Sustainability

Homes that use less and last longer.

A well-built home is the most sustainable thing we can make. We start with the building envelope, add efficient systems and choose materials that are better for your family and lighter on the planet.

Plan a high-performance home
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Section: the house as a systemNoon sun, GTA, 43.7° N

Key to the drawing

  1. Cold-climate heat pumpHeating and cooling from one efficient system.
  2. Energy recovery ventilatorFresh air in, stale air out, most of the heat kept.
  3. Solar panelsInstalled, or planned for with conduit and roof layout.
  4. Heat pump water heaterHot water for a fraction of the energy.
  5. Rainwater collectionRoof water kept on site for the garden.
  6. Continuous envelopeInsulation and air barrier wrapped around the whole home.
  7. Overhang and sunshadeBlock the high summer sun and let the low winter sun in.

Green building services

Four ways we lighten a home's footprint.

From the lot you choose to the carbon left over after construction, every stage is a chance to build better.

  • Land selection

    Finding land that meets your needs, uses existing infrastructure and lets your home work with its site.

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  • Sustainable design

    Orientation, daylight and energy modelling built into the design from the first sketch.

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  • Materials and construction

    Healthier, longer-lasting materials and a build process that wastes less.

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  • Offsetting emissions

    Measuring the carbon of your build, reducing it, and offsetting what remains.

    Read more

Our approach

Fabric first, in that order.

The cheapest energy is the energy a home never needs. We work down this list, and each step makes the next one smaller.

  1. Reduce

    An airtight, continuously insulated envelope and high-performance windows cut heating and cooling demand at the source.

  2. Recover

    Balanced ventilation with energy recovery brings in fresh air and keeps most of the heat you've already paid for.

  3. Supply efficiently

    Right-sized heat pumps heat and cool the smaller load that's left, using a fraction of the energy of a furnace.

  4. Generate and offset

    Solar panels cover what remains, and verified carbon offsets handle the rest.

Land selection

The greenest lot is often one that's already built on.

Infill and knockdown lots use existing roads, sewers and transit, so the GTA doesn't have to sprawl further. When we help you choose land, we look for a site that meets your needs and lets the house work with nature.

  • Previously developed land close to transit, schools and shops
  • Mature trees protected and worked into the design
  • Stormwater kept and soaked in on site, easing the load on city sewers
  • Orientation that captures winter sun and daylight
NEW HOME1234N
Site planWorking with the land
  1. Mature trees protectedFenced protection zones, following the local tree by-law.
  2. Permeable drivewayPavers that let rain soak in instead of running to the street.
  3. Rain gardenRoof water directed to a planted basin that soaks it into the ground.
  4. GradingLand sloped away from the house to keep the foundation dry.

Sustainable design

Designed around the sun and the numbers.

Sustainable design starts long before construction. We model your home's energy use while it is still on paper, then adjust windows, insulation and equipment until the numbers work.

  • Energy modelling during design, with the same software used for official EnerGuide ratings
  • Room-by-room heat-loss calculations, so equipment is sized right
  • Roof planes laid out for solar panels
  • Daylight and cross-ventilation planned into every floor
  • Designs prepared for LEED certification when you want it
70°Height of the noon sun on June 21 in the GTA
23°Height of the noon sun on December 21
43.7°NLatitude we design to

We size overhangs and place windows around these angles, so summer sun is shaded and winter sun reaches deep into your rooms.

The building envelope

The walls do most of the work.

A high-performance wall keeps heat in, keeps water out and lets the structure dry. Here is ours, from outside to in.

OUTSIDE−20 °CINSIDE21 °C1234567R-10 CONTINUOUSR-24 CAVITY
  1. CladdingStone, brick or wood, chosen to suit the style.
  2. Rainscreen gapA ventilated space that lets any water drain and the wall dry out.
  3. Continuous mineral wool, R-10Wraps the studs so heat can't bypass the insulation through the framing.
  4. Sheathing with taped air barrierThe airtight layer, sealed at every seam and opening.
  5. 2×6 studs with R-24 battsThe structure, filled with insulation.
  6. Smart vapour retarderControls moisture from inside while letting the wall dry.
  7. DrywallThe finished interior surface.
1.5ACH50Our airtightness target or better, the same as the R-2000 standard, confirmed with a blower-door test

A blower door depressurizes the house to 50 pascals and measures how much air leaks in. We test before the drywall goes on, while leaks are still easy to find and seal.

Windows matter too. We specify triple-pane, low-E, argon-filled windows wherever they make sense for your design and budget.

Systems

Efficient, quiet and ready for what's next.

With the envelope doing its job, the mechanical systems can be smaller, quieter and far more efficient.

  • Cold-climate heat pumps

    Heating and cooling from one system, rated to keep working through GTA winters. Ground-source geothermal is available too.

  • Energy recovery ventilation

    Balanced fresh air around the clock, with most of the heat and humidity recovered from the air going out.

  • Heat pump water heating

    Hot water for a fraction of the energy of a conventional tank.

  • Drain water heat recovery

    A copper coil on the shower drain pre-heats the incoming cold water.

  • Smart controls and zoning

    Comfort room by room, scheduled around how you live.

  • Solar, battery and EV ready

    Conduit, panel capacity and roof layout planned for solar panels, a home battery and a Level 2 car charger.

Materials and construction

Better materials, less waste.

We work with suppliers and trades who share our standards, so your home can support your green goals from the structure to the finishes, and through the building process itself.

  • Low-VOC paints, adhesives and sealantsFewer chemicals in the air you breathe.
  • Responsibly sourced woodFSC-certified and locally milled where available.
  • Lower-carbon concreteMixes such as Portland-limestone cement for footings and slabs.
  • Construction waste sortedWood, metal, cardboard and drywall separated for recycling.
  • Salvage before demolitionReusable fixtures and materials donated before a knockdown.
  • Water-saving plumbingWaterSense fixtures, hot water recirculation and smart irrigation.

Indoor air

A tight house that breathes well.

Airtight homes need planned ventilation. Ours bring in filtered fresh air and exhaust stale, humid air from kitchens and bathrooms, every hour of the day, without opening a window.

  • Balanced ventilation with energy recovery, running quietly all the time
  • MERV 13 filtration to catch fine dust and pollen
  • Low-VOC finishes and formaldehyde-free cabinetry where possible
  • Radon rough-in under the basement slab

Radon is a natural radioactive gas found in soil across Canada, and Health Canada recommends testing every home. A sub-slab rough-in means a fan can be added quickly if a test calls for one.

Offsetting emissions

Measure, reduce, then offset.

Building a home produces carbon emissions, from making the concrete to hauling materials to site. We deal with them in this order.

  1. 01

    Measure

    We estimate the embodied carbon of your home's materials and construction.

  2. 02

    Reduce

    We cut it where it counts: lower-carbon concrete, wood framing, efficient design and less waste.

  3. 03

    Offset

    For what remains, we can arrange third-party verified carbon offsets and fold them into your sustainability plan.

Certifications

Proof, independently verified.

We design and build to the program that suits your goals, and coordinate the third-party testing and paperwork.

LEEDCanada Green Building Council

A globally recognized rating system covering location, water, energy, materials and indoor environmental quality. Homes certify at Certified, Silver, Gold or Platinum.

ENERGY STAR for New HomesNatural Resources Canada

A program for new homes that are more energy efficient than homes built to code, verified by an independent energy advisor.

Net Zero and Net Zero ReadyCanadian Home Builders' Association

A Net Zero home produces as much energy as it uses over a year. A Net Zero Ready home is built to the same standard, ready for solar to be added later.

Passive HousePassive House Institute

The most demanding energy standard, with very low heating demand and airtightness of 0.6 air changes per hour at 50 pascals.

EnerGuide ratingNatural Resources Canada

An official rating of your home's energy use in gigajoules per year, based on modelling and a blower-door test by a registered energy advisor.

Included as standard

In every Oaksmith home, certified or not.

Whether or not you pursue a label, these come with every home we build.

  • Blower-door tested airtightnessLeaks found and sealed before drywall.
  • Energy modelling during designDecisions made with real numbers.
  • Balanced ventilation with heat recoveryFresh, filtered air around the clock.
  • Solar-ready and EV-readyConduit, panel space and a Level 2 charger circuit.
  • Low-VOC paints and finishesHealthier air from move-in day.
  • WaterSense fixturesLess water, with the same performance.

Start here

Have a lot in mind? Let's walk it together.

Book a consultation with Sami Rafeeh. We'll talk through your lot, your plans and your budget, then visit the site.

Book a consultation