Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Kyle Newman always loved cool, energy-saving houses. In his early days, Kyle, the founder of Stratton Homes, admired straw bale and passive homes, but his real dream was to create super cool, energy-efficient homes so affordably that every single one could be net-zero ready.
So, he did his homework. He found the most cost-effective solutions, and he even tested different ways of building homes from modular to panelization to stick-built.
What he wanted to do didn't seem to fit economically in the restrictive requirements of passive houses—so he chose his own path.
In order to bring the big Muskoka views into the beautiful homes he was building, he used very large, very energy-efficient windows. He even plopped four inches of insulation beneath the slabs of his homes.
The result is stunning homes, affordably built, that all qualify for the Canadian Home Builders Net Zero Home Labelling Program.
Join us as we head off to Huntsville, Ontario, take a tour of Kyle’s homes, and learn the secrets that make these homes so special.
🟢 BLOG: GreenEnergyFutures.ca
❤️ CHASING NET ZERO SERIES: youtube.com/watch?v=jWv4mrfmHpg
Contents
00:00 - Introduction with Kyle Newman
00:22 - Episode intro - David Dodge
00:37 - Had to be scaleable and affordable
01:05 - R30 Walls and insulation
01:35 - Air sealing
02:04 - Big energy efficient windows
02:39 - AIr tightness to 0.6 air changes per hour
02:55 - Big windows
03:40 - Heating system explained
04:11 - Energy Recovery Ventilator
04:52 - Summary of energy efficiency features in a Stratton net zero home
05:27 - Morgan Shaver of Stratton built his own house and tested everything
06:37 - Kyle tested three home building techniques
07:13 - 1. Panelized construction
07:47 - 2. Volumetric Modular Construction
08:07 - Construction technique learnings
08:25 - Cost of going net zero
09:25 - Habitat for Humanity net zero ready
09:40 - Net zero ready Muskoka resort
09:54 - Conclusions and Chasing Net Zero extro
Kyle Newman always loved cool, energy-saving houses. In his early days, Kyle, the founder of Stratton Homes, admired straw bale and passive homes, but his real dream was to create super cool, energy-efficient homes so affordably that every single one could be net-zero ready.
So, he did his homework. He found the most cost-effective solutions, and he even tested different ways of building homes from modular to panelization to stick-built.
What he wanted to do didn't seem to fit economically in the restrictive requirements of passive houses—so he chose his own path.
In order to bring the big Muskoka views into the beautiful homes he was building, he used very large, very energy-efficient windows. He even plopped four inches of insulation beneath the slabs of his homes.
The result is stunning homes, affordably built, that all qualify for the Canadian Home Builders Net Zero Home Labelling Program.
Join us as we head off to Huntsville, Ontario, take a tour of Kyle’s homes, and learn the secrets that make these homes so special.
🟢 BLOG: GreenEnergyFutures.ca
❤️ CHASING NET ZERO SERIES: youtube.com/watch?v=jWv4mrfmHpg
Contents
00:00 - Introduction with Kyle Newman
00:22 - Episode intro - David Dodge
00:37 - Had to be scaleable and affordable
01:05 - R30 Walls and insulation
01:35 - Air sealing
02:04 - Big energy efficient windows
02:39 - AIr tightness to 0.6 air changes per hour
02:55 - Big windows
03:40 - Heating system explained
04:11 - Energy Recovery Ventilator
04:52 - Summary of energy efficiency features in a Stratton net zero home
05:27 - Morgan Shaver of Stratton built his own house and tested everything
06:37 - Kyle tested three home building techniques
07:13 - 1. Panelized construction
07:47 - 2. Volumetric Modular Construction
08:07 - Construction technique learnings
08:25 - Cost of going net zero
09:25 - Habitat for Humanity net zero ready
09:40 - Net zero ready Muskoka resort
09:54 - Conclusions and Chasing Net Zero extro
