What is a High Performance Home?

What is a high performance home? It is a home built in a way that integrates building science into the construction process, leading to improved energy efficiency and increased durability. In turn, the homeowner has lower utility bills and maintenance costs, improved comfort levels and higher resale value.

Building a high performance home requires that a systems approach is used. The home is made up of many smaller, interdependent systems. Changes to one system may have an affect on another system, leading to cost changes (for better or worse) or improved energy efficiency (or lowered). It is important to get an accredited professional involved in the process in order to ensure that you end up with the home you intended to build.

Why should a builder build a high performance home? Perhaps they want to separate themselves from the competition, improve customer satisfaction, increase profitability or save the planet.

However, I think that the best reason is because it is the right way to build a home that will stand the test of time. Leaving that legacy for those who follow us on this planet is incredibly important. As homebuilders, we are creating works of public and private art, sculptures for people to live in and marvel at. It goes beyond providing simple shelter to creating something of value that has an impact for generations.