Entries categorized as ‘Green Energy’
The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation’s Healthy House in Toronto is one of two in the entire country. After a design competition in the early 1990s, the Healthy House was built and showcases the most green and energy-saving building opportunities available to homeowners.
The Healthy House is self-sufficient, not requiring municipal electricity or water, with reduced energy and water needs. It uses rainwater that is purified naturally, using only 120 liters of water per day for an entire family, whereas an ordinary water consumption for a similar family is 1050 liters per day.
The Healthy House also has solar panels and super-tight construction, which keeps the place insulated. On average, heating bills for the house would be less than $80 annually, and the home has some of the best indoor air quality around thanks to the materials used. Its currently under the ownership of a research company and the owner of the research company and his family has lived in it since 1996.
The CMHC promotes the use of Healthy Housing elements in everyday homes, and all one has to do is follow the key elements:
Occupant Health
Indoor air quality, healthy water and lots of lighting are important for health and well-being of human occupants.
Energy Efficiency
Because 67 per cent of home energy used in Canada is for heating and cooling, a well-insulated home will help reduce energy wasted.
Resource Efficiency
The Healthy House uses sustainable but affordable building materials while conserving energy and water. Environmental Responsibility The Healthy House doesn’t use much land, relying on creative design to make the most of space. The landscaping of the home is also resource-efficient and considering collecting rainwater to even just water the plants or garden can go a long way.
Categories: Green Energy
Tagged: CMHC, Energy Efficiency, Green Energy, Occupant Health, Resource Efficiency
The federal government is still receiving plenty of criticism over its choice to cancel one of its green home programs almost one year early.
In March, the government suddenly and surprisingly cancelled the ecoEnergy home rebate program at the end of March, while most homeowners were under the impression they had until March 2011 to complete the required energy audit that would qualify them for $5,000 in rebates and grants for green home renovations and the replacement of older energy-sucking appliances.
The program also created countless jobs and plenty of work for contractors who were scrambling to keep up with the demand for renovations.
One company that manufactures various forms of insulation, NAIMA Canada, told Canwest News Service in June that, “At a time when the economy is just beginning to recover from a major recession, the government has threatened to put an entire industry out of work,” they said. “This was a wonderful program that did exactly what it was supposed to do and more. It was one of the government’s most impactful programs to deal with climate change.”
According to the president of the Canadian Energy Alliance, the program saved the entire country of Canada over $300 million in energy costs thanks to all of the energy saving renovations.
The government said the program was only “suspended for further review” when it made the announcement, but there has been no news since.
The city of Ottawa has also just recently announced that they are scrapping their low-flow toilet rebate program because of changes to the Ontario Building Codes that would make them mandatory anyway, something that will eventually effect Toronto.
Categories: Green Energy
Tagged: Canadian Energy Alliance, Toilet Rebates, Toilets
Harnessing wind power might be one of the most ideal ways to use green energy. The only problem is that the wind turbines themselves tend to be rather problematic. Large wind turbines are noisy, unsightly and take up a lot of space, making few people want to have them in their own backyards. Small turbines, while useful for summer cottages, couldn’t provide enough energy in the winter or handle the volatile city winds – until now.
A Canadian company called Wind Simplicity has created the Windancer, a small, convenient rooftop wind turbine that suits the city’s winds and spins slower than average to present less of a safety hazard.
The Windancer has already won the National Energy Globe Award and the Gold Design Exchange Award in engineering, but most importantly, it makes wind energy accessible for homeowners who are serious about going green on their own and don’t want to wait for a wind farm to be built nearby.
Wind is a free, pollutant-free sustainable resource. It’s a lot more reliable than most might think, as unlike the sun and solar energy, the wind tends to be more dense during the seasons where the most energy is required – such as the winter months.
The Windancer itself comes in customizable colours, doesn’t interfere with television or radio signals and is highly visible to flying wildlife like birds. It also doesn’t run very loudly and produces negligible vibrations, making it perfectly-suited for Toronto homes.
Previously, turbines like these have been far too small, expensive or difficult to install. But now, a variety of smaller-sized turbines are popping up, available for homeowners who can either go with their own affordable wind turbine or an award-winning design, such as the Windancer.
Categories: General Information · Green Energy
Tagged: Wind Power, Wind Turbines
Earth Day turned 20 in Canada and 40 years old in the United States this year. And, with the recent Earth Day celebrations taking place all over North America, it seems fitting that the TD Canada Trust Green Home Poll that was recently released shows that “green” means a lot to Canadians – either that means the green stuff in their wallets or going green for the planet.
According to the poll, for the third time in a row the amount of Canadians who think spending money on green home features boosts its value has increased, and this year it’s almost three-quarters of the total respondents. Seventy-seven per cent of the poll’s respondents cited saving money as the primary motivation for lowering their energy bills rather than being more environmentally friendly, up 12 per cent from the year prior.
The poll also found that over half of Canadians want to make use of the government energy-efficiency rebate programs, such as the provincial Ontario Home Energy Savings Program.
Other highlights from the poll include:
- One-third of Canadians are switching out their older appliances for newer, energy-efficient appliances.
- Almost half of Canadian homeowners appreciate the health benefits of going green.
- One-third of Canadians are increasing the amount of weather stripping and sealant around windows or doors to increase heating efficiency.
- Over half of Canadians have stopped using pesticides, and over half of Canadians are switching over to energy-efficient light bulbs.
- Twenty-nine per cent of Canadians are interested in participating in an energy efficiency renovation program, but they don’t know how to start.
For those who don’t know how to start in Ontario, visit the Ontario Home Energy Savings Program site here: www.mei.gov.on.ca/en/energy/conservation/ohesp/
Categories: Green Energy
Tagged: Earth Day, green home poll, TD canada trust
By Diti Dumas and Morgan Dumas
At the end of March, the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation’s refunds for their Green Home mortgage insurance program hit $3 million.
“This important achievement demonstrates the Government of Canada’s ongoing commitment to making energy-efficient homes more accessible and affordable for everyone,” said Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources of Skills Development and Minister Responsible for Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation in a news release.
The program began in 2004 and provides eligible borrowers with a mortgage insurance premium refund of 10 per cent if the CMHC Mortgage Loan Insurance is used for an energy-efficient home or for energy-saving renovations.
According to the CMHC website, this means that a borrower with a $250,000 mortgage and a five per cent down payment would get a mortgage insurance premium refund of almost $700.
According to the CMHC, almost 20 per cent of the energy that Canadians consume is spent running their homes. Making your home more energy-efficient or buying a greener home can lead to increased savings down the road due to lower energy bills and less water consumption.
Many banks are offering similar programs for those who are refinancing their homes or are planning on buying a home, and the City of Toronto recommends asking mortgage lenders if they offer “green mortgages”.
The City of Toronto has also targeted 2050 as they year they intend to have their greenhouse gas emissions cut by at least 80 per cent. The city has also introduced a residential Toilet Replacement Program and a residential Washing Machine Rebate Program when water-conserving and energy-efficient appliances are installed. More information on these programs can be found here:
http://www.toronto.ca/livegreen/home_watersmarts.html#rebates
Diti Dumas is a Sales Representative with Royal LePage R.E.S. Ltd./JOHNSTON & DANIEL DIVISION, Brokerage. Diti is a regular contributor to the Muddy York Blog. Diti’s website is located at www.ditidumas.com.
Morgan Dumas is an aspiring writer and journalism student from Ryerson University in Toronto.
Categories: Green Energy · Mortgage Information
Tagged: CMHC, Government of Canada, Green, Green Mortgages, mortgages
On March 31, the federal government decided to suspend the Government of Canada ecoENERGY Retrofit Rebate program. While the federal government maintains the program is merely suspended for further review, the opposition has declared the program cancelled completely.
The Conservative government has said the program is merely suspended and under review. On Thursday, Natural Resources Minister Christian Paradis actually said, “it’s not cancelled”.
“In a desperate attempt to free up money that would allow them to cover up their waste, the Conservatives are cutting the best environmental program we’ve got.” said Liberal MP David McGuinty during question period.
The federal ecoEnergy Retrofit program was one of three programs that would provide homeowners with grants and rebates of up to $11,000: $5,000 from the federal program, $5,000 from the provincial Ontario Home Energy Savings Program and $1,000 from the Home Energy Assistance Toronto Program.
The way the federal program worked was homeowners would undergo a home energy audit that would entitle them to the various grants and rebates they were eligible for if they completed the renovations. While homeowners originally had until March 31, 2011 to apply for their grants and rebates, because of the cancellation the program will no longer accept bookings for the audits as of March 31, the night of the announcement.
The success of the program may have well been its own demise, as the Globe and Mail had quoted McGuinty as saying the demand for the program had tripled since it was introduced. Over $300 million was budgeted for the program, but it’s speculated that this limit has already been reached.
The other provincial programs across the country, including the Ontario Home Energy Savings program and other municipal programs such as the Home Energy Assistance Toronto program will be continuing, making homeowners in the Greater Toronto Area still eligible for up to $6,000 in the GTA when they renovate their homes with energy-efficiency in mind.
Categories: Green Energy
Tagged: Energy Program
January 26, 2010 · 1 Comment
If you’re looking to purchase a home and are trying your darndest to be environmentally-conscious, there are a few things to consider when attempting to purchase a “green” home, other than the typical well-sealed windows and abundance of EnergyStar appliances. You may not have considered that where your home is located is a factor, or that sealing up your windows can have an adverse effect on your family’s health.
The Materials
What kinds of materials have been used to build the home? Are they local and sustainable or do they have to be shipped over from far away using extra fuel? What colour is the roof? A darker roof will absorb heat and overwork your air conditioning system in the summer. Is there a skylight? A skylight might provide necessary indoor light at times during the day that you would ordinarily use electricity.
The Plumbing
How conservative is the home, speaking in terms of water-use? Are the fixtures prone to leaking? Are water-utilizing appliances, such as dishwashers and washing machines, water-conserving in design? Are there signs of water damage or a leaky basement?
Location, location, location
Is it far enough away from everything useful that you’ll need to drive just to get to the store? Or would you be able to take public transportation? A home within walking distance to the grocery store, schools, restaurants and parks will have you creating far fewer greenhouse gas emissions to get around to all of the amenities you enjoy on a daily basis.
The Air We Breathe
The over-sealing of a house for energy efficiency and heat retention purposes can also have a negative consequence: it traps toxic compounds, like mould and asbestos, within the home because of decreased ventilation. There are many companies around who conduct indoor air quality testing, and since we typically spend most of our time within the home, it’s a good idea to see where your home stands.
Already own a home that’s not so “green”?
Don’t forget about the Government of Canada’s Retrofit Rebate Program. Not only that, but the Government of Ontario and the City of Toronto have also developed their own special programs to encourage “greener” homes. Using all three of these programs, you could be entitled to up to $11,000 in grants and rebates from both governments and the city, just for updating or replacing appliances or systems in your home with ones that are more energy-efficient, or by insulating your home effectively. After a home energy audit conducted by a certified ecoENERGY specialist, you’ll be given information on how you can upgrade your home on the government’s dime. This also tangibly increases the value of your home: a survey by the Ontario Home Builders Association has found that 68 per cent of first time home buyers would consider paying $5,000 more for a “green” home, and that 40 per cent of those buyers would consider paying up to $10,000 more. Homeowners have until March 11, 2011 to make any changes.
Categories: Green Energy
Tagged: energy savings, Green, Green Energy
Smart meters were made mandatory this year for home and small business owners, after assurance by the government the way the new meters calculate energy usage is much better than previous hydro meters and would save them a lot of money. The time-of-use pricing used by the meters promises savings because it offers consumers the choice of using their major energy sucking appliances during off-peak periods when the cost is much cheaper, and a 3-5 per cent savings should be evident if this shift in usage is achieved.
In the winter, weekday off-peak hours are from 9 p.m. to 7 a.m., and the on-peak hours are from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m., while peaking a second time from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. In the summer, off-peak hours are from 9 p.m. to 7 a.m. and the peak period only occurs once, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Year round, weekends and statutory holidays are off-peak.
In 2004, Premier Dalton McGuinty promised that, “smart meters, together with more flexible pricing, would allow Ontarians to save money if they run appliances in off-peak hours”.
Not only does simply having a smart meter add a $3 or $4 charge onto the bills just to pay for themselves, according to Toronto Hydro, the customers who have been using the smart meters since last summer are seeing increases in their energy charges, to the tune of an average 3$ per month. Toronto Hydro says only 27 per cent of people with smart meters have seen a decrease, and the average savings is 29 cents. Those who see an increase on average find it much higher: 90 cents.
Out of about 630,000 homes and small buildings that will have the smart meters, 615,000 already have them installed.
Toronto Hydro says you really have to make an effort to conserve energy as well as shift your usage over to off-peak periods to see the savings smart meters have to offer. Turning off the television or lights when not in use, switching to energy saving bulbs as well as unplugging appliances like the coffee machine or toaster when not in use is a start.
Categories: Green Energy
Tagged: Green Energy, smart meters
How much do you know about your Home Energy Ratings Report Card?
The Ontario Home Energy Rating Act goes into effect for building owners next month, and will eventually begin to impact owners of semi-detached or detached homes by the end of next year.
The act requires anyone selling a house or low-rise building to disclose the results of a home energy audit to potential buyers. The act’s passing comes with the heightened awareness of saving energy and the increasing concern to home buyers about the total cost of owning a home down the road, not just the cost associated with buying one.
Not only must you stage your home and make it presentable for open houses and prospective buyers, “energy-staging” a home is beginning to enter into the real estate lexicon. When it is time to undergo a home energy efficiency audit, you’ll want to ensure your home is as energy-efficient as possible to impress prospective buyers.
A do-it-yourself home energy efficiency “audit” can help you prioritize any energy-related improvements you should make.
Consider using energy-saving bulbs in your home. They typically emit a soft, white glow instead of a harsh yellow light like most bulbs. Otherwise, check the wattage of your current lights. Do you have a 100-watt light bulb where a 40 or 60 watt bulb would suffice?
If your household heating or air conditioning systems are more than 15 years, a newer, more energy-efficient system would increase your home’s energy efficiency significantly. If your system uses filters, they should be changed once every two months at least to ensure efficient air circulation
If the insulation in your ceilings, walls and attic are below minimum, ensure they are updated with sufficient insulation. Older buildings were insulated when the minimum standards were less than what they are today.
Most importantly, check for air leaks and drafts. If you can spend the extra money in replacing older windows and doors with new and more efficient ones, try and do so. If you can’t, ensure caulking or weather stripping is applied appropriately. An easy way to spot drafts in your home is to close all doors, windows and fireplace flues, turn off all furnaces and water heaters and finally to turn off all of your fans. Walk around your home with damp hands or a stick of burning incense. Drafts will cause the smoke to drift, and they will feel cold on your hands.
The Government of Ontario has an Eco-Energy program, and after paying for a professional audit and completing the recommended changes, the government will rebate you half of the auditing fee as well as up to $10,000 for the cost of the changes. A full list of rebates can be found at HomeEnergyOntario.ca.
Categories: Green Energy
Tagged: Home Energy Ratings Report Card, Real Estate, toronto, Toronto Real Estate Market
