
BEC Green Building Guides
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Get the Guides for Energy Efficiency
This is a series on how to measure, evaluate and reduce your electricity consumption at home.
I. Benchmarking your Electricity Use
II. A Do-It-Yourself-Electricity Audit
III. Observing Your Family's Behaviour
IV. Energy Efficiency at Home: Creating and Implementing an Action Plan
More Energy Efficiency Guides
Why Hire an Energy Auditor?
Using an Electricity Monitor to Evaluate your Electricity Use
Different Options for Water Heaters
Tankless Water Heater Systems
Lighting Guides
LED Lighting Illuminated
How to measure Lumens in Lighting
Shopping for LEDs
Before you design your new green home or renovation
Green Building Certifications Guide
Passive House in a Canadian Climate
How to talk to your contractor about using green building materials
How to tell if you are working with a green kitchen designer
focus on natural and task lighting, water and energy saving, work with environmentally preferable products, but reuse materials where possible.
A quick introduction to embodied energy
The Importance of bird-friendly home design
How to know if a product is truly green
An Introduction to Induction Cooktops
Purchasing New Appliances
Interior Finishing Guides
Linoleum Flooring Guide
Are stone countertops eco-friendly?
The Benefits of Wool Carpeting
focus on natural and task lighting, water and energy saving, work with environmentally preferable products, but reuse materials where possible.
How to find eco-friendly cabinetry & millwork
We spend 90 percent of our time indoors, so it’s important we consider what materials we are using inside. Chemical free materials are very important to protect our health, future immunity, enhance our quality of life and comfort.
Guides to Water Efficiency
The MAP rating system for toilets
How to shop for water efficient toilets
Water Efficiency Best Practices
Water efficiency can be tackled on many different fronts from installing low-flow fixtures to capturing rain water for use in the garden to reusing gray water in toilets. Here are some of our tips.
Exterior Guides
The Pros and Cons of Rainscreens
How to shop for windows
Energy Efficiency Landscaping
What to know about Solar PV panels
A Q&A with Aaron Goldwater from Goldwater Solar about what you need to know when thinking of adding solar to your home.
What to know about building a strawbale home
While most people are skeptical of homes built from straw, Mick Paterson from The Fourth Pig builders explains the practicalities of strawbale homes.
Permeable pavers and storm water management
Permeable pavers are specifically designed interlocking concrete blocks that are set farther apart than regular pavers so that water can drain between each block preventing run-off.
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