Arctic Circle is a daily cartoon strip by Alex Hallet about three penguins, Oscar, Ed and Gordo, who have emigrated from Antarctica to the Arctic. The comic has an underlying environmental theme and regularly sees the humour in trying to live a more eco-friendly life in a 21st century world.

 

Real Estate in North America showed signs that it was coming out of its slump in the first quarter. Even though the global recession continues, environmentally friendly upgrades and options are in demand.

Last year the 'green' residential inventory was estimated to be 6 to 10% (an increase of 8% from the previous year). By 2012, there is expected to be 12 to 20% market share which accounts to $40 to $70 billion dollars.

What has prompted this surge is the direct correlation between conservation and cost-cutting. Sustainable building components use less energy and have low maintenance costs and increase the value of the homes.

For instance, using concrete for your walls makes the building stronger, more efficient and healthier and it doesn't use the natural resources of the forests. It also reduces the construction time, creates less waste and eliminates mold and mildew. It can reduce energy costs by 70%, has more sound insulation and offers superior fire protection.

Green construction has many benefits and it can immediately decrease your cost of living.

                    

 

Swiss Solar Tech Ltd. installed Kelowna's first solar panel installation on a residential condo building last week. There are 30 panels on the roof what will serve 87 units.

The Mode Condos on Dickson Avenue is a new development from the Mission Group that will serve as an example for residential condos looking at alternative energy sources.

The solar panels will account for 35 to 40% of the yearly hot water heating needs and 90% over the summer months. This will be a significant reduction in energy costs.

There are quite a few grants and offers available to builders to use alternative energy that it becomes very cost effective.

 

Programmable Thermostats

The new generation of programmable thermostats can save you upto $150 a year by regulating heat temperatures. When more heat is needed it will supply it and also maintain the temperature at the lower level when required.

A Five Plus Two Day model allows you to program for heat in the mornings, down during the day and then back up again as people start to arrive during the weekdays with the weekends being more relaxed.

There are also programmable thermostats that work like motion sensor lighting where heat is only provided when it senses people are in the home.

Insulation

One of the most efficient ways of keeping you family warm and your energy costs down is to make sure your insulation is upto par. If you can go in your crawlspace, take a wander to make sure the insulation is still in place and the plastic on the ground is still sealed. If you notice any pipes, make sure they are wrapped in insulation as well.

Inspect your windows and doors with an incense stick to check for drafts. Use caulking and weather stripping to close the gaps. If your windows and glass doors are inefficient, use shrink-film by following the proper directions. Close your drapes at night to add another layer of insulation.

Check pipes, air ducts and vents and close gaps with caulking or insulation. Install foam insulators behind outlet plates if you don't have insulated electrical plugs. Since heat rises, ensure that the attic is well covered to contain the warmth.

Source: Articles from LiveSmartBC

If each one of us makes a commitment to make a change to help the environment, collectively, it will amount to alot.

If we recall a statistic from before, if every American home replaced just one light bulb with an Energy Star bulb, we would save enough energy to power more that 3 million homes for a whole year and save $600 million in annual energy costs. Not only that, we would also prevent greenhouse gas emissions accounting to more than 800,000 cars.

Another simple thing to do is to use cold water to wash your clothes. Hotter water does not mean cleaner clothes; in fact the only difference that can be seen is in your utility bill. Did you know that 90% of washing machine energy consumption is in the heating of water.

Canadian families do an average of 416 wash loads per year which amounts to 1,281 lbs to 2,407 lbs of CO2 in the atmosphere. If we switch to cold water, not only will be prevent that CO2 from entering the atmosphere, but we will also save an average of $61 per year on our utility bill.

Isn't it a good time to save money and at the same time help the environment?

Source: Article by Maggie Calloway in the column "Smart Choices for Our Future"

With the cold weather, it's a good time save money and energy with an Energy Star natural gas heating system.

If you upgrade your furnace or boiler to an Energy Star system, you can save upto $950 in bill credits and rebates. Terasen Gas will provide you with a bill credit of $250 when you upgrade before Dec 31st 2009 and manufacturers will provide $700 in rebates when you upgrade before Jan 31st 2009.

A furnace or boiler that is more than 13 years old is probably a low efficiency model, running at 60 to 70% AFUE (Annual Fuel utilization Efficiency). An Energy Star natural gas furnace can run at 97% while an Energy Star boiler can perform at 85%.

Heating your home accounts for a large portion of your home energy costs so you should have your furnace checked by a licensed natural gas contractor so it is operating efficiently. They do specialized tests on gas pipes as well.

Here are some simple ideas that can help you save energy, the environment and money.

• Turning your thermostat down to 20°C during the day and 17°C at night can save as much as 15 per cent on your heating costs. Afraid you’ll forget? Consider installing a programmable thermostat.
• Keep warm air inside and cold air outside. Caulk or weatherstrip the cracks, gaps and leaks around walls, windows and doors.
• To help keep your furnace at peak efficiency, clean or change the furnace filters regularly

Source: 'Get Comfortable' from Terasen Gas

According to BC Hydro, British Columbia is high on the list in North America in the use of CFL bulbs. 85% have installed the energy-efficient light bulbs which uses 75% less electricity than the regular bulbs.

BC Hydro is offering rebates from now till the end of the year and it's a great time to take advantage of it. They are offering $50 off washers and refrigerators and $25 off of freezers. All appliances must be Energy Star compliant. Retailers are doing their part to support BC Hydro PowerSmart by taking an additional 10% off. In some months, you can save both the PST and GST.

If you are buying a new laundry set, consider a front load washer which uses 35% less energy and 30-50% less water then a top-load. Also, consider using cold water to do your wash. Bypass the dryer by using a clothesline in the hotter months and use racks (get chrome instead of wood) in the laundry room in the colder months. If you are using a clothesline, consider stringing it over a flower garden to get the flowery smell in your clothes.

When you are doing dishes in the dishwasher, run the kitchen tap till the water is hot then turn on the dishwasher. This helps the dishwasher by not needing it to heat the water as much.

Try unplugging electronics or turning off the power bar when they are not in use. Even when they are off and plugged in, they use electricity - phantom electricity.

The quick tips listed above should make a difference in your next electricity bill.

Source: Article by Maggie Calloway in the column "Smart Choices for our Future"

Making the switch to eco-friendly clothing may not be easy, considering the lower prices of apparel that may be harmful for the environment.

In Part 1 (of a 2 part series), we outline the environmental problems of producing clothing materials that we take for granted. (In Part 2, we will discuss alternative solutions).

Part 1:
The manufacturing process of conventional fabrics doesn't take into account the harmful effects on the environment.

• Cotton - uses lots and lots of pesticides and fertilizers rich in nitrogen. One cotton t-shirt can use 1/3 of a pound of chemicals
• Synthetics - petroleum-based chemicals are used and a tonne of energy is wasted to produce them
• Wool - livestock may be dipped in pesticides, given hormones and anti-biotics. To clean the wool, harsh detergents may be used
• Rayon - manufacturing process uses lots of water and chemicals and wood pulp is wasted. A product called Tencel is better for the environment
• Dyes - used on garments but contain chemicals and metals that may end up in wastewater

Source: Article by Edward M. Eveld titled "Commit to 'greener' clothing"

Canadian Tire is promoting a greener tomorrow by showcasing products that can make a difference in the environment today.

You can save upto 40% on select environmentally friendly products for energy conservation, healthy home and garden, waste reduction and water conservation.

• blue planet household cleaners
• energy star programmable thermostats
• water-efficient showheads and toilets
• energy star light fixtuers, ceiling fans, motion sensors
• energy saver fan heaters, air cleaners
• renewable energy products to produce, convert and store energy

To learn more about Canadian Tire's green commitment, visit their green options page.

The biggest share of home energy costs is accounted to home heating at 60%. If your boiler or furnace is more than 10 years old, it's probably a low-efficient model having a Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency (AFUE) between 60 to 70%. i.e. It's only producing 60 to 70 cents worth of heat for every dollar you are spending.

There  are Energy Star natural gas equipment that can perform upto 97% AFUE (furnace) and the Energy Start boilers can perform at 85% or more AFUE.

Terasen Gas has 14 leading brand manufacturer rebates that range from $150 to $700 which expire on January 31 2009. Visit terasengas.com to take a look at the offers. Terasen will also give you a $250 credit for replacing your old furnace or boiler with an Energy Star model by December 31 2009.

The Province of BC's LiveSmart program has other incentive for renovating your home with the federal government's ecoENERGY retrofit program. Visit www.LiveSmartBC.ca and click on 'Save on Energy'

Preferred Client update from Chris Whitney of Royal LePage.

How to reduce hot water costs

Heating water is probably the most expensive use of domestic energy after home heating and cooling; it is probably one of the most wasteful as well. At the same time, municipalities are considering raising the fees for supplying water. This combination has homeowners taking on larger utility bills.

Here are a couple of ways to reduce the hot water consumption in your home.

• Replace washers on hot water faucets that show signs of leakage
• Reduce the temperature setting on your hot water tank
• Only use your dishwasher and washing machine when they are full and lower their settings when possible
• Reduce hot water usage by avoiding hot baths
• Install water reduction showerhead and aerators

Wal-Mart has 3 long term global sustainability goals:

• to produce zero waste
• to operate with 100 per cent renewable energy
• to make environmentally preferable products available

In Canada, to achieve these goals, their new outlets opening in 2009 will be designed to save 30% in energy use. These new stores would be called Wal-Mart HE (high-efficiency). And over 5 years, the HE stores would save Wal-Mart $25 million.

Wal-Mart HE stores would achieve these energy savings by:

• using waste energy from refrigerators to help heat stores
• cutting lighting costs
• covering roofs with white membranes to reflect sunlight and lower summer cooling costs
• reducing the size of the buildings

Wal-Mart also has their sustainability initiatives, partnerships and products showcased at their "For the Greener Good" website. Their products page outlines new eco-friendly products broken down by various categories.

Source: Article from Report on Business titled "Wal-Mart Canada stores aim for energy efficiency"

Preferred Client update from Chris Whitney of Royal LePage.

Managing Rain Runoff

Using rain barrels to collect water for your lawn and garden has the added benefit of keeping water away from your home's foundation and from adding unnecessary strain on municipal systems. Pools of water at groundlevel near the house can be a cause of erosion and long-term damage to the foundation of your home. Public storm sewers may not be equiped to take on heavy rain after a flash storm or long periods of downpour. It may cause backups and flooding in low lying areas.

Roofing Materials

If you are considering replacing your roof in the near future, you want want to research the new technologies and concepts that are now available in roofing.

• energy-saving roofing membranes that help reduce electricity costs during summer and winter months by keeping the heat or cool in.
• sun-reflective roof coatings that can applied on existing roofs to reduce heat absorpotion.
• ashpalt shingles are made of energy-efficient and durable materials.
• solar panels are more thin and use the roof surface area to heat water and provide electricity
• green roofs help insulate homes and use rainwater for the vegetation which absorbs greenhouse gases.

The Interior Health Authority (IHA) received $78,000 from FortisBC recently for their energy efficient lighting upgrades.

They exchanged over 16,000 light fixtures across South and Central Okanagan. The facilities that were upgraded were the Penticton Regional Hospital, Kelowna General Hospital, Cottonwoods Extended Care and Three Links Manor. The lighting upgrades cost $714,000 but will save IHA $100,000 each year. The IHA is commited to reducing energy use and environmental emissions.

The City of Castlegar also received $13,600 in rebates for their upgrades in the Castlegar City Hall project. The energy efficient upgrades will reduce power consumption by 230,000 kWhs each year, enough to power 23 houses. The City Hall also has geothermal heating and cooling, a heat recovery system, energy efficient glazing on the windows and an energy efficient elevator. 

Summer Cooling Tips from FortisBC:

• Close blinds or curtains to block out the sun
• Switch to CFL lights to reduce heat
• Use ceiling and space fans
• Use major appliances early in the morning or after the sun goes down
• Turn off the air conditioner when you go out at night
  

What is the Cool Shops program?

It's a program put together by FortisBC, Terasen Gas, and the City of Kelowna, in partnership with the Clean Air Foundation that helps small businesses conserve energy, save money and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by identifying and implementing in-store energy management measures.

Through their efforts, they've helped 8,000 retailers become more energy efficient and 5,073 megawatt hours and 1,532 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions have been saved.

Case Study

Olympia Greek Taverna recently switched to a high efficiency pre-rinse spray valve which will reduce their hot water consumption by 2/3s. That’s a saving of between $400—$800 a year.

Also, the owner's found out that through the Cool Shops program that they have the potential to save approximately $1,400 per year if they upgrade their incandescent and fluorescent lights to more efficient lighting.

If you own a business or work for a business you can set up a free no obligation energy audit.
 
What your business is provided with:

•      a non-intrusive 15 minute palm-pilot based energy audit on the lighting
•      compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLs) that last 10,000 hours (twisty bulbs)
•      LED exit lamp kits for exit signs that last 2 years and use 2.4Watts
•      Other FREE sample energy efficient lighting products such as flood lights, candleabra lights, dimmable floods, MR16 track lights
•      an energy efficient spray valve (for restaurants)
•      energy saving tips and advice
•      Incentives on items that wish to be purchased through FortisBC and Brite-lite (these savings are 50-75% less than what you would pay in a retail store and the incentives are available until June of next year)

If you are interested, please contact:
 
Fawna More
Cool Shops Program Coordinator
coolshops@fortisbc.com
250-469-8107

 

We finally got a chance to test out our front-load Frigidaire Affinity washing machine and dryer set that we bought from the Brick. While removing the shipping components and plugs I noticed that the drain hose was slim and compact; this of course makes sense because front-loaders use less water so there's less water to drain. There will be no more overflowing due to the force and amount of water.

My wife threw in the first load and we were both surprised at how quiet it was; also there were no vibrations and we could see that it wasn't using alot of water through the glass see-through door. We used Sunlight high-efficiency (HE) detergent which limits the excess suds and is made to clean in low water levels; the Sunlight product is 100% phosphate free and contains biodegradable surfactants. The Fridigaire models are also energy star products which will save on our utility bills.

Needless to say we were both very impressed.

Frigidaire also provides a service contract that can extend the 1 year factory warranty to 2 additional years for a total of 3 years with no worries about repair bills. They also have a replacement coverage where you get a brand new washer/dryer if they can't fix yours.

Cool Shops program provides energy efficiency options for small businesses

FortisBC, Terasen Gas, and the City of Kelowna, in partnership with Clean Air Foundation, are testing a program that helps small businesses conserve energy, save money and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Small businesses in Rutland and downtown Kelowna can benefit from the free audits provided from the program. The "Cool Shops" program also provides the businesses with energy efficiency options that can help them save money on their utility bills.

Downtown Kelowna and Rutland based businesses can book an audit by contacting the Cool Shops team via email at coolshops@fortisbc.com or by phone at 250-469-8107

Source: Kelowna Capital News article titled "Cools Shops initiative to help choose energy options"

State-of-the-art green homes can be sold at market price 

Weatherford Place in Roswell Georgia is a green residential community. It's described as a "solar community of net-zero energy homes" built to the greenest building standards.

In fact, each "EcoCraft" home is at a platinum LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) level. The highest level which includes points for such things as reuse of materials, pollution reduction, green power, rapitable renewable resources, etc. It's the first project of it's kind built using "Nature's Code".

The solar power generation in the community is what differentiates this development from the rest. One of the unique features is that each house serves as a power source for the community. The solar energy collected from the houses are put in to the power grid and used by everyone. The specifications show that each home should generate more than it uses thus making each home a net-zero energy home.

The homes also use 2/3 less energy than regular homes and use solar power to heat water, etc. Each home will have monitors and sensors to measure energy consumption and the overall eco-friendliness. The data will be used in energy-efficiency studies.

The prices of these homes are listed at $750,000 USD (for homes between 2500 to 3900 square feet), but have already appraised at $1 million. This project indicates that green homes can be built to LEED standards and can be profitable.

Source: Article in Event Magazine by Maria Saporta titled "Green Homes"

FortisBC PowerSense Rebates for energy efficient updates

FortisBC PowerSense is offering incentives to it's customers on being power smart. They are offering rebates on energy star product installation in new homes, on home improvements, with installation of heat pumps and lighting.

• New Home Program Info & Application Form

If you are building a new home you can receive immediate rebates on ENERGY STAR® windows, insulation and more through the New Home Program

• Home Improvement Program Info & Application Form

If you are thinking about upgrading your windows or insulation you can benefit from the same incentives with rebates on ENERGY STAR® windows, insulation

• Air Source Heat Pump Rebate/Loan Info & Application Form
  

• Ground Source Heat Pump Rebate/Loan Info & Application Form

If you are thinking about replacing your heating and/or cooling systems, you may benefit from the rebates offered for both Air Source and Ground Source Heat Pumps. Not to mention, they can reduce your energy costs by 40% and 65% respectively.

• Compact Fluorescent Light (CFL) Bulb Rebate Form

We have talked about the benefits of CFLs in a recent post titled: Save Money and Energy with CFLs

Source: FortisBC PowerSense Incentives 

We were shopping for washers and dryers for our rental suites and we made our way to the Brick. We were looking for a decent set for our renters without going broke in the process.

The rep in the laundry area directed us towards front-load washers and explained how they could save us money in the long run and at the same time help us be environmentally responsible. He pointed out that front-load washers use 40% less water and if we did warm water washes then we would save on the electricity bill as well. Also, the washer/dryer sets that they carried were energy star products which would lessen our energy consumption. Not only that, apparently the front-load washers are gentler on your clothes so your clothes will last longer. 

Our only concern was that we had heard of stories of mildew problems with front-load washers but the rep told us about special high-efficiency (HE) detergent made specifically for front-load washers which creates less suds.

We were sold on getting the Affinity model from Frigidaire.