Going solar: A safe place for your money

During these extremely turbulent economic times, people are wondering where they should put their hard earned money for a safe return. The stocks that seemed to be bullet proof are faltering, so it is time to look at how to participate in the new green economy. 

One of the better investments is one which you've got control over, you own, and that needs only very basic ongoing support and maintenance. One of these opportunities are solar photovoltaic panels. There is an up-front cost of installing this system of about $10,000.00 to $14,000.00 per kilowatt/hour. However, the opportunity is watching your electricity meter go in reverse, and the local power company paying you $0.42/kilowatt. This eliminates that cost of installing and storing batteries, but does require an additional upgraded converter. 

Now the math indicates an approximate return on investment of 4.25 % per year. The payback on each kilowatt per hour system is about 15 to 20 years, and the current systems are looking at functioning efficiently for 30 to 40 years. So not only will you be creating clean energy for your neighborhood, but you'll be making money at it. 

So if you can participate and you are fed up trying to work with an erratic stock and bond market, call up your local solar installer and get the complete details for your home.

 

Contemporary Tree-Top Residence - Green Reno

During the past week, I've listed a new property which has gone through a substantial renovation in one of my favorite condos in Oakville, Oakridge Heights on Old Mill Road. There are three buildings which range in age from 8 to 4 years, but as buildings their are a number of special features which I like about these buildings that make them green.

The location  is literally just steps from the GO Train; you can walk to Wholefoods, Starbucks or No Frills and Tim Hortons. It is a 15 minute walk to downtown Oakville, which has all the shopping and restaurants most people would need, and about the same distance to the local Encore Theatre (new movie releases at budget prices). 

The build itself is rather eco-smart as well. It has incredible windows, which shut out most noise and temperature, and open properly to allow fresh air to flow. The hallways are pumped with fresh air which is neither cooled nor heated saving energy. The positive flow of air into the hallways also ensures that smells from each suite do not travel into the halls. There is also a recycling program.

The suite I've just listed has an unobstructed view on the 4th floor, and has been renovated from ceiling to floors. The owner took out the wall to wall carpet (a terrible dust and dirt collector) and replaced it with wide plank floors. All the appliances are energy star rated where applicable including: the the front loading  Maytag washer and dryer. The kitchen has been replaced with granite surfaces, something that will not be replaced. The ceilings have been scraped clean of the popcorn plaster creating not only a more contemporary look but also a healthier environment. All the toilets have been replaced with low flow technology.

If you want to know more about this renovation please feel free to call me at: (905) 845-4267. 

Food Additives, WHY?

The other day my wife (Laura) and I were taken aback by the flour recall of "No Name". We quickly checked to see if our batch had been included in the list, and gratefully it wasn't.  Both of us were surprised by this recall, because when you're cooking with a basic ingredient, we thought it was unadulterated. I'm not sure why we felt this way, considering we have changed our diary source to organics after we discovered that all regular products had extra ingredients to stabilize them. That might be why Organic milk and regular milk taste so different. 

So the other day, while shopping at Fortino's I went hunting through all the Flour packages. Yes, I do have a day job, though occasionally I wonder. After looking,  I noted that the only wheat flour manufacturer was Monarch, and the only other one was PC Organic. Both are more expensive then the "No Name", or the premium "Robin Hood". I'm not sure when it became extremely important to add so many chemicals to our basic foods. Also why do non-chemically products have to cost more, also is perplexing. 

The common additive for stabilizing is Amylase. Some of the effects of Amylase are: severe allergic reactions and asthma. So is it possible that all these people running around with wheat allergies, aren't actually allergic to wheat, but rather to the additives? I'm happy to that I took the time to look. We have now changed our flour supplier, only to show that the buyer must aware.

Labour Day Thoughts.

This August was likely one of the busiest I've had for a long time. My son went off to camp (Kilcoo) up in Haliburton. The place is amazing, and promotes a very environmental attitude and lifestyle. There is no water ski program, but simply a good solid paddling, canoeing, rock climbing, and tripping camp. They don't even allow any iPods or other electronic toys. As parents we aren't allowed to send up food, and therefore the young men have to live life with a limited amount of sugary drinks and candies. I have to say they do a great job of instilling well earned confidence in the campers. 

Aside from Jake heading off to camp, I travelled to LA on an emergency trip to look after my grandmother. Thankfully she is doing better. While there I had an opportunity to head into Santa Monica, where I met with a number green minded individuals. If any town is green, it is definitively Santa Monica. I'll fill you in on some of the details in a short while, but felt it was important to get some down for the month. 

Have a great Labour Day.

Torrential Rains, Coffee and Jazz

Was at CJ’s again for a quick lunch with Laura before heading off to do my usual Sunday Open House. As per usual CJ was in fine form and the cafe was filled to capacity with an incredible duo playing the strings. CJ explained that the duo wasn’t even supposed to play, but filled in at the last minute since the previous act had cancelled. Only CJ could orchestrate a couple of talented musicians on a few minutes notice. For more information on CJ's cafe in Bronte: www.cjscafeinbronte.com

 

The teaming rain and thunderstorms of Saturday caused the canceling Saturday’s Jazz Festival in Downtown Oakville.  I’m not sure if this has ever happened before, but my heart goes out to the organizers who worked so tirelessly.  Friday night was incredible with a cool crisp breeze, blue sky, great food and jamming musicians. I noted today's festivities went forward, and the crowds were armed with Umbrellas. For more information on the Downtown Oakville Jazz Festival: www.oakvillejazz.com.

Now as I finished up this entry the sun has come out, and I can hear the great tunes drifting up from the Jazz Festival.

Ecohouse Hamilton

One of the frequently asked questions I get asked is can a historical or older home be environmentally friendly. "Yes!" I can think of nothing more environmentally friendly then an older home which has been retrofitted with eco-smart technology, and it doesn't have to change anything about visual impact of the home. 

A friend and I went to Ecohouse in Hamilton yesterday, to see what a non-profit group of young people can do with a limited amount of resources and a tremendous amount of heart and dedication. The group is Green Venture headed up by Pete Wobschall, who is a fountain of very useful information. My feeling is that he's going to be a wonderful resource for years to come. 

Ecohouse is located on the Veever Estate comprised of a couple of acres and a stone home dating back 150 years. It isn't unlike many of the magnificent homes on Hamilton mountain, or hugging Lake Ontario in Oakville, with its large principle rooms on a majestic setting. You enter the property through large wrought iron gates by the garage and head up the stone stairs to the side entrance of the house, where the tour guides are found. We had an Engineering student from UofT be our very knowledgeable guide. 

First we were led through the house with its various features and demonstrations from the extremely low voltage use of LED spot lighting to EnergyStar rated appliances, and low-flow water demonstrations. This is not a designer home, but a work at its infancy of restoration and rejuvenation.  Then we were taken on the garden tour where first we were shown the photovoltaic solar system and wind turbine. It supplies the majority of their electricity and should there be excess it is sold back to the grid. There are rain barrels (which they sell) to collect as much of the roof run off as possible that supplies most of the ample garden with water.  At the lowest point in the garden, there is a garden reservoir which filters any excess surface water before it leaves the property. 

At the back of the property their is a little green roofed gazebo, and from their we were taken to the community garden, which supplies most of the vegetables for the volunteers and staff. There are no pesticides used, but rather they have companion planting where one plants fights off pests they may attack another. This where our tour ended, and left me invigorated.  I would like to congratulate all staff and volunteers at Ecohouse for the great work they are doing.

If you would like to find out more about Ecohouse the website is:

http://www.greenventure.ca

or call: (905) 540-8787

EcoBroker Conference Denver 2008

Denver was the location of the latest EcoBroker conference. Over 300 real estate professionals attended two days of sessions where we discussed the latest innovations in green technology available to home buyers. Many of the sessions were led by industry experts from Finance to Green Manufacturers and Innovators. It was a thrill to be with a group of like minded individuals from the US and Canada. 

One of easiest changes we learned to improve indoor air quality, which is usually about 4 times more polluted then outdoor air, is the simple addition of easily found plants which filter the air effectively. The best plants to include in your home include: Palm Bamboo, English Ivy, Gebber Daisies, and Peace Lili. However, should you have pets or children always check out the toxicity of any plant you add to your garden or home.

One of the most interesting things I found among the suppliers was a restorer of wooden windows. This was of particular interest to me because my home has all of its original wooden single pane windows from the 1920's and I'm in the process of restoring them. Her simple solution is install small therma-panes by routering out a little of the wood. It is a simple and perfect restoration.  I'm going to try and convince one of local window people to do this work. 

There were countless other interesting developments, and as I go over my notes, I'll keep you informed. If you every have question please just email me, and I'll get back to you as soon as possible.

Muskoka?

During the last couple of weeks, I've been restoring a window in my 1920's bungalow. It has taken me a little longer then I had hoped, but now that the first window is stripped and ready to be painted. There had to be at least 20 layers of paint. I'll post a picture when I'm done. If you're considering doing this, I would suggest that you set aside some serious time, but at least I'm recycling them. If I had to pay someone to actually build them, it would cost a couple of thousand no doubt. 

On Sunday, Laura and I went paddling on the 16 Mile Creek. It was my first time paddling on the creek, and once we left the power boats behind, it was like being in up north. We saw turtles sunning themselves, ducklings, and a great blue heron catching fish. Such a beautiful spot right in town. The posted pic is the from a home on Trafalgar Road. You really don't need to leave home to enjoy great outdoor spaces. 

I also want to thank "Oakville Today" for their kind article about my EcoBroker certification.

Happy Canada Day 2008!

What a great day, though I have to say I was just a little nervous starting out. I was interviewed for a feature article about my EcoBroker certification for the Oakville Beaver. I've set up interviews for authors several times, and thought nothing of it; however, when it was me being the subject of the interview it was just a little different. The interviewer was kind and intelligent, so it made the experience fun to do. Hopefully, the article will be just as pleasant for me to read. 

The rest of the day was spent by the pool relaxing with Jacob and Laura, and enjoying warm temperatures with virtually no humidity and unusual experience for a summer day in Oakville. As per usual when I'm by the pool, I seem to know several people. Occassionally Jacob, my son asks if I just know everyone in town. Sometimes, it feels that way, but that is one of the reasons I like Oakville so much. It is a town where people actually get to know each other. 

Today we chatted with Andrea and her husband Mark. Andrea is a great interior designer, who was mentioning that in her field , green options are being expected by her clients. It was interesting to learn from her about some of the green options dealing with paint to fabrics and furniture that people are wanting green to be part of their day to day environment. 

If you are interest speaking to Andrea you can reach her at: Andrea Gardner Designs and Interiors, Oakville, ON.

HAPPY CANADA DAY!

Are we turning Green?

Today after a great meeting, a friend and I had coffee, and as per usual I steered the conversation to a green topic. Now I have to say my friend is very pragmatic. I wouldn't say he's skeptical, but cautious on how quickly we are actually going to turn green. His thoughts are leaning toward a much slower turn then mine. Then, I mentioned about the unavailability to even test drive a hybrid car at any of the dealerships. And that got me to thinking about the first hybrid I actually drove and when. It was a Honda Insight, which a few of you might remember. I decided about 10 years ago traveling Los Angeles for a visit with my Grandmother to see if I could rent a Hybrid. At that time, there was only a small independent that rented Hybrids. As per usual California was the leader in North America. 

It was an interesting ride, since the car went silent every time you stopped, something I really wasn't used to. However, when I stepped on the accelerator it went. Did it go fast, No; but I only had to fill up once during the week. Seating only two was fine for me, since it was only ever going to be my Grandmother and I in the car. 

So here it is 2008, and once again I went to visit with my 94 year old grandmother. She's an incredible women, and I only hope that I'm able to get around as well as she can when and if I reach her age. So being even more environmentally aware, I decide to see if I could rent a Hybrid. Gas has gone up over $4.00 per gallon, so financially I thought even if I had to pay extra for the car it would pay for itself. So on-line I went expecting a few more choices, but I didn't expect that every major rental agency would have Hybrids. The plethora of choice was incredible. I rented a Prius for the same money as an economy car.  Not only did I get to save a bundle on gas, but also on the rental. 

So are we turning green? The answer is yes, and a little faster then I expected. Did I give anything up, no: other then saving money on gas as well as the rental. 

 

Living Green in Oakville

The first blog of many I hope. Today, I was checking out the local new builds. First heading off to Ironstone in Burlington, the first new condo in the local area to use GeoThermal and Solar and I have to say I was impressed. The project is not a green wash, but an actual green build. Congratulations to the builder for stepping up to the plate, and providing the community with a sustainable build. I'm really looking forward to seeing this build go from conception to reality.

The other build was unfortunately not very impressive. I was hoping and praying that this upscale property would have been a little more dynamic. I'm not going to discuss the actual project, since it isn't worth it. I'm not sure they actually get the reality that a sustainable building is luxurious. Sustainable products available are stunning, the properties are far quieter, and  more comfortable then traditional buildings.

Then I stopped off at one of my favourite Bronte spots, CJ's Cafe. CJ is one of the most dynamic entreprenuers in Oakville. We always have a great discussion about art, food, and the environment. Her latest addition to her cafe for the planet is corn produced clear take-out cups, which look like the regular plastic ones, but are safe for the planet. Kudos to CJ, and her amazing fair trade and organic coffee creations.