End of 15th Week On-Site

I have already written about all of the flooring work done this week. We also got the rest of the front porch railing in place because the Amsted folks had to work outside. It isn't represented in the photo but Amsted also started placing the stone veneer on the porch posts. It will look awesome when the stone posts relate to the existing stone retaining wall around the front cover of the lot.

On Friday, they backfilled and we now have our backyard again. It is a mud puddle but at least there is a surface that you can walk on. We haven't been able to access the house for days because of the floor so it will be nice to go inside this week. The kitchen cabinets are coming and will be installed by the end of the week - exciting.....

Geothermal Metering

One thing that Rob and I talked about doing when considering whether or not to go with a geothermal heating/cooling system is installing something to track the energy requirements. Even though we are told that we will meet 100% of our heating and cooling demands with the system, you still need the compressor / forced air system. By metering the furnace we will be able to figure out the true cost of having the system over time.

After some digging around, it has been suggested that we install a device called "Ted 1001-x energy detective". This can be purchase through OPTIMUM ENERGY PRODUCTS Ltd. #333 11979-40 Street Calgary AB T2Z 3M4. Phone (403) 256 3636, www.theenergydetective.com. It will require a hook up by an electrician and will cost about $200.00 + labour.

Any thoughts?

Flooring Weekend

We are locked out of the house this weekend as they complete the third coat of sealant. We decided not to stain the floor but we did need to clean it up. In the second photo you can see the new flooring in the kitchen area - the rest is the old stuff restored.

Breaking News

The house is going to be done on time. We get to move in early July!!!!!!

A pat on the back to Amsted Construction for working so hard. We also can't forget about Chuck Mills Residential Design. I am also going to be so bold as to pat ourselves on the back too for pushing so hard and putting in the time.

Toronto Star Does Geothermal

Plucking 'low hanging fruit' on energy tree - Article from the Toronto Star

"The groundswell of geothermal interest among builders, developers and individual homeowners all over the GTA is mainly because it's what "green" venture capitalist Tom Rand calls "low hanging fruit" on the energy tree - easy to pluck and very cheap in the long run.

At Ironstone, a recently built Mississauga condo, geothermal is actively marketed as an energy-savings incentive for prospective buyers. Direct Energy put together a financial package so the builder was able to afford the geothermal system construction, says the condo's architect Roland Rom Colthoff.

Geothermal costs are incorporated into the condo fees, which are 39 cents per square foot (Hydro is separately metered). The long-term savings to heating and cooling costs are expected to be considerable.

Even with large luxury suburban homes, geothermal is attracting interest for its financial savings - as well as the health of the planet - says Gary Peck, marketing manager of Oshawa-based Marshall Homes. The added cost isn't that much to swallow, and the installation - three holes three metres apart in the back corner of the yard - doesn't interfere with landscaping or enjoying the yard.

But Peck says the return is only "calculable" on homes at least 2,500 square feet, where energy saved can be up to 76 per cent. Anything smaller doesn't offer enough reduction to compensate for the upfront costs, although energy will only go up in price, he notes.

The standard Marshall Home package has some upgraded energy savings and the Energy Star version costs an extra $6,300; the extra costs of the geothermal home is close to $30,000.

In the country, however, price and footprint/size is less a factor than convenience, with access to natural gas lines limited, electricity prohibitively expensive and oil messy.

It has special appeal in large-scale operations, something Rand covers in a book he is working on. "I didn't think it was possible to go 100 per cent renewable but the studies support it."

He claims that "if you drill 10 kilometres down to the really high temperatures, you can make enough energy to supply the whole U.S. with between three and 30,000 times more energy than it needs."

It might be said that the Planet Traveler hotel in Kensington Market, in which Rand is a partner, is a bit of a test case. Although it appeared initially that geothermal wouldn't be possible on such a tight city lot, Rand approached the city about using the lane behind the hotel to sink his geothermal pipes.

In spite of his best arguments - that geothermal could reduce emissions by 80 per cent - he was prepared to get mired in red tape. But the city was quick to respond with a draft bylaw proposal permitting use of lanes and parkettes for geothermal pipelines.

"It's probably a first in the world," Rand says.

Even the provinces are getting into geothermal. Power plants, which must build to maximum peak period capacity, are expensive, so many are looking at ways to lower peak period capacity.

Manitoba is leading the pack, Rand says, by taking on some upfront geothermal costs as an incentive to individuals.

Utilities should take a good look at converting power plants into geothermal producers, he says.

Technically, it's possible, Rand says. It would only take a trillion dollars to supply the energy needs of the U.S. and convincing "the power plant owners to do it."

For more information check these websites:

Canadian Geothermal Energy Association, cangea.ca

Canadian Geo-Exchange Coalition, geo-exchange.ca

Natural Resources Canada has publications to help get you started on your geothermal project, canren.gc.ca/prod_serv/ index.asp?CaId=148&PgId=777

Ontario's Home Energy Retrofit Program, homeenergyontario.ca/green/index. asp?lang=en &sec=green "

Feelings...

I stopped by the house today on my way home for work. The Amsted folks were working on the porch because it was raining outside and they were kicked out of the house so that the flooring could be taken care of. I joked with them about the finish line. They are used to customers that get excited near the end of a project and just want everything done now! I mean right now!

I told them that it was a year ago this weekend that Rob and I saw the house. We saw it on a Sunday during the last weekend in May in 2008 and bought it on the Monday. We had possession of the place one month later. Wow. Still no regrets here - I just want in!

I feel like I need something to keep organizing with respect to the house in order to get it done faster but really nothing is going to bring mid-July to us sooner. There is so much going on right now and life is all about organizing things .... patience Kate.

Our Stone Wall in the Driveway is Back

Photos for Pippa and Jennie

The flooring guys are talented. The first photo is of our new kitchen floor. They picked an area that corresponds with where the cabinets will go and then used the rest of the old flooring to patch the other spaces. They had to patch where the doors were removed in the front hall and where the old floor grates where, as well as around the edges of the rooms. They said that there were layers and layers of wax on the floor that had to be removed first. The last photo is of our new landing upstairs.

Today they were patching and sanding. I think that the first coat of sealant goes in tomorrow afternoon. Flooring is one of my favourite things because it is something original from the house that we were actually able to fully keep/restore.

Toronto Star Does Grants

Several ways to claim government grants; Feds and province offering incentives to renovate and make your home more energy efficient

"If you're thinking about renovating your home this year, the provincial and federal governments are prepared to throw some incentives your way.

Planning on landscaping the yard, renovating the bathroom or installing new hardwood floors? For these and many other home improvements, The Home Renovation Tax Credit (HRTC) will provide a one-year, 15 per cent tax credit.

If you're contemplating replacing your furnace, adding solar panels, beefing up your insulation or replacing leaky windows, the federal ecoENERGY program will provide rebates on a wide spectrum of energy efficient products and improvements, to a maximum of $5,000. That's not all - the province will provide matching rebates under its Home Energy Retrofit program, so between the two programs, a homeowner can receive up to $10,000 in rebates.

Double dipping is allowed: you can also claim those energy efficient improvements under the HRTC program.

That means Ontario homeowners can receive up to $11,350 for a single home improvement project.

HOME RENOVATION TAX CREDIT

The HRTC will provide a one-year, temporary 15 per cent tax credit per family on eligible home renovation expenditures for work performed or goods acquired between Jan. 27, 2009 and Feb. 1, 2010. The credit kicks in after you spend $1,000, but no more than $10,000, making the maximum credit $1,350.

A wide range of projects are eligible, including kitchen, bathroom and basement renovations; new carpet or hardwood floors; adding a new furnace or water heater; interior or exterior painting; driveway resurfacing. You can also claim the credit for landscaping, new decks, fences, retaining walls and laying of new sod.

Not eligible are things such as furniture and appliance purchases, tools, carpet cleaning, maintenance contracts for furnace cleaning, snow removal and pool cleaning.

According to a recent survey released by the mortgage company ResMore Trust Co., 94 per cent of Canadian homeowners who are planning to do renovations between now and next February will use the HRTC. In fact, 39 per cent of 1,000 Canadians across the country surveyed by Research Now in early April said their decision to renovate was positively influenced by the introduction of the HRTC.

For information on the tax credit, go to cra-arc.gc.ca/gncy/ bdgt/2009/ fqhmrnvtn-eng.html.

ECOENERGY AND HOME ENERGY RETROFIT PROGRAMS

While the HRTC applies to most home projects, the ecoENERGY and Ontario's Home Energy Retrofit programs apply only to energy efficiency improvements. Ontario's program matches the ecoENERGY program dollar for dollar up to $5,000 for a total of up to $10,000 per household.

Examples of improvements that qualify include adding a new energy efficient heating or cooling system, upgrading to an instantaneous hot water heater or energy efficient windows, or increasing insulation.

To be eligible for the ecoENERGY program, a homeowner must have an energy efficiency audit done on his or her home, which costs $300 to $400 (the government provides a $150 rebate).

"The first step is to have an energy assessment done by an EnerCan licensed auditor," says Natural Resources Canada media relations officer Jean Riverin. "If you start any renovations before the audit, you can't submit the bill for a rebate."

The energy efficient improvements must be done within 18 months of the energy audit (which is registered with NRC) and the cut-off is March 2011.

The renovator must document the aspects of the project that relate to increasing energy efficiency. Upon completion, a second audit (costing approximately $150 and not eligible for a rebate) determines that the work was done properly and scores the energy efficiency improvement. Then the grant application goes in and the homeowner will receive the federal rebate in about 90 days, says Riverin.

Handy homeowners can do the necessary improvements themselves, but it's important to keep a copy of the invoices for the materials purchased for the upgrades, says Riverin, as they may be asked to submit copies. And homeowners are responsible for ensuring they obtain all necessary permits and meet all municipal and provincial building codes, he adds.

Recently, says Riverin, the federal government increased by 25 per cent the amount of rebates it gives on eligible improvements and the provincial government followed suit. While the maximum rebate is still $5,000, the money available for specific items has increased.

Here are some examples:

Replace your heating system and qualify for anywhere from $375 for an Energy Star gas furnace with an AFLUE (annual fuel utilization efficiency) of 92 per cent or higher to $4,375 for a new or replacement earth energy system certified by the Canadian GeoExchange Coalition.

Replacing an old air conditioning system with rated SEER 14.5 or higher will garner $1,250 in grants. A drain water heat recovery unit is eligible for $95 or $165, depending on its efficiency. Each Energy Star window you replace will get you $40; an Energy Star exterior door is eligible for the same rebate.

Some of the latest "green" technologies are included in the program. You can get back as much as $1,300 for a solar hot water heating system (estimated cost $4,000 to $8,000) between the federal and provincial grants and a provincial sales tax rebate offered on solar panels.

To find an energy auditor in your area or more about rebates, visit ecoaction.gc.ca/homes or homeenergyontario.ca."

National Post Does Green

Here is an excerpt from an article that was recently in the National Post:

"We've sussed out a handful of small changes that anyone can make in each room of the house, to start making the green dream a reality.

KITCHEN - Waste not. Organize your fridge to ensure you use veggies, cheese and yogurt, etc. before they go bad, says Ashley Lubyk of Healthy Homes Calgary. Meal planning ensures each food has a purpose. - Use reusable shopping bags - Recycle. Curbside recycling makes it easy to recycle everything from milk cartons to cereal boxes. - Compost. Instead of dumping leftovers in the trash, put them in green bins or turn them into food for your own garden. - Look at the big picture. Only run the dishwasher when it's full. Cover pots with lids when cooking to conserve heat and energy. Use a toaster oven (instead of the big gun) to cook or heat small items.

BATHROOM - Switch to recycled toilet paper. - Check for leaks in toilets, sinks, tubs. "One drip per second can add up to 165 gallons a month," says CMHC's Anand Mishra. That's a lot of wasted H2O. - Install a low-flow shower head and take shorter showers. - Install tap aerators. These small screens restrict water flow without sacrificing water pressure. - Take a close look at your personal care products, says Mr. Lubyk. Many shampoos, soaps and lotions contain chemicals linked to cancer and other health problems. Go to cosmeticsdatabase.com to see how yours rate, then think about switching to natural, plant-based products.

LIVING ROOM - Beware the phantom load. "A lot of electronics still draw electricity when they're presumably off," says Mr. Lubyk. Plug TVs, stereos and computers into a power bar, then turn off the power bar when they aren't in use. - Green up the space -- literally. Houseplants act as "sinks" for in-home air pollutants. Go to cleanairgardening.com/houseplants.html for a list of the 15 best.

- Replace burnt-out incandescent bulbs with CFLs or LEDs, which are more energy efficient. Install dimmers. - Install a programmable thermostat. It costs less than $50, and will pay for itself in a year through energy savings, says Mr. Mishra. Set it lower at night, during working hours and when you're on holidays.

GREENBACKS

Still not motivated to make changes? Do it for your bottom line: - Take advantage of the Home Renovation Tax Credit. Under the new legislation, taxpayers can claim 15% of their renos on their 2009 tax returns on costs of more than $1,000 but not exceeding $10,000, until Feb. 1, 2010, to receive a tax credit worth up to $1,350. - Upgrade your toilet: Some municipalities are offering rebates for replacing an older toilet with a new, water-efficient one. - Trade in your gas-guzzling lawn mower and get a rebate on an eco-friendly lawn alternative.

LAUNDRY ROOM - Only do laundry when you have enough for a full load. Always wash in cold water. - Go for unscented detergents and skip the dryer sheets, Mr. Lubyk suggests. Fragrance can be a skin irritant. "Clean does not have a smell," he says. - Consider air drying clothes, especially in summer. - As for clothes: Recycle old items by donating them, hosting a clothing exchange with friends or selling them on consignment.

GENERAL - Replace the furnace filter every month or two during high-use times (fall and winter), or buy a permanent one that can be rinsed in water. - Set your water heater lower. No one takes 60 C baths, and water that hot could scald a child. - Weatherstrip doors and windows, where the majority of heat escapes a home. - Have insulation blown into your attic, to slow heat loss in winter and deter heat absorption in summer.

YARD - Water: Collect rain water to use on plants, trees, garden. Turn off your irrigation system if rain is forecast. - Lawn: Trade in your gas mower for a more efficient electric or push mower. Use clippings as mulch. - Fertilizer: Use your compost to fertilize (or choose an eco-friendly brand), and hand-pull dandelions (there are special gardening tools to make this easier). - Garden: Plant some herbs or veggies. Organic, and rewarding.

RESOURCES: - cleancalgary.ca: provides a wealth of information on ways to green up the home, from tips on food choices to downloadable guides on composting and recycling. - cmhc-schl.gc.ca: The CMHC site includes a section on renovating for energy savings. - Fresh Living: The Essential Room-by-Room Guide to a Greener, Healthier Family and Home, by Sara Snow, is a new book with tons of easy, green-it-up ideas (Random House of Canada, $19)."

Phantom Power

Here is a link to an article on phantom power. The problem they are talking about is what we spent the extra time and money on for an "all off switch." Does this mean we spent $$$ on an "all off switch" when not necessary? We don't think so because we still have all these gadgets that were produced before these regulations come into effect (if they come into effect at all):
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090513.wgadgetsstaff0513/BNStory/Technology/home

Free Door

If anyone wants an old Interior Solid Wood Door (27.5 x 79) with the original metal doorknob, please post a comment. It doesn't come with the door casing/trim or hinges - sorry.

End of 14th Week On-Site

All I can say is that the house looks awesome. Amsted was hard at work this week recreating our door and window trim while continuing to prep the exterior. They rebuilt the door casings in the octagon to look exactly the way it was before! This coming week is all about the floors...

Trim and Door Excitment

We now have window and door trim. While we could not restore the old stuff, we did try to imitate it with the height and profile. If you look closely you can see the old closet door put back in at the end of the hall. It is the one with the mirror on it. Old back in with the new. You can also see signs of the floor being fixed soon. The cardboard cover is gone from the living room (first photo) and from the octagon. The place looks warmer with the old beech floor exposed again.

Fun Site Visit

Our second floor and half of the first floor has been primed! We actually have doors on some of the rooms! Some of the interior windows have trim! Wow! I can't wait to visit the house again tomorrow night! It is starting to look like a real home.

Ottawa VegFest 2009

Here is the promo for Ottawa VegFest 2009:

Join our dynamic host/emcee Richard Denault to learn more about the benefits of a plant-based diet and how to make healthier, greener and more compassionate dietary and lifestyle choices, and to celebrate the diversity of vegetarian cuisine and culture here in Canada’s capital!

Date and time: May 31, 2009 (10am-5pm). Admission is free!
Location: Glebe Community Centre, 175 Third Avenue (corner of Third Avenue and Lyon Street South), Ottawa

For more information: http://www.ncva.ca/Home/ottawa-vegfest-2009/

End of 13th Week On-Site

Things continue to fly along. As mentioned, the exterior is being preped for siding. We now have stairs to the front porch and in the photo you can see the start of the skirt that is going all around the house (at the top of the concrete).

Thank you to the guys working this weekend on the mudding and taping. The house is full of fans and heaters now. It looks like the remaining step is the sanding...... Painters are coming soon. After that happens, the house will really start to look more like the final product.

The third photo is of the side door landing. I don't know if it was two or three different flooring types that they found there. We are going to get to keep some of the brick vinyl floor pattern as a portion of the basement stairs are not being touched. The old baseboards left in the downstairs closets and this vinyl floor will be a fun reminder of what we started with.

Exterior Prep

While we don't have an actual siding date, you can tell they are preping for exterior work. The first photo shows a window with the siding trim installed. The product is KPW and the colour is 'wicker' to go with our 'granite' siding by CanExcel. Once we ok this mock up Amsted will do the rest of the windows. The second photo shows the prep for the rakes under the overhang. We were going to have the rake ends exposed as part of the arts and crafts look and feel but we decided that we wanted eavestroughs for rainwater collection so we couldn't in the end. Also, this will help prevent an ice slick on the future boardwalk beneath. The final photo shows the copper decorative gable end that is designed to cover the kitchen stove vent situated behind it. We were going to have a wood gable end but with the vent location we decided to cover it up. The house is slowly coming together.

One Day

A lot of people are working in their gardens this Victoria Day long weekend. Maybe next year we can take our mud/weed patch and extend what are neighbours have onto our property.... one day.
P.S. Anyone know where I can get a green thumb?

Ottawa Citizen Part 3

The third article in the four part series on our house renovation project is coming out in the Ottawa Citizen this Thursday. The focus this time will probably be on the geothermal heating/cooling system. Lets see what they say!

If you missed one of the earlier articles and want to see them just post a comment. The Ottawa Citizen provided me with pdf copies to be shared.

New Solar Hot Water Program

A copy of 'Ottawa South This Week' was dropped off on my desk (dated May 7, 2009). There is an article in this newspaper about the fact that the government of Canada is teaming up with Bullfrog Power, Enbridge and EnerWorks to launch a new solar water heater program. While we did not install a solar water heater system in our house because of the geothermal system and our drain heat recovery unit, hopefully others might be interested.

Here is a link to a news release on the Bullfrog Power website:
https://www.bullfrogpower.com/09releases/solar.cfm

End of Twelveth Week On-Site

There isn't much to report as I have covered a lot of what has happened this week in the other posts. Today though we went to the house and had coffee on the porch! The decking is installed for our porch with the start of porch posts. The other photo shows the old plaster being repaired at the top of the stairs with the new drywall being tapped and mudded in the distance. Old and new.

Door Colour?

We just realized that we haven't picked an exterior door colour yet. There are two doors to be painted - one at the front and one at the side. The first photo is an image of the style of our doors made of fibreglass.

One option is to stain the door and give it a wood look (to go with the cedar tones in the roof, in the exterior detailing and in the porch railing). The other option is a painted door.

Here is a link to the CanExcel product that we used for the siding. The siding colour is granite: http://www.lpcorp.com/Literature/LP_CanExel_Product_Catalog.pdf

The second photo above is a door colour that we really like. I know that it might not work with our house but I still wanted to include it in this post. Our siding is a grey-blue (not a strong blue which was my original vision). Either the door can help achieve that blue dream or we go with something more natural.....

Minto Eco-Inspiration Home

Yesterday I went to the Greater Ottawa Home Builders Association Green Seminar for work. One of the presentations was on the Minto Eco-Inspiration Home in Manotick. We have talked about this demonstration project before on the blog but I wanted to take this opportunity to plug it again. Rob and I visited this house numerous times to get ideas for our own renovation project (i.e., the all-off switch). A tour of the demonstration house is free and well-worth it. Apparently, it is being called the greenest house in Canada. Here is the link:
http://www.minto.com/ecohome/default.asp

Rain Saving Systems

I was sent the following link for "rain saving systems." The website tells you where the product 'HandyTank Water Storage' can be purchased in Ottawa. We haven't looked into using this product ourselves yet but by posting it on the blog it helps me keep track of all of the information.

http://www.handytank.com/dealer_find.php?city=Ottawa&prov=ON#listings

"The One Thing I Wish I had Done"

I wanted to share this example of how talking to people about what you are up to and sharing ideas can help make a difference. I was on the phone with someone at work (discussing a work matter of course) and it came up that both of us were involved with various green retrofit renovation projects in our respective houses. We shared what we were up to and it came out that he had taken advantage of the Sustainable Ottawa Solar Hot Water heating project. While we did not go with solar hot water in the end, it was good to hear someone else's experience. We then discovered that both of us had installed drain heat recovery units (the big drain pipe in the second photo wrapped in copper coil). During our conversation, he told me that the one thing that he wish he had done was insulate the drain pipes on route to the drain heat recovery unit to improve its efficiency. He hadn't been able to because of timing of installation as the walls got closed up too soon. Well, after this comment was made I called our contractor and if we did it that weekend, we had time to insulate the pipes. Now the first photo is from a little while ago as now the walls are closed up but I still wanted to share this story. By wrapping the pipes with insulation, the efficiency of the system (where the waste heat from the shower is reused to pre-heat new hot water) would be improved. Thanks Dave.

Bathroom Exhaust Fans

Here is the information on the bathroom exhaust fans that we purchased: http://www.panasonic.com/business/building-products/ventilation-systems/index.asp


From the reading that we did in preparation for this project, we had learned about the importance of proper exhaust venting to the outside. They obviously affect air flow and moisture levels in the house. We made a lot of effort to ensure that the dryer vent, the two bathroom vents and the kitchen vent had quality fans and were properly connected to the outside. This may sound simple but trying to figure out where the exhaust ducts will be situated is not always so easy. Either they need space in the house to be located or there is an issue where they poke out on the side of the house. Also, even though we are not finishing the upstairs bathroom in this round of renovations we wanted to make sure that the bathroom fan was properly installed now.

Some comparison shots

People didn't even know that we had a porch......

Free Stuff

If anyone wants some storm windows or an old door just let me know. The porch door may need some love but it is solid wood (we know this by how heavy it is to carry).

Notice anything missing???

Amsted was busy today! Now even more light is in the house and we are going to have an awesome view of the park.

Weekend Homework

Rob worked on insulating the basement this weekend. Amsted took care of getting the header space sprayed with foam insulation and they did the framing and prep work. We wanted to take care of putting in the fibreglass batt insulation and the vapour barrier. I had fun learning firsthand about insulation (something I had never done before) including driving back and forth from home depot in a little red car full of pink insulation.

My project was to strip and paint the old cold air return grates. We found out that some of them can be reused in the house so this was my weekend project. Not perfect but not bad.

Yummy Recipe for Sarah

Finely grated zest of half a lemon
3 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp salt
fresh ground pepper
1/3 cup olive oil
2 x 398 ml cans of chick peas
1 small red onion
1 small garlic clove
3/4 cup crumbled feta
1/4 cup parsley
20 leaves of mint

End of Eleventh Week On-Site

It looks like they almost finished the drywall this week. The first photo shows some of the drywall in the octagon and also shows that our stairs are gone(don't worry - they are coming back). The second photo shows the old lathe and the new plaster in the distance. Once they are finished drywalling, the "tapers and mudders" will come in to finish things off followed by the tilers and the people doing the trim.

Obviously, this was another big week - inside and out. We almost have a backyard again which means the siding is coming soon. I know that there is a lot still to be done but seeing the house like this feels great.

Someone Else's Solar Home

Headline: Solar-powered house is Ottawa's newest power plant

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/ottawa/story/2008/12/08/ot-081208-solar.html

P.S. Yes, I am cleaning out my inbox this afternoon....

New home for a desk?

My friend is looking for a new home for her desk. If you are interested, please post a comment on my blog.

DIMENSIONS: Length: 59 3/4 inches; Depth: 33 1/2 inches; Height: 29 3/4 inches. FEATURES: Solid oak (this is according to her dad... it could be solid pine, but he's convinced it's solid oak); Five full-depth drawers; One full-depth filing drawer; One full-depth centre drawer that is 24" long; Two pull-out leafs.

She doesn't have a car so if you want it you will need to pick it up. I think that she is asking $75 but is open to offers. We would take it but we want to live in the house a while before we acquire any more furniture.

A Blog on a LEED Homes

My friend's old supervisor is in the process of building a new green home (going for the highest LEED standard). If you're interested about house renos and green construction, this is a good blog to follow. http://279crichton.blogspot.com/

LEED Homes was just launched in Canada making it too late for us (but really though it is because LEED Homes is suited for new construction). The Canada Green Building Council reference guide for LEED Homes is a great resource for any type of home renovation project.

E-Waste

The following is an email that I got from a friend about disposing of electronic waste:

As of March 31st, the Province of Ontario has introduced free drop-off sites for e-waste that are available year-round. The closest one to the university is at the Salvation Army on Montreal Rd. Either way, go to the website: www.dowhatyoucan.ca and enter your address to find out the places that are collecting near you and when. A caveat, however, is that the province is only collecting certain items right now. They are phasing in the full e-waste program over the next few years and for the first phase (just introduced) the only items that they will accept are: Desktop and laptop computers, peripherals such as keyboards and mice, monitors, desktop printers, disk drives, fax machines and televisions. However, the university collects old cell phones and ink cartridges all year round on behalf of the food bank. The food bank in the basement of the Uni centre collects the cell phones, and the foot patrol on the main floor of the Uni Centre (just across from the Alumni Theater) collects the cartridges. If you have items other than these, there are many electronic recyclers around the city available, however they will charge a fee per weight. Your best bet is to consult the City of Ottawa "Take it Back" website for available options: http://app01.ottawa.ca/takeitback/ProductList.do?cat_id=2&lang=en. All our stuff was going to the Centre de Formation en Entreprise et Récupération de l'Outaouais (CFER de l'Outaouais) as the university has a contract with them to pick up and process their electronic waste. However, unless you are in Gatineau it may be a bit far and (I believe) that they may charge individuals for taking back waste as well (?) -- you would have to contact them to be sure. The website is: http://www.cferoutaouais.ca/.

Tankless Water Heater

Actually, we did not get a tankless water heater for our house. I just wanted to share this rebate information from Enbridge.

https://portal-plumprod.cgc.enbridge.com/portal/server.pt?space=CommunityPage&control=SetCommunity&cached=true&CommunityID=875&PageID=0