Canadian ecoENERGY Retrofit Initiative AmeriSpec, LEED Certification, GREEN Realty, LiveSmartBC Grants, GREEN Homes, Evolution Fund, EcoDensity

Canadian Home Owners Get Paid to Go GREEN through the ecoENERGY Retrofit Initiative

(NC) Canadian homeowners will be big winners now that the Federal Government has officially launched its ecoENERGY Retrofit initiative, offering financial incentives to Canadians who improve their home’s energy efficiency. Natural Resources of Canada (NRCan) has licensed AmeriSpec Inspection Services, Canada’s leading home inspection company to perform residential energy evaluations that identify how homes use energy and where it is being wasted. AmeriSpec evaluators will show Canadian home owners how to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, reduce heating and cooling costs and improve comfort in their homes, while ensuring adequate ventiliation for a healthy indoor environment according to the ecoENERGY Retrofit initiative. To take advantage of the ecoENERGY Retrofit program, Canadian homeowners first must complete an assessment by a licensed energy evaluator who will determine the home’s current energy rating. The service for the ecoENERGY Retrofit Initiative in Canada real estate includes: a detailed energy evaluation of the home, a blower door test to find air leaks, a printed report that shows where energy dollars are being spend, recommendations on what homeowners in Canada can do to improve their home’s energy efficiency and an energy efficiency rating label that shows how efficient their home is compared to other homes in the region. Using the ecoENERGY Retrofit report’s recommendations, Canadian home owners have 18 months to complete upgrades. Grants of up to $5,000 are available based on individual retrofit initiatives under ecoENERGY Canada. The average grant is expected to be close to $1,100. Canadian homeowners can expect to receive their cheque within 90 days of the follow-up evaluation.

More about Canadian GREEN ecoENERGY LEED Certified Building

“Many provinces, such as Saskatchewan and Ontario, have recently announced that they will cover a portion of the evaluation cost and/or offer additional grant monies,” said Colin Smyth, a business leader for AmeriSpec of Canada. According to NRCan, once Canadian home owners complete their required energy evaluation for the ecoENERGY Retrofit initiatve, and make some or all of the recommended improvements, they can expect federal grants such as: Furnace upgrades up to $600, installation of heat recovery ventilator up to $300, upgrading central air conditioner to an Energy Star unit up to $200, retrofitting doors and/or windows to Energy Star up to $30 per unit. 17 per cent of all energy used in Canada real estate goes towards running our homes. As many as 140,000 homeowners are expected to benefit from this national and provincial ecoENERGY Retrofit Initiative. “By completing all of the Retrofits recommended by an AmeriSpec evaluator for the ecoENERGY Retrofit, Canadian homeowners should be in a position to decrease their average annual greenhouse gas emissions by about 4.5 tonnes per year, per house and they should also be able to reduce their energy bills by 38 per cent – a huge win for everyone,” Mr. Smyth added. You can book an appointment or get additional information regarding the Canadian ecoENERGY Retrofit Initiative and AmeriSpec by calling toll-free 1.866.284.6010 or online at www.amerispec.ca/ecoenergy.

Adera Developers is Verified Built Green: Building Healthier Homes For Families and the Community

Built GreenTM is moving the home building industry forward in producing quality homes and enhancing healthy living. These benefits of Built GreenTM extend beyond the walls of your new Adera home. Built GreenTM is helping to ensure that these benefits are available to all homebuyers who purchase a home that meets Built GreenTM standards. By choosing energy efficient BuiltGreen options, you’ll be making a choice to help protect our environment for the future as well as make a difference to your bank account today. ENERGY EFFICIENCY Built GreenTM Standard: As energy costs take a noticeable chunk out of homeowner budgets, using energy wisely is being widely promoted. We also need to be aware of the source of our electricity. Next to a mortgage, energy costs are the most significant household expenditure. Products like the hot water tank insulating blanket contribute to a more energy efficient home that offers lower energy costs. COMFORT Built GreenTM Standard: A less drafty home with improved ventilation increase the homeowners control of humidity and temperature. Appropriate design and orientation can take advantage of the sun’s warmth in the winter and reduce the sun’s impact in the summer. WATER EFICIENTY Built GreenTM Standard: Given past drought conditions experienced almost everywhere in Canada, water is becoming a previous resource. Installing water conserving fixtures such as low-flow toilets and energy Star dishwashers can significantly reduce the amount of water a household consumers. HEALTHIER INDOOR AIR QUALITY Built GreenTM Standard: Tightening a home to make it more energy efficient without adequately addressing the ventilation can create health problems. Built GreenTM encourages the use of combustion appliances that are sealed and interior building materials that reduce indoor air pollution. Low VOC wall paint also adds to the improvement of air-quality. DURABILITY AND LESS MAINTENANCE Built GreenTM Standard: Built GreenTM encourages the use of building materials that are more durable both inside and outside the home. This reduces maintenance and replacement costs. GLOBAL BENEFITS OF Built GreenTM: Building a Built GreenTM home results in some direct benefits to the home owners but there are also benefits to the community and the environment in general. For example, the use of local materials is encouraged, thereby reducing transportation costs and stimulating the local economy. Also, focusing on choosing materials and products made from recycled content reduces the need and energy to extract new materials. They are resource efficient and produce less waste than typical products and usually have long life-cycle requiring less maintenance. Built GreenTM homes just make sense. For the building industry to sustain itself, increasingly more efficient and creative ways to build homes without sacrificing the environment and quality of life must be achieved. Built GreenTM British Columbia.

Vancouver GREEN Home Checklist

A great editorial provided by www.greenhomeguide.org that encompasses what makes a Vancouver GREEN home development that includes location, size, building design, materials, insulation, energy efficiency, water efficiency, indoor environmental quality and landscaping. Whether you’re a Vancouver homebuyer or a renter looking for a Vancouver GREEN home, how do you know if a home is truly GREEN? What should you look for? This checklist for Vancouver GREEN home considerations will help you identify a truly green home and ensure you get a healthier high-performance green home that costs less to operate and has fewer environmental impacts:

1. LOCATION: New GREEN homes and neighbourhoods must not be built on environmentally sensitive sites like prime farmland, wetlands and endangered species habitats. The greenest real estate development sites are “in-fill” properties like former parking lots, rail yards, shopping malls and factories. Look for compact green development where the average housing density is at least six units per acre. Your Vancouver GREEN home should also be within easy walking distance of public transportation – bus lines, light rail, and subway systems – so you can leave your car at home. A Vancouver GREEN home should also be within walking distance of parks, schools, and stores. See how many errands you can carry out on a bike. That’s healthier for you, your wallet and the environment.

2. SIZE: No matter how many Vancouver GREEN building elements go into your home, a 5,000 square foot green home still consumes many more natural resources than a 2,000 square foot green home in Vancouver. The larger home will also require more heating, air conditioning and lighting. If you really want a sustainable GREEN home, choose a smaller size.

3. BUILDING DESIGN: The GREEN home should be oriented on site to bring abundant natural daylight into the interior to reduce lighting requirements and to take advantage of any prevailing breezes. Windows, clerestories, skylights, light monitors, light shelves and other strategies should be used to bring daylight into the interior of the green house. The exterior should have shading devises (sunshades, canopies, green screens and best of all trees), particularly on the southern and western faccades and over window sand doors, to block hot summer sun, [t4]Dual-glaze windows reduce heat gain in summer and heat loss during cold winter months in Vancouver GREEN homes. The roof should be a light-colored, heat reflecting Energy Star roof, or a green (landscaped) roof, to reduce heat absorption.

4. GREEN BUILDING MATERIALS: A Vancouver GREEN home will have been constructed or renovated with healthy, non-toxic building materials and furnishings, like low-and zero VOC (volatile organic compound) paints and sealants and non-toxic materials like strawboard for the sub-flooring. Wood-based features of GREEN Vancouver homes should come from rapidly renewable sources like bamboo, but if tropical hardwoods are used, they must be certified by the Forest Stewardship Council. A Vancouver GREEN home uses salvaged materials like kitchen tiles, and materials with significant recycled content.

5. INSULATION: A non-toxic insulation, derived from materials like soybean and cotton, with a high R (heat resistance) factor in a GREEN home’s walls and roof will help prevent cool air leakage in the summer and warm air leakage in the winter. Windows and Doors – Windows and exterior doors should have ENERGY STAR® ratings, and they should seal their openings tightly to avoid heat gain in summer and heat loss in winter.

6. ENERGY EFFICIENCY: A Vancouver GREEN home has energy efficient lighting, heating, cooling and water heating systems. Appliances should have ENERGY STAR® ratings. Renewable Energy – The Vancouver GREEN home should generate some of its own energy with technologies like photovoltaic systems.

7. WATER EFFICIENCY: A Vancouver GREEN home has a water conserving irrigation system and water efficient kitchen and bathroom fixtures. Look for a rainwater collection and storage system, particularly in drier regions where water is increasingly scarce and expensive.

8. INDOOR ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY: Natural daylight should reach at least 75% of the GREEN home’s interior. Natural ventilation (via building orientation, operable windows, fans, wind chimneys and other strategies) should bring plentiful fresh air inside the green house. The HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) system should filter all incoming air and vent stale air outside. The garage of a Vancouver GREEN home should not have any air handling equipment or return ducts, and it should have an exhaust fan.

9. LANDSCAPING: Vine covered green screens, large canopy trees and other landscaping should shade exterior walls, the driveway, patios and other “hardscape” to minimize heat islands. Yards of GREEN homes in Vancouver should be landscaped with drought tolerant plants rather than water guzzling plants and grass in most regions.

City of Vancouver Share Green Building Ideas

Canadian municipal leaders come to Vancouver for Green building tips according to Metro Vancouver magazine’s Andrea. Municipal leaders from across the country are in town this week looking at some exemplary green sites as part of a week long tour of sustainable green communities in the Vancouver real estate market. Yesterday, the group of more than 30 people from the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) – which included councilors and mayors – toured the National Works Yard near the Main Street SkyTrain station. It has a gold rating under the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) system and is considerd a model of energy efficiency, using up to 55 per cent less energy than traditional buildings in Vancouver real estate. Berry Vrbanovic, councilor for the city of Kitchener, Ontario, and vice-president of the FCM, was in attendance. “One of the things that Vancouver real estate does very well is the whole planning process,” he said. “Ensuring, for example, that new buildings are taking into account various sustainability practises.” Vrbanovic said a report written based on the findings of the tour will be posted on the FCM website. This is the first time the FCM has brought its Sustainable Communities Mission to B.C.

GREEN REALTY a Reality for a number of Real Estate Agents in Vancouver

According to the Vancouver Sun: The term “green realtor” is a label increasingly applied to real estate Vancouver agents with a keen eye on sustainable homes, energy efficiency and a growing niche market. While some Vancouver realtors specialize in condos, green realtors focus on homes for clients who are looking for environmentally friendly houses or seeking to retrofit older homes, either to live in themselves or sell to green home buyers. A survey last fall done by Royal LePage found 72 per cent of Canadians said they would look for a greener home in their next Vancouver home purchase, and 63 per cent said they’d be willing to pay more for an environmentally friendly home. Green Realty is becoming a growing trend throughout B.C. and Ontario, says James Rodgers, head of the Green Realty Association in B.C. Christy Boulter, a longtime environmental activist who now sells green realty real estate in Edmonton, says simple changes – updating appliances, improving windows – can make a big difference.

New LiveSmartBC Grant and Federal Government Grants for Eco-Sensitive and Environmentally Sensitive Homes

Federal Government Grant up to $5,000* and New LiveSmartBC Grant of up to $4,000*. Fedearl government and provincial government grants now available to home owners. Save 50% on heating costs. Windows and furnaces, doors and insulation. Energy Star Partner, Ask us about the ecoEnergy Program and House Smart Home Improvements. Free home assessment so call 604.585.2020 today. Financing available from $75/month. Call now for your free energy assessment and see how you can benefit from the new LiveSmartBC Grant as well as the Federal Government Grants for GREEN living. *Some conditions apply.

GREEN Olympic Village Vancouver Real Estate Setting the Bar

A bus full of municipal politicians was reduced to a gawking mob as it toured the construction along southeast False Creek real estate – the future home of the Olympic village according to 24 Hrs. “That’s a lot of cranes,” remarked Lethbridge, Alberta, alderman Jeff Carlson during a Federation of Canadian Municipalities walking tour of the Olympic Village real estate site yesterday. Towering construction equipment aside, Carlson and his politico companions were there to see how a developing community in Vancouver Olympic Village real estate ticks from a sustainability standpoint. The sustainability contigent was thoroughly impressed with everything from energy saving materials and public green space to transportation options and other green initiatives and designs. “I’ve got a really good feeling right now,” Carlson told 24 hours. “Vancouver is setting the bar for every Olympic City and other communities.” So what did Carlson – a former Vancouver resident – learn? “the main thing was having a vision and having the dedication to follow through,” he said. “that’s where our council is behind the curve.” By Matt Ki.

Sustainable Green Building Council Tours Set for 2008

A great tour of great green building construction and LEED Certified developments in Greater Vancouver will be part of a grand tour presented by the Green Skyline Tour by Cascadia Region Green Building Council. According to the Vancouver Sun, this Green Skyline Tour of Greater Vancouver and BC Green building developments will be happening very soon. Showcasing the top thirty innovative residential and commercial green buildings, the Green Skyline Tour is a great way for you to check out the newest ideas and implementation of sustainable community features. Right now, the scheduled line-up for the Vancouver Green Skyline Tour includes the Vancouver Jang Residence, a 1950 sq ft heritage style house located at 4540 James Street in addition to the Vancouver Southeast False Creek masterplanned development and Moore-Babiki Home from the 1950s. Featured at the Green Skyline Tour is Victoria’s Dockside Green residential building development that is LEED platinum certified, Eco-Sense and Zigloo Domestique. The Okangan green building featured will include the Johnsen Makiwich Residence. For more information about the Green Skyline Tour Vancouver, including the schedules and a list of green buildings featured, please check out www.cascadiagbc.org.

Cash in, Going Green… With the Evolution Fund from the Lawson Trust Finance Group Company

The Evolution Fund (www.Evolutionfund.ca) finances BC and Vancouver GREEN Real Estate & Equipment, thereby offering the opportunity to help the environment which we all live in, in B.C., by creating an Environmentally Considerated GREEN real estate developments and GREEN equipment combined effort with a strong growth potential. See our Article "The Rising Tide" in 2008 July's Business in Vancouver's "Green Spaces" Magazine on Vancouver and BC GREEN real estate developments and LEED Certified building construction. The real estate investment market in B.C. has seen recognition of value in quality sustainable companies and Environmentally considerate GREEN real estate developments in Metro Vancouver. It is clear that the return derived from conscious responsible investments has proven to generate above average results. The Evolution Fund invests in GREEN construction and LEED Certified developments including:

Real Estate Development Financing: Boutique environment friendly buildings, Ecodensity focused development, GREEN Residential and commercial projects, GREEN Equipment Financing, Environmental upgrades to existing properties, Geothermal heating and cooling systems, Installation of Smart technology. The Evolution Fund for GREEN equipment and real estate developments is Eligible investments for RRSP, RRIF, RESP, Targeted returns of 12% annually, plus performance bonus and Local tangible asset based GREEN environmentally sensitive investment.

More about the Evolution Fund for Vancouver GREEN Real Estate Development

The Evolution Fund primarily finances businesses that demonstrate a desire to improve our community in our Healthy province of British Columbia. www.EvolutionFund.ca provides the opportunity for individuals to achieve competitive returns with the knowledge that their investment is creating a better environment through GREEN building construction and real estate developments in Vancouver BC. For further information on this and other green developments contact The Evolution Fund at 604.629.7697, or read more at www.Evolutionfund.ca. A Lawson Trust Finance Group Company at 1602 West 1st Avenue, Vancouver, B.C. V6J 1G1.

What is Ecodensity? www.EvolutionFund.ca

EcoDensity is a concept currently being discussed with the Vancouver real estate community. In brief, EcoDensity Development and Construction is an acknowledgement that high quality and strategically located density can make Vancouver real estate communities more sustainable, livable and affordable. It has been illustrated as a tricycle, where the driving wheel is environmental sustainability, while the side wheels that keep it up and allow movement, are livability and affordability in this EcoDensity Vancouver community real estate theory. The right kind of quality density in the right places can help address climate change as well as lower our ecological footprint in an EcoDensity Vancouver development and community.

Density uses less land to house more people, reducing pressure on the region to sprawl over agriculturally productive land through EcoDensity. A range of different Vancouver housing choices and prices can be provided to suit peoples' diverse needs. Higher density buildings themselves in EcoDensity Vancouver development enable sharing of resources such as energy and water. Dense EcoDensity communities support vibrant and walkable commercial areas, with residents walking and biking more, and driving less. These Vancouver EcoDensity communities also support public transportation systems and community amenities, and can make green systems such as district energy cheaper to build. Denser, mixed-use EcoDensity neighbourhoods with a high quality public realm and accompanying amenities are great places to live.
http://www.vancouver-ecodensity.ca. For more information on The Evolution Fund or Green initiatives, please call us at 604-629-7697. "The aim of EcoDensity is to provide a product that allows the community to make tangible and conscious investments into the future of the region."

More Vancouver Green Development Building Features at www.EvolutionFund.ca by Streamline Developers and Builders

Please be introduced to www.EvolutionFund.ca 's development partner, www.Streamlinegroup.ca. Green Features at Streamline Real Estate Developments. All exterior wood details use reclaimed wood or FSC approved materials. The exterior cement and siding system is made with recycled and non-combustible materials that inhibit algae or moss growth for all Streamline Green real estate developments in Greater Vancouver property market. Expansive decks and terraces with permeable pavers to allow efficient water runoff. Superior reinforced concrete construction blended with floor to ceiling low E glass to maximize insulation and maintain panoramic views of the mountains and city in Greater Vancouver real estate GREEN developments by Streamline Builders. Low energy, efficient LED and fluorescent exterior lighting are provided. Fresh air will constantly be circulated throughout each unit by heat recovery ventilation fans. The corridor will be ventilated by a separate ventilation system for all Streamline properties in the GREEN Vancouver real estate development market. Secured underground parking is vented by an air quality sensor activated fan system. For further information about this project or other green developments Vancouver real estate and in British Columbia, please see www.EvolutionFund.ca or call 604.629.7697

More Green Features at Streamline Real Estate Developers
More built green Vancouver real estate development features going into Vancouver Real Estate...www.EvolutionFund.ca, targeting LEED Platinum certification through its development partners...Green Features at Streamline. Some of the Built Green LEED Certified features include: Twin Coil Solar Heat System combined with Geothermal Heat Exchange turns the whole building into a thermal mass that is the most efficient on the real estate Vancouver GREEN market to both heat in the winter and cool in the summer. Financial savings of up to 70% per year compared to a conventional residential heating and cooling system for geothermal heating and cooling systems for new Vancouver Green and LEED Certified real estate development. Secondly, Rainwater runoff from the roof will be harvested and stored to prevent excess pressure on the city sewer system. It will be used to supply all the building's hose bibs for landscape watering, car and bike washing, and toilets. For further information on this and other green developments in British Columbia, see www.EvolutionFund.ca , or call 604.629.7697