(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 »

(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 »

BC may well be the best province to live in when it comes to available federal and provincial support for greening your home.

Sales tax exemptions on Energy Star windows, insulation and more, plus Livesmart BC – a rebate program that matches federal Ecoenergy rebates for BC residents, all make living greener more affordable out West.

On the East coast, even PEI boasts an impressive list of supports from low-interest financing on home energy upgrade costs, to sales tax rebates on upgrade expenses and renewable energy equipment.

In fact, up until this week, every province in the country other than Alberta generously offered financial assistance programs to help home owners reduce the carbon footprints of their homes.

In many ways Alberta was a black hole – a wasteland where little help was to be found for those wanting to save energy. Outdone by every province including the Maritimes, Alberta has now waged a come-back, and an impressive one at that. Read the rest of this entry »