A unique program underway in Ontario, that is looking to expand across Canada, is showing that it is possible to achieve zero energy costs through renovations and retro-fits to even very old houses.
The Now House Project, part of the nation-wide Equilibrium program sponsored by Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, has converted one 60-year old wartime house in Toronto to zero energy use and has achieved energy reductions of from 58 per cent to 71 per cent on five other houses in the Windsor area.
"There are one million of these old war time houses across Canada," noted Lorraine Gauthier, president of The Now House Project Inc.
Gauthier said the cost of reaching zero energy savings involved the installation of solar panels and solar tubes on the roof, which may prove too expensive for most homeowners. However, the solar heating and hot water system allowed the old Toronto house to deliver $1,200 worth of excess power, which was sold back to the Ontario hydro grid.
When combined with reductions in other energy costs - electricity reduced to $350 per year and natural gas to $279 annually - the net total energy costs were reduced to zero.
For most homeowners, she said, low-tech upgrades, such as better insulation, air sealing the building and installing low-E windows and more efficient heating systems, can cut energy bills by 60 per cent or more.
For more information on the project, visit nowhouseproject.com.
