My wife and I live in Cobourg Ontario. It has been our dream for some time to live in a net-zero house, a house which produces as much energy as it uses for everyday activities. By net-zero I mean producing as much power annually as consumed annually, though not at the same time. We are getting closer to this goal. This article is a bit of an account of what we have been doing, remembering this is a house with 2 adults in the household.
My wife and I built a new house a bit over 5 years ago (around 2,000 s.f.). When we built it, we tried to make the house energy efficiency. Here is what we did:
Structural insulating panel (SIP) walls (R-32)
Rigid Styrofoam (blue board) insulation under the slab on grade floor (R-20)
High quality windows (triple glazed with krypton gas)
Lots of blown cellulose insulation in the attic (R-50)
Good quality heat recovery ventilation (HRV) system
Faced most windows south for passive solar heat gain
Sealed the house fairly tightly (1.6 air changes per hour)
Insulated all the water and heating pipes
Insulated exterior doors, including double glazing and argon gas
Go Green Together in partnership with Lakefront Utilities is offering the Niagara Flapperless Toilet - guaranteed to save you water and money at the same time!
These toilets are offered at a special introductory price, with an additional discount for Lakefront Utilities customers.
[Cobourg, ON - 24 April, 2010] In celebration of Earth Week, Go Green Together is pleased to announce the winners of two contests promoting measures individuals can take to conserve energy—giving your home an Energy Audit, and using clotheslines to dry your wash.
“The first step to save energy around your home is to have a home energy audit to identify the most cost effective measures” said Neil Hamilton, Go Green Together’s residential and commercial Energy Auditor. “There are rebates up to $5000.00 from the Ontario government which result from an energy audit and $150 rebate for having the audit done”, he continued.
Winners of Go Green Together's Home Energy Audit Contest each received $200.00 from Go Green Together to offset the cost of their home energy audit. Each contestant was required to have an energy audit and attend a workshop at the Go Green Together Centre. The four winners are (left to right):
Ian and Jude Haas Deana Piotrowski Barbara and Andrew Buntin Jennifer Powels
The Clothesline Photo Contest was held to promote clotheslines and publicize the recent changes in legislation that make clotheslines legal throughout Ontario.
You can save approximately $100.00 per year by using a clothesline or indoor rack to dry your clothes. Tip - to keep them from getting stiff put vinegar in the rinse instead of fabric softener.
Executive Director Judy Smith Torrie (shown here with Bea Rauch and Anneli Tolvanen) said that “Many in Northumberland County hang their clothes to dry. We held this contest to reward their efforts.” The winners were awarded with spring bulbs to plant in their gardens and the grand winner received a unique prize of a framed colour print of a clotheline donated by local artist, Eric Winter.
The Five Clothesline contest winners are:
Bea Rauch, Best Photograph
Anneli Tolvanen, Most Artistic
Elma Parker, Best Rotary Clothesline
Cathie Fleming, Best Extended Clothesline
Grace Barker, Most Committed Clothesline
Grace Barker was the winner of the Eric Winter print.
The Bike for the Planet event was a great success with more than 80 riders participating in the 2 hour event.
We all assembled at the Lions' Pavillion in Victoria Park at around 9:30am where we heard our MPP, Lou Rinaldi, and the Director of Go Green Cobourg, speak to the desirability of improving the safety and conveninece of bicycling in Cobourg and Northumberland County, and the benefits to personal health and the environment that will result as more people are encouraged to use their bicycles regularly.
At 7am on September 21st, area residents and visitors gathered at Cobourg Beach by Victoria Park in Cobourg for a fun, peaceful, Wake Up to Climate Change event. People held their phones in the air and came together to take a photograph before joining other groups around the globe in sending a flood of phone calls to world leaders urging climate action.
A message from Judy Smith Torrie, Executive Director
We are here to help you save money, energy and conserve our precious resources at home, on the job, in your business or in your school. Our goal is to advance Northumberland the most environmentally progressive county in Ontario.
If you are doing a renovation, we will show you how to get rebates on your expenditures. If you want to save money at your business, plant, home or building we can help you find our what you could do and what the payback will be from saving electricity, natural gas and water and making your building more comfortable and less drafty through insulating, caulking, green roofs and renewable energy technologies.
We are committed to a walkable, bike and transit friendly community and we will work through our projects to make it happen. At the same time, we will raise awareness of the benefits of green community infrastructure such as bicycle paths and bike lanes to make it safer for you to travel without using your car.
The Go Green Centre will promote resource conservation by various programs to reduce waste and encourage reuse, re-purposing of existing materials and recycling.
Life is good! Let us help you make it more environmentally friendly now and more sustainable for future generations who will live in this wonderful town.
Best wishes,
Judy
Please browse this website for information on The Go Green Together Centre, which will be opening soon in the Lakefront Utilities building in Cobourg. The Go Green Together Centre will provide a one-stop resource for local residents, homeowners, and businesses desiring to reduce their energy consumption to save money and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
The Go Green Centre receives support from the Ontario Ministry of the Environment and Lakefront Utility Services of Cobourg.
In addition to the storefront resource centre, Go Green Together is planning several initiatives to engage the community and promote strategies to help Cobourg meet its emissions reduction targets as set out in the town's Climate Action Plan. We will be offering consulting services to individuals and businesses, sponsoring events and contests, and generally making ourselves available to anyone who has questions or is looking for more information.
The Go Green Together website will be updated regularly so come back often for the latest developments and news of upcoming events.
Qualify for up to $5000 in provincial rebates! (click here)
I mean producing as much power annually as consumed annually, though not at the same time. We are getting closer to this goal. This article is a bit of an account of what we have been doing, remembering this is a house with 2 adults in the household.
Winners of Go Green Together's Home Energy Audit Contest each received $200.00 from Go Green Together to offset the cost of their home energy audit. Each contestant was required to have an energy audit and attend a workshop at the Go Green Together Centre. The four winners are (left to right):
Executive Director Judy Smith Torrie (shown here with Bea Rauch and Anneli Tolvanen) said that “Many in Northumberland County hang their clothes to dry. We held this contest to reward their efforts.” The winners were awarded with spring bulbs to plant in their gardens and the grand winner received a unique prize of a framed colour print of a clotheline donated by local artist, Eric Winter.
