I did this pilot to help the Federal Energy Rating Secretariat envision a consumer education program that would explain the value of ratings to home owners. I thought this would be fun to share here.
HELP Home Energy Loan Program
The Home Energy Loan Program may suffer from unfortunate branding, but it is a great idea and a great benefit to home owners who are interested in saving money on home energy.
The Benefit to Home Owner:
The funded investments in home energy efficiency are created to be cash flow positive. The return is predictable and the improvements should cost less than the energy savings. The loan is attached to the tax roll of he house and is therefore not subject to the same kinds of approvals required by lenders.
Learn More about HELP here:
http://www.cbc.ca/m/touch/canada/toronto/story/1.2587466
HELP is a pilot project, available in specific neighbourhoods in Toronto. If the first three digits of your home postal code are listed below, HELP financing is available to you:
- Black Creek: M3N
- Toronto Centre/Riverdale/Beaches: M4E, M4L, M4M, M4J, M1N, M4C, M4K, M5A
- Junction/High Park: M6P, M6S
- South Scarborough: M1M, M1E, M1C, M1L, M1K, M4B
Visit the City of Toronto Website.
Environmental Commissioner of Ontario on Mandatory Energy Audits
Those of you who have followed my work will know that I spent much of the first decade of the millennium working to achieve market transformation with Home Energy Labelling in the Real Estate marketplace in Canada. My work continues in this field today as an instructor to the Real Estate Industry, as writer and with www.KnowYourEnergyScore.ca. I am off to speak at the Appraisal Institute of Canada's National Conference about how to value energy in the Real Estate market.
As we hear from Gord Miller the impetus for Home Energy Labelling is growing and our effort to bring home energy efficiency to the Real Estate marketplace continues. While I am in favour voluntary labelling, Ontario's @EcoCommish shows a clear argument for mandatory building labelling. 'Consumer protection happens on every other product - why not on your home.'
see more from the Gord Miller here: http://www.eco.on.ca/
Download the report: Restoring the Ballance
For more information on Home Energy Labelling visit www.KnowYourEnergyScotre.ca.
Ellen Dunham-Jones: Retrofitting suburbia
The consequences of our development standards are that we will need to convert our least sustainable places into sustainable landscapes and urban areas. This includes Brownfield and lifestyle choices. Ellen does a great job of showing how and why this transition is coming.