Home Energy Labelling Developing Prominence in Real Estate

From the LiveSmart BC - Blog

Also read the CRD's Media Release 

August 8, 2011

Free Home Energy Assessments in the CRD when “EnerGuide for Houses” efficiency label posted on MLS®

Labelling, labelling, labelling!

Everyone is talking about it: whether it’s organic food, energy star appliances, fuel efficient cars… but what about our homes?  Over 76 per cent of our home energy use goes to heating and hot water – making the energy efficiency of our home a big factor in both greenhouse gas emissions and monthly utility bills.

In response to consumer demand for knowing the energy efficiency of a home before buying – and supporting the Province’s greenhouse gas emission reduction targets – the Ministry of Energy and Mines, BC Hydro, the Victoria Real Estate Board, Capital Regional District and participating municipalities are launching a pilot project to make it easy for both sellers and buyers to share this information through a voluntary labelling system called EnerGuide for Houses.

For a limited time, residents of the Capital Regional District that are selling their homes are eligible for a $150 rebate towards an energy assessment that will provide them with an EnerGuide for Houses rating to include in their listing on the Multi-Listing Service (MLS®) website. An EnerGuide rating is a measure of a home's overall energy performance and is comparative to other homes that are similar in age and location providing an accurate picture of the energy efficiency of the home.

But, what are the benefits of labelling your home?  Plenty...

• If your home has a high rating, congratulations!  You get bragging rights and it can add value: increasing the marketability of your home.
• If your home has a low rating, no problem.  Your energy assessment report clearly shows the most cost effective and beneficial upgrade options for the home as well as the cash incentives from both Federal and Provincial rebates that you can access to make upgrades.
• If you choose not to make upgrades before selling, no problem again... You can transfer the assessment report and cash incentives to your buyer!  Your potential buyers will appreciate this transparency and access to the incentives for making upgrades.

There are also social, economic and environmental benefits of home energy labeling such as:

• reduced carbon emissions
• improvement of indoor air quality
• helping to create a ‘conservation culture’
• reduced need for energy supply infrastructure
• increased household spending power by reducing energy bills
• stimulated local employment in home energy retrofit sector
• establishes energy efficiency in the mainstream real estate market

Although labelling is voluntary in Canada, one million homes in Canada already have an EnerGuide label.  There are jurisdictions with mandatory labelling in Europe, Australia and the USA.

This pilot will inform provincial policy on home energy labelling at the time of sale, going forward.

Tell us what you think about home energy labelling by:

• Email: Emily.Eng@gov.bc.ca
• Phone: 250-952-0665
• Twitter: @LiveSmartBCca using hashtag #EnerGuide 

Retrofitting and Rebuilding means Rethinking H2O

I have had the pleasure of knowing Carolyn Moss for 6 years. She is an accomplished architect who has made a name for herself and her firm in residential retrofit (as well as Commercial and Health Care). MossSund Architects work speaks for itself.  I have been particularly impressed with their rain barrel of all things. The design of the CISTA Vertical Rain Graden - rain harvesting system speaks to the thoughtful competence and attention to detail of MossSund.

Check it out and consider adding one to your next retrofit renovation.

Learn More About CISTA

Future Friendly Houses Are Worth More, Today and Tomorrow

Chris Chopik - From EvolutionGreen.Com, 2007

I often ask clients if they would purchase a home with a non-performing roof. Invariably the answer is no. Why, in a climate like ours, are buyers not looking closely at the home energy efficiency? In Toronto we have intense Heating needs in winter and significant Cooling needs in the summer. There is a consumer shift happening, and home owners who miss opportunities for energy efficiency may find their resale values affected.

Future friendliness is measurable, and it comes down to energy. Reducing the energy costs associated with operating a home begins with tightening the thermal envelope, disposing of incandescent and halogen light bulbs, and investing in EnergyStar appliances.

Future friendly houses demand a higher resale value. Ensure that your Realtor is comfortable selling your energy efficient home for a higher market price. The easiest way to accomplish this is to capitalise the operational savings associated with energy retrofits to a higher sale price. EnerGuide ratings are a good tool, but before and after operation costs are also very useful.

Water consumption is also a contribution to the efficiency of your home. Lowering water consumption reduces the cost of municipal services. Low flow shower heads, water conserving toilets, water-efficient dish and clothing washers. The City of Toronto spends an estimated 18% of its total operating budget on sewage treatment and drinking water quality and distribution. The city has rebate programs for toilets and rain barrels which will reduce your costs in making the transition – take advantage of these programs.

Bottom Line – Future Friendly houses are worth more than energy hogs. If you are renovating make sure you take advantage of retrofit opportunities. Take pictures so you can show your potential purchasers the insulation in the walls, windows and doors. Ensure your Realtor understands the value of these improvements and can convey this value to a potential buyer.



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