Step 3 – Green Renovations – Design

Now that you are armed with the home inspectors report and the energy audit you can sit down with the architect and builder to plan the entire project – from the basics, to the energy savings to the green sourced materials and of course all the improvements you wish to incorporate for your dreams.

Designing green involves designing for energy efficiency and includes considerations for insulation, passive solar heating, house shading, colours, flooring and roof materials and landscaping. Green design includes a review of supply source determining what building materials can are environmentally sound (e.g. Forestry Stewardship Council sourced wood (FSC) and cork flooring). Think local here as well, just as we are doing for food sources. Also you may wish to incorporate new and emerging technologies (e.g. green roofs, rain water recovery and cistern storage).

When planning a building, taking care to calculate the materials to be used reduces overall waste. Use common lengths from suppliers to reduce cut off waste – use the 2-4 rule. Lengths of 2 inch increments – 2, 4, 6 etc.

The design and build steps are where Muskoka in the City is most active.

The challenges are there and we look forward to solving them. It is the right thing to do.

Step 2 – Green Renovations - Energy Audit (2 of 5)

Here is your opportunity for the government to pay you! By doing an energy audit and completing the recommended energy fixes, you can receive federal grants and local rebates for energy savings improvements or water savings fixtures being imstalled.

The energy audit must be conducted by a certified energy auditor. Look for the CEA designation (certified energy auditor). The auditing field is now becoming more crowded. Two types of auditors are appearing - the audit only service which is not directly repairing or renovating the homes, and the audit and renovation one-stop combinations. I recommend the unbiased audit only firms such as Greensaver.

A comprehensive audit should include a review of the heating system, the hot water system and the building envelope. A visual inspection is done and possible some computer modeling. A blower door depressurization test is conducted to determine air loss. The report will tell you the repairs needed and the savings.

After the recommended retrofits are completed during the renovation process the second audit is done to verify the work performed. You could receive a grant for up to $5000. See Ecoenergy amounts available at http://oee.nrcan.gc.ca/residential/personal/retrofit-homes/retrofit-qualify-grant.cfm?attr=4 (More details in Step 5)

Step 1 – Green Renovations - Home Inspections (1 of 5)

If you have recently purchased a home or are in the market for one, you likely have had a home inspection performed to get the real ‘dirt” on a home’s condition. This information is invaluable also for renovations as the defects and potential hazards are exposed. These are the basic priority fixes.
When looking for a home inspector, I recommend seeking a company who is a member of OAHI (Ontario Association of Home Inspectors). Members meet strict professional standards and cover all major systems including the roof, structure, exterior, interior, insulation, electrical, heating, cooling, and plumbing. A structural engineer may be a wise choice as well. Look for the RHI (Registered Home Inspector) certification.
It is also a good idea to accompany the inspector for your own home in order to visualize the points as they are noted. Bring the report when you sit down with your architect and builder.
Although it is far more satisfying to plan the flooring, granite counter, stainless steel appliances, the basics need to be corrected first. Sound plan – sound home – sound investment. And remember that building code requirements trump energy savings needs.

Starting a Green Renovation

Green renovations are a new concept that is just now evolving from the new green building initiatives. Very positive changes and techniques are rapidly emerging to provide better energy efficiency, use more renewable resources and incorporate old strategies as well. Green renovations are not cookie cutter fixes – each home has its own uniqueness and requires specific solutions. This blog series will focus on steps to organize and execute a green renovation in the Southern Ontario area. We will also include timely and interesting information related to green renovations and smaller projects.

A green renovation project has 5 steps.
1. Determine what a home needs in terms of the basic and important fixes plus potential hazards. Get a certified home inspector to provide review your home and provide a report.
2. Find out what energy savings can be applied to project. Obtain the services of an energy auditor such as Greensaver. Save money on the project and reduce your footprint.
3. Sit down with a builder and architect if possible to put the previous reports together with what you wish for your project. Then you have the entire picture.
4. Build the project with all 3 pieces of information - the building needs, the energy savings potential and your wishes.
5. Apply for, and receive the Ecoenergy grants and rebates.

More on each of these 5 steps in the next blog editions. Blog on!