Loading ...(NC)-A new trend is emerging among those Canadians thinking of buying or building a new home. According to a survey by EnerQuality Corporation, a home energy training and consulting firm licensed to deliver Natural Resources Canada’s (NRCan’s) Office of Energy Efficiency (OEE’s) new housing initiatives, nine out of 10 buyers will be looking for energy efficiency features in their next home. A full 90 per cent of respondents also said they were willing to spend more for homes that deliver better indoor air quality and are more energy-efficient. Read the rest of this entry »
Study Shows Majority of Homebuyers Will Choose Energy Efficiency for Next Home
June 30th, 2009 by andrea in Energy Conservation, Green Building + Design
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How To: Make Upcycled Pendant Lamps
June 17th, 2009 by andrea in Projects, Reclaimed + Recycled MaterialsBy Deborah Merriam of ecoDomestica reDesign
SCOOPED limited-edition pendant lamp, 1/20, colour: Spring, of discarded laundry detergent scoops, photographed without flash
SCOOPED 2/20, colour: Stripe, installed in its permanent home at Lucid Lifestyle
I’m excited to have recently added handmade pendant lamps created from upcycled materials to my portfolio. (Most materials are “downcycled”, degrading in quality and value, as they are recycled into new products - an oft-cited example of downcycling is the recycling of paper fibres from cardboard into office paper into toilet paper. “Upcycling” is the opposite of this, creating an object of beauty and increased value from a material that would otherwise be discarded.) Read the rest of this entry »
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The Hottest Trend in New Home Construction is Solar Power
June 10th, 2009 by andrea in Energy, Renewable Energy, Solar
(NC)-As more and more Canadians become aware of the environment and look for ways to reduce their ecological footprint, the benefits of incorporating renewable energy into new homes is irrefutable. If you are planning to build a new home in the coming months, some recent developments may help you with your research.
Solar power, for example, is the hottest trend in new home construction these days; in fact, Natural Resources Canada (NRCan)’s Office of Energy Efficiency (OEE), responsible for licensing builders to construct energy-efficient homes, has completed an 18-month pilot project in Ontario to fund the construction of 100 new “SolarReady” homes. The project was a huge success and now the OEE is encouraging all Canadians to incorporate Solar Ready features into their building plans. Read the rest of this entry »
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10 Questions to Ask Your Builder Before You Buy an Energy-efficient Home
June 2nd, 2009 by andrea in Green Homes, Uncategorized
(NC)-Home buyers may assume their new home is energy-efficient, but may not know for sure unless they ask. Ask these questions to be sure:
. Any builder can claim to build energy-efficient homes. How do I know your homes are truly energy efficient?
. Since all builders must meet the requirements of the building code, what makes your homes different from other builders’ homes?
. How do your building techniques reflect the latest developments in housing technology?
. What steps do you take to improve the energy efficiency of the homes you build?
. Can you predict what my energy costs will be?
. What makes your homes more environmentally friendly than others? Read the rest of this entry »
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The Ontario Green Energy Act
May 29th, 2009 by andrea in Energy, Energy Conservation, Green Building + Design, Renewable Energy, SolarWritten by Eco3
“Ontario’s Green Energy Act could propel the province past California as the most innovative North American leader in the renewable energy field.” - Denis Hayes, former director of National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and founder of Earth Day.
On February 23rd, 2009, the Minister of Energy and Infrastructure, George Smitherman introduced Bill 150 - the Green Energy Act (GEA). The intent of the new bill is “to make Ontario a global leader in the development of renewable energy, clean distributed energy and conservation, creating thousands of jobs, economic prosperity, energy security, and climate protection”. Although the GEA is in its infant stages, it plans to achieve this goal by focusing on making renewable energy projects, mainly hydroelectric, wind, solar, and biomass more feasible and lucrative for a larger demographic of developers.
In addition to green power generation, the bill will also encourage the development of an improved “smart” grid that will better facilitate the interconnection and transmission of electricity from renewable energy sources. In contrast to increasing green power production, the GEA also establishes goals to improve overall energy efficiency and conservation by requiring that all buildings, both private and public, to be more energy efficient through a variety of regulations and incentive programs. Read the rest of this entry »
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New Ontario Solar Water Heating Program Cuts Energy Costs & Eco Impact
May 27th, 2009 by andrea in Energy, Renewable Energy, Solar, Water
Bullfrog Power, together with Enbridge Gas Distribution, EnerWorks, and the Government of Canada today announced the launch of a new Solar Water Heating Program.
Solar water heating allows homeowners to reduce their energy costs and environmental impact by harnessing the sun’s energy through the installation of their own solar water heating systems.
At the time of purchase, qualifying homeowners will receive a substantial savings on the purchase and installation of their own solar water heating systems. These savings are made possible through the Government of Canada’s ecoENERGY for Renewable Heat program and volume discounts from EnerWorks. Interested homeowners may also qualify for further rebates and credits through the ecoENERGY Retrofit-Homes program, provincial rebates and the new Home Renovation Tax Credit.
This limited-time offer will give homeowners in the Enbridge Gas Distribution franchise area the opportunity to save up to 50 per cent on their own solar water heating systems. They may also reduce their ongoing water heating energy costs by up to 60 per cent and financing for the installation is available from as little as $56 dollars a month. Read the rest of this entry »
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Celebrate Evironment Week
May 25th, 2009 by andrea in Air Quality, Community, Lifestyle, Transportation
Environment Week is nearly upon us! Tune into what Environment Canada has to share about the event:
Five Easy Ways to Celebrate Environment Week
May 31 - June 6, 2009
Canadian Environment Week is a time to focus on simple changes that contribute to a greener future for everyone. You don’t have to look far to find easy ways to green your lifestyle or appreciate the beauty of nature. Here are a few suggestions:
- Buy locally grown food. Take some time to visit local Farmers Markets and learn more about the benefits of choosing locally grown foods!
- Change at least one light bulb to a compact fluorescent. Those qualified to ENERGY STAR® use about a quarter as much electricity as a conventional light bulb to produce the same amount of light. Compact fluorescents cost a bit more than incandescents, but they last up to ten times longer.
- Take a walk on the wild side. Go for a day hike on a local nature trail and revel in the beauty and serenity you’re trying to preserve for future generations. Read the rest of this entry »
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The Brown Revolution
May 22nd, 2009 by ecosense in Lifestyle, Water, Yard + Garden, compostingBy: Samantha Magnus
Composting toilets may be the flush of the future
Ashlie Ferguson appreciates poo. One Monday night in February, the UVic student hosted a poo party in her James Bay home, complete with turd cookies (okay, macaroons) and chunky chocolate-dipped bananas. The celebration was for Ferguson’s new self-built composting toilet, so the treats had the secondary function of, uh, fuelling the endeavour.
The guests’ reaction was a mix of fascination and disgust. “The initial concept was a little off-putting, but all aspects of queasiness have been subdued,” says fellow student Brendan Anderson. Since he lives close by, Anderson jokes that he now comes over just to contribute to the project.
But for Ferguson , recycling her refuse is the next step in living an environmentally conscious life. “It’s a whole new way to walk the talk,” she says. She is simply extending green eating to the follow-up; that is, what to do with food ex post facto. Read the rest of this entry »
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Eco Craft: Recycled Bevy Cozy
May 18th, 2009 by andrea in Energy, Energy Conservation, Food, Lifestyle, Projects, Reclaimed + Recycled Materials
Think insulation is just for walls and attics? Behold the trusty old tea cozy! Only this one’s not old. Ok, so it sort of is.
Crafted by my brilliantly thoughtful Mother out of a charming pre-loved winter sweater, this coordinating coffee and tea cozy set keeps my warm bevies warmer longer.
Following the random explosion of our insulated glass Krupps carafe last fall, I selected this high-end stainless steel insulated coffee press for my wish list. But, in our family, $100 for a designer coffee pot verges on frivolous.
Possessed by the thriftiness and creativity of the Jones clan, my Mom whipped up these gorgeous cozies. Read the rest of this entry »
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Stairs
May 13th, 2009 by greenspree in Blogs - Shire Strawbale Home, Green Building Blogs, Green Homes, Straw Bale
We finally have stairs! The weekend before last we put in the stairs that have been laying in pieces in our kitchen for about a year! We still need to build handrails and re-sand and finish them after being exposed to clay dust for months but it’s nice to be able to go up and down stairs without using a ladder or scaffolding.
The impetus to get the stairs done was the impending delivery of the washer and dryer which were going up stairs, we didn’t think they would haul it up our scaffolding for the $47 delivery fee. Read the rest of this entry »
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