Energy Savings

Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) is an internationally recognized green building certification which determines how eco-friendly a building is. The LEED system is universally recognised and is the industry standard for rating the environmental impact of buildings and building practices. Not only is the building itself more valuable as a result of having LEED certification, but a recent study by the University of Notre Dame showed that LEED certification is actually good for business – a fact which is apparent in Toronto.

Fall is often the litmus which exposes the shortcoming in building envelopes. As temperatures drop, utility bills rise and home and business owners are often wracked with extra expenses. One of the easiest ways to stem the flow of energy from a home is to improve the efficacy of the building envelope. Some of these repairs may be as simple as applying caulk to a crack while others may be as costly as replacing windows or a roof. The best way to get an accurate picture of what is really going on with your building envelope is to conduct a home energy audit. Read on to learn why you should get an Energy Audit!

The ICF building block has been an innovative addition to the green-building phenomenon and one that has remained largely unchanged since its inception. ICFs may have improved their R-values and increased competition has seen changes in pricing, but the basic structures have remained the same. The finished product provides improved resilience to fire, floods, earthquakes and severe storms while creating an effective building envelope that drastically reduces quantities of energy required to heat and cool the building.

If the change in season has you dreading your utilities bills, there are a number of ways to mitigate the increased drain on your resources. Saving on energy not only alleviates your winter woes, but is also environmentally friendly. The Ontario Power Authority (OPA) offers a number of programs that can help you monitor consumption and switch your energy usage to off-peak times. Read on for the best ways to cut your hydro bill in half!

Just below the frost line, the temperature remains steady at around 10 degrees Celsius (50 degrees Fahrenheit) no matter what time of the year it is. Geothermal energy utilizes this constant temperature to heat homes in the winter and cool them in the summer. With access to an unlimited supply of 10 degrees, you are able to heat or cool your home on demand. The efficiency of the geothermal system stems from the fact that you are not making heat, but moving it around. Read on for the complete overview of the benefits of geothermal energy.

Roof insulation is instrumental in creating a sealed home envelope which will help your home retain heat in the winter and keep its cool in the warmer summer months. When working in conjunction with your ventilation system, insulation can save you fistfuls of money in utilities costs. When choosing the right insulation for your roof or loft, ensure that you consult your HVAC installer. It’s imperative that your insulation and ventilation systems work in unison to ensure the most efficient heating and cooling for your home.

Only two things in life are certain; death and roof maintenance. When your turn inevitably rolls around, there are green roof choices you can make that last longer and save you money. Some roof options have lower carbon footprints than others, some last longer and others are even able to generate electricity for you. When searching out a more eco-friendly option for your roof, consider the recycled material content, longevity and future recycling potential.

The US Green Building Council’s LEED certification has provided the framework for implementing practical and measurable green building design, construction, operations and maintenance solutions. Since its implementation in 2000, many professionals have challenged the voracity of LEED certification on the grounds that LEED buildings are not as efficient as the council claims. This has led to a plethora of alternatives that warrant investigation – Read on for all the details!

Insulated concrete forms (ICFs) are wall systems that combine a concrete core with expanded polystyrene insulation to provide better insulation and reduce energy consumption. In laboratory testing conditions, this insulation sandwich has tested extremely well and is attributed with R-ratings between R-22 and R-25. Proponents of ICFs claim that R-values are in fact much higher – as much as double the values shown in laboratory testing. The reason for the higher values, they say, is that these tests only measure thermal resistance and fail to take into account air infiltration, thermal mass, conductivity or temperature wicking. Read why ICFs are becoming a popular construction choice, and how more accurate estimates can be obtained from the buildings themselves as a result.

You don’t need to sacrifice comfort to live a green life. The North American lifestyle is comparable to those in Japan and Germany, but we use twice as much electricity. Better insulation, more efficient appliances and a reduction in transportation is what we need to focus on to accomplish significant reductions in energy consumption. The Union of Concerned Scientists (a scientific environmental group) has found ways in which we can most effectively reduce our carbon footprints. Read on for more information and carbon emission reducing tips!