INUVIK - Little did Vince Sharpe know when he built his dream home on Shell Lake Road that it would be one of the most energy-efficient homes in the NWT.

It's true, according to the energy efficiency evaluation report conducted on his house on Aug. 25 by the Arctic Energy Alliance. On Sept. 22 Sharpe received a report in the mail which states his home's EnerGuide Rating stands at 82, just one point below the most efficient home possible, according to the Arctic Energy Alliance.

Vince Sharpe stands in front of his home, which might be one of the most energy efficient houses in the NWT. - Andrew Rankin/NNSL photos

Sharpe, who's a local contractor, said he was overjoyed by the news.

"I was so happy I felt like shouting the news from the roof tops," he said.

Monique Robert, a certified energy advisor for the alliance, said she has never seen a better rating than 82, after having evaluated about 300 homes.

"He did very, very well. That's a fantastic number," she said. "It's a very hard to get in the 80s at all. I've never heard of a rating that high."

The energy efficiency rating is based on factors such as location and size, equipment and systems, insulation levels, and airtightness.

The house itself cost about $375,000 to build and Sharpe estimates he spent an extra $75,000 on making the home as energy-efficient as possible, including installing triple pane thermal windows and extra insulation in thicker walls. He hired Doug Gillis of Plumb Crazy Mechanical to install a 97 per cent energy efficient in-floor heating system. Run on oil, the heating system runs along the floor joists forcing heat up while the foil covering prevents heat loss.

He also uses a wood stove that's surrounded by granite which holds and releases heat long after the fire is extinguished.

The home took about three months to build. He and his wife moved in in April.

"I haven't burned a tank of fuel yet. I could light a candle in this place and it would keep it warm," he said with a laugh.

He's banking on some more savings throughout the winter.

"I'm glad my plan worked out but I never thought it would be this good," he said. "I expect my oil bills will be half what they were."