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What is the EnerGuide Rating System?

​Learn what the EnerGuide Rating System is all about.

What is the EnerGuide Rating System?

EnerGuide is a rating system developed by the Canadian federal government to rate the energy use of various products. You’ve probably seen an EnerGuide label on your new refrigerator, dishwasher or even new car. It’s also available for houses.

How do I read the EnerGuide label?

Explore the new EnerGuide label by clicking the green circles

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Energuide rating

This is a home’s energy rating expressed in gigajoules per year (One gigajoule is equivalent to the energy of 2 BBQ propane tanks). This rating is determined by an energy advisor and is based on the mechanical systems and the building envelope of your home, but not on your family’s actual energy use. The rating system uses the same, standardized operating conditions for every home rated, to put the focus on the house’s energy characteristics and not on the specific occupants living in it.

Towards best energy performance

This is the lowest (best) energy use achievable. Yes, it is possible for a home to be rated 0 GJ/year! It’s called a net-zero home, and it produces as much energy as it uses.

How this rating was calculated

85 - 13 = 72

85 GJ/year: the estimated amount of energy the home uses each year, largely a reflection of how the house was design ed and built.

13 GJ/year: the estimated amount of energy generated annually from on-site renewable sources such as the sun and the win d.

72 GJ/year: the EnerGuide rating

How your house compares

This is how much energy a house with similar characteristics as yours (size, construction type and location) built to today’s federal new home construction standards would use.

House address

The location of the rated home.

Data collected

The date the evaluation was conducted.Modifications to the house after this date could affect its rating.

File number

The unique identifier that should be referred to when contacting the service organization for additional services.

Home evaluated by

The name of the service organization that rated the home.

Energuide rating scale

Shows the EnerGuide rating of a house and “A typical new house” with similar characteristics. The better the house performs, the closer the rating is to zero. The scale is in gigajoules per year.

A gigajoule (GJ)

Is a unit of energy. It can be used as a measure of any type of energy that is consumed or produced in your home. Specifically, one GJ is the equivalent of 278 kWh of electricity, 27 m3 of natural gas, 26 L of oil, 39 L of propane, or 947 817 BTUs. One GJ is roughly equal to the energy from two standard barbeque propane tanks or 30 L of gas in a car’s gas tank.

Rated annual energy consumption

The total amount of energy the house consumes in a year regardless of energy sources.

Energy sources

The sources and amounts of conventional energy (e.g. gas, oil, electricity) that the house consumes annually. The total amount equals the rated annual energy consumption for the house.

On-site renewable energy contributions

The estimated annual amount of energy generated on site by renewable energy technology. This consists of solar photovoltaic and wind technology. The generated renewable energy is subtracted from the rated annual energy consumption to produce the EnerGuide rating.

Breakdown of rated annual energy consumption

The pie-chart provides a breakdown of the major energy uses within the house and provides an initial overview of where you can lower home energy costs.

Rated energy intensity

Is calculated by dividing the rated annual energy consumption by your home’s heated floor area. It allows you to compare the annual energy use of homes of different sizes on a “per square metre” basis.

Rated greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions

The estimated annual amount of greenhouse gases emitted as a result of the energy used in the home.

Significant energy uses not included in rating

When an asterisk appears next to the EnerGuide rating, this identifies a house which uses significant energy for uncommon items such as a pool or hot tub. This energy use is not included in the rating. However, information on these items can be found in the House Details section of your Homeowner Information Sheet.

Quick response (QR) code

A code that can be scanned by a smart phone to open the online welcome page at nrcan.gc.ca/myenerguide.

How do I read the EnerGuide home evaluation reports?

Following the EnerGuide evaluation, your energy advisor will provide you with a Homeowner Information Sheet. If you are having the evaluation done on an existing home and considering upgrading your home, you will also receive a Renovation Upgrade Report.

Learn more about the personalized Homeowner Information Sheet and Renovation Report.