The Integrated Net Zero, Healthier & Resiliency Discovery Home by Empire Homes

EEBA Excellence in Healthier Homes – Summary
Empire Avalon Discovery Home – Empire Homes & ERTH360
Project Lead: Andrew Guido, VP Sustainability & Innovation
Location: Caledonia, Ontario
Construction Timeline: Dec 2024 – Q2 2026

Overview
The Integrated Net Zero, Healthier & Resiliency Discovery Home at Empire Avalon redefines what is possible for production housing by embedding advanced, scientifically validated indoor environmental quality measures into a market-ready home. The project addresses the pressing indoor air quality crisis, with North Americans spending 90% of their time indoors where air is often 2–5 times more polluted than outdoors, and where contaminants are linked to allergies, asthma, fatigue, cognitive decline, and other health impacts.

The ERTH360 Tiered Wellness Packages
The Discovery Home’s healthier homes strategy is anchored by ERTH360, the first residential solution in North America to achieve ASHRAE Standard 241 certification for the Control of Infectious Aerosols. This standard—previously limited to high-performance commercial buildings - significantly reduces airborne contaminant transmission, including infectious diseases.

The ERTH360 framework offers four escalating tiers, enabling homebuyers to customize wellness features:

ERTH360 Air – Foundational Indoor Air Quality

• Whole-home HEPA filtration removing 99.97% of particles ≥0.3 microns.
• Enhanced Energy Recovery Ventilator (ERV) with MERV 13 filtration.
• Upsized filter media cabinet upgrading from 1" MERV 11 to 5" MERV 13 pleated filters.
• Third-party balanced HVAC system for optimal air distribution.

ERTH360 Essential – Advanced Air Quality

• Additional operable windows for natural cross-ventilation.
• Advanced smart thermostat with automated thermal control.
• Ducted returns in bedrooms to remove stale air and CO2.
• Comprehensive low-VOC paints, stains, and sealants.
• Active radon mitigation system with quiet, efficient fan.

ERTH360 Enhanced – Air, Water & Moisture Control

• Under-counter water filtration removing 70+ chemicals, including PFAS.
• Inline shower filters with granular activated carbon technology.
• Advanced capillary break technology in the concrete foundation.
• Timer-controlled garage exhaust fan to remove toxic gases.

ERTH360 Elevated – Ultimate Wellness Standard

• Duct-mounted IAQ sensor for real-time monitoring of particulates, CO, CO2, and VOCs.
• Premium Weather Resistant Barrier beneath exterior cladding.
• Circadian lighting system harmonizing with natural biological rhythms.
• Enhanced acoustic insulation for reduced noise pollution.
• Autonomous air quality management with real-time calibration.

Health Benefits and Measurable Outcomes

• 99.97% airborne particle removal.
• 70+ harmful chemicals removed from water supplies.
• Reduced infectious disease transmission risk (ASHRAE 241 certified).
• Enhanced sleep quality through CO2 removal in bedrooms.
• Improved cognitive performance linked to clean air and optimized lighting.
• Active radon protection—mitigating the second leading cause of lung cancer.

Trade-Offs in an Integrated Design
Pursuing Healthier Homes objectives required careful balancing with Net Zero and Resiliency goals. For instance, higher ventilation rates improve indoor air quality but increase energy demand, making Net Zero performance more challenging. Similarly, additional filtration and monitoring systems require infrastructure space and electrical capacity that had to be integrated without compromising resilience measures.

Industry Impact
The Discovery Home demonstrates that health-focused design can be standardized in production housing. By making ERTH360 packages scalable and adaptable, the project provides a roadmap for builders to deliver healthier indoor environments—helping address the growing consumer demand for homes that actively support physical and mental well-being.

empirehomes.com and erth360.com