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Eric Holman's Newsletter For July-August 2009

Blog for August 13th to September 13th, 2009

Living in an eco-friendly, energy efficient home is not only good for the environment, but also for our pocketbook. “Green” homes can save us money in the long run, as well as saving natural resources for our planet. While the best way to have a green home is to buy one that was built that way, there are lots of things you can do to make your existing home more eco-friendly and save you some green at the same time!

What constitutes a green home? In general, it’s a home that uses less energy, less natural resources and fewer toxic chemicals. It may have been constructed with environmentally sensitive and sustainable building materials, include eco-friendly furnishings, promote healthy indoor-air quality, and feature water and energy efficiency.

So here are 9 things you can do right now:

• Start with an “energy audit.” Homeowners should start with an energy audit done by independent energy consultants. Audits can help pinpoint problem areas and measure energy savings after you improve your home’s efficiency.
• Put a damper on things. An open damper in a fireplace can increase energy costs by 30 percent, and attic doors and dryer vent ducts are notorious energy thieves.
• Become a draft dodger. One of the easiest ways to save money around the house is to seal off drafts. It is estimated that this alone can reduce energy usage 5-30 percent. Keep doors and windows airtight by weather-stripping or caulking the cracks. And don’t forget to insulate the attic, basement and crawl space. About 20 percent of energy costs come from heat loss in those areas.
• Install a programmable thermostat. A programmable thermostat costs less than $50, is easy to install, and will pay for itself in one year through energy savings. By maintaining more constant heating and cooling levels, and automatically turning down the heat at night, the average family will save $150 a year. (according to EPA)
• Fix those leaky faucets. A dripping faucet or pipe joint can really add up to substantial water waste. One faulty faucet can waste 11 liters of water per day. Sometimes a leak is just a matter of a quick tightening with pliers. Other times a leak may be more complicated. In those cases it is worth calling a plumber. Not only will you see lower water bills over time, you decrease the risk of mold, a serious threat both to home value and indoor air quality.
• Install low-flow showerheads and toilets. Older toilets waste large amounts of water. This is like flushing money down the drain, no pun intended! More than 30 percent of indoor residential water comes from toilets. New, low-flow models now use less than 3.7 liters of water per flush vs. 18.9 liters on older models. You can also save water and money, and still have ample water pressure, with a low-flow showerhead, which can slash bathing-water consumption 50 to 70 percent.
• Let there be (energy-efficient) light. Compact Fluorescent Light bulbs (CFLs) use 66% less energy than a standard incandescent bulb and last up to 10 times longer. Replacing a 100-watt incandescent bulb with a 32-watt CFL can save $30 in energy costs over the life of the bulb.
• Buy Energy Star Appliances. When buying appliances anything from dishwashers to refrigerators to ovens look for the Energy Star label. It assures you that the appliance is at least 10 to 50 percent more efficient than standard models, depending on the type of product. That means lower energy bills and less pollution. A home fully equipped with Energy Star products will use about 30 percent less energy than a typical house, saving $600 a year.
• Don’t forget your yard. You may be surprised, but planting trees can make a difference in our energy usage. Evergreen trees on the north and west sides of your house can block winter winds, and leafy trees on the south and west side provides shade from the summer sun. And while we’re on the outside of the house, remember to use light paint for your home’s exterior. Lighter colors reflect heat better than darker ones.


Blog for July 13th to August 13th 2009:

Everywhere you turn these days it’s all about the recession or going "green". Today I want to talk a bit about how you can use this time to make your home more Green so that when the recession goes to the way side you will be ready to climb the property ladder.

In a recent survey done by the National Association of Green Agents & Brokers, almost ¾ (72%) of Canadians say they will look for a green-improved property in their next home purchase, and 63% will be willing to pay more for an environmentally-friendly home. So now is the time to do those home improvements to get ready to sell. With the price of heating and running our homes continuing to raise some small modifications can be done to help save on your energy bill and reduce your carbon footprint on the earth. The most popular modifications and easiest is switching from the old traditional incandescent light bulbs to CFL’s. The next most popular are replacing windows and doors.

Another thing to look at when planning to do improvements to your home to make it more energy efficient is the building envelope and insulation in your home.

Your building envelope is your first barrier from the outside world to the inside of the home. Warm air can escape through even the tiniest of holes, and cold air back into the home. Check around all windows, doors, electrical outlets, chimneys and all areas that meet an exterior wall for drafts. This can be done by lighting a candle and moving it around the edges of the doors and windows looking for movement of the flame. Also check for adequate levels of insulation in attics, exterior walls and basements. An unfinished basement can add up to 30-50% of the heat loss in a home.

These easy and relatively inexpensive improvements can go a long way when it comes to keeping the heat in your home during our long cold winters and keeping your home cooler in the summer months. By doing these small improvements it will reduce your annual energy costs, make the home more comfortable to live in, create a healthier home for your family and increase the value of your home when it comes to selling in any market. And the best part of it is that the provincial and federal government wants to help us do this.

The federal and provincial government currently has two programs available to us to help with the costs of these home improvements. Here in New Brunswick we have the Efficiency NB program. This program does an energy assessment on your home before you start your Reno’s, the energy advisor will provide you with a detailed written pre-upgrade report, which includes: An analysis of your home’s present energy loss; customized recommendations for cost effective upgrades; the current energy efficiency rating of your home; and your home’s potential rating based on recommended upgrades. Complete some or all of the recommended improvements within a18 month period. The energy advisor will return and conduct a post-upgrade assessment and provide you with a new energy efficiency rating. With this info you will be qualified for either a loan or grant back from the government for the work done. More info can be found at http://www.efficiencynb.ca/enb/home.jsp. The second program is the 2009 Home Renovation Tax Credit. The credit will only be available for the 2009 tax year and applies to eligible expenditures of more than $1,000, but not more than $10,000.

Please send in your questions to eric@ericholman.ca

Q&A for July to August, 2009

1.What government programs are available to help me create a greener home?

Currently there are two Government programs/initiatives that are available to the public to help create a greener home. The first is the Efficiency NB program. With this program a homeowner has to contact a local company licensed to provide the residential energy assessment service. The energy advisor will present the homeowner with a pre-upgrade report with an energy efficiency rating, an analysis of the home’s energy loss, and recommendations for cost effective upgrades. The homeowner will have up to 18 months to complete the upgrades. After completion of upgrades by the homeowner the energy advisor will conduct a post-upgrade assessment and provide a new energy efficiency rating. The energy advisor will then complete the necessary paperwork for qualifying applicants to receive either a loan or a grant for the work done on the home.

The second program/initiative is the Home Renovation Tax Credit. Homeowners that do upgrades to their homes between January 27, 2009 and February 1, 2010 are eligible to apply for a one-time tax credit for the 2009 tax year. More info about who is eligible can be found at http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/gncy/bdgt/2009/menu-eng.html [/colour]

2. How can adding green features to my home improve its value?

Green amenities and features may not appeal to everyone, but energy and money saving green features will. Energy Efficiency is coming to the forefront of the minds of buyers and sellers. Both would be wise to reap the benefits of these upgrades on any home. One big thing to remember about real estate is “location, location, location.” The return on your investment will always depend on the current value of your home, others in the neighbourhood, as well as the local market. Making a home more energy efficient (green) it will increase the value and saleability of a home in most markets. By adding green features to a home it will decrease utility bills, provide cleaner air within the home and increase the comfort level of living. Simple and inexpensive steps can be done within any home.


3. Will creating a more environmentally friendly home give my property an edge in the market?

By creating a more eco-friendly home it will give you an edge over other comparable homes in your market. As long as you can prove that your home has gone through renovations that have improved the homes energy efficiency. Within New Brunswick by using the Efficiency NB program you will be able to provide potential buyers two reports that show the homes efficiency rating pre-reno and post-reno.
If you are building a new home make sure you work with a contractor that is registered as a R-2000 builder or has a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certificate.
Any home that can prove that is more energy efficient than it’s counterparts will demand more money and sell quicker than less superior homes.

This Q&A section is an opportunity to have questions about real estate answered. Please contact me with any questions you have by emailing eric@ericholman.ca
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