A closer look at how Calbridge Homes embraces sustainable building practices and materials.
At Genesis Land, we’re proud to partner with home builders who share our commitment to creating healthy, sustainable communities. Calbridge Homes is one of these partners. Celebrating its 45th anniversary this year, Calbridge is known and respected for the beautiful, responsibly built homes it has brought to communities throughout Calgary and Airdrie over the decades.
“At Calbridge, we recognize the crucial role we play in promoting sustainability and preserving the planet for future generations,” says Nicole Ziemann, the company’s managing director of sales, marketing and interior design. “We understand that every small step counts, which is why we incorporate eco-friendly elements into our homes.”
Below are just some of the ways Calbridge Homes is embracing sustainable practices and incorporating environmentally friendly materials into its homebuilding process.
Strategic Orientation
Prior to construction, Calbridge’s architectural design team spends dedicated time considering the orientation, or positioning, of a home on its lot. The orientation of a home can make a world of difference when it comes to optimizing its exposure to the natural light and heat of the sun. Positioning a new home to take advantage of the sun’s energy helps to decrease a homeowner’s energy usage while reducing their monthly utility costs.
Airtight Envelopes
Sound construction is a key component when it comes to ensuring that a home is energy efficient. If a home’s building envelope isn’t sound, heated or cooled air can be lost through the walls, the floors and the ceilings. Calbridge makes sure each of its homes is tightly built, with triple-glaze windows, proper mechanical ventilation, R44 attic insulation, R22 wall insulation and two-pound spray foam where needed. Calbridge also conducts blower door tests near the end of the construction process in order to flag, measure and fix any air leakage issues prior to turning a home over to its new owners.
Flow-Wise Plumbing
To help homeowners avoid wasteful water consumption, Calbridge installs flow-wise faucets, toilets and showerheads. Not only do these fixtures use less water (without sacrificing water pressure), they also lead to significant savings on a homeowner’s monthly water and electricity bills. Calbridge also encourages homeowners to choose ENERGY STAR-certified dishwashers and washing machines, which use significantly less water and energy compared to standard models.
Long-term Lighting
In addition to energy-wise appliances, Calbridge uses LED bulbs in all of the homes it builds. Short for “light-emitting diode,” an LED uses much less energy (up to 80 percent less!) and gives off much less heat compared to a traditional incandescent light bulb. LEDs also have a much longer lifespan — most will last at least 20 years before they need to be changed out.
Responsible Choices
When helping new homeowners with their design selections, the Calbridge team encourages the selection of materials and products that are environmentally friendly and socially responsible. For example, in place of white oak wood, which is slowly becoming extinct, Calbridge encourages the use of ash woods, which have the same properties as white oak but are much more readily available.
Recycled Materials
Whenever possible, Calbridge partners with suppliers who offer recycling programs for leftover materials, such as metals, concrete or even carpets, which helps to divert construction waste from landfills. The company also strives to use products made with recycled content — including carpet underlay made with recycled chip foam — in its own construction processes.
