University of Guelph students will play a pivotal role in a national green housing program that will see the construction of net zero energy homes in the city’s south end. The College of Business and Economics and the College of Physical and Engineering Science have joined with Reid’s Heritage Homes who will build five of these homes by 2016.

The national program, which is part the ecoENERGY Innovation Initiative, involves five builders constructing a total of 25 net zero energy homes in four provinces. Housing will include advanced heating, cooling and ventilation systems; high-efficiency windows; superior levels of insulation and air tightness; solar panels that feed back to the grid; and other environmentally progressive features. Air barrier systems will be provided by Owens Corning, the developers of new technology crucial to making this housing net zero.

“This partnership will give our students an exceptional opportunity to apply their learning to support a local builder and national initiative. The Net Zero Energy program is an example of sustainable business at its best and we’re thrilled to be a part of it," said Julia Christensen Hughes, dean of the College of Business and Economics.

"The University of Guelph is one of only three Canadian universities to offer a specialized real estate major to business students," she added. "With our unique vision of 'developing leaders for a sustainable world', this project is a perfect match for our program. It's the kind of partnership we’re always looking for - one that provides our students with leading-edge, transformational learning experiences, while developing the talent the industry needs."

Areas for partnership with U of G students include consumer and market research, real estate and market pricing analysis, examination of occupant behaviour, hygrothermal monitoring of assemblies and on-site storage feasibility assessment.