What is an energy efficient home?
Energy efficient homes reduce unnecessary energy consumption, greenhouse gas emissions and demands for nonrenewable resources. They simultaneously provide healthier living conditions and offer homeowners significant money savings over conventional homes
What are the key features of an energy efficient house?
While design costs, options, and styles vary, most energy–efficient homes have some basic elements in common: a well- constructed and tightly sealed thermal envelope; controlled ventilation; properly sized, high-efficiency heating and cooling systems; and energy–efficient doors, windows, and appliances.
What is an Energy Audit and Do I need one?
An energy audit is an assessment of your home that takes a look at current energy consumption and then identifies energy efficiency measures that you can conduct to make your home more efficient. An energy auditor can assess where your home is losing the most energy, and then proposes improvements to make to help save energy – and reduce your utility bills.
The recommendations that your energy auditor makes for your home depends on the scope of the audit. Some lightweight suggestions may be switching to more efficient lighting, sealing air leaks from doors or adding weather stripping. Some larger suggestions might include more insulation, or replacing windows that are causing drafts in your home.
How do I arrange an Energy Audit? Is it expensive?
It’s pretty easy to do, you just call up the service organisation (you can find your local organisation listed on Green Communities Canada) and say “I need an energy assessment,” then you make an appointment with them. It varies a bit by company, but they’re usually around $400.
However, there are several incentive programs available in Ontario to help you, depending on where you live. For areas serviced by Enbridge Gas then there’s the Enbridge Home Energy Conservation Program, for areas that are serviced by Union Gas, there’s the Home Renovation Rebate, and then there’s GreenOn funded by the province.
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