There is a new furnace on the market that has very intriguing possibilities. When I was at the GreenLiving Show last month, I toured the mock-up R-house which had been on display at the National Home Show earlier in the year. The technology that caught my attention was the HeatWave furnace by Dyna Current. According to the rep. I spoke with, this furnace will produce heat at about half the cost of wood, propane, oil or traditional electric heat. In other words, it’s about the cost of natural gas, but if you live in an area where you don’t have that option, you are limited to the other heating methods.

The HeatWave furnace is a very flexible system; It comes in three sizes and two different models: one system is used with radiant hydronic heating, and one is used with forced air. Further, because there is no combustion involved at the source, the parts need very little maintenance. The system is flexible, it can be used with either DC or AC electricity. Using DC is recommended for furnaces because it is more energy efficient than AC. It can also be used to heat your hot water.  The forced air system comes with a fan with multiple speeds, which means in the summer you can crank it up, delaying the use of air conditioners. The rep also told me that the company is currently working on an air conditioning unit to work with the system.

Because the system works off direct current electricity, it could, in theory, be hooked up to an array of solar panels. However, the system needs 6 kW of electricity to run, so you’d need a pretty big array to power it.

Cost (Note prices are as of May, 2012, according to Dyna Current’s website):

Forced Air

DynaCurrent HeatWave FA1 $4,995 plus installation (heats 1000-1800 sq. ft.*)

DynaCurrent HeatWave FA2 $5,895 plus installation (heats 1800-2800 sq. ft.*)

DynaCurrent HeatWave FA3 $7,495 plus installation (heats 2800-4000 sq. ft.*)

Radiant

DynaCurrent HeatWave R1 $4,795 plus installation (heats 1000-1800 sq. ft.*)

DynaCurrent HeatWave R2 $5,895 plus installation (heats 1800-2800 sq. ft.*)

DynaCurrent HeatWave R3 $7,495 plus installation (heats 2800-4000 sq. ft*)

The furnace is CSA certified and is available in BC, Alberta, Ontario and Nova Scotia, however, they plan on rolling out to the rest of Canada later in the year.

For more information on this furnace, visit Dyna Current’s website, or watch this video on the product.

This is the time of year when our family cleans out closets. You would think after the number of times we have moved that we’d be pretty efficient by now. And I would honestly say that my husband and I are pretty good about only buying what we need for ourselves and cleaning out closets on a regular basis. However, somehow, our 11 year old daughter manages to need her room culled about four times a year. I don’t know what happens in her room, but I think her stuff is breeding! It always seems like no matter how often we cull, there is always more stuff. When we were packing up our house last year only my office beat her room in terms of the amount of stuff each contained (my vice being that I keep all of my decor magazines). She has boxes and boxes and boxes…..it goes on and on.

When I do clean/cull her room, I use a typical organizing strategy using four bags or boxes labelled ‘garbage,’ ‘recycling,’ ‘give away,’ or ‘I’m not sure.’ This last box is for all the stuff she’s outgrown but has a sentimental attachment to. We pack it up, label the contents and put it in the basement for a year. If she hasn’t asked for anything in the box after a year, it goes out.

So, in this current round of spring cleaning, I have bags of clothes the kids have grown out of, paperbacks that need new homes, toys and arts and crafts galore. These are easy to get rid of: the clothes go to Goodwill, the paperbacks go to a local church book sale, and the toys and arts and crafts (all in good shape), go to my daughter’s school aftercare program. I admit to a certain amount of guilt having seen Toy Story 3, but I remind myself that it’s just a movie — right?

There are harder things to get rid of though that you might be tempted to throw in the garbage or pour down the drain or empty into the sewer. But doing so for some products will add to groundwater and soil contamination or contaminate local rivers and lakes.  Items such as spare computer parts, keyboards, monitors, unidentified mysterious cords, broken wireless speakers which have already been fixed once, an old broken VCR, a broken DVD player, and  CFL lightbulbs, batteries, aerosol cans, paint and used turpentine should be disposed of through a specialized waste collection system. Disposing of these products responsibly is the most important thing you can do. They contain hazardous materials such as mercury and lead, plus all kinds of metals that can be recycled into new products.

The Ontario Stewardship program has set up a program around the province to help you dispose of your old and out-dated electronics safely: Visit http://recycleyourelectronics.ca to find out which of your old electronics can be disposed of and where to go.

If you don’t live in Ontario, check out this site which has links to programs in other provinces: http://www.ontarioelectronicstewardship.ca/program/other-provincial-programs

There is another program, also run by Ontario Stewardship Program, dedicated to collecting hazardous waste. You can find out where to drop off such items as batteries, old paint, CFLs and fluorescent light tubes, paint thinners, aerosol cans, expired medicine (prescription and over the counter) and other materials that could contaminate groundwater and soil if deposited in a dump.

To find out which products qualify and where to deposit items, go to makethedrop.ca.

Note that there are several stores that participate in recycling programs, such as some Lowes, Home Depots, Home Hardwares, Future Shops and Best Buys. They each recycle different items, so it’s best to check with your local store before making the trip.

Before you go out to fill up your now empty shelves with more things, watch Annie Leonnard’s The Story of Stuff if you haven’t already seen it. It might make you think twice about what you buy http://www.storyofstuff.org/movies-all/story-of-stuff/.

Family room -- FSC cabinets in background.

There are a lot of decisions to make when you renovate.  From the design of the space to the finishing materials, you want a house that works for you and your family.  Working with an architect or a designer can help, but ultimately you have to decide what goes where.

I finally found an easy way to make those decisions.   Using sustainability as the deciding factor.   It’s not that I am “granola green”.   My love affair with green has come slowly and selfishly as I learn how important indoor air quality is.  Modern homes have become air tight for energy efficiency, but modern building practices and materials bring in a staggering number of chemicals that off-gas into our airtight homes.

Labor costs make it impractical for us to re-use much of what we tear out of an existing home, but in Canada we have the luxury of craigslist, kijiji, freecycle and Habitat for Humanity’s ReStore that help to reduce consumption and waste.   The old appliances in my house in Toronto found a new home at my daughter’s school, my basement laundry area has sliding doors reclaimed from ReStore (at only $20 each vs. $35 for new!), and I re-used the mirror from my upstairs master bath in the downstairs powder room.

PaperStone countertops.

The colours in my Toronto house are bright and beautiful…and they didn’t smell when they went up on the wall.  These days, it is simple to find non-toxic paints at your local Rona or paint store.  That ‘freshly painted smell’ is not something you want to drift into the (tightly sealed) air in your home.  Why buy toxic paint?  Yet go to your home improvement shop and the shelves are full of it.  Yes, cost is a factor.  But the $1-2 per gallon difference is worth it in my book.

The warm fuzzy feeling of carpeting under your feet is cozy and inviting.  But that eerie ‘new carpet smell’ can be eliminated if your carpeting and underlay are made of natural fibers like wool or cotton.  My builder recommended cork flooring for the basement and I love it.  It has the same sound absorbing qualities of carpeting, is soft and comfortable even in bare feet, and made of naturally re-growing cork.  Real wood floors (FSC certified of course) are gorgeous as well and you can ask for water-based sealants to keep them that way.

Formaldehyde has found its way into many of the building materials that are common in new builds and furniture.  MDF, plywood, particle board and drywall, sealants and glues all have it.  I heard a recent CBC radio report that there is even formaldehyde in consumer branded baby shampoo.   Some formaldehyde is naturally occurring, but a lot of is actually added to these products.  It reminds me of hormones in meat…I’m fine with hormones that are naturally occurring, but keep the added stuff away, please.  I eat less meat these days, but I buy the good stuff and as demand for the good stuff increases, prices will come down.   These days building materials can all be bought in versions without the added formaldehyde (it’s called “NAUF” – no added urea formaldehyde).   Just like the health benefits of non-GMO beef are worth the added price, for me, the health benefits of NAUF products rate high on my list.

Cabinets made from FSC wood, with no added urea formaldehyde interior MDF.

I didn’t know about these things before I moved to Canada last year.  I had renovated before using conventional building materials and furnishings.  It wasn’t always so easy, but these days there are ‘green’ products everywhere because most commercial construction buildings adhere to LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) standards.  You may work in a LEED office building and not even know it – but the materials and energy efficiency in your office mean the air quality is better at work than in your house.  Thanks to the LEED standards, the construction industry has come up with new materials to meet the standards.  LEED isn’t perfect – but it has created demand for (and lowered prices of) sustainable and healthy building materials.  This means they are also becoming more available (and affordable) for consumers.  Many of us just don’t know we should ask for them.

So how did ‘doing a green renovation’ make my reno easier?  It gave me a common denominator.  Something upon which I could base all of my decisions.  Rather than “this year’s colour” or “what’s in fashion”, I based my decisions on “what’s the healthiest and best option for my family”.  When deciding which architect and contractor to use – I went for ones that had truly green credentials.  Turns out they were also incredibly honest and conscientious people to work with.

Close up of PaperStone countertop

When choosing appliances, I only chose Energy Star rated appliances.  I thought all appliances were Energy Star, but they aren’t.    That helped narrow the choice, and then the rest was up to size and shape and cost.  When deciding which countertops to use, I experimented with one of the newer materials: Paperstone.  It’s made entirely of recycled paper.  Mine’s jet black and cut into a tear-drop shape to fit my breakfast nook perfectly.  It’s stunning and I don’t have to worry about whether or not it might be leaking radon like my old granite countertop did.

Stainless steel countertop in kitchen, cork tile backsplash

And yes, I do feel good about my reno.  The builder minimized the waste created rather than just ‘tearing it all out’ and responsibly managed what could be re-used or re-cycled.  My old cabinets went to ReStore instead of landfill.  The crew came to work on public trans or bikes and brought their coffee in re-useable containers.  Did I do a green reno to help the planet?  Nope.  I was entirely selfish about doing it for my family.  It turned out it that making every decision based on sustainability was actually easier (less is more) and I am happy I did my part for my kids’ future on this planet.

A green reno can be easier.

Bettina Hoar has become so passionate about sustainable design that she has partnered up with Amanda Levey to create Toronto-based studio called Sage, specializing in helping others integrate sustainable design, architecture and living into their homes and offices (www.sageideastudio.com).

Ecobee programmable thermostat

The Ecobee is a very cool device I discovered at The 2012 GreenLiving Show that can help any homeowner save money on heating and cooling their home. It’s a programmable thermostat that’s actually easy to use and program. Not only that, but because it has a wireless connection, you can control it from your computer or smart phone. What this means is that if you’re going to be away for a significant amount of time, you can work with your settings while you’re not there — no more cooling the house when you’re not there. Best of all, shutting down electric devices is usually the last thing on my to do list when preparing for a trip away — now you can do it once you’re on the road.

You can order this unit directly off the website, but Stuart Lombard, one of the founders and CEO of Ecobee, told me that it’s best if you order through your heating and cooling provider because they will install it for you too. Once it’s set up, you can control your furnace and central air conditioner either from the home console or any of your computers. There are two versions for homeowners, a simpler one with a colour touch screen that sells for around $180, and the newer model with a larger colour touch screen and more features such as controlling your central humidifier for $330.

One of the other benefits of the Ecobee is that it generates monthly reports so you can see how you’re doing regarding your consumption patterns and make adjustments to lower your energy use.

For more information about the Ecobee, visit their website.

For years, I gave myself “green marks” for buying tableware, décor and furniture at garage sales. But by shifting to online classified sites, I think I’ve taken a step to becoming even greener. Don’t get me wrong – buying second-hand stuff at yard sales is one the easiest, most economical ways to reduce your carbon footprint. I’m just not crazy about rising at 6 a.m. on a weekend to drive across town, only to return home without that special item I was searching for.

Kijiji Finds

I’ve tried several online selling sites, but have settled on Kijiji as a mainstay. It let me shop locally, and both “watch” an item of interest or be alerted when an item that matches my search term comes online. New categories, such as outdoor items, appliances and reno materials as distinct categories, makes searching faster and easier. Recently, I’ve had great success making home décor gems out of gently-used items easily found on Kijiji www.kijiji.ca. Take a look.

 

 

An old plate becomes a distinctive time piece

Individual plates can make interesting wall clocks.  Clock hands come in cute shapes, such as knives and forks, hammers and screwdrivers or fishing rods, so you can make a clock suited to an individual room or as a gift for a friend with a related hobby. Clocks hands and movements are available for less than $10 from Lee Valley www.leevalley.com , which also carries adhesive-backed numbers and dots.

 

Simply slowly and carefully drill a small hole in the centre of the plate. Place a piece of tape over the drill spot to keep it from cracking and add a few drops of water as you go along to keep the drill bit cool and lubricated (mineral oil works for that, too.) Okay, I admit it, I got the Man of the House (MOTH) to do this part!

 

Even a fabric remnant can create a one-of-a-kind vase

Used fabric can be put to good use. So don’t discount, then, that linen tablecloth just because it has a tear (although do factor that into what you’ll offer for it.) Imagine instead, as did I, making the still-good stuff into pillow shams, napkins, or tea and guest towels.

 

 

 

 

 

 

A bit of paint and some good tape - try ScotchBlue - and you have a one-of-a-kind pillow to match your other decor pieces

 

My secret weapon for crafting and painting!

Plain pillow shams can be dressed up with fabric paint. I tried two methods. One was to simply tape straight lines with Scotch Blue tape www.scotchblue.com (my fave painter’s tape!) along a pillow and paint it out in cheery colours from Martha Stewart’s line of multi-surface satin acrylic paint (available at www.michaels.com). For another pillow, I made my own stencil by hanging a length of tape from a doorway and, using hole-punchers with two different sizes of holes, randomly punching a pattern. Fabric remnants can also turn an ho-hum glass vase into a stunning piece.

 

 

 

A little imagination - and a lick of paint - goes a long way. Good tape is critical for getting sharp lines so stick with a good name brand like ScotchBlue.

I couldn’t believe my luck when I found two cute little semi-circular occasional tables for $20. Perfect, I thought for my living room, especially after I painted them in an earthy Jute (Pittsburgh Paints), adding a thin strip of Charlotte’s Locks from Farrow and Ball. Now that they’re done, though, I’ve decided to cover them in exterior-grade varnish and use them on the back porch — a perfect perch for an after-work glass of wine with MOTH. What could be more stylish — and sustainable?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Vicky Sanderson

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 Sanderson is an expert on all things home related. She shares this expertise in Hot Home Products, a widely-read weekly column that appears every Saturday in The Toronto Star and CasaGuru http://www.casaguru.com/web/vicky-sanderson . Follow her @vickysanderson

 

I’ve written a lot about energy efficiency and how to achieve it in a logical way. Now Scotiabank, in conjunction with the Sustainable Housing Foundation, has launched an Energy Calculator that tells you which energy efficiency upgrades you can make that will give you the fastest and biggest payoff. I’ve already used it, and according to the calculator, the three best improvements I can make are switching out most of the rest of my lightbulbs from incandescents to LEDs or CFLs, installing a programmable thermostat, and upgrading our furnace.  Try it out for yourself and see what you think.

After you’ve checked out the energy calculator, check out the rest of the Ecoliving website. It’s full of great suggestions and ideas for lightening your environmental footprint.

Team 7 Lux Coffee Table and consoles

 James Flynn of Elevenfiftyfour, a contemporary furniture shop in Ottawa, sent me some information on a line of furniture he carries called Team7.

Team7 is based in Austria and makes beautiful, contemporary furniture. While it is a well-known brand in Europe, it definitely flies under the radar here in Canada, and that’s a shame because not only is it classic contemporary in style, the company prides itself on their ever increasingly sustainable production.

The furniture is hand-crafted by local woodworkers, wood pieces are joined together by hand and are only polished with natural oils such as linseed and safflower, and buffed with natural waxes.

Riletto Bed

All wood used for the furniture comes from well-managed European forests and are grown without the use of chemical pesticides or fertilizers. Team7 mills the logs in its own factories, minimizing waste in the process while the leftover sawdust and wood chips are used to power the furnace to heat their plants. Each year they produce a sustainability report to evaluate how they are doing compared to the previous year. They also set goals to determine what area of resource use they need to focus on to further reduce their impact on the planet.

Team 7 Atelier Desk

James also mentioned that he is working with Blu Homes, a modern pre-fab, totally green home builder, to outfit the model homes being constructed in Calgary, followed by Toronto, then Vancouver.

While there are other distributors of Team7 furniture in Canada, to the best of James’ knowledge, Elevenfiftyfour is the only Canadian showroom.

You can visit elevenfiftyfour at 1154 Bank Street, Ottawa, ON, or check out their website.

Today’s post is a guest post from Debra Duneier, LEED AP. 

 If you have not celebrated earth day in the past, this April 22^nd would be a great time to start. You may feel a little awkward at first because you just may not know what to do. Do you invite people over for a party? Does one put candles on a cake? What kind of toast would be appropriate? Can you send a card? Is buying flowers or chocolates the right touch?

The first Earth Day was in 1970 and since then it has grown to a worldwide environmental event. On this day, we celebrate our planet and its gifts of biodiversity.  It is the time of year to reinstate our commitment to protect plants, animals, soil, seas and fresh drinking water. It is also the birthday of the US Environmental Protection Agency which was created to protect our air, water and land from pollution. Senator Gaylord Nelson founded Earth Day to bring environmental concerns to the attention of the national agenda. If you ever question what one person can accomplish remember that one by one, 20 million protestors around the country came out in support of Earth Day and a cleaner and safer environment…they were heard.

Pitch in and make a big difference by making small changes in your daily life. Here are some EcoChi Green Tips to get you started:

1.  Reduce your “product carbon footprint” by purchasing locally grown produce whenever possible.
2. Bring reusable shopping bags with you to the supermarket, rather than having your groceries packed in plastic bags (plastics take 500 years to decompose).
3. Keep landfills at reasonable levels by recycling your garbage as much as possible. Paper, plastics, metals and even electronic equipment can be conveniently recycled in most towns.
4. Set your thermostat 2 degrees higher in the summer and 2 degrees lower in the winter to cut back on energy use.
5. Do not run the water while you brush your teeth. Turn the faucet on only when needed. Help save our most precious resource, fresh drinking water.

If you decide to throw a party on April 22^nd:

• Send electronic invites
• Use bees wax candles on the cake instead of candles made with petro fuels
• Recycle your wine bottles
• Send an E-card or one made of recycled paper
• Do decorate with fresh flowers and serve chocolate which always tastes great!

Still unsure what to do on April 22^nd? Get over any awkwardness that accompanies a new experience and instead create traditions for the future. After all, cleaning up our planet means we may be able to leave our Earth a better place for future generations and that’s worth celebrating!

  Debra Duneier is the Founder and President of EcoChi, LLC, a Feng Shui Master Practitioner, an accredited LEED^®Green Associate and Certified Eco-Designer. Debra is the creator of the EcoChi^®system of design and the author of EcoChi: Designing the Human Experience, released September, 17th 2011. Her training, background and perspective have made her a resource on topics including: Feng Shui, Green Design and Sustainability and Wellness, for media outlets including Martha Stewart Radio, Brokers Weekly, Social Life Magazine, Barons.com, CNBC, MSNBC, NBC, Sierra Club, The Huffington Post and the Associated Press. In addition to her EcoChi consulting business, Debra is a keynote speaker and also runs workshops and seminars for a variety of corporations and trade organizations. Author of EcoChi: Designing the Human Experience. www.ecochi.com

She finds grounding in nature, friends and family in her North Fork, Long Island home in New York.

]]> http://becgreen.ca/2012/04/20/celebrate-earth-day/feed/ 1 http://becgreen.ca/2012/04/17/nexterra-livinghome-revisited/ http://becgreen.ca/2012/04/17/nexterra-livinghome-revisited/#comments Tue, 17 Apr 2012 20:27:46 +0000 Cathy Rust http://becgreen.ca/?p=2678

Nexterra LivingHome -- Kitchen

Two years ago I attended the press party for Nexterra LivingHomes. I was pretty excited about the concept of a green prefab home that achieved the goals of being lighter on the planet, but was still functional and gorgeous. The house is now ready and, since I was in Toronto to attend the GreenLiving Show,  Gary Lands of Nexterra, took me on a tour of the nearly completed and furnished model home. There are three other homes that will be built at 20 Senlac, blue prints and property positions are available on the Nexterra website.

Exterior Rainscreen cladding be Externit

Side view of house -- double garage under scaffolding

The Nexterra LivingHome consists of 6 prefab boxes: four large boxes and two smaller ones.  The finished home is a spacious three plus one bedroom, meaning three bedrooms on the second floor with a fourth in the basement. Ceilings are 10′ tall on each level so there is a real feeling of space — even the basement ceilings are 10′. The home has wonderful flow, with windows used both strategically and liberally so that there is plenty of natural light.

Laura Felstiner, involved with establishing Nexterra’s partners, told me they are targeting LEED Platinum certification, but won’t know until the house is completed and running, in order to monitor energy consumption.

Some of the features of the home:

Geosmart furnace

Waterfurnace HRV

Third floor tower leading to roof deck (also works as a heat stack)

Building envelope and HVAC system: The building is tightly sealed, with R35 insulation in the exposed walls, and R30 insulation in the basement walls.Insulation is Heatlok Soya, a sprayfoam insulation made from recycled water bottles and soy. It’s an excellent insulation with an R-value of 6 per inch. The key to Heatlok is that it doesn’t lose its R-value over time. Many sprayfoams lose a little of their insulation value due to natural shrinkage of the material.

There is easy accessibility to the roof via the third floor stairway, which also acts as a heat stack. When days are hot in the summer and (hopefully) nights are cooler, opening the door to the roof, while opening lower floor windows prompts cool air to be drawn into the lower floors while the hot air escapes through the open top floor door. There is also space for a whole house fan in the roof which would accomplish the same thing if the lower level windows are open. The roof is also solar PV panel ready, and there will be a roof deck as well.

Geothermal heating system by Geosmart provides both heating and cooling for the home. In addition, because the building is tightly sealed, there is a Heat Recovery Ventilator and air purification system by Water Furnace, that keeps the air clean and circulating through the house.

Windows have fiberglass frames, made by local Toronto business, Inline Fiberglass, and are double-glazed, low-emissivity, filled with argon gas. These windows are some of the best insulating windows on the market today. You can read more about the advantages of fiberglass windows in this article.

Appliance Bank: AEG microwave, oven and steamer oven

Franke Sink with culinary work prep sink and built-in compost bin

Recycling bins built into kitchen cabinets -- by Scavolini

Kitchen: The cabinets were done by Scavolini, an Italian company that takes sustainability very seriously. Not only are the cabinets NAUF (no added urea formaldehyde), but there are thoughtful additions such as a recycling centre built into the island. The company itself also practices sustainability during the manufacturing process. The two manufacturing plants run almost entirely on electricity derived from the rooftop solar panels on their factories, waste is minimized as is the amount of water used in manufacturing. While the cupboards are manufactured in Europe, they are shipped by boat and flat-packed, and are assembled on site. Flat packing items allows companies the opportunity to ship more items in one container, lessening the number of cargo holders needed.

Countertop by Caesarstone, Faucet by Franke

Countertop: Caesarstone “Quartz Reflections” with up to 42% reclaimed quartz and with particles of recycled mirror and glass which adds a very nice sparkle.

Euro-Line Appliances provided all the appliances and the stainless steel sink. The sink is by Franke and includes a prep bowl and strainer, as well as a built-in compost bin. Appliances are by AEG and include an induction cooktop, and a wall of ovens consisting of a microwave, convection oven and steamer oven. The dishwasher is also AEG. European appliances use significantly less electricity than standard North American models and will lighten the electricity load for the house, Faucet is by Franke.

Barnboard in mudroom

Mudroom: Between the garage and the kitchen is a mudroom to which barnboard has been added for a great rustic touch. Barnboard comes from Muskoka Timber Mills, and was installed by Andrew Reesor, a local artist.

Dual flush Aquia II by Toto

Powder room: Just off the mudroom is a smart little powder room containing a dual flush (3/6 litres) toilet by Toto Aquia II, and a vanity and sink by WETSTYLE, featuring a proprietary WETMAR material for the sink basin.  It is completely recyclable at end of life and can be made into new WETSTYLE products.

Inlaid cork flooring by Jelinek at entry way.

Other features of the main floor: The welcome mat at the front door is actually an inlaid cork flooring provided by Jelinek. Wood flooring through the rest of the house is Kentwood, FSC engineered oak. Engineered flooring is often used because it behaves more consistently than solid wood, not being susceptible to expansion and contraction.

Halo LED lighting in basement

LED pot lights throughout the house are 4″ Halo, 5Watt lights. When Gary was showing me around the house he asked me what was my favourite feature. I told him the LED potlights (he might have been a little disappointed with my answer). I thought they were 50W halogens because of their light temperature (colour) and brightness. I had no idea they were LEDs. Not only will these lights use 10 times less electricity than their halogen counterparts, they will likely not need to be replaced for 15 to 20 years. Now that’s great lighting.

The pendant lighting in the kitchen and over the dining room table is provided by Eurolite.

Living Room -- furniture by Gus* modern, art by AGO

Furniture in living room is provided by Gus* Modern. Pillows are provided by Bev Hisey and are Goodweave certified. Goodweave is a not-for-profit group with the aim of ending child labour in the carpet industry while providing education opportunities for children in South Asia. Second life rugs were provided by Elte.

Cast-iron fireplace by Jotul

The fireplace is provided by Jotul, model GF 370 DV. Jotul manufactures this fireplace from recycled iron in one of the cleanest foundries in Europe.

Home office

The desk in the home office was constructed by JM & Sons out of recycled metal and reclaimed wood. Gary explained that the home’s interior is set up so that if someone has a home office, any clients they might receive can stay in the main part of the house. This eastern-facing wall has large windows so that lots of natural daylight can stream in.

All art throughout the house is provided by the Art Gallery of Ontario’s  Rental and Sales department.

Master bathroom, bath tub, sinks and vanities by Wetstyle

The second floor consists of a Master-ensuite with floor to ceiling closets on the end walls providing lots of storage space. The washroom has been outfitted with Wetstyle tub and sinks and vanity. Other storage cupboards also come from Wetstyle.

Faucets and showerheads throughout the house are low-flow from Aquabrass. I should also mention that while all toilets and faucets are low-flow, they’ve also built the house to be grey-water ready. Grey water, water that comes from the shower drains, can be used to feed all toilets in the house, literally helping to reduce your water use in half.

Bunkbed in bedroom #2 by Kolan

Bedroom #3, crib by Oeuf

The two other rooms on the second floor are set up as kids’ rooms, one with a crib, the other a set of bunk beds. These rooms are bright and spacious and putting furniture in the rooms shows that they are big too — there is plenty of play area in both rooms. The kids’ bunk beds  and bookshelf are made by Oeuf out of Baltic birch and eco-MDF and low VOC water-based finishes. The table in this room was made by Heidi Earnshaw, a local artist.

The crib and dresser are made by Kalon from FSC domestic maple and low VOC food grade dyes and stains.

The paint throughout the house is white, zero VOC provided by PARA paints.

What you notice when you walk through this house is not only is it a great example of a green-designed beautiful contemporary house, but also there is an absense of “new home smell” — ie., no smell of chemicals off-gassing into the air. Neither the products that were used to construct the house nor the furniture installed for modelling the home contain toxic chemicals providing a comfortable healthy indoor air environment.

If you’re at all interested in modern, low impact homes, take a look at this one. It will be available for sale at some point, right now it serves as the model home for three others to be built down the same laneway.

For more information on the home, visit the Nexterra website.

For more pictures of the home, visit BEC Green’s Facebook page.

A nifty product that helps keep your faucets clean while saving water at the same time, the Tapmaster line of products lets you turn water on and off using your knees or foot, leaving your hands free to do other things. Tapmaster is in Calgary, and developed its product initially for the dental industry, but the products found their place in other areas, and is particularly popular with gardeners. This is also a great gadget for cooks because it gives you that third hand you’re always looking for, when you need to turn on the faucet but your hands are either full or dirty. You don’t need to touch the faucet to turn it on — simply move the lever using your foot. The water stops when you pull your foot away. It helps keep faucet tap handles clean while washing your hands.

It’s apparently easy to install and has no need for batteries or electricity. The Tapmaster people told me that this is a DIY project (as long as you own a drill and screwdriver).  There are a variety of models available, each on suitable for different settings and uses.

Euro Foot Activator

The Euro Foot Activators are simple levers that are installed at the bottom of cabinets. Model 1770 operates solely when your foot touches the lever. The water stops only when you take your foot away. Water temperature is controlled using the faucet handle. (CDN $325)

Model 1775 has a continuous flow option where, if the lever is kicked all the way to a 90 degree angle, the water will stay on (CDN $345).

Temperature is controlled by the faucet.

Tapmaster Kickplate model

Kickplate models: Available in brushed stainless, black or white, one touch to turn on, and another to turn off. There are three models available:

1750: Two options for use: touching the vertical space will keep the water flowing until you release it. Pressing down on the top part will lock water flow in place. A light touch to the vertical part will unlock it and stop the water flow. This is a great product for the kitchen. ($345).

1751: A combination kickplate and cabinet door activated control. Either press the cabinet door to operate the tap, or touch the kickplate. (CDN $447).

1756: Allows complete control over water temperature from the kickplate itself. There are hot, warm and cold settings available. It is available in black, white or silver (CDN$550).

Cabinet door activator (hidden)

Cabinet door activator: Model 1720, installed inside a cabinet door, this model is ideal for bathrooms where only short bursts of water are needed for brushing teeth, washing hands or face. Once installed, it is activated when the cabinet door is pushed. Because it needs very little pressure to activate it, it is hardly noticeable when the doors are shut. It is also the most economical, at CDN$302. Note that this model is not suitable for bathrooms with pedestal sinks.

Infloor activator

In floor activator: 1780 is installed directly into the floor. The water is turned on and off with a quick tap to the floor plate (CDN $370). A new model, 1786 also allows for temperature control. This model would work well with pedestal sinks. I wondered whether it would be a suitable product with cats and dogs in the home, however, Lynne Pubbin, Operations Manager at Tapmaster explained:

We have built this product specifically so that cats and dogs cannot possibly turn these on.  We have actually tested this with large dogs (0ver 90 lbs) and had them walking on them and they cannot turn them on as it requires a specific force to activate the water.  It may not seem like much to most adults or children, but there is an actual purposeful force which needs to be applied.

Installation seems straightforward: For the kickplate and Euro models, drill a hole in the kickplate of the cupboard and the floor of the cupboard close to the faucet’s plumbing and feed the Tapmaster lines through it. Connect it to the water feeds to the sink faucet and that’s it. See the full video here for more information on installation. Note that there is no need for electricity for any of the units a  they work via pressure.

For more information on each of these models, as well as installation information and exactly how it works, please visit the Tapmaster website.

To purchase the Tapmaster, order online through the website or call 1-800-791-8117.