The future of energy-efficient housing in Calgary has been given a boost, with a major homebuilder now offering a net-zero option on all its models.

Jayman Built recently unveiled its Quantum Performance Ultra E-Home upgrade, which results in a home designed and constructed to produce as much energy as it consumes on an annual basis.

Along with lowering monthly utility bills, green home features can also cut costs for homeowners by reducing their mortgage insurance premium.

Depending on the home's degree of energy efficiency, up to a quarter of a borrower's premium can be covered by a rebate through the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. (CMHC) Green Home program.

Community, sustainability and design.

These are the pillars of the Ivy, Brookfield Residential's innovative townhome project in the 200-acre University District.

For over 30 years, Excel Homes has been crafting homes with extraordinary style and attention to detail, winning numerous awards for its innovative designs.

But company COO Dean Campbell says that what really sets this homebuilder apart is its commitment to sustainability and the Built Green program.

More than 750 new single-family homes in Alberta will be powered by solar this year, as Jayman Built makes the green technology a standard feature in a first-of-its-kind offering by any Canadian builder.

With National Environment Week in full swing, Built Green Canada has issued a challenge to municipalities across the country to encourage green building as part of their policies.

Built Green, in a release, explained municipalities that incent builders to construct with more sustainable means using programs like Built Green reduce the load on civic infrastructure such as water, electrical, waste and more.