Did you know that 7,281 units in 1,470 buildings were built to Novoclimat certification standards between 2017 and 2021? What’s more, these buildings have saved no less than 98,896 Gigajoules of energy annually! Do you know about Novoclimat certification? Read our article as we explain what Novoclimat certification is and the benefits it offers new home buyers.

Introduced in 1999, Novoclimat certification applies to new residential construction and aims to improve the energy performance of homes, mainly in terms of insulation, airtightness and systems. To achieve this, Novoclimat certification focuses on improving construction practices to incorporate energy efficiency measures that exceed current standards.

According to the regulatory framework that comes into force on September 15, 2020, Novoclimat certification has three main objectives:

1. To promote energy efficiency in Quebec’s residential construction sector and contribute to improving indoor air quality and the health and comfort of occupants;
2. To help achieve the energy-saving targets set out in the Politique énergétique 2030 – L’énergie des Québécois, Source de croissance – by reducing energy consumption in buildings;
3. Prepare the construction industry for upcoming regulatory revisions and contribute to changing the construction market through training and technical support.

Once the contractor has registered his building for the program, a certified energy advisor from a recognized service organization will visit the site for an initial inspection. He or she will then carry out a visual and instrumented inspection of the work to check insulation, waterproofing, materials and systems used. He’ll make sure everything complies with the technical requirements of Novoclimat certification. If this is not the case, the advisor will tell the builder what corrections need to be made.

Once construction is complete, the advisor will carry out a second inspection to confirm the home’s compliance with the program. The advisor will then write the final report, which initiates the certification process.

Novoclimat-certified homes offer their owners a whole range of benefits: lower energy bills, a higher level of comfort thanks to fewer drafts, and improved air quality. In addition, the program offers financial assistance to both buyers and contractors. All this, plus energy savings of up to 20% on energy costs for years to come!

In addition to better insulation and higher-performance systems, Novoclimat homes also boast superior airtightness to homes built to basic building code standards. But just how superior, you may ask? Well, a Novoclimat home is up to four times more airtight than a typical home built in the 60s or 70s!

So whether you’re a contractor or simply looking for a new home, find out more about Novoclimat certification and take advantage of all the benefits it has to offer!

Alors que vous soyez entrepreneur ou tout simplement à la recherche d’une nouvelle maison, renseignez-vous sur la certification Novoclimat et profitez de tous les avantages qu’elle peut vous offrir !