Home affordability and the push for net zero homes

Liberals to introduce incentives to retrofit homes, but net zero homes add 15% to cost of average home, a price too much for many buyers

Voice Your Opinion & Connect With Us Online:

»»» »»» »»» »»» »»»
The National is CBC Television's flagship news program. Airing seven days a week, the show delivers news, feature documentaries and analysis from some of Canada's leading journalists.

[woody]

I have lived in a beautiful net zero home for the last 10 years quite comfortably and with no mortgage. It is built of ICF to last many millenia, but it was not expensive compared to other houses in the area, and the PV system cost less than $5000 to power the whole thing. Net zero is about more than the utility bill in a huge house with every energy hungry modern age machine. It is about the future path of humanity and our ability to make choices that liberate us from financial and environmental problems. One can choose to build smaller and smarter to have a beautiful home that is consistent with lower monthly cash outflows and insurance costs as well as feeling good about really doing something on a personal level to use clean, renewable energy. Net zero is a win on every level. What are your priorities? I love my formica counter tops and laminate floors and the money saved on just these two choices gave me a 25 year, green power supply. I did spend more on the ICF walls, but when you pay only a base rate utility bill covering your share of the grid upkeep then you get paid every month for the investment up front so our total mortgage plus utility bill is actually less, and you feel a lot more comfortable than in a stick built house. These are just examples of possible choices, and you don't have to be completely net zero. Any investment in energy conservation or renewable energy will pay if you are smart about it. And instead of waiting for politicians to try to work out the power struggle between the fossil fuel companies and solar you can take responsibility now for the future and join the energy revolution on your own now and get paid for doing it!

[martysaskatchewan]

Hempcrete makes a phenomenol building material..if only the Communists in Ottawa would let farmers grow hemp un-impeded.

p.s. hempcrete lowers the cost of construction..not raises it!

[davidchristensen]

Wow, you guys sure wore out your welcome fast. I signed up for some information and BOOM. SWAMPED my email everyday. Well politically if you don't understand restraint on even emails your probably not for me. I unsubscribe and you ran me off. You won't even get a second chance. Email and video up my wazoo. In just a week you drove me nuts.