Improving Your Home’s Energy Efficiency: The Financial Case

January 26th, 2012 by Cathy No comments »

When I was speaking with John Bell about the energy efficiency upgrades he made to his home, he didn’t even flinch when he told me he spent an additional $28,000 for the upgrades. That amount included solar panels, a more efficient furnace than what the building code calls for, a gray water system, a solar-operated heating unit, and extra, better quality insulation than what might be used in a standard renovation. He said the upgrades were a no-brainer because with energy prices constantly rising, the energy and water upgrades insulate him from price increases far better than if he’d just renovated to the Ontario Building Code.

It got me to thinking that one of the best ways to appeal to people about why increasing a home’s energy efficiency is important is through their wallet. When I asked John who I should talk to about the financial case for increasing a home’s energy efficiency, he pointed me in the direction of Craig Backman, Chairman of the Sustainable Housing Foundation. The Foundation’s mandate is to convert as many of the existing Canadian home stock to the most energy efficient dwellings as possible, and to help today’s builders learn green building techniques. But the foundation also help builders learn how to better communicate those green building features to potential customers. Yes, green building can cost more upfront, but rising energy prices mean that the payback gap is continually narrowing.

Craig told me that when energy prices were cheap the only people who were investing in energy efficiency were true environmentalists — the price premiums versus payback were too significant for most consumers to buy in to. However, with the recent and real trend in rising energy prices, both globally and at home, making the case for energy efficiency is easier. Craig points to a Scotiabank report on the Sustainable Housing Foundation’s website that makes the case for homeowners spending their money on energy upgrades. The report notes:

High energy costs have dampened spending on other ‘less discretionary’ purchases. Energy demand is inelastic, at least in the short-term, due to the limited ability of households to substantially alter their driving patterns and other daily activities. Household expenditures on energy totaled roughly $60 billion in 2010, or about $4,500 per household. We estimate that higher energy costs will add about $6 billion to this bill in 2011 — spending dollars that could otherwise have been allocated to other retail purchases, saved or used to pay down debt.

Renovating your home using green building principals, particularly with respect to energy efficiency, will save you money down the road, especially as energy prices rise.  Home heating oil and gasoline prices have increased approximately 40% in the last two years and are only predicted to continue their upward trend. Currently, energy expenses range between 6-7% of total household expenditures, and will likely take up a larger share of a household’s total expenditures if the inflation rate remains lower than the rise in energy prices.

Craig notes that energy efficient renovations don’t have to be dramatic to make a difference. Changing light bulbs from incandescents to CFLs and LEDs, caulking around leaky windows and doors, adding insulation in the attic are all easy and inexpensive changes that will have lasting effects over time. The next time you need appliances look for Energy Star certified ones. Air conditioners and furnaces also have Energy Star certified models.

If your home is really drafty and you’re thinking of doing a major energy upgrade, before you do anything call in an energy auditor. An energy auditor will identify what needs to be done first (ie., furnace or insulation) and where you can get the biggest bang for your buck.

For more information on the Sustainable Housing Foundation and its work in green building visit the website: http://www.sustainablehousingfoundation.com.

Scotiabank’s ecoliving website has some great information and tips on financing your next green renovation.

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SageGlass — Energy Efficiency Using Tinted Dynamic Glass

January 19th, 2012 by Cathy No comments »

For architects and builders concerned with a building’s energy efficiency, windows have always been a double-edged sword. On the one hand they offer views, natural light, and heat in the winter when the sun is shining. On the other hand, they’re holes in the building’s envelope allowing for heat transfer in the wrong direction and glare when the sun’s rays are low. In south-facing rooms in particular it’s always a challenge to offer a comfortable environment, and natural daylight during midday without drawing blinds or having the air conditioner work overtime. One technology that offers a solution but is still relatively new is electrothermal glass, also known as tintable or dynamic glass.

Ball State University -- Untinted glass

 

Ball State University -- Tinted Glass

SageGlass was founded in 1989 but took 14 years of research and development before launching its electrothermal glass product. This glass is able to change its tinting to block or allow the sun to enter a building. If you’ve ever been in a building which is enveloped in glass, you might have had the uncomfortable experience of having the sun beat down on you. It’s worse than being outside because there’s no breeze to combat the heat, and the only way to avoid glare is to use sunglasses, which, if you’re inside, isn’t really a great solution.

Kirksey Architecture, Houston, TX

 

Advantages:  Tintable glass cuts glare and heat during the hottest times of the day and year but also allows the sun to enter during colder times of the year. The advantages are increased energy efficiency for both the heating and cooling system, as well as permitting  natural daylight without the glare which helps plug load. It also means that blinds aren’t needed, except in areas where privacy is a concern.  A study of increased energy consumption saw that windows with SageGlass increased a building’s energy efficiency  21% over ASHRAE baseline building requirements. Heating and cooling systems will work better, particularly on extremely hot days.

Applications: This glass has been installed in several commercial and institutional building projects but also has applications in high-end residential setting. The advantage of tintable glass is that it permits views while preventing excess heat and glare.  The glass can be specified by any window company, currently for residential applications, Marvin Windows and Doors uses this glass.

Regarding overall energy efficiency of the glass, not only does it allow or prevent radiant heat (heat from the sun) passing through, but it is also treated with a low-emissivity coating to increase the glass’s thermal rating. SageGlass works very closely with all window manufacturers using its glass to make sure it is installed into the window frames correctly. In residential applications, it has been combined with both double and triple glazed windows.

Solar Heat Gain Coefficient: One of the measurements of energy efficient windows is the solar heat gain coefficient. It is the amount of heat that passes through a window from the sun’s rays and is measured on a scaled from 0-1. The average low-e double glazed window has a solar heat gain coefficient of .47, meaning that it lets in 47% of the sun’s heat that is hitting the window. A window coated with SageGlass has a variable solar heat gain coefficient that ranges between 0.09 and 0.49. When the window is fully tinted, only 9% of the sun’s heat gets through. The solar heat gain coefficient of regular glass is static.

Technology: The technology SageGlass developed involves five layers of nano-ceramic coatings. When a small current of electricity is applied to the glass lithium ions and electrons transfer from one layer to another causing the glass to darken. It can be controlled manually or built into a building automation system. In case you’re wondering about whether the electricity applied offsets the gains in energy efficiency, the voltage applied is very small and the benefits of the tinted glass far outweigh the costs.

When used in residential applications, regarding the electrical requirements, the same person installing your internet cables is the one specified for installing this glass.

Cost: While the company couldn’t give a cost for this glass because it depends on so many factors, it is definitely a product intended for high-end residential applications. However, I can see plenty of residential applications for this glass — especially in Toronto where there is a significant number of high-end condos being constructed. Most of these condos are made out of glass, and the upper floors are all about the views. This glass would be a perfect application.

For more information on SageGlass and electrothermal glass, visit http://sageglass.com/

 

 

 

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Crossville Tile’s New Porcelain Tile with Recycled Content

January 16th, 2012 by Cathy 1 comment »

I’ve written about Crossville Tile’s recent waste reduction efforts, as well as the benefits of using porcelain tile. In a nutshell, the company now incorporates ceramic waste material into every one of its tiles. Each tile contains 4% pre-consumer recycled ceramic supplied by TOTO. It’s fired waste that would otherwise end up in landfill — seconds that can’t be sold. But beyond that, Crossville has a few product lines that contain higher levels of recycled content which consists of fired waste (ie., porcelain tiles that didn’t fire properly in the kiln and can’t be sold), leftover sludge from rinsing and cleaning the raw material, and post-consumer tiles from Crossville Tile’s “Tile Take Back” Program.

Below are three of the lines Crossville Tile has just launched including sizes, styles and recycled content:

Bluestone Porcelain Tile in Vermont Black

Bluestone Porcelain Tile contains a minimum of 20 percent recycled content and is manufactured in Crossville using processes that have been certified by Scientific Certification Systems.  It’s available in four colorways – Colorado Buff, Arizona Brown, Pennsylvania Blue and Vermont Black – and a variety of sizes:  24″ x 24″, 12″ x 24″, 6″ x 24″, 12″ x 12″ and 6″ x 6″ field tile; 2″ x 2″ (natural only) and 3″ x 6″ (honed) Mosaics; and Random Mosaics using 2″, 4″ and 6″ tile with staggered joints.  Single Bullnose, Universal Cove Base, and Cove Base Left and Right trim pieces complement the collection.

Inspired by the natural stone from which it derives its name, Bluestone by Crossville features a field of soft earthen tones, enhanced by fossil-like impressions and the subtle pearlescence of embedded shells.  In both natural and honed finishes, Bluestone Porcelain Stone® tile imparts a classic, time-honored elegance to any space.   

Bluestone porcelain tile is suitable for either residential or commercial use.

Mainstreet Porcelain Tile: Contains between 4-20% pre and post-consumer waste. The darker the colour, the higher the recycled content.

Available in five colors – Cinema Champagne, Café Caramel, Bistro Brown, Gallery Grey and Boutique Black, Main Street also comes in a variety of sizes: 18″x18″, 6″x18″, 12″x12″, 6″x6″ field tile, and 2″x2″ mosaics mesh-mounted on 12″x12″ sheets.  Single Bullnose and Cove Base trim complement the collection.

…Main Street [is] a contemporary, city-inspired Porcelain Stone® line that promises to be a favorite among contract designers and specifiers with its neutral color palette, subtle stone look, high COF and ease of maintenance.  

Mixology with Mainstreet -- porcelain tile and metal tiles with recycled content

Mixology Metal Tile:

Crossville®is introducing Mixology: a new metal line that’s been painstakingly crafted by Crossville artisans to replicate cast metal sculptural pieces as affordable and earth-friendly tile.  Each of the exquisitely wrought metal tiles contains a minimum of 50-percent certified* post-consumer recycled content, making the line not only an attractive choice, but the responsible choice for our environment. (*Certified by Scientific Certification Systems.) 

Seven field tile designs in two sizes – 4“ x 4“ and 6” x 6“, plus 10 trim options and two random mosaics are available in four distinctive finishes, providing 98 pieces to “mix” and match for commercial or residential installations.  Crossville’s new Mixology and Match interactive design tool is available at www.crossvilleinc.com/mixology . 

Mixology was designed for interior wall applications including:  molding, ceiling trim, chair rails, window and door borders, countertop edging, backsplashes, showers and other wet interior wall areas, fireplace surrounds, etc.  All tile and trim coated to maintain a durable, low maintenance finish.  Much more cost-effective and much lighter than solid metal, these tiles cut and install like porcelain or ceramic tile.

Crossville Tile products are available throughout Canada and the US through tile showrooms. For more information on the company’s overall waste management efforts, read this post.

 

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Every Porcelain Tile at Crossville Tile Contains 4-40% Pre-Consumer Waste

January 16th, 2012 by Cathy 1 comment »

Crossville Tile

While at GreenBuild in October 2011, I had the opportunity to speak with Heidi Vassalotti, Architectural Sales Representative for Crossville Inc. regarding Crossville’s waste reduction efforts, sustainability efforts and new products containing recycled material.

First a little bit about porcelain tile: The difference between porcelain tiles and ceramic tiles is that porcelain tiles are fired at around 2200 F, whereas ceramic tiles are fired at around 1200 F. In truth, porcelain tiles are also part of the ceramic family, but they’ve been distinguished from ceramic tiles over the years because of the increased firing temperature and the way the raw material is processed. The material from which porcelain tile is made is a fine powdered dust derived from a mixture of  minerals, clay and other materials. It is compressed together and then kiln-fired at around 2200 F. Because it’s fired at a higher temperature than ceramic, it is less porous, meaning that it is stain and water resistant and highly durable. It can also be used in exterior applications because it is frost resistant. Generally, when colour is added to porcelain tiles it is added to both the body and surface meaning that if it were ever to chip, it would be relatively unnoticeable. Ceramic tile, on the other hand, is more prone to chipping than porcelain tile, and often colour is only added to the surface layer, meaning that chips are noticeable. Porcelain tile is an excellent product for mudrooms, bathrooms and kitchens. It cleans easily and is incredibly durable with a 50+ year lifespan.

Over the past few years Crossville Tile has been tackling waste reduction in its manufacturing processes. Throughout the firing process there is a lot of waste by-product produced, including the residue waste that is the result of the firing, and tiles that are fired but either break during the process or don’t fire properly so they can’t be sold. In the past all of this material was bound for landfill. Now however, it is being reused in the process of making new tiles. These tile lines are part of Crossville Tile’s Eco-Cycle porcelain tiles and contain 15-50% pre-consumer waste. As part of Crossville’s ongoing sustainability plan, incorporating this fired waste and filtrate material into its manufacturing processes prevents 12 million tons of waste from going to landfill every year.

But further to its finding a use for all of its own waste, Crossville has entered into an agreement with TOTO to take all of its products that didn’t survive the firing process to use as raw material. It means that now all of Crossville Tile’s porcelain lines contain 4% recycled waste. I know 4% doesn’t seem like a lot, but the results are actually significant. It’s the same kind of thinking as having all North Americans change out one incandescent light bulb for a CFL versus one or two of us becoming “No Impact Man.” In Crossville’s manufacturing processes, a little recycled matter is more significant across an entire system than one or two recycled lines out of 100 different products. (Note: this is not to say that either the efforts to create recycled product lines or “No Impact Man” aren’t worthwhile — they are, it’s rather to emphasize that a little recycled material across the board can make a big difference overall.)

Crossville Tile has also established a “Tile Take Back” program, whereby if you don’t want to see your old shower tiles end up in landfill, you can send them to Crossville and they’ll be crushed down into dust and reused in new tile manufacturing. Granted, this makes sense for commercial renovators more than individual home renovators, but you never know if some sort of co-op can’t be developed to handle this kind of program.

The result of these waste reduction efforts is that Crossville is now a net importer of waste products; it actually uses more waste than it produces in its manufacturing process. What this also means is that fewer natural resources are being used to produce its product lines — and not just one of its lines, but every single one.

In addition to its waste reduction efforts, Crossville Tile also tackled water use. Whereas water used to be used once and sent into the local city sewer system for treatment, a new system is now in place where water is 99.98% is reused. The final 0.02% that does leave their plant is treated before leaving while the leftover sludge that used to go to landfill is now a raw material for some of its tile lines.

Third Party Certification: In order to demonstrate that its recycling systems were as they claimed, they brought in Scientific Certification Systems, an independent third party, to audit its processes in manufacturing and water use. Under SCS’ Floor Score auditing arm, it also certified Crossville’s final products for Indoor Air Quality.

While Heidi was telling me about the waste reduction efforts at Crossville Tile, I wondered if it was possible for it to partner with municipalities for a similar program to its Tile Take Back program for old ceramic toilets, sinks and tubs. For instance, the city of Toronto used to have a toilet rebate system whereby if you replaced your old toilet with a more efficient model you’d get a rebate of $60-75 for new, water efficient toilets. It meant a lot of that porcelain was going into landfill. Heidi told me that yes, it would be possible, assuming they tested the older products for other materials such as lead and biohazardous waste. In the meantime Crossville has just ventured into a project with the city of Chicago which is renovating one of its municipal buildings. All of the old porcelain tile within the building is being shipped to Crossville’s factory, ground down into the raw dust material, and then being reused in new tiles to be put back into the renovated building. I love hearing stories about forward-thinking businesses and governments working together, it is so inspiring.

Crossville Tile also has a few product lines that include more than the standard 4% recycled material. At Greenbuild they launched three new lines containing higher recycled material content from 20-50%, called Mixology, Mainstreet and Bluestone. You can read about these products in this post. For more information on Crossville’s waste reduction efforts, here is a link to its sustainability brochure.

 

 

 

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Aerecura Rammed Earth Home Revisited

December 19th, 2011 by Cathy 1 comment »

Completed rammed earth house, near Cobourg, ON

In October, 2010, I had the very fortunate opportunity to visit with Sylvia Cook, owner of Aerecura Rammed Earth Builders and owner of Ontario’s first rammed earth home, just after the beautiful walls had been finished. The roof, windows and main floor had yet to be installed, so it was a bit difficult to visualize the finished product. Just over a year later, Sylvia and her husband held a housewarming party so all of us interested parties could come and take a look at the finished product.

Sylvia Cook (left) Builder, Terrell Wong (right), Architect

To recap: Sylvia, a retired physics teacher, and her husband, a retired English teacher, were determined to build one of the lowest possible embodied energy homes they could. When researching materials and styles of homes, she wanted to find a material that was local, abundantly available, durable, and contained a low-embodied energy. A rammed earth fit home all of her criteria. You can read my full interview with Sylvia here, and read about the goals of the rammed earth home here.

The house itself is on two and a half levels (an open office area above the kitchen looks down onto the living room). It has a beautiful view of the hollow the house sits beside. Terrell Wong, the architect designed it to take advantage of as many passive heating and cooling features it could, so it is oriented to face southwest with large windows on the south side and smaller ones on the north side. The upper clerestory windows can be opened in summer to let the heat escape while lower floor windows will open to draw in cooler evening air.

Now that the house is completel, I asked Sylvia a few follow-up questions:

1. If you were to build again, is there anything you would do differently? ie., lessons learned.

 

I’m disappointed with the amount of wood used just on the relatively small section of the house between the top of the rammed earth and the roof. In order to maintain the continuous insulation layer we used a double stud wall construction. Next time I would use SIPS for this part of the house, as well as for the roof.

I would overestimate the heating needed and use a radiant infloor hydronic system for the lower floor. I made the decision not to because it was hard to justify the installation expense for the small amount of heat needed, but am now having to get creative with other methods of supplying that heat. Another time I might even consider putting hydronics inside a rammed earth wall. I think it’s important to remember that any initial expense will be amortised over a very long period of time, even though I won’t personally be around for more than a tiny fraction of that.

ERV system

 

Hot water tank -- used for domestic hotwater and heat pump

part of heating system

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2. What in the house is salvaged (I believe the stairs and cross beams are), and where did you source your salvaged material?

 

The stairs originally came from the Belleville CN roundhouse, circa 1840. The wonderfully quirky welder who made the railings onsite happened to have them stored in his barn. A fantastic piece of serendipity as they fit perfectly!

Some of the beams were re-purposed from our formwork, including the open-ventilation roof support on top of the feature wall.

All of the interior doors are salvaged, collected from yard sales, flea markets, roadsides and Habitat for Humanity Restores. I have my eye on one from Legacy Vintage Building Materials in Cobourg to be used between the great room and master suite.

The supports for the deck (and the sink in the powder room) are logs from the trees removed to make the driveway.

Stairs to Office Loft area (salvaged)

Exterior southeast facing walls

 

Rammed Earth House by Aerecura

To see more photos of the house visit BEC Green’s Facebook page.
For more information about Aerecura Rammed Earth Homes, contact Sylvia Cook at: sylvia@aerecura.ca or 289-251-6684.
Visit Aerecura’s website for more information.

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John Bell’s Green Home — Host of World’s Greenest Homes Greens His Own Home

December 16th, 2011 by Cathy No comments »

John Bell's Greenest Home. (photo courtesy of John Bell)

As the host of season 2 of The World’s Greenest Homes, John Bell traveled the world touring the world’s greenest homes, speaking to the owners, builders and designers about the homes and what made them decide to build more sustainable housing. The homeowners had built these homes to lead greener lifestyles and lower their carbon footprint. Clearly his work influenced his next move: after finishing season two of The World’s Greenest Homes, John and his family sold their large three storey home in a beautiful but somewhat isolated Toronto neighbourhood, to a home a little more than a stone’s throw to mid-town Yonge Street with all of its advantages. In the process they cut their home’s footprint in half, and probably their transportation footprint in half too.

The house John and his wife purchased was an old 1970s house on a cul-de-sac with single-paned windows, little insulation and plenty of air leaks. In fact when the energy auditor did the home’s audit pre-renovation, it came it at a leaky 7.7 air changes per hour and an Energuide rating of 33 out of a possible 100. In terms of what those numbers mean, according to the Office of Energy Efficiency, a home’s Energuide rating of 0-5o is an older, unrenovated (uninsulated) home. At the opposite end of the scale, an Energuide rating of 91-100 is an airtight home with proper ventilation that requires no extra heat source. The Air Change measurement measures the number of times the volume of air in the house is being replaced through leaks in the home’s envelope approximately.

 

The Bells added another 800 square feet to the home’s footprint while renovating the house. Even so, when the energy auditor tested the renovated home, the Energuide rating rose to 80, and the air changes per hour dropped to 1.59 ACH.

Given his experience on The World’s Greenest Homes, John noted that every homeowner he interviewed had the goal of decreasing their carbon footprint by building a well-insulated, low carbon footprint home. So like the green homeowners before him, John concentrated his efforts on his building envelope and improving his home’s energy efficiency.

John hired John Godden from Clearsphere to help him achieve his energy efficiency and green building goals. John Godden has been an active member of the green building realm way before it became the place to be in construction. His firm was one of the partners involved in building the EcoLogic Community in Newmarket, ON, the first LEED Platinum community built in Canada.

Power Pipe DWHR system

Building envelope: The ceilings have an R value of 41, the new construction 2×6 walls of the addition have an R value of 26, the older 2×4 walls, an R value of 22. All are insulated with Roxul batt and rigid board insulation. Roxul is a locally produced mineral-wool-based insulation with a high recycled content that is also a good fire retardant and noise damper.  The basement floor and below grade basement walls were insulated with Roxul Drainboard with an R value of 10, and below grade walls have an R value of 32 as they have additional batt insulation inside the house.  Roxul batt and rigid board insulating products were used for most of the insulation work. There were spots in the house, however, where the best insulation was sprayfoam, so he used Icynene, a cellulose-based product.

Ridley Windows and Doors, sliding glass door to backyard

Windows are from Ridley, aluminum-clad wood interior windows, double-glazed with a low-EQ coating that helps block strong sun rays and heat in the summer so the air conditioning unit doesn’t have to work as hard.

Phillips LED lights. 7 Watts each, $12 at Home Depot

HVAC: The system is a 98% efficient boiler-fan coil system combined with duct work provided by Airmax Technologies. The boiler heats water for both domestic hot water, radiant heating. It works in conjunction with a forced air system.  John also had a Power Pipe installed which is a drainwater heat recovery (DWHR) system. DWHR can save you up to $125 per year depending on how much hot water you use (the more hot water used in the morning for showers, the more money it will save you). Radiant heating was installed in the basement to keep the floor warm, in front of the windows on the main floor at the front and back of the house, and in the two second floor bathrooms. A heat recovery ventilator was installed to capture heat from warm stale air, and to ventilate the now very tight house with warmed fresh air coming from outside.

 

Solar Air Panel Operation

Solar Sheat 1500G Air Panel. This is an interesting bit of new technology that John admits was installed more for the concept than for a specific return on investment. The way it works is, the panel sits on a south facing roof top where it can absorb the sun’s rays. Cool air is sucked up from inside the house, next it is warmed by the panel on the roof and blown back into the house via a vent. It has an optional solar PV panel used to operate the fan so that no additional electricity is needed. The single solar air panel provides enough heated air to heat 750 square feet, the approximate size of the second floor of John’s home. John said that with the tight envelope of the home, the heated air will help keep the second floor warmer even after the sun goes down, meaning the boiler. The system costs $16oo plus $2000 to install.

Brac Gray Water Holding tank

Dual flush toilets (tank hidden behind wall)

Water Efficiency: Another area John noted where green home builders were concerned was with water conservation. John became interested in gray water recycling, and in fact is now president  of H2O Water Technologies, a distributor of Brac Gray Water Systems. He installed a Brac gray water tank in his home and says that it provides more than enough water from showers to flush the toilets in his home. He also installed dual-flush toilets.

Green technologies: John figures that during the renovation, he spent an additional $28,000 on green technologies, including $10,000 for solar panels to be part of Ontario’s microFIT program. The energy upgrades John made will save him $4000 per year in energy costs vs. his previous bills, so his payback point comes in at around 7 years and that’s assuming energy prices stay at 2011 levels — which they won’t. The longward trend for energy pricing is definitely upwards.

In the end, John is aiming for Silver certification level of LEED Canada for Homes and will likely achieve it.

 

 

 

 

 

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ToolGirl Mag Ruffman Teaching Kids and Parents How to Work with Tools

December 13th, 2011 by Cathy 1 comment »

Mag's go-kart!

As ToolGirl, Mag Ruffman has successfully shown women how to work with a variety of power tools. She believes it’s time to move to her next project: helping children learn how to use tools. When she first came up with the idea, she pitched three different ideas for TV shows to three different TV stations, and was turned down flat each time. Mag figures the big issue is liability, with TV people believing that children + tools = disaster waiting to happen = Lawsuit.

Undaunted, she approached Lowe’s with the same idea and since Lowe’s already has a parent and child workshop program, they thought it was a great idea. Now Mag’s producing online videos working with kids, teaching them and parents how to do simple projects together. The videos will be accessible through Lowe’s Canada website, complete with a set of downloadable instructions to make the object that Mag and her colleagues and kids will be making in the video. Mag also told me that within the PDF of instructions there will be links to short videos with information on how to use certain tools. Even some parents who might not be familiar with using some tools will benefit from the instructions. “If you don’t know how to use a circular saw, there will be a link in the instructions to a short video on how to operate it,” she says. Kids’ tasks are kept to assembly, finishing, sanding and some fastening. Parents tasks will include cutting, using heat, and any other more challenging tasks.

The videos will launch on the Lowe’s Canada website in early 2012, will be 3-5 minutes long. Mag’s planning on producing 20 different videos and projects to start.

Mag sent along two projects she’s already tried out with kids.

Homemade chalkboard paint on child's play table

Homemade Chalkboard Paint

Ingredients:

  • 250 ml flat zero VOC Paint, any colour. Remember to ask if paint is still zero VOC after tinting. Better yet, buy a small test pot for this project. Mag’s favourite paint is Olympic Premium Latex which is still zero VOC after tinting).
  • 1tbsp unsanded grout (any brand and colour)
  • foam roller brush
Mix the unsanded grout with paint until blended. Apply to prepared surface with foam roller and let dry. Apply a second coat if necessary and let dry.

Mag's Homemade photo blocks

Wood Blocks with Photos

Tools and supplies:
Choose photos and print from your computer onto T-shirt transfer. Try to match photo size to block size. Iron T-shirt transfer directly onto wooden block.
Keep up with Mag’s work at ToolGirl.com.

Untitled from Mag Ruffman on Vimeo.

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Earthquake — LEED Platinum Home revisited — A tour with Rolf Baumann of RGB Group

December 9th, 2011 by Cathy 2 comments »

3rd Street Duplex, The Glebe, Ottawa, ON

A few weeks ago, while in Ottawa, I contacted Rolf Baumann, owner of RGB Group and builder of the first Earthquake resiliant/LEED Platinum duplex in Canada. He took me on a tour of the building and explained what he was doing to attain the LEED Canada Platinum for Homes certification.  To achieve Platinum level, the highest level of LEED for Homes Canada awarded, a house must earn between 90 and 136 points in up to 9 categories. LEED for Homes is a designation used for residential dwellings to demonstrate building or renovating with environmental benefits. LEED stands for “Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design” and takes into account all aspects of building a home from minimizing construction waste, protecting the development site, using local Gand recycled materials and indoor air quality. By contrast, EnergyStar certified homes, are only concerned with how energy-efficient the finished home is.There is no account for construction waste, type of materials used, site location, indoor air quality, etc.).

So, when a builder decides to build a LEED Home, he has a lot of factors to consider. Rolf, however, has already built to LEED Platinum. His Montauk Townhouse Complex (which RGB Group owns and operates) was certified LEED Platinum and is now fully occupied.

When Rolf bought the 3rd Street property, he already had two of the main criteria delivered: “Location and Linkages” and “Sustainable Sites.”  The house is situated fifty feet from Bank St. in the heart of The Glebe in Ottawa.  It’s a great neighbourhood with access to shops and services, restaurants, tons of coffee shops (Bridgehead is my personal favourite), schools, and public transportation to downtown. Further, regarding sustainable sites, he was building where a single-family dwelling was originally built in the late 1800s, and redeveloping the property into a multi-family dwelling. If, like me, you’re wondering if the previous house was salvageable, it wasn’t. It had been an estate sale, and, as Rolf discovered after purchase, it was still running on a septic system — even after all the sewers had been redone by the city a few years ago! The basement had been dirt, and the wood had rotted beyond repair. So, down it came — but not before Rolf sent out word to all his trades that the house was coming down. The plumber came and ripped out the copper plumbing, the electrician took the copper wiring, architectural salvage shops took the millwork. In fact, by the time the demolition company came, there was so little left to take away, they used half the number of haulages originally estimated.

Steel Framing by Bailey Metal Products

 

Electric Start Gas Fireplace -- no pilot light

Energy and Atmosphere: The biggest area for scoring LEED points is in energy efficiency, with a total of 38 points possible. This category encompasses both the building envelope as well as the HVAC system used. Using steel-framed construction gives the home a wider interior than the cinder block alternative. Because the house sits on a 25 foot wide property, the fire code plays a big part in the construction. Building with a steel frame allows for an extra two feet of interior space, allowing 19 ft of interior space instead of 17. Further, while the steel frame consists of 80% recycled steel, it can also be recycled at end of life. Rolf used Baily Metal Products out of Toronto for the frame.  The walls are insulated to R25, using Roxul rigid mineral wool insulation (R13) used externally, and CertainTEED batt insulation (R12) used inside.

To ensure his building envelope is as tight as it can possibly get, Rolf hired Ross Elliot of Homesol as his energy auditor and LEED for Homes rater. Rolf says that when it comes time to check to make sure the building is air tight, Ross Elliot and the insulation installer are both present. As Ross finds leaks, the insulation contractor can either immediately fix the problem, or at least make a note of it and fix later if it needs more attention. Having both the energy auditor and insulation contractor present means that no holes will be missed. Doing an energy audit before the drywall goes up is one of the most essential parts of creating a tight building envelope.

Lifebreath Clean Air Furnace

Each unit has its own HVAC system that is controllable by the tenant. The LifeBreath Clean Air Furnaces were installed by Boon Plumbing. The HVAC system consists of a boiler that is 98% efficient combined with a fancoil ducted system, so it’s a combined hydronic heating, ducted system.

Doors from Lambden Window and Door

Window from Lambden window and Door

Windows and doors come from Lambden Window and Door, a local Ottawa company. The windows are good quality, aluminum-clad, where Rolf says the seal between the glass and the frame is the key to a good window product. Further, the windows are double-glazed and treated with UVA/B coating to prevent sunlight from getting in in the summer. Rolf notes that heating bills are almost nothing compared to air-conditioning bills, so the more you can do to curb air conditioning use, the better. Rolf estimates that each unit’s heating and hot water bills should come in around $50/month.

Appliances and Lighting: One of the surprising features of the home is the fairly extensive use of LED lights. Rolf is using a local company, DelphiTech, to provide all the LED lights. I say “surprising,” because as the building owner, he is not responsible for his tenants’ electric bills, but they will certainly benefit from his investment in these lights and the energy-efficient appliances he’s installing. The LED light fixtures he’s using are manufactured in Ontario, and use either 1W or 1.5W but have the equivalent output of a 50Watt or 75Watt incandescent bulb respectively. All appliances (not installed yet), will be EnergyStar rated and Rolf is planning on installing  induction cooktops in both units. All appliances are sourced through Universal Appliances.

 Water Efficiency: Another area to earn points in LEED certification is through water efficiency. In this case Rolf is installing Caroma dual flush 4 litre toilets. One of the key differences between Caroma and other toilets is the diameter of the drainage hole. In most toilets the drainage hole is 2.8″, but in a Caroma toilet, the diameter is 4″. In other words, it NEVER clogs. The faucets are from Delta, one of the leading companies in low-flow water fixtures. The bathtubs come from MAAX, a Montreal-based company. Instead of using standard 60″ tubs,MAAX makes a smaller 54″ tub that limits the amount of water used. Boon Plumbing supplied all the fixtures.

Indoor Air Quality: One area that is receiving more attention lately is the build-up of toxic chemicals in our homes due to the off-gassing of chemicals from materials used in new home construction, furniture, paints and even household cleaners.  In addition to paint, building materials include caulking, adhesives, polyurethanes, insulation (many kinds contain ureaformaldehyde), cabinetry and millwork, etc. contain many toxic gaseous chemicals that can off-gas for years. Rolf uses zero or low-VOC materials during construction, then airs out the homes before tenants move in. Once occupied, The LifeBreath clean air furnace contains a HEPA filter to continuously clean indoor air.

Paint: Rolf has used Dulux Diamond Interior Paint on past projects and is sold on its performance. When applied in white, as it is in all of his units, it is a low-VOC paint (less than 10 grams/litre of volatile organic compounds). But maybe most surprisingly, it has a lifespan of 30 years. Because it is a ceramic-based acrylic paint, it is completely scrubbable, even the flat version.

Materials and Resources: Rolf sources materials as locally as possible. For example, both rigid and batt insulation, and the steel-frame, come from Toronto; Windows and LED lighting are from the Ottawa area, flooring was milled in Haliburton. The stainless steel kitchen sinks are Novanni (north of Toronto), and bathtubs are from Montreal.

 

For more information on the RGB Group, visit the RGB Group website.

 

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Posted in Energy Efficiency, Green Building Techniques, Green Homes, Green People

Tips for a Green Christmas by Vicky Sanderson

December 6th, 2011 by Vicky Sanderson 1 comment »

Most of us no longer find any contradiction in hoping that snow will begin to fall — gently but steadily — on Christmas Eve, while simultaneously wishing with all our might for a “green” Christmas. That’s because while we love the holiday, we’re conscious that it can too easily engender over-consumption.  Here are a few ways to keep the season fun, festive, and sustainable.

Repurposed tea cups make nice centrepieces

Recycled décor. Jim Connelly’s holiday décor looks high-end. But as master of disguise (Jim is co-owner, along with Peter de Sousa of  Masterpieces Studio www.masterpiecesstudio.com, which offers custom painting and art, as well as  bespoke furniture ) his fancy-pants pieces frequently start with bits and bobs he picks up at Goodwill or Value Village. Take, for example, his holiday table décor, made from old teacups and saucers spray-painted in seasonal colours and filled with greenery, ribbons and accents. If you’re feeling really generous (after all, they cost about $10 each to make) offer them us as party favours when your guests depart.

 

 

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows boxed set (3D, DVD)

iHome portable mp3 players

Scale back on holiday activities away from home. Instead of making your way in the car to an over-crowded, over-heated theatre, plan a long walk on a local trail before heading home for a family movie night. HMV www.hmv.ca has great options, including the 50th anniversary edition of West Side Story, the Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows collectible box and the complete collection of Home Alone. BTW, they also have a variety of tech toys that kids and grown-ups will love, such as a small but mighty iHome speaker — for just $20 — that connects to an iPhone, iPad or MP3 players and lets the user take music wherever — from the family room to the backyard to the cottage dock. For those times when you don’t want to hear your kid’s music, there are noise-cancelling headphones. Toxix headphones have extra-large speaker drivers, deliver smooth, undistorted highs, clear vocals and are comfy and compact. And at about $25, they’re very affordable. If you’ve got a Star Wars fan in the house, pick up a string of Yoda and R2D2 holiday lights ($20) or a Star Wars USB key ($20) just for fun.

Delicious Hazelnut Cream Puffs make life easier. M&M Meatshops

It’s always nice to do holiday baking and cooking, but it’s just not everything you serve has to be made-from-scratch.  So shop ahead and stock the freezer with good-quality prepared foods. Try M& M Meat Shops, www.mmmeatshops.com , where you’ll find everything from hors d’ouvres and dips to choice cuts of meat and fish to delish desserts. You can also buy fully prepared meals, including pot roast in gravy (perfect for the slow cooker) and a full Atlantic cod, topped with shredded potato, cheddar cheese and chives. To make things even easier, you can order online and pick up at your nearest store.

 

 

 

 

Dienabou Diao, 8yrs, Yiri Koye Village

This time of year is about loving and giving. So remember that despite the hectic pace, the stress — and even the squabbles — you’re blessed with family and friends and a warm, safe place to live. In lots of places though, that’s just not the case. So think about sharing your good fortune by making a donation to your favourite charity. One that touches my heart is World Vision  www.worldvision.ca/gifts, which partners with local communities in developing countries to improve lives. Make a donation of $30 and a family receives five fruit trees, enough to start on the road to self-sufficiency. Fifty dollars buys two hens and a rooster to help a family hatch a business.

Vicky Sanderson writes Hot Home Products, a widely-read weekly column on home improvement, décor and housewares that appears every Saturday in the Toronto Star. She also keeps readers up to date on new products through her blog, On the House, which can be found onwww.yourhome.ca. Having tried and tested just about every new home product, décor item and countertop appliance to hit the market in the last 10 years, Vicky is an expert on all things home-related. She frequently shares tips, tricks and trends on such media outlets as Canada AM, Breakfast Television, CHCH Morning Live, and CBC Radio. Follow her on Twitter @vickysanderson

 

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Festive Silver Chair “Don’t Junk it Funk it” Tips from Designers: Jim Connelly and Peter De Sousa

December 3rd, 2011 by Cathy No comments »

Silver-coated chair, previously bound for landfill

It’s Arts and Crafts day at BEC Green!! Jim and Peter tell us how to take an old piece of furniture and turn it into something fun. Just follow the instructions below to make this sparkly silver chair. (Editor’s note: I’ve added links to some of the products needed for the project).

And now from Peter and Jim…

 

Next time you see a lonely old chair on the street waiting for the garbage truck or when you are in a junk store shopping think “Don’t Junk it Funk

it!”.

With a little imagination and a lot of love you can create your own little treasure! At Masterpiece studios we are all about re-use and recycling to inject a new purpose into a discarded yet still functional piece of furniture.

Many of today’s paint and adhesive products are green with low VOC’s, easy to work with and the result’s… well the sky’s the limit!!!.

That sad little chair now shimmers with a new life. Follow these easy steps to make that garbage discard into a gorgeous delight!

Try this project out for yourself this holiday season to make a statement in your front room, next to your tree or on your front porch – you’ll dazzle your guest with your creativity!

 

 

Silver coated chair (close-up)

Supplies

 

 

Directions

  • Wash the chair with warm soapy water to remove any grease, dirt or fingerprints dry completely.
  • Cover table top with newspaper to create a good clean work surface.
  • Remove the seat from the chair frame.
  • Paint the chair frame with a White Bonder Primer and let dry completely.
  • Paint the chair with a water base Size / Glue and let Dry Completely, the size when dry will remain sticky to the touch.
  • Apply the Silver Leaf Squares or transfer Foil to cover the entire Chair.
  • Seal chair with Exterior High Gloss Varnish let dry completely.
  • Paint the old fabric seat with water base silver paint using a small paint roller and tray, apply the silver paint heavy to cover any pattern on the old fabric and sprinkle silver glitter over the chair seat let dry completely.


About Jim and Peter from Masterpiece Studios

Jim and Peter are famously known for their regular appearances on Debbie Travis’ Painted House and Facelift. They are painters and designers and their mantra is “funk it don’t junk it” – they can take a shabby wreck and turn it into a goldmine! They have worked on Celine Dion’s Canadian offices, the home of Rush’s lead guitarist Alex Lifesman, Elton John, Bare Naked Ladies and may more to just name a few. For more tips and to learn more visit: Masterpieces Studio


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