Thanks for Joining Us at the 2025 Eco-Solar Home Tour!
We were thrilled to be part of this year’s Eco-Solar Home Tour in Edmonton — a fantastic event that gave visitors a firsthand look at innovative, energy-efficient homes across the city.
We’re proud to share that our featured project — a future-ready home by Effect Home Builders, designed in collaboration with Avid Architecture — had the most visitors of all the stops on the tour! It was an incredible opportunity to showcase how thoughtful design, high-performance building, and everyday comfort come together in one sustainable space.
A huge thank you to everyone who came by to explore, connect, and share in our passion for better homebuilding. We’re excited to keep the conversation going!
Rethinking What Matters Most in a Custom Home
When most people begin designing a home, the questions tend to focus on space, layout, and finishes. But one Edmonton couple began their journey by asking something deeper:
“What will we need from this home—not just today, but 50 years from now?”
That question became the foundation for a truly thoughtful custom home — one that prioritizes aging in place, energy efficiency, and a strong connection to both nature and community. Built in collaboration with Avid Architecture, this home is a powerful example of what happens when values drive design.
It’s a space shaped not just by how it looks, but how it lives — today and far into the future.
Experience Meets Purpose-Driven Building
Avid Architecture and Effect Home Builders designed and built this one-of-a-kind home for a retired home inspector with over 30 years of experience. After inspecting thousands of homes, the owner knew exactly what stands the test of time—and what doesn’t.
They prioritized:
- What lasts.
- What keeps people comfortable long-term.
- What makes a home work for the people who live in it, not just today but for decades to come.
At Effect Home Builders, we believe every great home starts by identifying priorities. With this project, we worked alongside the homeowners to ask the most important question: how will this home support the people living in it—today, tomorrow, and for decades to come?
Turning Priorities into Practical Design
Key Features That Bring the Vision to Life
This home blends smart design with real-life functionality. Its standout features go beyond what you’d typically expect.
Future-Ready Living
- A fully integrated secondary suite that offers flexibility for multi-generational living or rental income.
- A residential elevator to support accessibility and aging in place.
- A rooftop patio with a hot tub, designed for year-round enjoyment.
Energy Efficiency That Delivers
- 42% lower energy use compared to a standard code-built home.
- Super-insulated walls, roof, and foundation.
- High-performance windows and doors that seal in comfort.
- Efficient mechanical systems for heating, ventilation, and hot water.
- Air source heat pump that maximizes electrical energy from the solar panel system to heat the house
- Metal roofing and siding on the entire exterior. Metal is one of the most energy efficient cladding materials, as it is highly recyclable.
- Air tight building envelope, including details like exterior air barrier, and attic access hatch from the exterior of the building
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10.5kW solar array
The homeowners originally aimed to build a net-zero home. However, real-life needs—like an elevator, extra occupants, and the rooftop hot tub—required more energy.
Instead of pushing for technical perfection at the cost of usability or budget, they chose a balanced approach. They prioritized long-term comfort, practical energy savings, and real-life livability.
Why Values Matter More Than Trends
This home proves that successful design starts with values—not just square footage or trendy finishes.
- The homeowners asked, “How will this home support our future?”, not “How much space can we build?”
- They chose livability over labels, balancing performance with real-life needs.
- They treated energy efficiency as a core design driver, not an afterthought.
The result feels warm, welcoming, and ready for whatever the future brings.
What You’ll See on the EcoSolar Home Tour
A Glimpse Inside a Future-Ready, Energy-Efficient Home
On June 8, visitors to this thoughtfully crafted home experienced:
Beautiful, inviting spaces designed for family gatherings.
Quiet, comfortable rooms made possible by superior insulation and airtight construction.
Flexible living zones, including a private secondary suite.
Guests also had the chance to meet the homeowners, who generously shared their journey — what inspired their choices, what they learned along the way, and why this home feels exactly right for them.
Why This Tour Mattered
For those planning a custom build, this home offered more than inspiration — it offered a blueprint for values-led design. It showed how thoughtful decisions made today can create lasting comfort, efficiency, and meaning.
Because when you start with purpose, you don’t just build a house – you build a home that’s ready for whatever life brings next.
Looking for more inspiration? Explore more featured homes to see how thoughtful design and energy efficiency come together in real-life projects across Edmonton.
