Net Zero Homes in Toronto
Enjoy added value, comfort, and sustainability than standard homes.
Invest in a net-zero home for a healthier tomorrow with CHBA Net Zero home.
Avvio Fine Homes does more than just build homes. We’re proud to be one of the few certified builders in designing and building CHBA Net Zero Homes and Energy Star Certified Homes in Ontario. The homes we build are designed to create year round comfortable living environments and are built to last for 100 years.
With our high performance homes, we deliver the ultimate in comfort to enhance your quality of life and health by using modern construction techniques paired with advanced building science and technology. Energy efficiency is not just a current trend, it is the future. With us, your investment is guaranteed.
Design Guarantee
Completion Date Guarantee
Price Guarantee
Energy Certification Guarantee
Why Net Zero And Energy-Efficient Homes Are In Demand
In recent years, more and more affluent young families, retiring and downsizing boomers, have chosen to build or purchase homes that are energy efficient due to an emphasis on clean energy, and a healthier and more comfortable indoor environment. Our high performance homes align with the Canada Green Buildings Strategy (CGBS), where the national objective is to have all new home developments be Net Zero Ready by 2032.
Net zero and energy-efficient homes built by Avvio Fine Homes provide the best of both worlds. You’ll enjoy a functional, luxurious custom home that is comfortable, quieter, reduces utility bills, and is great for the environment – making it a win-win.
Everything about Net Zero Homes is designed for high efficiency – this starts from the architectural design to implement renewable energy systems, materials selection, and building envelope efficiency – Net Zero Homes are designed to serve you and the environment.
Why Choose Net Zero Homes in Ontario?
Since the building sector has an important role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions as part of the CGBS strategy, CHBA Net Zero or Net Zero Ready Homes are emerging as the key stars in Canada’s efforts to accelerate its investments in housing.
Net Zero Homes are superior in value and use up to 80% less energy than standard homes built to meet the Ontario Building Code. They produce as much energy within a year as they consume, resulting in zero energy consumption over the year.
Our advanced ventilation and mechanical systems prevent drafts and provide consistent temperatures throughout the year. This is also supported by a tightly built envelope with superior insulation, vapour barriers, and high-performance windows and doors. This ensures that your home is always comfortable, regardless of the weather outside.
The best part? Net Zero Homes have low operating costs and are low maintenance.
Here are more benefits you can expect:
Year-round comfort
Despite fluctuating weather patterns throughout the year, your home will always remain comfortable with consistent indoor temperature and humidity. You’ll also enjoy quieter home systems that run efficiently and advanced air filtration systems that eliminate allergens like dust, pollen, and pollution from your indoor air. Our ERV systems also recover temperature and humidity in outgoing air. Additionally, noise from traffic, lawnmowers, or dogs barking will be a thing of the past.
Energy savings
Net zero buildings generate as much energy as they use in a year, virtually eliminating your energy costs. The heating only uses as little as 25% of your home’s energy consumption in Net Zero Homes (down by half). This means you don’t have to worry about being affected by rising energy costs. This can be achieved through well-insulated windows, doors, 100-year walls, and solar panels that produce energy and can be stored with a battery.
Sustainability
Take pride in being part of the growing efforts to protect the environment, save natural resources, help address climate change and reduce air pollution. A net zero home is built with sustainability at heart and allows you to reduce your reliance on non-renewable energy sources and rely more on renewable energy technology. Doing so preserves natural resources for coming generations.
How We Help Greater Toronto Residents Get
The High-Performance Home You’ve Always Wanted
Over the past 10+ years, we’ve helped residents design and build their dream home with:
- A fresh air machine, which means more healthy, filtered air (that’s clean and free from mould-inducing moisture, allergens and asthma triggers).
- Comfortable indoor temperature that is stable all year round
- Mechanical ventilation for total comfort control
- Quiet, peaceful environment — shielded from outside and room to room
- Energy Star or Net Zero for the ultimate in sustainable and environmental responsibility to improve the quality of life for future generations
- Genuine energy efficiency for measurable savings of power and natural resources, reducing wasted heat or air conditioning
- Clean and renewable energy generation from solar panels for Net Zero Homes
- Functional design and luxurious features
- Solid and durable structure with flawless finishes
See the Latest Projects
Experience speaks louder than words. Browse our completed high performance custom homes and major renovations. Keeping high performance in mind without sacrificing on design or style. Get inspired for your next project.
Designing and Building High Performance Custom Homes
Dream or Disappointment?
Building a custom, high-performance home involves many important decisions. None more so than who you choose as your builder. Sadly, not every Greater Toronto resident is happy with their builder (or their finished home). Like many people looking to build an energy-efficient home in Greater Toronto, perhaps you’re also…
Concerned your home may look good at first glance but have underlying issues
(Caused by shortcuts, subpar materials, and incompetent workmanship)… and want a builder you can trust to make your home structurally solid and flawlessly finished.
Worried that building a ‘green’, energy efficient home will cost more…
And want a builder with the knowledge and experience to design and deliver a high-performance home without the corresponding price tag.
Concerned your design and selections won’t match…
And want a builder with a keen eye for design details to ensure your home is functional and beautiful.
Afraid your high-performance home won’t be worth it…
And want a builder with the knowledge and experience to deliver a home that provides measurable savings and year-round comfort.
Nervous about using different parties (including architects, designers, and builders)…
And want a builder who can handle everything to ensure the design delivers on your vision and is practical to build.
Still have questions?
We understand these concerns that come with building custom homes. Book a consultation, take the first steps to building a custom home without getting disappointed.
Building Net Zero Homes for Sustainable Living
Building a net zero home combines architectural design, efficient heating and cooling systems, materials, and other systems to create Net Zero Energy costs over a year. For a home to be considered net zero, it is tested and verified by independent consultants to ensure that everything within the framework of the home and its home systems meet the requirements.
At Avvio Fine Homes, we build your home to achieve Energy Star or CHBA Net Zero Energy certification. Our homes are built to provide greater durability than standard homes, offering a superior indoor experience. Collaborating with Avvio means your custom home will have at least an Energy Star Certification and EnerGuide Rating – and it won’t cost you more since this is our minimum standard.
Check out the high performance homes we build:
Net Zero Construction
Our CHBA Net Zero Homes are built with energy efficiency in mind and ours consume up to 80% less energy than standard built homes. We use the latest techniques in building science to design and build homes that provide superior insulation and ventilation for heightened performance, overall preventing drafts and maintaining consistent temperatures. ERV systems are installed for improved indoor air quality that reduces allergens like dust, pollen, and pollution from circulating in your home. Walls are built for durability with vapour barriers and air tightness, controlling condensation between interior and exterior walls so chances of mould are much lower.
Avvio Fine Homes is committed to building safer and healthier indoor spaces without compromising on quality or finishes. For custom home, this includes:
- Superior materials for insulation and vapour barriers
- Heat pumps
- Heat pump water heaters
- High-performance windows and doors
- Energy and heat recovery ventilators – ERV/HRV– with optional HEPA filtration
- Solar panels
- Energy-efficient appliances
- Light fixtures and bulbs
- Smart technology with downloadable apps
- Water-saving fixtures and more!
Energy-Efficient New Home Construction
Our Energy-Star certified homes use at least 20% less energy than standard homes and provide better comfort and greater insulation for walls and ceilings, keeping your home warm in winter and cool in the summer. We install well-insulated windows and doors to keep outside heat and noise out of your home. Building an efficient home is also an opportunity for homeowners to play their role in the fight against climate change and preserve natural resources for future generations. Some key energy efficient home features that we install:
- Triple pane windows
- Energy efficient heating and cooling systems
- Energy Star certified appliances
- LED lighting and more!
How We Test High Efficiency Homes
We recognize the importance of backing our word with proof. A custom home builder can claim to build Net Zero Homes or high efficiency homes but how can you be sure? Energy efficiency is not subjective. It is measurable.
Avvio Fine Homes relies on independent verification through The Blower Door Test and The EnerGuide Rating. These tests are required for ENERGY STAR® or CHBA Net Zero certifications and are both conducted by independent professionals. Here’s how we deliver measurable results:
Measurement Method #1:
The Blower Door Test
This test measures the air changes per hour in your home. In other words, it tells you how much your home ‘leaks’ air.
A ‘leaky’ house that has uncontrolled air movement (drafts) can account for 30-50% of heat loss – and even more in winter. A Blower Door Test will tell us how much air is entering or escaping from your home.
This is one of the few performance tests on homes, and far better than local government inspections which are just visual observations. As some testing is performed during the construction process, we can correct any leakage we wouldn’t ordinarily have seen.
Measurement Method #2:
The EnerGuide Rating
You’ll also receive an EnerGuide rating, label and report, prepared by an energy evaluator approved by Natural Resources Canada.
“This Gives You a Rating of Your Home’s Energy Consumption Measured in Gigajoules Per Year “
The lower the number on the scale, the better the energy performance of the home.
The scale includes a comparison to a benchmark, typical new home. The label includes the renewal energy produced on site, as well as a breakdown of energy consumption by source: oil, electricity and gas.
It also shows your home’s greenhouse gas emissions and the proportion of energy consumed by space heating, cooling, ventilation, domestic hot water, lights and appliances.
This information will help you better understand your home’s energy performance, which may help you lower your energy use.
Investments you make in energy efficiency at the construction stage will pay off in lower energy bills, with the label being proof of the improved performance versus typical new homes. The label is an official record of your home’s energy performance, and may help increase its resale value.
That’s why we say our homes are measurably energy efficient. Because they quite literally are.
Why Choose Avvio Fine Homes
There are more than 100 builders in Greater Toronto. Most appear to have similar qualifications, experience, and prices. Some even claim to be high-performance home specialists. So it can be difficult to choose the right builder for your dream home – especially when there is so much at stake.
Like most Greater Toronto residents looking to build a custom home, you’ve no doubt been collecting ideas for some time – dreaming about the design and researching options.
Now’s your chance to bring it all together in the exact, custom high efficiency home you’ve always wanted.
- A precise floor plan that suits the way your family lives.
- Functional elements for comfort and convenience.
- Luxuries that make your everyday life a little more special.
All built with supreme attention to detail to look stunning, last a lifetime, and to achieve Energy Star or CHBA Net Zero Energy certification standards.
Bottom line: This all adds up to a better living experience with the ultimate in comfort and health. Make no mistake, our high efficiency homes are in a class of their own, and bring together energy efficiency, quality construction and home technology to give you exceptional value where your family will feel great all year, in every part of the house.
Independently Certified Energy Efficiency
Although many builders claim to be high-performance home specialists, most do not have the knowledge, experience, or (sadly) the integrity to meet the high standards of a truly energy efficient home. They simply overcharge you for so-called energy efficient building materials (which they install incorrectly) that offer little or no measurable benefit.
- Our process begins with Modelling Software that optimizes your house design for maximum energy efficiency. Then we choose the right building products (triple-pane windows, high-rated insulation, air and vapour barriers), systems (heat pumps, fresh air system (ERV), heat pump water heaters, drain water heat recovery) and fixtures and appliances (water and energy efficient). We install everything with supreme attention to detail to ensure a tight building envelope with no gaps or thermal bridges to allow heat transfer.
- For Net Zero Homes, we also add clean and renewable energy generation like solar panels and even batteries to store power.
- This is all independently inspected and certified so you can be sure you are getting the premium standards you are paying for. Standards that you and your family will experience every day with increased comfort and energy savings.
Honest, Transparent, Fixed Price With No Surprises
Too many builders (and their commission salespeople) attract you with low estimates and digitally altered images. Or their Project Managers arrange inflated prices with suppliers so they can get generous ‘kick backs’ on their cost plus contracts. Then, after you sign a contract (that is often scant on detail), you discover all the expensive extras that you thought were included, no contractual dollar limit on the costs or a definition of what a “cost” even is. Things like earthworks, engineering, interior design, landscaping, driveway, fencing, and selection upgrades that can add tens of thousands to the final price.
- Our comprehensive contracts list everything in detail so know exactly what you’re getting. And our prices are honest, fully transparent, fixed – so you can ensure there’s no unexpected costs.
- We take time to walk you through your comprehensive contract (that details absolutely everything) so you know precisely what you are getting and what the investment is, with no surprises.
Guaranteed Start And Finish Times
Too many Greater Toronto residents get caught out believing their builder’s verbal timelines, only to be let down (often by months of delays). Then they have to try to extend their temporary accommodation (often at great expense) and pay thousands extra in rent. Not to mention the upheaval and stress on their family.
We have the people, processes, and planning to deliver on time, every time. Before we pick up a tool, we place the required orders so your first-choice selections are ready onsite when needed. And we schedule all trades, so our A-grade craftspeople are booked in perfect sequence. With our proven process, your home will be built efficiently, affordably, and on time, so you can plan your life with certainty.
Exceptional Workmanship And Building Materials
In a hurry to get to the next job, too many builders cut corners and make mistakes, or just ignore you and choose the other job to finish. Then they have to come back to fix these things (or cover them with plaster and paint). This leaves a trail of defects you feel frustrated (and embarrassed) about every time you see them.
We provide our tradespeople with the time and quality materials to complete their work with precision and pride. Everything is executed with the utmost attention to detail. Done right the first time. Your home may not be the most expensive in your neighbourhood. But it will most certainly be the most structurally solid and flawlessly finished. When it’s completed, we will all feel proud about what we have created together.
True Concierge Service
When building a new home, it’s natural for friends to ask how everything is going. There’s nothing worse than having to tell them you don’t know because your builder doesn’t keep you updated (and often doesn’t even return phone calls and emails).
When you choose the Avvio team, you’ll enjoy being part of the building process. Firstly, you’ll have direct access to our co-founders, Paul and Vincent. We book times to service you with regular meetings to keep you fully informed on the progress of your home (what’s just happened and what’s coming up). And you’ll even be able to login to our Building Management Platform and view the calendar, schedule, tasks, financials and progress photos. This total transparency gives you confidence and empowers you to enjoy your building experience.
Fully Licensed, Insured, And Covered By Our Risk-Free Tarion Warranty
With strict guidelines governing the building industry, you’d think all builders would deliver similar results. But you only need to look at all the building complaints online to see that’s not the case. We are constantly shocked by the things we see including delays, defects, blown budgets, unfinished projects, and even builders without licenses, insurance, and warranties.
You can be assured we are fully HCRA licensed, provide a warranty backed by Tarion, insured, and financially secure. We stand behind our work (and our clients) – today and tomorrow.
Everything Designed Especially For You
Most builders (even those who call themselves ‘custom’ home builders) attempt to make a generic design fit your needs. But this always involves compromises. And expensive modifications.
We don’t force you and your family to fit your life into a pre-set house plan. We create every detail especially for you. A floor plan that suits the way you live. Functional features for comfort and convenience. And luxuries that make every day a little more special.
Expert Advice – No Cost, No Obligation
Whether you’re ready to build or still in the planning stages, we’d be glad to share our 10+ years of experience to help you get the custom high-performance home you want.
What Our Clients Say
Over the past 10+ years we’ve had the privilege of helping discerning Greater Toronto families get the luxurious, functional, energy-efficient home they’ve always wanted. Here’s what some of them say about their experience with our team:
Beyond Net Zero Ready – We Build For Your Future!
Ready, set, go! That’s how simple it is with Avvio Fine Homes. Enjoy a Net Zero House that serves you better in every way. Our high performance homes offer increased value, improved comfort, and greater sustainability than standard homes. Create a healthier tomorrow with a net zero home built by Avvio Fine Homes.
Book your Free Discovery Session during which we will:
- Help you clarity and refine your ideas so you can move forward with more confidence
- Give you a breakdown of building costs and timeframes (and feedback on your budget with a preliminary price estimate for your initial plans)
- Show you common design and construction mistakes that undermine the energy efficiency and comfort of your home while needlessly increasing the costs (and how to get better results for less)
- Explore ways the team at Avvio Fine Homes can help you get the exact high-performance home you want – elegantly functional, supremely comfortable, and measurably energy efficient
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