# Energy Efficient Custom Home Burlington | Net Zero Ready

> Net Zero Ready custom homes in Burlington from $1.5M-$3.5M: airtight envelopes, cold-climate heat pumps, ERV and TGS Tier 1 as standard spec.

URL: https://customhomebuilderburlington.ca/energy-efficient-custom-home/

![Net Zero Ready custom home with triple-pane windows in Alton Village, Burlington](/images/misc/net-zero-ready-custom-home-with-triple-pane-window.webp)

TGS Tier 1 Standard Est. 2003

# Energy-Efficient Custom Home Burlington, ON | Net Zero Ready + TGS Tier 1

Last updated: October 13, 2026

Every home we build meets Toronto Green Standard Tier 1 performance as standard spec. Our Net Zero Ready builds go further with continuous exterior insulation, blower-door verified airtightness, triple-pane glazing, cold-climate heat pumps, ERV ventilation and solar PV rough-in.

Our Alton Village Net Zero home ($1.52M, 4,100 sqft) shows the approach on a typical north Burlington lot. Net Zero Ready builds typically run $1.5M to $3.5M, with energy modelling and testing results shared with you at every stage.

Typical range

$1.5M-$3.5M

per Net Zero Ready build

Timeline

11-15 months construction

Request a Free Lot Evaluation

[#lot-evaluation-form →](#lot-evaluation-form)

 

Direct Desk: (647) 277-2001

[tel:+16472772001 →](tel:+16472772001)

14-18W

Permit Speed

7-Year

Tarion Warranty

$5M

Liability + WSIB

Request received

Thanks, we have your lot details.

We will call you back within 24 hours during business hours (Mon-Fri 8am-6pm, Sat 9am-3pm). Need us sooner? Call 

(647) 277-2001

[tel:+16472772001 →](tel:+16472772001)

.

Free Lot Review

## Discreet Assessment and Lot Review

Find out if your lot works before you spend on drawings. 24-hour callback during business hours.

-   14-18 Week Permits
-   Tarion 7-Year Warranty
-   $5M Liability + WSIB
-   OHBA Member
-   BCIN Part 9
-   Since 2003

The Short Version

## Custom Homes in Burlington, Explained

A custom home in Burlington is a one-off house designed for a specific lot, built under Ontario Building Code Part 9 and approved through Burlington Building Division. Most are design-build projects, where one firm handles the lot review, drawings, permits and construction. Whether you plan a luxury home on the lake or a Halton build on an infill lot, the same three questions decide the project: cost, rules and who builds it.

### What a custom home costs in Burlington

A turnkey custom home of 3,000 to 4,500 sqft in Burlington typically costs $1.1M to $2.4M, including design, engineering, permits, construction and landscaping. Luxury builds of 4,500 to 8,000 sqft, with natural stone, architectural glazing and custom millwork, run $1.6M to $3.5M. A written lot evaluation before any of that costs $4K to $12K. Where a Burlington project lands in those ranges depends on finished size, finish level and lot conditions: a ravine lot on Grindstone Creek or a Lake Ontario parcel adds studies and foundation work, while a standard serviced lot in Alton Village does not. Payment usually follows a draw schedule, with 10 percent at contract and five milestone draws, so money moves as the Halton build progresses.

### The rules under Burlington Zoning By-law 2020 and Halton Region

Three regulatory layers apply to most Burlington lots. Zoning By-law 2020 sets setbacks, lot coverage and height. The Halton Region Official Plan governs land use and servicing across the region. Lots north of Dundas Street or along Mountain Brow Road can also sit in the Niagara Escarpment Plan Area of Development Control, which needs a Niagara Escarpment Commission permit. On top of that, lots touching Grindstone Creek, Rambo Creek, Shoreacres Creek or the Lake Ontario shoreline fall under Conservation Halton regulation. Burlington Building Division sees roughly a 40 percent first-submission revision rate, so checking all of these before design is the cheapest step in any Burlington build.

### Who builds custom homes in Halton

In Ontario, anyone building a new home for a client must be registered with Tarion, which backs every home with 1-year workmanship, 2-year mechanical and 7-year major structural coverage. Permit drawings for Part 9 houses are prepared by BCIN-qualified designers or architects and engineered to OBC Part 9. Look for a Halton builder who carries $5M liability and WSIB clearance, belongs to the Ontario Home Builders Association (OHBA) and can show named Burlington projects. Ask how long their permits take: our in-house expeditor gets most Burlington projects to permit-in-hand in 14 to 18 weeks, against 24 weeks or more as the industry norm.

What We Do

## What Is Included in Energy-Efficient Custom Home?

Every home we build meets Toronto Green Standard Tier 1 performance as standard spec, and our Net Zero Ready builds go further with continuous exterior insulation, blower-door verified airtightness, cold-climate heat pumps, ERV ventilation and solar PV rough-in. Our Alton Village Net Zero home ($1.52M, 4,100 sqft) shows the approach on a typical north Burlington lot.

-   TGS Tier 1 performance as standard spec
-   Net Zero Ready envelope, blower-door testing, heat pumps, ERV
-   Solar PV rough-in
-   Continuous exterior insulation and thermal-bridge detailing
-   Triple-pane glazing where it pays back in comfort
-   Project: Alton Village $1.52M Net Zero

![Blower-door airtightness test on a custom home under construction](/images/misc/blower-door-test-fan-mounted-in-front-door-frame-o.webp)

Net Zero Ready

$1.5M-$3.5M

per Net Zero Ready build

Includes

Energy modellingHigh-performance envelopeMechanical packageBlower-door testingTarion enrolment

Timeline

11-15 months construction

Get a written number for your lot

[#lot-evaluation-form →](#lot-evaluation-form)

Custom Home Builder Burlington

[/ →](/)

 provides energy-efficient custom homes, Net Zero Ready construction, high-performance envelopes and heat pump systems throughout Burlington and Halton Region, backed by 22+ years combined Halton design-build experience. This page explains the performance standards we build to, what goes into a Net Zero Ready home, what it costs and how we verify that it performs.

## What Is an Energy-Efficient Custom Home?

An energy-efficient custom home uses less energy to heat, cool and ventilate, while staying more comfortable than a typical new house. It does that in two ways: first by reducing the energy the house needs, through insulation, airtightness and good windows, and then by meeting that smaller need with efficient equipment such as heat pumps and energy recovery ventilators.

Every home we build starts at a high baseline. **Toronto Green Standard Tier 1** performance is our standard spec, which exceeds the **SB-12** energy requirements in the **Ontario Building Code**. For clients who want to go further, we build **Net Zero Ready** homes.

## The Standards, Explained

| Standard | What it is | Where we sit |
| --- | --- | --- |
| SB-12 | Mandatory energy standard in the Ontario Building Code | Every home exceeds it |
| TGS Tier 1 | Toronto Green Standard performance benchmark | Our standard spec |
| Net Zero Ready | Built so on-site renewables could offset annual energy use | Optional upgrade |
| CHBA Net Zero Home Labelling Program | Formal labelling program for net zero and net zero ready homes | Available on request |

## What Goes Into a Net Zero Ready Home

### Continuous exterior insulation

Rigid or mineral wool insulation outside the framing wraps the house in a continuous layer, cutting heat loss through studs and reducing condensation risk inside walls.

### Airtightness, verified

A carefully detailed air barrier, sealed at every penetration, then tested with a **blower door** at mid-construction and completion. Results are reported in ACH50.

### High-performance windows

**Triple-pane glazing** with thermally broken frames where it pays back in comfort, especially on large openings, north elevations and bedrooms.

### Cold-climate heat pump

A **cold-climate air source heat pump** provides heating and cooling efficiently, sized from energy modelling rather than rules of thumb.

### Balanced ventilation

An **energy recovery ventilator** supplies fresh, filtered air to every room and recovers heat from the exhaust air.

### Thermal-bridge detailing

Cantilevers, balconies, foundations and window installs are detailed to reduce **thermal bridging**.

### Solar PV rough-in

Conduit, panel space and roof orientation planned during design, so solar can be added later without opening walls.

> **Comfort is the real payoff**
> 
> Lower bills are the headline, but clients notice comfort first: no cold floors, no drafty rooms, even temperatures upstairs and down and fresh air in every room. Daniel and Mei L. said the heat pump and ERV keep their Alton Village home even all year.

## Regulations and Approvals

Energy performance is reviewed as part of the building permit. Your **SB-12** compliance package is submitted to **Burlington Building Division** with the drawings and engineered to **OBC Part 9**. Other approvals follow the lot: **Zoning By-law 2020**, the **Halton Region Official Plan**, **Conservation Halton** for regulated lots and the **Niagara Escarpment Plan** for lots in the Area of Development Control. Permit drawings are prepared by **BCIN**\-qualified designers, and every home is enrolled with **Tarion**.

## Cost Guide: What Performance Adds

| Upgrade | Relative cost | Main benefit |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Continuous exterior insulation | Moderate | Comfort, lower heat loss, durable walls |
| Triple-pane windows | Moderate to high | Comfort near glass, no condensation |
| Cold-climate heat pump | Moderate | Efficient heating and cooling |
| ERV ventilation | Low to moderate | Fresh air, humidity balance |
| Air barrier detailing and testing | Low | Verified airtightness |
| Solar PV rough-in | Low | Ready for panels later |

Our Net Zero Ready builds typically run **$1.5M to $3.5M** in total. As a planning figure, our 

cost estimator

[/tools/ →](/tools/)

 adds 7 percent to hard costs for a Net Zero Ready package. Your actual number is priced line by line during design.

## Energy Efficiency in Every Style

Performance is not tied to a look. Our 

modern homes

[/modern-custom-home-construction/ →](/modern-custom-home-construction/)

 manage large glazing with triple-pane units and careful orientation. 

Luxury homes

[/luxury-custom-home-construction/ →](/luxury-custom-home-construction/)

 combine stone and timber with continuous insulation. Craftsman and farmhouse homes benefit from deep overhangs that shade summer sun. Any of our four build types can be Net Zero Ready.

## The Alton Village Net Zero Home

Our Alton Village project is a 4,100 sqft family home built for **$1.52M**. It combines continuous exterior insulation, triple-pane glazing, a cold-climate heat pump, ERV ventilation and solar PV rough-in, with blower-door tests at mid-construction and completion. The owners’ first winter of utility bills was a fraction of what they paid in their previous home in Mississauga.

Transparent Pricing

## How Much Does Energy-Efficient Custom Home Cost in Burlington?

Typical range: $1.5M-$3.5M per Net Zero Ready build. You receive a line-item price on letterhead before you sign, and no change order happens without your written approval.

Deposit

Only the lot evaluation fee before contract, then 10 percent at signing.

Five milestone draws

Permit, excavation, framing, mechanical rough-in and final occupancy.

Change orders

None without your written approval. Finish allowances are written into the contract.

| Feature | Typical Provider | Custom Home Builder Burlington |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Base energy spec | SB-12 minimum | TGS Tier 1 performance as standard |
| Airtightness | Untested | Blower-door tested mid-build and final |
| Heating | Gas furnace | Cold-climate heat pump option |
| Ventilation | Bath fans | Balanced ERV ventilation |
| Solar | Retrofit later | PV rough-in during framing |

Estimate your own budget with the 

custom home cost estimator

[/tools/ →](/tools/)

.

Why Us

## Why Choose Custom Home Builder Burlington for Net Zero Ready?

A calm, exacting process backed by numbers, by-laws and named projects.

### Performance is standard

TGS Tier 1 performance is our base spec on every home, not an upgrade.

### Tested, not assumed

Blower-door tests at mid-construction and completion, with results shared with you.

### Comfort first

Even temperatures, no drafts and fresh filtered air through the ERV in every room.

### Priced line by line

Envelope and equipment upgrades are priced separately so you see what each one costs.

### Works with any style

Modern, Craftsman, farmhouse or luxury, any of our homes can be Net Zero Ready.

### Named project

Alton Village Net Zero, 4,100 sqft, $1.52M, with first-winter bills a fraction of the owners' previous home.

How It Works

## How Does Net Zero Ready Work?

Every step has an owner, a document and a date.

1.  1
    
    ### Energy goals and modelling
    
    Choose TGS Tier 1 or Net Zero Ready, then model the design to size the envelope and equipment.
    
    During design
    
2.  2
    
    ### Envelope design
    
    Wall, roof and foundation assemblies, windows and air barrier strategy drawn and priced.
    
    Design development
    
3.  3
    
    ### Mid-build blower-door test
    
    Airtightness tested before drywall, when leaks are easy to find and fix.
    
    After rough-ins
    
4.  4
    
    ### Mechanical commissioning
    
    Heat pump, ERV and controls installed, balanced and verified.
    
    Finishing stage
    
5.  5
    
    ### Final test and handover
    
    Final blower-door result, system orientation and Tarion enrolment.
    
    Move-in
    

## Find out if your lot works before you spend on drawings.

Written lot evaluation in about two weeks. No deposit, no construction contract.

Request a Free Lot Evaluation

[/contact/ →](/contact/)

 

(647) 277-2001

[tel:+16472772001 →](tel:+16472772001)

Our Work

## Net Zero Ready: Recent Work Across Halton

Site and finished-home photos from our Burlington and Halton projects. Select any image to enlarge.

 

![Net Zero Ready custom home with triple-pane windows in Alton Village, Burlington](/images/features/net-zero-ready-custom-home-with-triple-pane-window.webp) Net Zero

### Alton Village Net Zero

$1,520K

Alton Village 4,100 sqft

A 4,100 sqft Net Zero Ready home with continuous exterior insulation, triple-pane glazing, a cold-climate heat pump, ERV ventilation and solar PV rough-in. Airtightness was verified by blower-door testing at mid-construction and at completion.

Energy-Efficient Custom Home

[/energy-efficient-custom-home/ →](/energy-efficient-custom-home/)

 

More in Alton Village

[/service-areas/alton-village/ →](/service-areas/alton-village/)

See all projects

[/projects/ →](/projects/)

Client Experience

## What Clients Say About Our Net Zero Ready Work

Every quote below is from a client who signed a fixed-price contract with us. We do not display a star rating because we have not imported third-party reviews.

> "We needed to move before September for the kids' school. The schedule was set around that date in the contract, and we got the keys in mid-August. The heat pump and ERV keep the house even all year, and our first winter of utility bills was a fraction of our old semi in Mississauga. Blower-door results were shared with us at every test."

**Daniel and Mei L.**, Alton Village$1,460K Net Zero

> "We wanted a retirement home that would cost almost nothing to run and still feel generous. The envelope, triple glazing and solar rough-in were priced line by line, so we could see what each upgrade cost. The escarpment-edge lot needed extra engineering, and that was in the fixed price from the first day. Tarion paperwork, final inspection and handover were organised without a single surprise."

**Ian and Ruth G.**, Dundas$3,390K luxury Net Zero

> "After 30 years in Oakville we wanted something smaller but better. Main-floor primary suite, elevator rough-in and stone that will not need attention for decades. Every allowance was in writing, so when I chose upgraded white oak I knew the exact cost the same afternoon. Tarion enrolment was done before we moved in."

**Hannah K.**, Millcroft$2,140K luxury

FAQ

## Net Zero Ready Questions

Straight answers about energy-efficient custom home in Burlington and Halton.

Have a question about your own lot?

Request a Free Lot Evaluation

[/contact/ →](/contact/)

 

(647) 277-2001

[tel:+16472772001 →](tel:+16472772001)

What does Net Zero Ready mean?

A Net Zero Ready home is designed and built so efficiently that adding on-site renewable energy, usually rooftop solar, could supply as much energy as the home uses in a year. The home is built with the efficient envelope, mechanical systems and solar rough-in in place, so panels can be added later without opening walls. The CHBA Net Zero Home Labelling Program sets formal technical requirements for homes seeking a label.

How much more does a Net Zero Ready home cost?

In our practice, Net Zero Ready typically adds a single-digit percentage to the hard construction cost compared with our TGS Tier 1 standard spec, depending on the size of the home, the amount of glazing and the mechanical system chosen. Our cost estimator uses a 7 percent allowance as a planning figure. Every upgrade is priced line by line, so you can see what each one costs.

What is the difference between SB-12 and TGS Tier 1?

SB-12 is the energy efficiency supplementary standard in the Ontario Building Code that every new home must meet. Toronto Green Standard Tier 1 is a higher performance benchmark set by the City of Toronto for new development. We use TGS Tier 1 performance as our standard spec in Burlington because it delivers better comfort and lower running costs, and it exceeds the SB-12 minimum.

Do heat pumps work in Burlington winters?

Yes. Cold-climate air source heat pumps are designed to keep heating at outdoor temperatures well below freezing. Paired with an airtight, well-insulated envelope that needs less heat in the first place, they keep a home comfortable through Halton winters. We size the system from energy modelling and can include backup heat where clients want it.

Can a luxury or modern home also be Net Zero Ready?

Yes. Large glazing and complex forms make it more demanding, but triple-pane windows, careful orientation, continuous insulation and thermal-bridge detailing make it achievable. Any of our four build types can be Net Zero Ready.

What is a blower-door test?

A blower-door test uses a calibrated fan mounted in an exterior door to depressurize the house and measure air leakage, reported as air changes per hour at 50 pascals (ACH50). We test at mid-construction, before drywall, when leaks are easy to seal, and again at completion.

Why do I need an ERV in an airtight house?

Airtight homes need deliberate ventilation. An energy recovery ventilator brings in fresh outdoor air and exhausts stale air while transferring heat and some moisture between the two streams, so you get fresh air without throwing away the heat you paid for.

Can I add solar panels later?

Yes. Our Net Zero Ready builds include solar PV rough-in, with conduit runs and roof orientation planned during design so panels can be added without opening finished walls.

Keep Exploring

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[/custom-home-architectural-design/ →](/custom-home-architectural-design/)

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### 

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[/design-build-custom-home/ →](/design-build-custom-home/)

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One contract, one team and one fixed price from lot evaluation to occupancy. No handoffs between architect, engineer and builder.

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Details

[/design-build-custom-home/ →](/design-build-custom-home/)

![](/images/misc/custom-home-framing-at-golden-hour-on-established-.webp)

Start With the Lot

## Ready to price your net zero ready project?

Book a written lot evaluation. You get zoning, setback envelope, Conservation Halton and Niagara Escarpment flags and a realistic budget, typically within two weeks, before any construction contract.

Request a Free Lot Evaluation

[/contact/ →](/contact/)

 

Call (647) 277-2001

[tel:+16472772001 →](tel:+16472772001)

-   No obligation
-   24-hour callback
-   Fixed price before you sign
-   Tarion registered