HEALTHY HOMES
Building You the Healthiest Homes
Building a healthier home starts with informed choices. At Empire Custom Homes, wellness is an option we’re proud to offer. What began as a personal mission from our founder has grown into a specialized approach that gives you the opportunity to prioritize health and well-being as part of your custom build.
We’ve seen a gradual shift in construction standards during our 20 years in business. Asbestos insulation and lead paint are largely gone, but there are still products on the market that bring toxins into homes, from formaldehyde in lumber to airborne VOCs off-gassing from floors.
Our Healthy Homes offering is fully customizable—allowing you to tailor the level of health-focused features to suit your preferences. Whether you’re looking to make a few mindful material choices or want to integrate wellness into every aspect of your home, we’ll guide you through the options and design a solution that aligns with your priorities.
For us, it’s personal
In 2020, we became the first builder outside of Japan to achieve the renowned GREENGUARD 3036 certification. But it didn’t start there. It was a health crisis of our own that pushed us to find a new way to build homes.
Following the 2013 Calgary flood, Empire’s founder Kevin Mullen developed an acute chemical sensitivity. We had to rethink the health impact of our spaces and began researching how to renovate our new office, to reduce the material toxins the building industry had grown complacent in using, just so he could come into work.
Now, we put that experience to work for your family. Whether it’s the way we design your home or insisting that trades use alternative materials, healthy is built into what we do.
Reside certified
We accomplish this through the pillars of the RESIDE Healthy Standard:
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R Reduction:
We source materials with the lowest possible VOC content.
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E Elimination:
We eliminate VOCs wherever possible, and at times we can implement technology to remove VOCs from the air.
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S Selection:
All materials are researched and selected to meet or exceed recognized air quality standards.
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I Indoor Ventilation:
It’s impossible to remove all toxins from their air, but ventilation systems will mitigate exposure.
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D Design:
We carefully consider every element from location, views, lighting, air quality, color, texture, and pattern. Each plays a critical role at creating the healthy home.
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E Environment:
We support your long-term health while minimizing environmental impact. This is achieved through sustainable choices, reducing and recycling construction waste, regionally sourced materials and implementing innovative construction practices.
Case
Study
When wellness is the priority, every detail counts. For the owners of this property, the goal was bold: to build one of the healthiest luxury homes in the world. That meant starting from scratch—with materials, methods, and standards that go far beyond the expected. Together, we reimagined what a custom home could be, integrating advanced air purification, toxin-free finishes, and light-filled design into every corner. The result is a living environment that prioritizes health just as much as beauty—and never compromises on either.
Pure in purpose and elevated in execution, this kitchen is just one part of a home that redefines what it means to live well. Through advanced research, collaborative design, and uncompromising standards, Empire delivered a custom home that achieved the world’s first GREENGUARD 3036 certification outside of Japan—the result is Pure Serenity.