Acacia Engineering completed NECB 2020 Part 8 energy modelling for a new two-unit residential building in High River, Alberta (Climate Zone 6). The objective was to demonstrate compliance with the National Energy Code of Canada for Buildings (NECB 2020) using the performance path approach.
Key Highlights
- Building envelope optimized with R20 walls and R40 roof insulation.
- High-efficiency triple-pane glazing and upgraded exterior doors (U-value 1.2 W/m²·K).
- Gas-fired warm-air furnace (AFUE 96%) and HRV with 76% sensible recovery efficiency.
- Service hot-water system efficiency improved by 8%.
- Total energy-use intensity reduced from 258.6 to 236.8 kWh/m² (? 8.4% overall savings).
- GHG emissions reduced by 2.8% compared to reference design.
Outcome
The proposed design exceeded NECB 2020 reference energy-efficiency requirements, achieving meaningful reductions in natural-gas consumption and carbon emissions while maintaining occupant comfort and code compliance.
