Environmental Trends in Housing with Energy Star Homes
My 10 year old son has recently fallen in love with Lord of the Rings Lego. There's something magical about building and creating that seems to capture the human imagination, and there's something precious about the
lifestyle of a hobbit that has drawn followers to Tolkien's stories from around the world. Maybe it's the middle earth landscape, or perhaps the simpler lifestyle. Whatever it is, my son is hooked, and honestly, I'm enjoying it too.
There is a Little Bit of Magic
As an Engineer, I spend much of my day job helping builders and developers to build better quality buildings and more efficient homes. They're not hobbit houses of course, but there is something inspiring and imaginative about the many different ways we can live and shelter ourselves.
I have the privilege of being involved with Ontario's Home Sweet Home Competition, where I get to see some of the latest trends in environmentally sensitive housing design. It's a joy to watch. Seeing the innovation brings a sense of excitement to the boy engineer in me.
Paint is Changing
The housing market is changing, and words like "energy" and "environment" are now part of the daily discourse. The Energy Star program helps us compare energy costs. Home builders now commonly use paints that have low or no VOC content (Volatile Organic Compounds), and all the big-box retailers sell these paints to the public too. This change has come about in just the last 10 years.
Insulation is Better
Insulation is continually becoming better performing and at a lower cost. Building codes are continually demanding more and more energy savings and use of products that are increasingly environmentally benign (eg: improved coolants in air conditioners). This all means that newer houses are getting warmer and more comfortable than ever before, and this is obviously a good thing.
Technology Improvements
And more and more houses have fancy boxes in them that hum along quietly saving energy for us, from Heat Recovery Ventilators (HRV's) to heat pumps to tankless or condensing water heaters, and more.
The Future Looks Bright for Energy Saving Homes
So where is all this headed in the next 10 years? And what might housing look like in the future? Well it won't be Hobbiton, but I like the trends I'm seeing.
Builders and Developers around Ontario are increasingly adapting to green building programs. Many municipalities are strongly encouraging that builders certify their homes as ENERGY STAR®, LEED®, or BUILT GREEN® buildings.
It's Easier than You Think
These programs are all fantastic, and the ideas behind them are rather simpler than they sometimes sound. The name of the label simply proves that the building is built better - more durable, more efficient, healthier for the occupants to live in... nothing magic, just better. And all for a reasonable cost (which is perhaps the real key). Expect to see more of this in the future, but not radically more. Green programs will continue to set apart the best builders, but most buyers still buy for location, so we won't likely see a sudden demand that every new house be labelled green.
Less Expensive Too
Saving energy in your home is continuously becoming less expensive. The trend will continue. Comparing energy costs will become more and more common. Expect to see more and more insulation, and more types of it - everything from recycled denim to fibreglass to spray foam. And for the real Hobbit lovers, the occasional straw bale house. As long as it works (and it all does), then the home owners will enjoy the benefits of lower energy costs. We'll see more solar panels too, but insulation is the quiet king.
Water Efficiency is Next
One significant trend that is quietly emerging is water efficiency. The Region of Waterloo and other municipalities along the Grand River are forever talking about how to ensure we have enough drinking water for our growing population. The most expensive proposal on the table is pipeline project that is projected to cost over $1 billion. Yet, the smartest idea on the table is to heavily promote water conservation.
This affects housing too. Look at this list:
My favourite trends are the ones that both new housing the renovation market have access too. For example, RenewABILITY is a local Kitchener based manufacturer that is the Canadian leader in Drain Water Heat Recovery. This technology can easily be added to any home and makes a real difference... and is dirt simple. No moving parts. No maintenance. It just works.
What Happens to the Energy in Your Shower?
Ever think about what happens to the energy in your shower? When you heat up the water just to pour it over yourself and down the drain? This maintenance-free product replaces part of the drain and takes some of the heat back from the water before it leaves your house. Every home should have check it out.
Most of the best ideas are like that: taking heat back before you lose it, or recycling. Remember the 3R's from grade school? Reduce - Reuse - Recycle: this increasingly applies to housing, energy, and water too.
We may not all enjoy dreaming about Hobbit houses, but we can all enjoy energy and water efficiency, and if today's trends are any indicator of the future, then we have a lot to look forward to.
My 10 year old son has recently fallen in love with Lord of the Rings Lego. There's something magical about building and creating that seems to capture the human imagination, and there's something precious about the
lifestyle of a hobbit that has drawn followers to Tolkien's stories from around the world. Maybe it's the middle earth landscape, or perhaps the simpler lifestyle. Whatever it is, my son is hooked, and honestly, I'm enjoying it too.
There is a Little Bit of Magic
As an Engineer, I spend much of my day job helping builders and developers to build better quality buildings and more efficient homes. They're not hobbit houses of course, but there is something inspiring and imaginative about the many different ways we can live and shelter ourselves.
I have the privilege of being involved with Ontario's Home Sweet Home Competition, where I get to see some of the latest trends in environmentally sensitive housing design. It's a joy to watch. Seeing the innovation brings a sense of excitement to the boy engineer in me.
Paint is Changing
The housing market is changing, and words like "energy" and "environment" are now part of the daily discourse. The Energy Star program helps us compare energy costs. Home builders now commonly use paints that have low or no VOC content (Volatile Organic Compounds), and all the big-box retailers sell these paints to the public too. This change has come about in just the last 10 years.
Insulation is Better
Insulation is continually becoming better performing and at a lower cost. Building codes are continually demanding more and more energy savings and use of products that are increasingly environmentally benign (eg: improved coolants in air conditioners). This all means that newer houses are getting warmer and more comfortable than ever before, and this is obviously a good thing.
Technology Improvements
And more and more houses have fancy boxes in them that hum along quietly saving energy for us, from Heat Recovery Ventilators (HRV's) to heat pumps to tankless or condensing water heaters, and more.
The Future Looks Bright for Energy Saving Homes
So where is all this headed in the next 10 years? And what might housing look like in the future? Well it won't be Hobbiton, but I like the trends I'm seeing.
Builders and Developers around Ontario are increasingly adapting to green building programs. Many municipalities are strongly encouraging that builders certify their homes as ENERGY STAR®, LEED®, or BUILT GREEN® buildings.
It's Easier than You Think
These programs are all fantastic, and the ideas behind them are rather simpler than they sometimes sound. The name of the label simply proves that the building is built better - more durable, more efficient, healthier for the occupants to live in... nothing magic, just better. And all for a reasonable cost (which is perhaps the real key). Expect to see more of this in the future, but not radically more. Green programs will continue to set apart the best builders, but most buyers still buy for location, so we won't likely see a sudden demand that every new house be labelled green.
Less Expensive Too
Saving energy in your home is continuously becoming less expensive. The trend will continue. Comparing energy costs will become more and more common. Expect to see more and more insulation, and more types of it - everything from recycled denim to fibreglass to spray foam. And for the real Hobbit lovers, the occasional straw bale house. As long as it works (and it all does), then the home owners will enjoy the benefits of lower energy costs. We'll see more solar panels too, but insulation is the quiet king.
Water Efficiency is Next
One significant trend that is quietly emerging is water efficiency. The Region of Waterloo and other municipalities along the Grand River are forever talking about how to ensure we have enough drinking water for our growing population. The most expensive proposal on the table is pipeline project that is projected to cost over $1 billion. Yet, the smartest idea on the table is to heavily promote water conservation.
This affects housing too. Look at this list:
- Efficient Toilets
- Efficient Showerheads
- Rainwater use
- Greywater use
- Even recycling rain or shower water to do things like flush toilets
My favourite trends are the ones that both new housing the renovation market have access too. For example, RenewABILITY is a local Kitchener based manufacturer that is the Canadian leader in Drain Water Heat Recovery. This technology can easily be added to any home and makes a real difference... and is dirt simple. No moving parts. No maintenance. It just works.
What Happens to the Energy in Your Shower?
Ever think about what happens to the energy in your shower? When you heat up the water just to pour it over yourself and down the drain? This maintenance-free product replaces part of the drain and takes some of the heat back from the water before it leaves your house. Every home should have check it out.
Most of the best ideas are like that: taking heat back before you lose it, or recycling. Remember the 3R's from grade school? Reduce - Reuse - Recycle: this increasingly applies to housing, energy, and water too.
We may not all enjoy dreaming about Hobbit houses, but we can all enjoy energy and water efficiency, and if today's trends are any indicator of the future, then we have a lot to look forward to.
Give us a call or contact us if we can help. Our contact info. is all online at http://www.mi-group.ca
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