Home energy-saving program to start in Nunavut

CHARLOTTE PETRIE

An Ontario-based environmental association has been awarded a contract by the federal government to improve energy consumption in residential homes across Nunavut.

The Green Communities Association is a national umbrella organization for community-based environmental groups.

With the help of partnerships, which it hopes to establish around Nunavut, it will carry out the federally-funded EnerGuide for Houses program in communities around the territory.

EnerGuide is a national home energy rating system that determines to what degree your home is energy efficient.

Houses are rated by an advisor on a scale of 1-100 with the most efficient homes receiving the highest score. It also provides an estimate of the energy consumption needed to operate individual homes.

Computer software is used to analyze data about a particular house to determine its rating. A low score indicates the house has major air leakage, poor insulation and high energy consumption.

Homeowners are also provided with information about healthy ventilation levels. According to program statistics from 2001, 70 per cent of new homes without proper heat recovery ventilators were under-ventilated.

The program was created by Natural Resources Canada and is administered country-wide by the Green Communities Association, who charge between $72-$175 for an advisor’s assessment. An advisor will also direct the homeowner on ways of decreasing energy consumption and costs.

Susanna Reid, the association’s chair, stopped by Iqaluit city council’s regular meeting on May 27, while on vacation, to introduce the program in Iqaluit.

“Since the program was piloted in 1997, it’s had a proven success rate,” Reid said.

The Green Communities Association is asking for the city’s help in forming partnerships with other organizations. It also hopes the city will help market the concept to other groups, and the public, by providing information about it.

Councillor Chris Wilson encouraged Reid to contact Susan Spring, the manager of the Iqaluit housing authority, about forming an alliance.

In a community where the proportion of social housing is high, at 426 units, Reid admitted there would be some challenges in implementing such a program.

“There are challenges in all communities with social housing or low economy housing. There’s no good solution – yet. But this could be made easier by partnering with the housing community,” Reid said.

Other challenges, such as the cold weather, and respiratory and ventilation problems would also be addressed by the program.

Besides residential energy consumption, the GCA has other programs that deal with greenhouse gas reduction, waste reduction, pollution prevention and habitat and ecosystem protection.

Communities involved with GCA initiatives can expect financial savings for homes and businesses, infrastructure savings for governments, plus job and business opportunities, Reid said.

EnerGuide is administered by the Office of Energy Efficiency at Natural Resources Canada.