-1 defeat, but more than 150 GOHBAmembers and guests still enjoyed theannual hockey evening in the Founders’Lounge at Canadian Tire Centre.Enercare sponsored the evening, with
additional support from Bell.
GOHBA EnerCare hockey night attracts more than 150Staff writer Impact!
B2 - GOHBA Impact • April 2016
In March, Natural Resources Canada(NRCan) and Owens Corning Canada rec-ognized leading Net Zero Energy home-builders – including Ottawa’s MintoGroup – which constructed 26 NetZeroEnergy (NZEH) and Net Zero EnergyReady homes in five communities acrossCanada.The other builders included Mattamy
Homes – Calgary, Reid’s Heritage Homes– Guelph, Construction Voyer – Laval,and Provident Development Inc. –Halifax.The initiative was one project under
the $268 million ecoENERGY InnovationInitiative (ecoEII) announced as part ofthe 2011 federal budget. Eligible projectshad to demonstrate research or develop-ment and be focused on the search forlong-term solutions to eliminate air pollu-tants and greenhouse gas emissions fromenergy production and use.For the Net Zero project, Owens
Corning Canada was lead proponent andToronto based buildABILITY Corp. actedas the project’s lead consultant. The part-nership brought together both companies’expertise and dedication to sustainability.Toronto based buildABILITY is an
innovation consulting firm working withbuilders, manufacturers and innovators,whose founder’s history includes bringingENERGY STAR for Houses to Canada.Owens Corning is a Fortune 500 glob-
al company for which energy efficiency ispart of its DNA, according to technicalsolutions manager Salvatore Ciarlo. “Ourpeople and solutions make a difference,whether it is the insulation materials weproduce for energy efficiency and humancomfort, our shingles or our compositematerials.”
buildABILITY’s director of strategyand programs, Candice Luck, says herfirm had been working with OwensCorning as part of the NRCan LEEP/TAPinitiative. Owens Corning’s product creat-ed phenomenal airtight results andinspired the Net Zero Project. Net Zero homes become affordable,
Ciarlo says, when energy consumption isminimized through superior insulationand exceptional levels of airtightness.“This is our specialty. Our innovativeCodeBord exterior air barrier systemusing our extruded polystyrene rigid insu-lation boards with sealed joints providesexceptional levels of airtightness andwatertightness.”He says the product is cost effective
and that it is easy to maintain the continu-ity of the air barrier system from the exte-rior, rather than trying to wrap the housefrom the interiors. The CodeBord exteriorair barrier system allows builders toachieve an airtightness of less than 1.5ACH at the framing stage, surpassingR2000 levels of performance at the samestage. Luck says the proposal called for 25
Net Zero homes to be built by five pro-duction builders in five different regionsof the company. “We wanted to demon-strate that NZEH is possible in differentclimates across Canada and feasible onlarger production scale, rather than as acustom build. It used current trades andoff the shelf technology in a communitysetting to demonstrate this goal is achiev-able and repeatable.”Builder partners therefore had to meet
specific criteria: be large scale and experi-enced in production building, have experi-ence with sustainable construction, and bewilling to put their pocketbooks and repu-tation on the line. “We received $1.96million in funding for the project but thatwas for technical design, training, consult-ing, and testing. Each of the builders hadto bear the financial risk of building andthen hoping to sell the homes.”She says the builders also had to be
committed because post-construction, theproject requires five years of reporting tovalidate results where available. “Some ofour builders for instance have agreed toinstall Eyedro units in the homes whichwill tell us both how much energy thehome is generating and how much energythe occupants are actually using comparedto the simulated performance in the designand testing.”This, she says, will help validate some
assumptions about lifestyles that mayinfluence future initiatives.Finding the right partners for the proj-
ect was where Ciarlo says OwensCorning’s role was crucial with the com-pany’s network of consultants, suppliersand builders that share its vision for the
future and goal to transform the market-place.The initial project results have been
impressive and Luck says all of thebuilders have, in one way or another,committed to continuing the effort.“Mattamy Calgary for instance will selectsome of the Net Zero elements and con-tinue to explore these elements’ feasibilityin Mattamy’s next subdivision. Reid’sHeritage has made a commitment thatbeginning this year, all of their new singlefamily homes will be Net Zero EnergyReady.”Minto, she says, will offer a single
detached luxury home with a Net ZeroEnergy Ready upgrade and ProvidentDevelopment will continue to explorestandardizing Net Zero Energy Ready inNova Scotia. “Construction Voyer built asix-unit condominium for the project.They will also consider Net Zero EnergyReady as an option in their future condo-minium developments.”Ciarlo says the project has paved the
way for others to follow. “I’d like to seethis continue on a larger scope, perhapswith 1,000 homes in net zero communitiesacross the country.”From her end, Luck says she would
like to see communities developed as NetZero but recognizes there are challengesthat will have to be addressed. “Net Zeroneeds to consider the site and orientation.It may not be realistic to build every homein a community to Net Zero but perhapssome homes creating more energy to bal-ance those that can’t is a future to worktowards.”Whatever the next stage, both say the
Net Zero project has demonstrated thatthis kind of construction is attainable.“We’ve shown that Net Zero is doablenow, it is affordable and we can do ittoday – we don’t have to wait for (build-ing) codes to mandate this.”The Net Zero awards event at the
Fairmont Chateau Laurier included pre-sentations from each builder and keynotespeeches by Natural Resources Canada.
For more information on the initiativeand the builders, visit http://www.zeroen-ergy.ca.
Staff writer Impact!
Recognizing Net Zero Energy homebuildersMinto Communities recognized with other builders for Net Zero Energy Ready Initiative
Net Zero Comments
“We see this Net Zero initiative as avery important initiative in getting theaverage house closer to an affordableposition for people to be able to buythem. Minto, over the years, has investedin a number of other homes such as thisand this is the next development in thatseries.”
“We want to look at the obligation ofour scale to continue to drive the industryforward, to really look at how energy effi-ciency and sustainability can continue tofind its way into production houses. Weneed to find those things that are repeat-able, scalable and have the right valueproposition so our customers see them assomething they want to buy, not have tobuy.”
Brad Carr, president, Canada,Mattamy Homes
“We have to make greater use ofrenewable sources of energy. We need toinvest more in clean technologies. Andwe have to ensure we realize the full eco-nomic and environmental benefits ofenergy efficiency. The net-zero energyhousing demonstration project does all ofthese things. It offers us another chance toreset the course of our economy and cre-ate opportunities for generations to come.So, on behalf of Minister Carr and ourgovernment, I salute your determinationand your dedication. You’ve shown us aviable, sustainable path to the future —one that is cleaner, brighter and moreprosperous than ever.”
Kim Rudd, parliamentary secretary tothe Minister of Natural Resources
Kevin Lee, CHBA
April 2016 • GOHBA Impact - B3
Eighty curlers braved stormy weatheron Feb. 24 for a day of friendly competi-tion and networking at the GOHBA andEnbridge Curling Bonspiel.Tomlinson Environmental Services
won the first prize: tickets to the GoldMedal Game at the national Brier hostedin Ottawa at TD Place in March. Amsted Design-Build’s Greg Simpson
received recognition for the Spill of theDay, and the Enbridge Gas Distributionteam won the Most Honest Curlers title.Enbridge Gas Distribution sponsored
the event. Grandor Group sponsored thelunch.
GOHBA and Enbridge Curling Bonspiel: Friendly competition and networkingStaff writer Impact!
B4 - GOHBA Impact • April 2016
SAVE THE DATE HOUSING DESIGN AWARDS CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS MONDAY, MAY 2ND
ART OF HOME TOUR SATURDAY, MAY 14TH & SUNDAY, MAY 15TH
OFF-SITE CASINO NIGHT WEDNESDAY, MAY 18TH AT LAGO BAR + GRILL
GOHBA & TEAM HARDING SPRING GOLF TOURNEY TUESDAY, JUNE 14TH AT ANDERSON LINKS GOLF & CC
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON UPCOMING GOHBA EVENTS, HEAD TO OUR WEBSITE WWW.GOHBA.CA/EVENTS
Six local projects have been named asfinalists for the Canadian Home Builders’Association (CHBA) annual awards pro-gram. These include three new homedesigns, two renovations, and a marketingcampaign.Corvinelli Homes is a finalist in two
categories in the National Awards forHousing Excellence: production homesdetached, under 1,500 sq. ft.; and produc-tion homes, detached, 1,500 to 2,000 sq.ft.Minto Communities, meanwhile,
received recognition as a finalist for itsHyde model in the category of productionhomes, detached, 2001 to 3,000 sq. ft.Minto also received a marketing award
nomination for its digital campaignincluding a model home tour with archi-tectural and interior designers who talkabout the features and design elements,and offer lifestyle and design tips.Two renovators are also finalists:
Lagois Design-Build-Renovate, forkitchen renovation, $65,000 and over, and
Amsted Design-Build, for renovation,whole house, under $250,000.The national Awards for Housing
Excellence is an expanded version of theformer SAM (sales and marketingawards), which has been in place for 37years.There were almost 700 entries – a
record – in 31 categories, and 154 finalistsnationally. The winners will be announcedat the CHBA’s national conference inKelowna, BC on May 6.The 2016 finalists were selected by a
national panel of judges who met inOttawa over two days to review theentries.
“Our judges had a really challengingtime with so many exciting and innova-tive projects to review, but one of ourjudges summed it up best when he saidthat looking at the quality of all theseentries makes you really proud of themembership in the association,” saidCHBA chief executive officer Kevin Lee.“I know that the announcement of winnersin May will be highly anticipated.”
Six GOHBA entry finalists in CHBA National Awards for Housing ExcellenceStaff writer Impact!
April 2016 • GOHBA Impact - B5
Guests at the annual GOHBAInnovation Trade Show on April 6 learnedabout the home building industry’s rapidprogress towards energy efficient homestandards and the ultimate achievement –Net Zero, where the house can actuallyproduce as much energy as it consumes.EnerQuality program director Kirk
Johnson explained that more than a thirdof new homes built in Ontario haveachieved Energy Star certification, repre-senting energy efficiency 20 per cent bet-ter than the building code.And the building code is evolving, so
the minimum standards in the 2017 codewill be what Energy Star sets today –meaning that the new standards will beelevated again. Compliance with EnergyStar requirements isn’t onerous; the nec-essary improvements can be achievedwith a few thousand dollars.“If you are building to Energy Star
standards, keep on building – the processwill be incremental. If you aren’t buildingto Energy Star, now is the time to test it,explore it, and explore the benefitsbecause they will become code in the nextfew months,” Johnson said.R2000 homes require a higher standard
– 50 per cent greater than code. And atthe highest level, Net Zero homes, oncethought of as a pipe dream or purelyexperimental, are moving to the forefront,said Christopher McLellan, the CanadianHome Builders’ Association’s (CHBA)director of technical services.Incremental additional costs for Net
Zero demonstration homes in 2006 were$120,000. With initiatives and further test-ing, they dropped to $65,000 to $80,000 afew years ago. The current target for NetZero, with full rooftop energy generatingsolar panels is $40,000 – but if you forgothe solar panels and just set the stage forthem, through a Net Zero Ready design,the incremental costs should be just$10,000 to $15,000, he says.“There’s lot of flexibility,” he said.
“All the paths end up at the same coderequirements on the homes.”He said the work so far on Net Zero
has provided some insights about essentialfeatures:• Simple design is important, especiallythe mechanicals;
• Air tightness is important; and• Insulation requirements for the atticshould be R60; walls, R40; below-grade walls, R25; below-grade slab,R19+; and windows should be triplepaned and have R5 insulation levels. He said one feature of Net Zero homes
is the impact of occupant behavior onenergy loads. When homes reach thislevel of structural efficiency, how theusers behave is the most important factor,
rather than space heating, which wouldtake up 50 per cent of the load in a con-ventional home. (It will be less than 13per cent in Net Zero homes.)Builders wishing to become Net Zero
certified members need to be CHBAmembers, have training in building sci-ence and Net Zero builder training, andqualify for the appropriate labels and cer-tifications, he said.About 180 members purchased tickets
to attend the event on a snowy Aprilevening. There were 34 exhibitors.EnerQuality and Enbridge Gas
Distribution sponsored the evening.Exhibitor sponsors included Enbridge,
www.gohba.caImpact!Canada’s #1 Association Newspaper
Vol. 22 Issue 1 February 2016
Greater Ottawa Home Builders’ Association
There was plenty of Christmas cheerand some hypnotic fun at the annualGOHBA Christmas dinner in December,when entertainer Buzz Collins guidedseveral members to demonstrate theiraltered state of consciousness at theCenturion Event Centre.
Sponsors included: Dinner byMerkley Supply; entertainment byEnbridge Gas Distribution; and bever-ages by Naylor.
Good times ahead for Ottawa builders as Liberalsboost civil service, infrastructure spending PAGE 2
Building Innovation Trade Show April 6
An opportunity to showcase your innovativeand sustainable building products and services
PAGE 3
GOHBA New members PAGE 7
Annual General Meeting:Celebrating accomplishments
April 2016 • GOHBA Impact - B7
GOHBA IMPACT! Directory of Products and Services
The basic listing includes:Company NameCity, Phone & Fax numberThe basic listing is only $195
The enhanced listing includes:Contact Name, Company NameFull Address, Phone & Fax NumberEmail or Web address
The GOHBA Impact! Directory of Productsand Services enables members to pro-mote their products and services to fellowmembers. Listings are free to ongoingImpact! advertisers and rates are reason-able for even the smallest business.
Tego Bathroom Solutons613-521-3318tego.ca
Construction News and Report Group of Companies(Publisher of Ottawa ConstructionNews, partners with Ottawa Renovates!Magazine and co-ordinator of theGOHBA Impact!)Contact: Mark Buckshon (613) 699-2057 ext 114, email [email protected]
The Impact! Directory is dynamic. It is updated every issue and you can start your oneyear (six issue) listing anytime. Your listings can be basic or enhanced, with logos andadditional text. If your phone number, web address or other information change, you canrevise and update it any issue without additional investment.
Enhanced listings are only $495 and include one spot colour for free.
ABOUT THE IMPACT! DIRECTORY...
NEW MEMBERSThese businesses have recently joined the GOHBA. Members are urged to remember themotto: “Be a member, do business with a member” and to consider these companies assuppliers.
Keep up to speed with allGreater Ottawa HomeBuilders’ AssociationNews & Events by following us on Twitter@GOHBA_Ottawa
Justice Construction Ltd.2160 Old Prescott Rd.Greely, ON K4P 1N5Contact: Paul JusticePhone: (613) 821-2147Cell: (613) 850-8851Fax: (613) 821-1459Email: [email protected]: www.justiceconstruction.ca
An Ottawa based family run businessestablished in 1999, Justice Constructionoffers a growing number of clients com-plete “concept to completion” services.Justice Construction specializes in alltypes of renovations, structural repairs,additions and new builds, regardless ofthe complexity of the design. Our compa-ny can work to make your idea a realityfrom an initial design to a completed proj-ect. Although Justice Construction is pri-
marily a general contracting firm, weoffer a complete range of services includ-ing design consultation and workingdrawings, permit acquisition, as well as afull range of construction services withour own crew of experienced craftsmen.Our long standing working relationshipswith all of the necessary certified tradeshelp us to live up to our reputation fordelivering quality projects on time and onbudget.We strive to make our projects as
worry free as possible for our clients.Whether it be our on-site staff or manage-ment, we are dedicated to ensuring anenjoyable experience.Our clients are only invoiced for com-
pleted work – we never ask for a deposit.Our warranty has no time limit – if
something was not done right, we will fixit.
Light Switch Creative Inc.1285 Wellington St. W.Ottawa, ON K1Y 3A8Contact: Roger BiddlePhone: (613) 699-2066Email: [email protected]: www.lightswitchcreative.ca
Discover just how compelling yourstory is. With more than a decade of experience
working with new homebuilders, archi-
tects, and infrastructure construction com-panies, the Light Switch team is uniquelyqualified to custom craft your communi-cation. Intelligence based, and socially
focused, we are travelers and songwriters,technicians and artists. We have roots inour city and around the world. Ourdiverse backgrounds, education and expe-rience combine to create your voice; dis-tinct, inimitable and irresistible. We design websites and social media
campaigns that immerse users in relevantexperiences and engagement. Fromresponsive websites to multiple channelsocial media advertising, our work livesin the space where consumers interactwith brands. And wherever engagement isevolving, we are innovating – from touch-screen solutions to apps and beacon-basedmodel home tours.
Modern Reno Solutions890 Woodroffe Ave.Ottawa, ON K2A 3G3Contact: Kal ElfarroPhone: (613) 894-6554Email: [email protected]: www.modernrenosolutions.com
Over the last decade, our team hasserved Ottawa with custom renovationsfor bathrooms, kitchens, basements, aswell as home additions. We provide com-prehensive renovation services, whichmakes communication and co-ordinationwith our clients transparent and smooth.We believe in the taste and vision of thepeople we work with, so we involve ourclients throughout each step of theprocess, from planning and design tobuilding completion.If your renovation project needs spe-
cial care and attention, Modern RenoSolutions gives you the unique opportuni-ty to work with an industry professionalwith many years of experience. With years of hands on construction
experience and business development,Modern Reno Solutions provides servicesthat exceed standard expectations. Byworking directly with owners, you’ll haveaccess to years of industry knowledge tocreate a construction and design that willtransform your home and a working part-ner that has an equally vested interest inthe success of your project.
You can update and revise your listing anytime during the year. For more information, call Katherine Jeffrey at (613) 699-2057 ext 114
