Go GREEN!

UFFI (Urea Formaldehyde) Alert

February 2009: Health Canada Advises Consumers That RetroFoam Insulation Was Illegally Sold in Canada. In the past 18 months, approximately 700 homes in Ontario have been insulated by RetroFoam Canada with a banned formaldehyde-based product.

Health Canada is informing consumers that RetroFoam of Canada Incorporated imported and illegally sold RetroFoam insulation in Canada. RetroFoam is a urea formaldehyde-based thermal insulation (UFFI). This type of insulation was prohibited in Canada in December 1980 under the Hazardous Products Act. Health Canada was recently advised that RetroFoam has been installed in a limited number of homes in Ontario.

For more information please see Health Canada's advisory on RetroFoam Insulation for information for homeowners — including a number to call to arrange for Government support for an air quality test.

The Great Refrigerator Roundup

Toronto Hydro's Great Refrigerator Roundup program will send over a couple of strong fellows to haul that old fridge or freezer out of your basement and take it away for FREE. And then dispose of it in an environmentally responsible manner, recycling and reclaiming as much of it as possible. Did you know those old appliances could be costing you up to $150 a year in electricity? Book an appointment today.

Our Power
a community-led SOLAR POWER initiative

Our Power

--> Solar power --> Solar Hot Water systems

is a voluntary organization, partnered with the Toronto Renewable Energy Co-op (TREC), whose mission is to promote and facilitate community-based sustainable energy projects.

Our Power provides resources, support and information to community groups based on the growing body of experience and expertise developed through the range of community solar initiatives undertaken by affiliated groups. Groups active in Our Power have been responsible for the installation of 71 PV systems of 112 KW of installed capacity and 76 Solar Hot Water systems in Toronto in the last two years.

Downtown West Solar Energy Project (DWSEP)
Riverdale Initiative for Solar Energy (RISE)
West Toronto Initiative for Solar Energy (WISE)
Guelph Solar Project (GRASP)
Valley Initiative for Solar Energy (VISE).

New energy initiatives for homeowners

Grants are available for homeowners going green. Both the provincial and federal governments have programs designed to encourage energy reduction. By staying up-to-date on the latest programs, you can offer clients valuable information that could save them money.

Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) is offering a new residential energy efficiency assessment service to owners of single family homes, including detached, semi-detached and low-rise multi-unit residential buildings (MURBs) that are no more than three storeys high. Under the ecoENERGY Retrofit program, property owners can qualify for federal grants by improving the energy efficiency of their homes and reducing their home�s impact on the environment.

How it works

NRCan-certified energy advisors conduct a detailed on-site assessment of the home�s energy use from the attic down to the basement. They provide a personalized report, including a checklist of recommended retrofits to improve the energy efficiency of your home and, in some cases, to reduce water consumption. The report also shows the grant amounts for each eligible upgrade that you can receive by carrying out these energy-saving improvements. The maximum grant you can receive for a home is $5,000.

For instance, if you replace an old natural gas furnace with the most efficient unit available (92% AFUE or annual fuel utilization efficiency gas furnace with DC variable speed motor) you could qualify for $1,350 in rebates: $500 (Federal) plus $500 (Provincial) plus $100 from Enbridge plus $250 from the Ontario Power Authority (Cool Savings Rebate). According to the Ontario Ministry of Energy, replacing an old system (63% AFUE) with a new high efficiency condensing furnace (93% AFUE) in an average 1,200 square foot, detached house will result in savings of approximately $450 per year.

Because of its high-tech design, a high-efficiency natural gas furnace squeezes the most heat out of every heating dollar. For every dollar you spend on energy, it produces 88 to 97 cents worth of heat. It could save up to 24% in energy and related energy costs and will also help insulate homeowners from increasing energy prices. The high efficiency furnace and many of the other retrofits eligible for rebates come with a higher price tag, but environmentally conscious homeowners believe the energy cost savings � and reduced greenhouse gas emissions � are well worth it. Also, from a resale perspective, many potential homebuyers will view �greener� appliances as a desirable feature.

For more information on the ecoEnergy Retrofit Rebate program visit the following sites:

• Natural Resources Canada (Federal) Web site (under residential housing, home improvements) at: www.oee.nrcan.gc.ca/residential/personal.

• Ontario Ministry of Energy Web site at: www.energy.gov.on.ca and click on the Rebate update.

• For information on qualifying toilets from the federal and provincial perspective, go to www.veritec.ca under Reports, 11th Edition (test results start on page 16).

• For information on residential rebates from the Ontario Power Authority - Cool Savings Rebate Program, go to: www.everykilowattcounts.ca.

• For information on Energy Star appliances go to: www.energystar.gc.ca.

• For information on Enbridge rebates, check under Residential, Rebates Incentives and Energy tips at: https://portal-plumprod.cgc.enbridge.com.