Calgary homebuilder Jayman BUILT is offering a new line of highly sustainable Quantum Performance Ultra E-Homes. (Courtesy Jayman)

Calgary-based homebuilder Jayman BUILT has launched a new product line in Alberta, the Quantum Performance Ultra E-Home concept, built to net-zero certification standards.

Homebuyers can now choose any Jayman model home with the option to upgrade to the new product line, which is designed, engineered, computer-modelled, constructed and tested to produce as much energy from on-site renewable sources as it consumes on an annual basis.

Dave Desormeaux, president and chief operating officer of Jayman BUILT, said the homes are fitted with the newest and best technology available, providing significant energy efficiency enhancements to reduce home operating costs.

The homes also exceed 2030 building code standards, and meet 2050 net-zero targets.

“Jayman’s always had in its DNA and its reputation to go above and beyond when it came to energy efficiency. Really the migration started 15 years ago or so when we started to put in high-efficiency furnaces as a standard, triple-pane windows, LED lighting, instant hot water on demand,” he said.

“We’ve been doing incremental things over the past 15 years. Our mechanical room basically got as good as you could based on still maintaining some form of affordability and competitiveness.

“About 2014 we started wiring-in solar panels. (The homes) were solar-panel ready. We had everything done up to the attic, to the roof line, but we didn’t include the solar panels. They were an option for about four years.”

Solar panels on every Jayman home

During the next five years until 2019 however, Desormeaux said only about 10 homebuyers annually would opt to have the solar panels installed. As an option, the panels cost an additional $5,000 to install.

“In 2019 we added a six-solar-panel standard on every home we build,” Desormeaux said, “and we build about 1,000 homes a year in Alberta – Edmonton and Calgary. ”

Solar panels installed by Jayman from 2019 to January 1, 2021 have the capacity to produce over two megawatts of clean energy across Alberta.

“It’s just going to compound and grow with every home we build. It’s got a six-panel standard on it. We really took off with solar on January 1, 2019.” Desormeaux said, noting the next major step came just a year later. “January 1, 2020 we went into smart home technology standards.”

Every June, representatives from Jayman meet with suppliers to investigate the latest technology and concepts in homebuilding. Last year, company chairman and CEO Jay Westman moved the focus to building net-zero homes.

“The goal was to reach net zero at the most cost-effective point we could,” Desormeaux said. “It had to be affordable. It had to have the quality and it had to use existing models.”

Net-zero homes 80% more energy efficient

Dave Desormeaux, president and chief operating officer of Jayman BUILT. (Courtesy Jayman)

Net-zero homes are about 80 per cent more energy efficient than a home built to conventional standards and have been shown to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by over eight tonnes annually, he said. This means at current energy rates homeowners can expect to save approximately $2,200 per year on utility costs compared to the average Canadian house, and $2,300 on utility costs compared to the average Alberta house.

Jayman’s Quantum Performance Ultra E-Home is on average $50,000 to $60,000 more expensive to build than the regular home models. But, it produces as much electricity annually as the house consumes.

“We think the price range makes it attractive to people. The math works,” said Desormeaux. “That $2,300 savings is based on today’s utility rates, today’s carbon tax rates … Those savings of $2,300 are just going to keep going up over time.”

The company also offers an ultraviolet air purification system in the Quantum home which it says destroys 99 per cent of biological contaminants. The homes include a proprietary wall system, on-site electrical generation, the Daikin FIT Heat Pump and air-conditioning system, and the Rheem Air Source Heat Pump hot water tank with Wi-Fi connection.

“Jayman is proud to welcome Albertans to the homes of the future as we have redefined the science of homebuilding by combining healthier, smarter and more energy efficient homes than any other homebuilder in the market,” said Westman in a marketing release. “We pride ourselves on our award-winning designs and professional customer experience. We are leading by example in Canada and have met 2050 net-zero targets as of today.”

Upgrade electrical servicing

One area that must be addressed is the electrical servicing – whether it’s an existing neighbourhood or a new development or construction project.

“You need 200 amp service to the lot in order to build these homes and you need that for a variety of reasons going forward. One is electric vehicles, especially if you have his-and-hers electric cars in the garage,” he said.

“All new (development) phases coming on starting this spring/summer have 200 amp service to them in the City of Calgary. Edmonton’s just a little bit slower in the uptake, but every developer that’s starting a new phase is going to definitely have 200 amp lots available for Jayman to build these homes.”

EDITOR’S NOTE: This article was updated to remove a reference to retrofitting. Jayman is not retrofitting existing properties.