Frank Steinhausen, Broker
FSteinhausen@REMAX.net
RE/MAX Rouge River Realty Ltd., Brokerage
Phone 905-428-6533
Fax 905-668-1850
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Archive for the 'Green Building' Category
Get Your Share of the Government Pie
June 16th, 2009 Categories: Ajax, Area interest, Green Building, Pickering, Pickering Village, Real Estate
I recently had a home energy audit to see what grant money I had 
available from the incentive programs that the government has available. Actually, over 21,000 Canadians have taken advantage of this program.
I can get $2,645 from the government if I complete all the suggested improvements.
Now, some of the suggestions, like $760 grant to replace $11,000 worth of windows, doesn’t seem worth the effort. But $50 on silicone sealant and some electrical socket insulation covers can get me $190, if I improve the air tightness of my home by 10%.
I replaced my old 50 gallon hot water tank with a tank-less one and I am getting $315 back from the government. I’m not sure I will realize any savings in my bills because the kids take longer showers—they don’t run out of hot water.
These incentives and more are available to you. Natural Resources Canada ecoEnergy Retrofit—Homes grant can help you make often necessary home improvements.
The government also has tax credits available for other home renovations. It is worth checking out national, provincial, regional and municipal programs that can take some of the sting out of home repairs.
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Ontario’s Plan for Mandatory Energy Audits
April 1st, 2009 Categories: Green Building, Real Estate News, Selling real estate
It is kind the case of one hand giving and the other hand taking away. The federal budget this year gave a tax break to home buyers by giving them a tax credit for some of the closing costs when buying a home. And the provincial government is considering implementing a mandatory home energy audit for sellers before they can complete the sale of their home.
The Ontario Real Estate Association says this:
“This mandatory government regulation will impose a significant cost on home sellers. As with most Canadians, we don’t believe in green at any cost,” said Gerry Weir, President of the Ontario Real Estate Association. “It’s not the initial cost of these audits that concerns us,” he said. “Rather, the results of these audits will be used by home buyers as bargaining chips to significantly reduce the final selling price.
“Today’s economic downturn is a terrible time to introduce this measure. Home sellers are already worried about lost equity in their homes. A move like this, which will reduce their value even further, will not help them in any way,” Mr. Weir said.
REALTORS® favour government encouragement of energy efficiency in homes through expanded tax breaks and other measures.
In addition, REALTORS® point out that there is no one standard for energy audits. Different firms arrive at different assessments of the same house. “EnerGuide ratings of an existing home can and do vary between energy auditors, depending on the assumptions they make and the extent of data they collect on the building’s actual construction,” Mr. Weir said.
Not everyone is opposed to this government intrusion into the marketplace. Elden Freeman, founder of the National Association of Green Agents and Brokers says, “considered over the long term of owning a house, the opportunities for improvements that audits can reveal ultimately pay for themselves several times over. Take into account that both the audits can reveal ultimately pay for themselves several times over. Take into account that both the audits and the improvements are both government-subsidized and it becomes clear that home audits are an opportunity for savings and asset enhancement.”
The jury is still out on this new initiative. Not sure it is a good idea, let your MPP know. It is undergoing public consultations now before it is put to a final vote.
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Time to Go Tankless?
December 22nd, 2008 Categories: Green Building
Although the government seems to be able to find lots of money to fund different interest groups, I, at home, am looking for ways to keep my bills under control and have a few pennies left over.
Maybe, going tankless is an answer. Is there a way you could be saving money on your hot water heating?
Your water heater accounts for about 25% of all the energy that you use in your home. Most homeowners have a tank-storage-style water heater. A tankless heating system can save 20 - 30% of the energy that is used to heat water.
Tankless water heaters use a lot less space and get bolted on the wall in the place of a tank-storage water heater. The unit heats the whole water system for the house. It is the unique way that water is heated that allows it to save money.
Water is heated only on a as-needed basis. Your tank-storage water heater heats the water and then re-heats and re-heats it until it is used.
Tankless water heaters heat the water on demand using a heating element. The heat can be from electricity or gas. Typically, the gas units have more heating capacity and are better for whole house use.
The tankless system is more energy efficient and, over the long run, can save you money on your energy bill. The upfront cost could be double or triple the storage tank system.
There are different sizes available depending on the amount of water the unit will need to heat, the temperature of the water coming into the unit, and the temeperature of the water you want to have leaving the unit.
Going tankless can save you hundreds of dollars per year and keep money in your pocket. If you are interested in having an estimate for installation, call me for a recommendation to a great plumber.
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New Homes: Top 10 Energy-Efficient Remodeling Projects for 2008
April 30th, 2008 Categories: Area interest, Green Building, Real Estate
by Dena Kouremetis
PATH (The Partnership for Advancing Technology in Housing) recently released its annual recommendations on the top remodeling technologies to make existing homes more durable, stronger and more resource efficient.
The top 10 technologies include:
1. Air Sealing: which include non-fiberglass batts, sprayed foam insulation, and sprayed fiber insulation are recommended because they improve the thermal resistance of exterior walls.
2. Smartvent Ventilation: This new mechanical ventilator system measures the moisture content of outdoor and crawlspace air and only provides ventilation when the outdoor air is drier than crawlspace air.
3. HVAC Sizing (Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning): estimating heating and air conditioning loads more accurately so properly sized HVAC systems are installed to ensure energy efficiency.
4. High Efficiency Toilets: Designed for water conservation, high efficiency toilets have been defined by the plumbing industry and the EPA as those that use an average of 20% less water per flush than the industry standard of 1.6 gallons. A high efficiency unit toilet can save up to 8,760 gallons of water each year for a family of four.
5. Compact Fluorescent Lighting: Compact fluorescent lamps (CFL), are simply miniature versions of full-size fluorescent lights, but four times more efficient and last up to 10 times longer than incandescent bulbs.
6. High Performance Windows: Window technology has evolved over the years to the point where windows can be selected not only for their aesthetic qualities, but also for their performance abilities.
7. Wireless Lighting and Thermostats: These controls can be set on timers or using a variety of sensors with wireless systems to increase home efficiency without sacrificing home owner comfort.
8. Solar Hot Water: Solar water heaters come in a variety of configurations but each differs in design, cost, performance and level of complexity. Most systems have back-up water heating such as electricity or gas.
9. Recycled/Renewable Flooring: The two types of environmentally-conscious flooring that lead the market are recycled flooring from old structures and renewable flooring from fast-growing trees, such as bamboo.
10. Tubular Skylights: Tubular skylights use the sun for lighting interiors without the drawbacks associated with conventional skylights. They are generally easier to install than typical skylights and, from the home’s interior, resemble conventional lighting fixtures.
For more information, visit the PATH website at pathnet.org.
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