We are building a new home this year. We are hoping for Nudura ICF with geothermal heating. Geothermal using radiant floor heating and forced air. We are in Ontario, Canada. We are hoping to find some grants or rebates for a new build that would help us.

I've done lots of research on this and no luck yet! All grants are for at least 6 month (I think)old before any chance of grants. If someone out there knows of any loop holes ,in this matter ,it be much appreciated.
Cheers!

The only things I've found so far are a 3 % gst rebate on the entire cost of the new home. A wind hydro and Electric , geothermal system rebate. Which is a rebate on the RST in Ontario. Also the Mortgage insurance rebate on 10% off your mortgage insurance
http://oee.nrcan.gc.ca/corporate/incentives.cfm?attr=0

Are the rebates (3%)only for renewable energy or whole house efficiency? The mortgage one is new for me! Where in On. are you? Pardon my stupidity RST??
Try this one dug it back from my archives
http://www.iea-shc.org/countries/reports/report.aspx?Country=Canada

you can do some research online at

http://www.sustainablehousing.ca/

no grants on new home construction anywhere in ontario geothermal grant is only available for existing homes to replace existing furnaces

3girls4me,

Congratulations on building your new home, but I do have a question that is a little off topic. I realize that you are far north of me (I'm in Virginia), but the engineers I've spoken with do not really think that there is a need to incorporate ICF, geothermal, and radiant flooring. Radiant flooring can be a bit tricky in an ICF house, because the heat has no where to really go as it warms up. Plus it won't run much. I think that you may be money ahead in removing that technology from your house. That is simply my opinion, but sometimes you can incorporate so many thermal ideas that it becomes hard to get a fair payback.

Just some advice, I would certainly ask your engineer/architect their thoughts. Again, you are North of me, but alerting you (even if I'm incorrect) can really hurt.

Best of luck,

renangle

renangl,
Are you saying icf and radiant isn't worth it combined? or was it adding the geo that makes it over the top?
If only a small (1500 to 2500sqft) house built icf no need for geo since it's already economic but for those larger shacks I see the point." the air has nowhere to go" isn't that the point?

thagreen,

It is my opinion and the opinion of some engineers that I work along side that incorporating radiant heat in an ICF (depending on size of course) could be somewhat counter productive or not the best way to utilize your construction dollars. Here in Virginia (USA), it really doesn't take much energy to heat an cool an ICF house. When you heat with radiant heating with walls that are super insulated like ICF, when the temperature doesn't need to get as warm as in regular homes because it is so tight. The common school of thought in here with radiant flooring in an ICF house specifically is that it may be unnecessary. I think that size and location also can certainly play a factor. I am working with a physician near Washington D.C. that would like build an 8000+ sqft. house with ICF, geotherma, and radiant flooring. I (with agreement from the engineer) told him that he would be wiser to invest those dollars in other energy efficient technologies (i.e., tankless gas water heater, windows, solar, etc). That could be the mindset here in Virginia, but one never knows. I am working with Energywise Structures, an engineering firm near Dallas, TX who specializes in super insulated structures. They can assist you in determining the best way to combine technologies to ensure that you are incorporating all the correct technologies in they building system. Google his company, its very easy to find. I'm just saying if you are willing to spend the money on the front end, it may be wise to make sure that you have done all your homework to ensure that you are maximizing you dollar for technology.

I am just trying to be of assistance. renangle

What you're saying makes total sense. Putting $ in the wright places is a must in my book, god knows it's hard enough to earn it. So radiant w/icf is not cost effective, simply luxury, if I'm reading you correctly. Where I live 7 to 8 months of heating is required.

RST is retail sales tax. Also known as provincial sale tax here in Ontario. If you go through the links you will see that there is a retail sales tax rebate for geothermal system in new homes here in Ontario. It's come no were close to the amount you get with the other grant but it is there.
I'm not sure what the temperature in Virgina is today. But in where we will be building its minus 18. I did talk to a heating specialist yesterday and they do recommend the radiant floor heating along with the forced air for our area.They said when they do our heating blueprint that will be able to tell use how much it will cost to heat with each and how long it will take to pay for each. But I will do more research. We would be installing the radiant flooring ourselves so they wouldn't be profiting from that. But I willing to listen to all options and appreciate your replies. What type of heating to do you recommend.
I have been trying to tell my husband that we may not need everything. Maybe this post will help.

I'd love to those calcs when you get'em for I am opting for the same heating system(radiant & forced).
Hope to hear from you!
Cheers!

Any heating company that does your heating blueprint should be able to get them for you, for your specific house.

I am currently building a house in Vancouver. I looked into all the government grants available and found the only viable one was the PST exemption on EnergyStar appliances and windows. A lot more are available for retrofitting exising houses. BTW the savings on the PST is well worth it.
What I did (when the Provincial gov offered it) was to purchase new low flow toilets that had a $50 rebate each for the house I bought before I tore it down to build the new one.....

The site I found most useful is: http://oee.nrcan.gc.ca/corporate/incentives.cfm

I emailed nrcan about energy incentives for new houses and was told that it is expected that new homes to be built to the latest energy standards....
...I guess they means that if you can afford a new house you will be spending the money to use the most energy efficient appliances and equipment...yeah right....a standard efficiency (<80%) HW tank or boiler is MUCH less than the ones that are >90% and greater

It does'nt seem like we are eligible for those pst rebates here in On. so , on w/ the search for me.
It would make sense if those grants would be for all of residential construction. Since we are in an energy crisis I belive this would help the problem. But I must be wrong!!
Thnx for the link but been there already!
Cheers!

If you're in Quebec there's up to $4800 available in grants for new construction that incorporates geothermal heating.

http://www.hydroquebec.com/residential/geothermie/index.html

For retrofits in existing properties, up to $6800 is available (the maximum grant requires the previous heating system to be electric).

I know this doesn't help for Ontario, but there may be other readers located in Quebec.

Paul.