The first three panelized deep energy retrofits of single-family homes in North America have finished, and the results are conclusive, Retrofit Canada says—panelized retrofits can transform old houses into net-zero-ready buildings.
The three homes, all located in Edmonton, were retrofitted with a cutting-edge technique inspired by Energiesprong, a method developed in the Netherlands and widely adopted by European builders for retrofitting row housing.
The Alberta builder behind the retrofits, Butterwick Projects, used a drone and custom digital imaging technology to design wall panels sized to fit the homes’ exteriors. The panels were prebuilt offsite, with even the windows pre-installed. Then crews worked with a crane operator to attach them to the outside of the buildings and seal them together, wrapping the homes in a cozy, super-insulated, airtight blanket, the trade association says.
“We already knew that panelization works for multi-unit residential buildings,” said Peter Amerongen, partner at Butterwick Projects and president of Retrofit Canada, a non-profit devoted to building Canada’s deep energy retrofit movement.
“With these three projects, we adapted the same technique to single-family residences, something that no one had ever done in Canada before,” he added. “It worked beautifully. The pre-built panels fit perfectly, and now, these leaky old buildings perform as well as brand new, energy-efficient, net-zero homes.”
Butterwick Projects was the first builder in North America to use panelized retrofits with the Sundance Housing Co-op deep retrofit. The three single-family projects started in winter 2021, panel installation occurred in 2022, and the projects finished in fall 2023.
Post-retrofit, the homes are all 70 to 80% more energy-efficient and can draw all their power from renewable energy sources. Retrofit Canada says the buildings, the newest of which is 54 years old, look like they were built yesterday, can now withstand extreme weather conditions related to climate change and have healthier, fresher indoor air. Where each homeowner reported inconsistent temperatures throughout their homes before the retrofits, their families now enjoy stable temperatures in every room on every floor.
The homeowners have all disconnected their gas lines and said goodbye to unpredictable utility costs.
Projects like these are critical to help builders, homeowners, and government tackle climate change, Retrofit Canada writes.
“Most of the homes we live in right now will still be here in 2050,” Amerongen said. “We can’t possibly reduce our emissions enough to maintain a habitable planet unless we can figure out fast and affordable ways to retrofit our existing houses to near-net zero. We’ve demonstrated that panelized retrofits are another way to get us there.”
He added that other types of retrofits can also make a home net-zero-ready. His message to homeowners who want to consider a deep retrofit: Do your research and work with professionals to find the right solution for your situation.
