Transformational Impact of Sustainability Practices Recognized by Maverick Awards

Greater Vancouver builder, Major Homes, honoured in national awards

When Built Green Canada launched its inaugural awards program—the Maverick Awards—to reward and profile leadership in sustainable building, the response brought entries from British Columbia to Ontario. The team was curious what kind of entries their three exclusive categories would yield, which allows Built Green to gain a deeper understanding of what’s happening on the ground. For the Transformational Award, the purpose is to recognize the impact sustainability practices can have in driving real change: enabling fundamental progress, whether that be a company refocus or is project specific. Following the judges’ review, it was Major Homes from Surrey, British Columbia, who scored highest—for their company’s transformative focus on sustainability and environmental impact.

When Major Homes was founded in 2002, they were a small, spec home builder following traditional methods. Their emphasis was not on sustainability; however, since they joined Built Green Canada in 2016, the company has been evolving into a leading custom home company specializing in sustainable and energy-efficient homes, which has been cemented in the last couple years.

Today, Major Homes brings three generations of expertise, going back to Punjab, India. Major Garcha, who immigrated to Canada in 1980, followed his father’s footsteps into the building industry. Then, in 2002, he started the company, where he remains the President and Chief Executive Officer. As a second-generation builder, he brings over 30 years of experience in the home construction industry. After having a successful stucco company for 20 years, Major decided to focus full-time on his passion for building homes. His perseverance and incredible attention to detail are evident in every project.

Third-generation builder, Rick Garcha, has driven a company-wide evolution, through his role as Chief Operating Officer and licensed Real Estate Agent. Initially wanting to pursue a career in accounting, Rick obtained a Bachelor of Business Administration in Financial Management from the British Columbia Institute of Technology and worked in financial institutions, before embracing his passion for real estate and development. He uses his knowledge from all aspects of the industry to continuously implement new concepts into their projects.

The strategic shift in their business model came from recognizing the growing demand for environmentally conscious living spaces and the need to adapt to evolving market trends. A significant influence was the growing awareness of environmental issues and the need for stewardship of natural resources. Meanwhile, the discovery of Built Green Canada and its certification programs played a pivotal role in guiding their transition.

“Built Green provided a comprehensive framework and set of guidelines for incorporating green building practices—in not only energy efficiency, but also indoor air quality, water conservation, waste management and more,” Rick says. “By integrating these diverse metrics into our approach, we demonstrate our dedication to shaping a more sustainable and resilient built environment that enhances quality of life, preserves natural resources, and promotes the well-being of current and future generations. Embracing BUILT GREEN® certification empowered us to formalize our commitment to sustainability and align our practices with our vision—Built Green served as a catalyst for our transformation.”

Their process involved a comprehensive re-evaluation of their practices, materials and design principles. The team researched sustainability techniques, and integrated renewable energy sources, such as solar panels, to reduce reliance on traditional energy sources and lower carbon emissions. Energy-efficient HVAC systems, appliances, and lighting fixtures helped reduce energy consumption and utility costs. Meanwhile, superior ventilation and eco-friendly materials and techniques minimize environmental impact and promote healthy indoor air quality. While the adoption of low-flow fixtures, greywater recycling systems and rainwater harvesting systems helped them conserve water resources. And smart home automation allows homeowners to adjust the house’s daily operations, serving a more efficient lifestyle.

Major Homes also implemented measures that helped increase the safety and security of residents. Each year, homes across Canada are affected by natural disasters and severe weather, and given the increase and severity of both, largely due to climate change, Built Green offers disaster preparedness options, improving a home's resiliency. While a lesser discussed aspect of sustainable building, this is a growing area of the BUILT GREEN® programs with measures to improve resiliency to environmental changes and natural disasters.

In part, Rick attributes their success to the team’s dedication to building strong partnerships with suppliers, contractors and industry organizations. These relationships enable knowledge-sharing and access to specialized expertise, towards collective problem solving. One such partnership was with their Energy Advisor, Enersaver Solutions, who Major Homes says has been crucial in their shift from traditional into energy-efficient practices. Through their Energy Advisor’s guidance, Major Homes gained valuable insights into innovative technologies and materials that prioritized energy conservation, and the advisor’s tailored assessments enabled them to optimize their performance. Rick believes that it’s through greater collaboration and collective action, alongside innovation, that industry is transitioning towards a more progressive, responsible built environment.

“Major Homes has made strategic and comprehensive changes to achieve their full potential, adapt to external changes in the built environment and enhance their performance. We’re thrilled to know our programs guided their transformation,” says Jenifer Christenson, chief executive officer at Built Green Canada. “This trailblazer has embodied our mission: to progress industry toward more holistic sustainable building practices.”

Looking ahead, Major Homes will continue leading through example and by pushing the boundaries of sustainable design and construction. They’re interested in adopting more advanced sustainability features, as they explore opportunities to further optimize energy performance, enhance indoor environmental quality and incorporate resilient design strategies to address climate-related challenges. Meanwhile, given their multi-generational company and appreciation for those who have come before and those who will follow, multi-generational housing may also be on their horizon.

Backed by three generations of experience, this inaugural Maverick Awards recipient strives to build to the highest standard and believes that sustainable development is imperative. A proven leader, Major Homes is building exceptional housing throughout the Lower Mainland. Their homes are carefully planned to reflect their values and are synonymous with quality and innovative design.

The Maverick Awards are another step forward in Built Green Canada's mission to progress sustainability practices and recognize leadership; three winners have been announced in conjunction with title sponsor, BC Housing. Besides the Transformational Award, sponsored by Travelers Insurance, the Maverick’s awarded Kelly Williams the Ambassador Award for championing company-wide BUILT GREEN® adoption, while rallying trades and suppliers for full activation, driving Sterling Homes Edmonton to become the next generation of sustainable production builders. While the Innovation Award went to Kanas Corporation for their Calgary-based project, Orion at Lumino Park, which is the tallest ICF building in Western Canada with a state-of-the-art cogeneration system providing 534 KW of electricity.