House Declares Climate Emergency, Home Buyer Incentive Revealed

Your latest news from the #1 certifier of energy efficient homes in Canada.

BUILDER ALERT

ENERGY STAR V12.7 Build-Out Period Ending Soon

Reminder that if you are building to ENERGY STAR V12.7, you only have two months, until August 31, 2019, to complete the home. For more information, please contact Bari Rapp .

NEWS

House Declares Climate Emergency

OTTAWA – The House of Commons has passed a motion declaring a national climate emergency, and supporting Canada’s commitment to meet the Paris Agreement emissions targets.

The motion describes climate change as a "real and urgent crisis, driven by human activity," notes how it is impacting Canadians, and states the need to pursue clean growth methods to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. It was put forward by Environment and Climate Change Minister Catherine McKenna.

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Home Buyer Incentive Revealed

Toronto families could get a hand onto the property ladder under a new shared-equity mortgage program, the federal government says. Mortgage professionals are having a mixed reaction, however.

The First-Time Home Buyer Incentive can lower mortgage payments on a $500,000 home by $300 a month. First-time buyers with a minimum down payment for an insured mortgage and a household income of $120,000 or less can qualify for up to 10 per cent on a new construction home.

OHBA Awards Deadline Fast Approaching

This Friday, June 21, is the deadline to submit your nominations for the OHBA Awards of Distinction.

Awards are presented in 43 categories, including two new ones this year (Innovation and Best Lobby).

If you took home Builder of the Year or Renovator of the Year at any local HBA awards in Ontario, your entry in OHBA's related category is free.

EVENTS

Train To Build Better

EnerQuality's 2019 training will help you build better, tighter and more comfortable homes, in a more cost-effective fashion.

What You Need to Know to Sell in the Current Market - New! Learn how to distinguish yourself from the competition and show you're offering what homebuyers want. Oct 7, 2019

Humidity in New Homes - Understanding and Controlling It - New! From musty basements and window condensation to short-cycling AC, understanding humidity is important to builders, HVAC partners and happy homeowners. Oct 30, 2019.

Advanced Building Science - An introduction to the principles behind energy efficient construction. Learn how the best builders are improving the quality of their product in cost-effective ways. Nov 19, 2019

ENERGY STAR for New Homes V17 - For those who haven't taken it yet, or have new employees to get up to speed. The requirements of Canada's most successful green building program. Nov 20, 2019

Net Zero V2 - Don’t miss this workshop loaded with everything you need to know about the latest version of Net Zero. It is the direction codes are moving in the next 12 years. Get ahead of the curve. Dec 4-5, 2019

As always, HBA and group discounts apply.

Many of our students are eligible for training grants; visit our Education page for more information.

Green Building Festival Coming

How do we simultaneously design for the extremes of a changed climate and build in a way to reverse those changes? At the 2019 Green Building Festival on October 8th, 2019, a range of expert designers and builders will look at both simple and complex strategies, techniques and technologies to inspire us to reach for the goal of zero carbon.