What is Novoclimat?

Brigil is proud to offer the Novoclimat new house concept to those consumers wishing to purchase a high-efficiency home. In addition to improving a building’s energy efficiency by at least 25%, the Novoclimat design tends to influence and improve the building techniques used by the residential construction industry. On a voluntary basis, entrepreneurs undergo training that allows them to obtain their certification, to get the technical support they need, to inspect the house during the building proces and to have it certified by the Agency if it meets all of the design requirements.

An evaluator from a private firm not affiliated with the contractor and mandated by the AEE to conduct inspections examines each house registered in the program. For standard houses, two inspections are done. The first takes place before the plasterboard panels are installed. It includes the blower door test. The second takes place once construction has been completed. It includes a complete visual inspection and verification of airflow rate and calibration of your ventilation system.

Blower door test

Under the Rénoclimat program, only an advisor mandated by the Agence d’efficacité énergétique (AEE) may conduct an energy efficiency assessment of your home. The blower door test is the first thing the energy efficiency advisor does when inspecting your home.

The blower door test is part of the energy evaluation. It is an instrumented test that verifies the air tightnes of the house, which is the amount of cold air that enters the home and the location of leaks that require draft proofing. By sealing leaks, you raise the comfort level of your home and reduce your energy consumption. Typical homes in Québec lose approximately 30% of their heat due to air leaks found throughout the house. The blower door test equipment helps detect and locate such leaks.

It is a large fan or blower that can fit into any exterior door opening of your home. This variable-speed fan is mounted on an adjustable panel fitted with airtight nylon fabric. Air presure gauges measure the airflow through the blower in cubic feet per minute and the presure on the nylon fabric in Pascals (Pa).

The blower door test itself lasts about 30 minutes. The energy evaluation, however, can last up to 2 hours

Before conducting the test, the energy advisor begins by closing all openings that lead outside: windows, doors (except the one where the test device is installed), vents and ventilation doors. He also closes doors that open to unheated spaces in the house, such as the attic, the garage and the crawl space under the house. Interior doors are left open so that the air can circulate throughout the house. In rooms with suspended ceilings, he raises one of the acoustic tiles to avoid any damage to the ceiling. Gas and oil-burning furnaces are shut off for safety reasons. If need be, the fireplace doors and air outlet are also closed, and ashes covered with newspaper so that they do not scatter. To avoid any unpleasant surprises, he will start the test with the fan at low speed and will do a quick tour of the house to ensure that everything is in place.

First, the energy advisor installs the test device and starts the fan. Presure gauges connected to the fan measure the airflow rate per minute required to keep your home at a constant presure. He repeats the exercise at different presures, and compares the information gathered with estimated values based on the volume of the house. After gathering that data, he keeps the blower running and inspects the house from the attic to the basement, identifying the presence of leaks by using his hand or a smoke pencil. Once the leaks have been detected, he rates their importance and makes a note of it in his report.

The blower door test can be carried out at any time of the year. Results obtained in winter are just as valid as results obtained in summer. Keep in mind, however, that if it is cold outside, the indoor temperature of the house will drop somewhat. During the test, cold air intakes continue to operate, and in homes heated by a combustion system, the furnace is shut off. Incoming cold air has the advantage, however, of being easier to detect by hand.

The depresurization of the house during the test presents no danger for humans. We recommend that you follow the energy advisor as he does the rounds of your house, as you’ll most likely find air leaks you didn’t know existed. There is no danger for pets such as cats and dogs, which readily tolerate drops in temperature. Birds, however, are more fragile. They should be kept in a birdcage that should be moved to the room with the least amount of drafts. Aquarium fish should also be placed in that room.

Pour installer l’infiltromètre. il n’est pas nécesaire de démonter la porte; il suffit de l’ouvrir. Le test n’est pas dommageable pour la maison, et le conseiller procédera à une série de vérifications avant et après le test pour s’asurer que tout est sous contrôle et qu’aucun dommage n’est causé à la maison.

Benefits

NovoclimatMC requires insulation that is higher than the industry standard. A high performance insulation applied in a continuous-pour proces, from the basement to the attic, better protects the structure against cold and provides higher energy performance to your home at lower cost.

The walls and the roof are built using new, high performance techniques. In addition to eliminating unpleasant drafts, they prevent moisture and humidity from entering the walls and damaging your home, which becomes more comfortable and easier to heat..

With NovoclimatMC, only units whose performance has been verified by laboratory testing are installed. These ventilation systems expel surplus moisture, odours and contaminants directly outside.

Whether your home is heated by electricity, natural gas or an oil-fired furnace, NovoclimatMC encourages the installation of efficient heating units that offer maximum comfort. Only high performance equipment is accepted

NovoclimatMC certifies only doors and windows with a high energy performance rating. Efficient and airtight, they are manufactured according to the latest standards.

Only specially trained contractors and installers are granted NovoclimatMC accreditation.

All homes are systematically inspected to verify that they comply with NovoclimatMC requirements and standards. The inspection is free of charge, and is carried out by an independent specialist accredited by the Agency..

In addition to a visual inspection of the dwelling, a blower door test is done to confirm your home’s air tightnes and energy performance.

You receive a NovoclimatMC certificate when you take posesion of your home, indicating that the house has been inspected and that it complies with all NovoclimatMC requirements.

Financial asistance

Consumers who opt for a new home that has been certified Novoclimat are entitled to financial asistance from the Agence de l’efficacité énergétique (AEE).

• $2,000 for a house that has been certified Novoclimat
  and built entirely on site by an certified Novoclimat contractor;

Your construction contractor will give you all the required documents and forms to request the AEE financial aid.

Did you know that the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) offers a discount of 10% on your insurance premium when you purchase a new Novoclimat-certified home? For example, for a mortgage of $200,000 with a down payment of 5%, you will save $550. If the loan is amortized over 40 years, the borrower will save an additional $1,200.