New homebuyers embracing energy efficiency
(NC)—There are selling points and then there are selling points. Energy efficiency continues to be one of the most sought after features among home buyers in Canada today; in fact a recent survey of homebuyers in Ottawa and Toronto showed that 94 per cent of respondents agreed that energy efficiency reduces operating costs even if they are perceived to cost more upfront.
Why? Because, according to industry experts, energy-efficient homes are less expensive to operate, more comfortable to live in and more environmentally-friendly, especially ones that carry the federal government’s highly recognizable R-2000 or ENERGY STAR label. The R-2000 standard and many regional initiatives for energy-efficient homes across Canada such as ENERGY STAR for New Homes, Built Green, Yukon GreenHome, and PowerSmart use Natural Resources Canada’s EnerGuide rating service as the quality assurance tool for the energy efficiency of the home. The ERS determines the home’s level of energy efficiency on a scale from 0-100.
Homeowners can save hundreds of dollars every year in heating and fuel costs and reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by two to three tonnes just by buying or upgrading to an energy-efficient home.
More information is available on this topic at www.newhomes.nrcan.gc.ca.
www.newscanada.com
Building a home takes money no matter how you cut it. Natural Resources Canada, the federal government department that administers the EnerGuide Rating System in Canada, is reminding Canadians to do their homework this summer when it comes to building a new home. Even though many Canadians perceive energy efficiency costs more, upgrades and features can save you money in the long run and reduce your environmental footprint. More information is available on this topic at www.newhomes.nrcan.gc.ca.