New Home Research Project

To participate, your newly constructed single-family home must be within six months of the occupancy permit date and located outside of the urban Halifax catchment area identified below. The pilot is seeking information on a diverse range of single-family homes, so only one unit of a row-style or duplex dwelling may be permitted and duplicate plans may be excluded. Homes with multiple units within the same dwelling and over-under style multi-unit residential buildings are ineligible. Mobile and manufactured homes built off site are also excluded. Efficiency Nova Scotia may cap participation by builder or region at its discretion to ensure research goals are achieved. Ineligible postal codes include: B2R, B2T, B2V, B2W, B2X, B2Y, B2Z, B3A, B3B, B3E, B3G, B3H, B3J, B3K, B3L, B3M, B3N, B3P, B3R, B3S, B3T, B3V, B3Z, B4A, B4B, B4C, B4E, B4G .

The goal of this pilot program is to learn more about how the home builder industry is incorporating energy efficiency into homes constructed outside of urban Halifax. Performance levels within urban Halifax are well understood, so this pilot is targeting projects in more rural areas.

Participants receive a free Home Energy Assessment, including a report and EnerGuide label. This helps you better understand your home's energy usage and how it compares with other new homes. The nationally recognized EnerGuide rating may also improve the resale value of your home. You may also qualify for a partial home insurance premium refund through the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation's Eco Plus program.

If your home is less than six months old, contact one of the local contractors listed above to explain your situation and purchase an assessment. If your home is more than six months old, you may qualify for a subsidized evaluation through our HomeWarming or Home Energy Assessment programs.

If you own and permanently occupy a home that is at least six months old, you may qualify for a subsidized home assessment through our HomeWarming or Home Energy Assessment programs. If your home is also heating with oil, and you are interested in installing a heat pump system, you may be eligible for additional federal Oil to Heat Pump Affordability rebates delivered through Efficiency Nova Scotia.

No, this is not a replacement. We are currently designing a program that will incentivize very efficient new home construction. That program will be different from this pilot and will have separate eligibility requirements. More information will be shared at a later date.

This pilot is expected to provide 700 EnerGuide ratings and will be available until fundings runs out. This website will be updated when enrollment has closed.

Efficiency Nova Scotia is collecting home performance data, such as air leakage rates and insulation levels. This information will be used to identify performance gaps compared to the 2020 National Building Code and develop educational strategies to help prepare industry for the adoption of future Code enhancements.