Energy Efficiency is of Equal Importance as is High-End Finishes for Award Winning Ambassador Fine Custom Homes.
Ambassador Fine Custom Homes Inc. has won many awards for their builds, including Best Custom Home in Canada above 4,000 sq. ft. SAM Award by the Canadian Home Builder’ s Association and Best Custom Home in GTA Award by the Toronto Home Builder’ s Association.
When Michal J Cerny is designing an Ambassador Fine Custom Home, he spends a considerable amount of time ensuring that energy efficiencies are equally being considered as much as sophisticated interior finishes and eye pleasing exterior finishes.
“ We design about 65 % of the homes we build. Part of that process is consulting with the client as to what their energy efficiency needs and goals are. We coach them on a myriad
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of energy opportunities and work with them to make the best decisions for their family lifestyle and budget. We review the benefits of installing in-floor heating, graywater recovery systems, LED light bulbs and water proofing our foundation walls using RubberRWall. We always install hrv’ s( heat recovery ventilators), HEPA and media filters, high efficiency furnaces, low flush option toilets, energy rated bathroom fans, and we encourage the client to purchase energy efficient appliances.”
Michal takes time to explain that coaching a client through the building process is educating them with knowledge about a myriad of subjects that most homeowners would not have had the time to research.
WINDOWS
“ Take the subject of purchasing windows. Many homeowners like to get pricing from a couple of window installers that have done some work in the neighborhood and as long as the price is fantastically low, they assume that if someone else used them, they must be good.
Windows have more decision considerations than just deciding vinyl, aluminum, wood clad with aluminum, single / double / triple pane glass. Most people don’ t consider things like U-factor and solar heat coefficient, visibility transmittance, air leakage, and condensation resistance.
Considering that a window that is a dual pane, one Low-E coating, argon has an R factor of just under R4, compared to the Ontario Building Code wall requirement between R24 – R27 pending upon efficiency of windows and furnace, homeowners should take the time to consider more than just cost in their window purchasing decision.”
He further describes that today’ s windows are better designed and more insulating than products manufactured 25 years ago. New technologies such as foam-filled vinyl or fibreglass frames and sashes, low emissivity( low-e) glass, inert gas in sealed insulating glass units and improved hardware have made windows more airtight and much more efficient.