I used EcoNovation services to help me build my house. I wanted to minimize the environmental impact of this construction by building according to best practices. By choosing EcoNovation, I made sure to use the most advanced construction techniques.

I chose them because of their very extensive and comprehensive expertise in the field. They were able to offer me advice in all aspects of construction. (ex; passive solar design, avant-garde frame, high-performance window, durable coating, recovered insulation and increased waterproofing, etc.) They were able to advise me from the design phase to the realization of the structure.

It is an undeniable advantage to have the same people involved in each stage of the project. I was therefore assured that the details that had been determined during the design would be put into practice when the work was carried out.

They also knew how to adapt to my needs by allowing me to participate during the completion of the work in order to save costs. It's easy to work as a team with them. They are concerned with establishing effective and transparent communication in addition to delivering a high quality product.

SÉBASTIEN

Saint-Joachim-de-Shefford, Quebec

We are a young couple who are in our second self-construction project. Although we have fond memories of our first home, we were unable to integrate all the ecological principles that we would have liked due to lack of budget and time. When we decided to embark on the building experience again, we took the time to explore several options and obtained many divergent opinions both on the design and on the realization of an ecological house.

We asked our architect to be inspired by the principles of a passive solar house, even if we doubted that we would be able to meet the high demands of a passivhaus construction. We wanted a comfortable house regardless of the outside temperature, but to respect our budget, we decided to stick to a wall cut as proposed by Novoclimat 2.

The hardest part was finding a contractor with the knowledge and experience to bring our architect's plans to life. When we sent the plans to Étienne, co-founder and project manager at ÉcoNovation, we were surprised not to receive a simple submission, but rather an invitation to meet him at his home to discuss our options.

He took the time to analyze the details of the plans and highlight any improvements we could make to the building's waterproofing. He presented us with the construction prices for different options and highlighted the potential savings in electricity. Etienne showed us that the price difference between our walls as drawn and highly insulated walls (as encountered in passive houses) was not huge. We left this meeting as happy as discouraged: our ideal goal was achievable, but that meant going back to the drawing board ... and postponing the start of construction again! But we wanted to take our time and get it right, and that's what we did.

The engineers working with EcoNovation joined our project to design a better insulated and shallower floor slab. The costs saved in excavation would therefore allow us to cover the entire foundation with a layer of insulation, and thus avoid leaks between the foundations and the frame. Thanks to their expertise, our house is built to the best of its potential, and we are very proud of it.

GABRIELLE & SIMON

Bromont, Quebec