Energy-efficient new homes video
Transcript
Narrator:
Earth – it gives us life, land, sustenance; it’s our home. And as such, we need to take care of it.
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[Greenhouse gases: their accumulation in the atmosphere is believed to cause a "greenhouse effect" on the earth's climate.]
Greenhouse gases are causing our climate to change; this is evident in increasing average air and ocean temperatures, widespread melting of snow and ice and rising average sea level.
What many of us don’t realize, though, is that our homes are a considerable contributor to Canada’s greenhouse gas emissions.
Today, 17 per cent of all energy used in Canada goes towards running our homes, generating 15 per cent of the country’s greenhouse gas emissions; which makes your home a great place to start reducing your ecological footprint. Since most of the energy we consume comes from fossil fuels, energy we can save heating and cooling our homes will help decrease our impact on the environment.
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[Ecological footprint:]
[A measurement of how much land, water and other natural resources are required for the products we consume.]
[To leave no footprint would mean that you return to the environment exactly what you take out.]
Choosing to buy or build an energy efficient new home is a great start.
By selecting energy efficiency upgrades for your new home, you will be saving on energy bills and making a choice to help protect the environment.
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[Benefits of owning a new energy efficient home:]
- [savings]
- [helping the environment]
- [improved comfort]
There are many ways you can improve the energy efficiency of your new home:
Use NRCan’s EnerGuide rating to measure and plan for energy upgrades for your new home
Make your home air tight and ensure that it has proper ventilation
Increase the amount of insulation in the exterior walls and foundation
Increase the amount of attic insulation
Use electronic thermostats
Install energy efficient heating and cooling equipment
Choose ENERGY STAR qualified doors and windows
Choose ENERGY STAR qualified appliances
Design your home with solar gains and good shading in mind
Consider using renewable energy sources such as solar power or geothermal
Choose to build or buy ENERGY STAR qualified or R-2000 certified homes that are Government-backed and feature many of these energy efficiency upgrades.
If you’re interested in these energy saving options for your new home, ask your builder to include them.
Builders participating in NRCan’s new housing initiatives such as EnerGuide Rating System, ENERGY STAR for New Homes or R-2000 know of the latest construction techniques, energy efficiency features, and environmentally friendly materials that can be used in your home.
Before building or buying a new home – be sure to ask the builder these questions about energy efficiency…
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[Questions to ask your builder:]
[Do you offer upgrades that improve the performance of the homes you build?]
[How do your building techniques reflect the latest developments in housing technology?]
[How do you verify the energy performance of your homes?]
If you’re interested in buying or building a new energy-efficient home and want to learn more about federal initiatives for new housing and incentives for homeowners, visit www.newhomes.nrcan.gc.ca or call 1 800 O-Canada.
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