Sterling Homes sets a new standard with net-zero home in Oak Bluff West

Winnipeg, MB – At the 2024 Parade of Homes, Sterling Homes Winnipeg revealed the Winnipeg Metropolitan Region’s first-ever CHBA qualified net-zero home. Located in Oak Bluff West in the rural municipality of MacDonald, the new 1,850 sq. ft. bungalow is only the second CHBA Net-Zero qualified home in Manitoba.

At first glance, the new show home looks much like the standard luxury product Sterling Homes is known for. With an inviting covered entry canopy, angled three-car garage, and a blend of sophisticated and durable materials, its upscale exterior signals an elevated level of quality where every detail is carefully conceived and executed to impress.

Yet upon closer look, the dwelling offers more than meets the eye ­— especially when it comes to the advanced sustainable design strategies inside. These ‘hidden’ features result in a home that produces as much energy as it consumes, resulting in a neutral carbon footprint.

At the net-zero home’s grand opening event in late September 2024, Courtney Sims, Marketing and Digital Sales Manager, Sterling Homes and Broadview Homes Winnipeg, described how visitors have been pleasantly surprised with the $899,760 price point, which is in-line with comparable luxury homes nearby.

Photos from the net-zero home's grand opening

“Visitors have been very impressed on both an aesthetic and functional level,” said Courtney. “Several have shared they expected the price of a net-zero home to be higher than what it is. After touring this beautiful space, customers are becoming aware that purchasing a new home with such high environmental standards is more within reach than they might have thought.”

David Wooden, Vice-President, Sterling and Broadview Homes Winnipeg, says that the net-zero homes of the future will become even more cost-effective with experience and advancements in technology.

“Reducing environmental impact continues to be a growing priority for our customers,” said David. “As one of the first homebuilders to hit the CHBA net-zero standard, we’re well positioned for the rising demand ahead. The lessons learned on this show home and others before it will help us achieve design and pricing efficiencies going forward, making net-zero homes attainable to more people in the future.”

Click on the image to zoom in and see net-zero features 

To achieve the ambitious CHBA net-zero target, Sterling Homes implemented a number of sustainable design strategies and technologies that combine to deliver best-in-class energy performance. It’s the result of years of iteration and experimentation, testing the limits of what is attainable in the Manitoba housing market.

Inside, visitors to the three-bedroom residence are greeted with stylish features like a large front den, open-concept kitchen with a nine-foot island, quartz countertops, and a large daylit great room space complete with a built-in entertainment system and 74-inch fireplace.

The home’s air tightness and solid construction results in a remarkably quiet space that feels warm, bright, and cozy. It’s only when you investigate deeper that the luster of the home’s sustainable design qualities become apparent.

On the roof, a network of two-dozen 500-watt solar panels generate an estimated 16,140-kilowatt hours of electricity per year, reducing operational energy costs to virtually nil.

Throughout the home, high-performance triple-pane windows, an electric air handler system, high-efficiency appliances, and a cold-climate heat-pump play a big role as well, keeping the home comfortable and efficient.

Dale Verville, Production Manager, Sterling Homes and Broadview Homes Winnipeg, said that the greatest contribution toward net-zero comes from what’s hidden inside the walls, in the form of an upgraded wall system which includes R22 fiberglass insulation and two-inch graphite polystyrene insulation on the exterior, designed to reduce thermal bridging and lower the amount of energy required to heat and cool the space.

Together these and other strategies result in a home that is 55% more energy efficient than a home built to the 2015 National Building Code without the solar panels. Its 100% more efficient with the solar panels.

“We’ve learned a lot over the years on how to implement and adapt some of the strategies already legislated in other Canadian jurisdictions in a way that makes sense for Winnipeg’s climate,” said Dale, who also serves as a longstanding member of the Manitoba Home Builders Association’s Technical Committee and the provincial representative on the National Technical Committee.

“Now that we’ve achieved this net-zero milestone, we’ll continue to find ways to bring to life what was once considered impossible and apply it to future homes,” he added. “In terms of sustainable home building, we’re seeing the rewards of decades of innovation and experimentation, and yet, in many ways we’re only just beginning.