Energy Use by End Use
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Detailed Energy & Cost Breakdown
| End Use | Annual Energy | Fuel | Annual Cost | GHG (kg CO2e) |
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How to Use the Whole-Home Energy Calculator
Uses a simplified degree-day method: baseline heat loss of 1.25 W per m² of floor area per degree, scaled by HDD or CDD, insulation, airtightness, build year and home type, then divided by system efficiency (AFUE or COP for heating, SEER for cooling). For the underlying methodology, see the degree day energy calculator; for a gas-vs-heat pump comparison, use the heat pump vs gas calculator.
Water heating assumes 55 litres per person per day heated by 40 °C, divided by heater efficiency. Appliances use 1,800 kWh plus 4 kWh per m² and 450 kWh per person, and lighting uses 3.5 kWh per m² plus 100 kWh per person. If you've already switched to LED throughout, use the LED lighting savings calculator for a precise before/after comparison rather than the default estimate.
Energy use intensity (kWh/m2/yr) normalizes for size, letting you compare against typical Canadian housing stock regardless of floor area. The benchmark bar marks planning bands of about 60, 120, 200 and 280 kWh/m²/yr for net-zero ready, new-code, typical and older homes. Results are site energy, meaning fuel burned plus electricity used, so a heat pump shows a lower EUI than the same home on a gas furnace.
Understanding Whole-Home Energy Use in Canada
A whole-home energy model splits a house's annual consumption into end uses, which shows where the next dollar of efficiency spending does the most good. This calculator estimates site energy, meaning the fuel you burn plus the electricity you use, so the results line up with what appears on your gas, oil and electricity bills.
The Dominance of Space Heating
Natural Resources Canada's Energy Fact Book reports that in 2021 Canadian homes used 60% of their energy for space heating, 18% for water heating, 15% for appliances, 4% for lighting and 3% for space cooling. The climate explains it. Winnipeg collects roughly 5,700 heating degree days a year and Vancouver about 3,000, and every degree day is heat the furnace has to replace. That is why insulation, air sealing and heating system upgrades usually save more than any other retrofit; see the insulation ROI calculator and the air sealing savings calculator. To size equipment for the coldest day rather than the whole year, use the whole house load calculator.
Water Heating: The Second-Largest Load
Water heating is the second-largest end use, and it runs all year, unlike heating. In the example below it uses 5,738 kWh of gas for a household of four. A heat pump water heater with a COP of 3.2 uses about 70% less energy than an electric resistance tank rated at 0.92, though a unit in a cold basement will do somewhat worse than its rated COP. To check tank size and recovery for your household, try the domestic hot water calculator.
Regional Variation Across Canada
The same house costs very different amounts to run depending on where it stands. A well-insulated 185 m² detached home built between 1980 and 2000, with a 92% furnace and a gas water heater, uses about 25,000 kWh a year in Vancouver (EUI 135) and about 37,300 kWh in Winnipeg (EUI 202). Space heating alone is 13,600 kWh against 25,700 kWh, roughly 1.9 times as much. Hot water, appliances and lighting barely change, which is why the total gap is smaller than the heating gap. Compare EUI figures only within the same climate zone. For the path from here to net-zero, see the net zero calculator.
From Model to Action: Prioritizing Upgrades
Worked example: a 185 m² detached Toronto home with four occupants, a 92% gas furnace, 13 SEER air conditioning, a gas water heater, fair insulation and average airtightness comes out at 36,114 kWh a year, an EUI of 195. Space heating is 24,251 kWh (about 2,327 m³ of gas), water heating 5,738 kWh, appliances 4,340 kWh, lighting 1,048 kWh and cooling 738 kWh of electricity. Air sealing and attic insulation usually pay back fastest, and a heat pump conversion saves the most energy but costs the most. The energy audit calculator helps sequence the work, and the rebate calculator lists current provincial and utility programs. The federal Canada Greener Homes grant and loan are closed to new applicants.
This model is a planning tool built on simple factors, not a simulation. For certified numbers, an NRCan-registered energy advisor performs an EnerGuide evaluation with a blower door test and HOT2000 energy modelling. Provincial grid emission factors in the city list are approximate averages, and oil and propane prices are inputs you should replace with your latest delivery price.
Frequently Asked Questions
Natural Resources Canada reports that in 2021 Canadian homes used 60% of their energy for space heating, 18% for water heating, 15% for appliances, 4% for lighting and 3% for space cooling. Shares shift with climate and fuel. In this calculator's Toronto example (185 m², gas heat and water) the split is 67% heating, 16% water heating, 12% appliances, 3% lighting and 2% cooling.
EUI is annual site energy divided by floor area, in kWh/m²/yr. The benchmark bar on this page marks planning bands of about 60 (net-zero ready), 120 (new code), 200 (typical) and 280 (older home). These are rules of thumb, not official standards. The Toronto example comes out at 195 kWh/m²/yr. Heat pumps lower the figure because results are site energy, so compare homes in similar climates.
Heating degree days (HDD) drive most of the difference. Vancouver has about 3,000 HDD and Winnipeg about 5,700. A well-insulated 185 m² gas-heated home needs about 13,600 kWh of space heating in Vancouver and 25,700 kWh in Winnipeg, roughly 1.9 times as much. Total use is 25,000 kWh against 37,300 kWh because hot water, appliances and lighting stay about the same. Cooling degree days matter more in cities like Windsor.
This calculator gives a planning-level estimate that is good for comparing scenarios and ranking upgrades. It uses simple factors for envelope, hot water and appliances, so your actual bills may differ by more than 20%. An EnerGuide evaluation by an NRCan-registered energy advisor includes a blower door test and HOT2000 energy modelling of your actual house. The federal Canada Greener Homes grant and loan are closed, so check the rebate calculator for current programs.
Related HVAC Tools
Full home energy assessment
HDD/CDD energy modelling
Path to net-zero energy
Full switch cost analysis
kWh/m² benchmarking
Provincial & utility programs
CO2e from all energy use
Payback on insulation upgrades