Toward Net Zero at Springwater

You can’t move in a new direction following an old map. In 2017, the City of Markham, Ontario, launched its Getting to Zero – Municipal Energy Plan. This prompted Mattamy to build homes at our Springwater development in Markham to meet the standards of the Canadian Home Builders’ Association (CBHA) Net Zero Ready energy home labelling program (NZRe).

NZRe homes are designed to reduce energy demand so the inclusion of renewable energy (e.g., solar panels), should the homeowner choose to make that investment, can offset the energy the house uses over a year. Typically, NZRe homes, which feature better airtightness, windows and insulation, as well as more efficient mechanical and electric equipment, are energy modelled to be at least 40% more energy efficient than homes built to Ontario’s current building code. The Springwater community also boasts a pilot district geothermal energy system constructed with Enwave Energy Corporation.

Positioned to deliver NZRe at all phases, Springwater is one of the largest Net Zero Ready communities of its kind currently in development in Canada and shows what municipalities and homebuilders can achieve by working together.