EnerGuide Program

February 13 2008
http://oee.nrcan.gc.ca/equipment/english/index.cfm

EnerGuide is a Natural Resources Canada initiative that helps consumers purchase the most energy-efficient equipment on the market. We strive to increase public awareness of the link between energy and the environment and to promote the opportunities opened up by energy-efficient technology.

The EnerGuide label is a tool to help you make an energy-wise choice when buying a new appliance. It shows how much energy appliances consume in a year of normal service and makes it easy to compare the energy efficiency of each model to others of the same size and class.

Consumers

Is your old appliance coming back into style? It might look like new models now on the market, but the similarity ends there. The extra energy it takes to power an old appliance costs you more than it’s worth. Today’s machines do the job better, are quieter and, best of all, are more energy-efficient. Find out how much you are spending to keep that old appliance going

Every time you use an appliance you spend money. Calculate how much you are going to spend before you buy using EnerGuide’s Interactive Energy Cost Calculator.

The type of appliance you choose says something about the life you lead. It’s possible to spend your money without compromising your values. Make a decision that will benefit your family, your finances and the future

New appliances last for years, it’s worth paying a little more up-front knowing you’ll have extra money in your wallet at the end of every month. If you’re only comparing sticker prices, you might not be getting a bargain

EnerGuide HVAC Energy Efficiency Rating System

The EnerGuide Heating, Ventilating and Air Conditioning (HVAC) Energy Efficiency Rating System provides consumers with all the information needed to purchase energy-efficient home heating and air conditioning products and provides contractors with the tools to increase sales and valuable information on how to join Team HVAC.

Consumers can find out how to lower energy bills and protect the environment. Compare the energy efficiency of home heating and air conditioning products using the EnerGuide HVAC Rating.

Contractors can fnd out about the EnerGuide HVAC Rating System and how to benefit by joining Team HVAC.

Energy-Efficient Housing Made More Affordable with Mortgage Loan Insurance

February 13 2008
http://www.cmhc-schl.gc.ca/en/co/moloin/moloin_008.cfm

More than 17 percent of the energy consumed in Canada is used to run our homes. Buying an energy-efficient home or making energy-saving renovations can offer big savings. A 10% CMHC mortgage loan insurance premium refund and extended amortization periods of up to 40 years without surcharge may be available when you use CMHC insured financing to purchase an energy-efficient home or make energy-saving renovations.

Mortgage Loan Insurance

For most people, the hardest part of buying a home — especially a first home — is saving the necessary down payment. To help, CMHC offers lenders Mortgage Loan Insurance, which allows you to buy a house with little or no down payment. Offered through most financial institutions, this simple solution has enabled millions of Canadians to realize the dream of homeownership.

CMHC made dreams of homeownership easier to obtain by introducing flexibilities for borrowers to purchase with no downpayment, or allowing qualified home buyers to use additional sources of funds for downpayments such as a loan or lenders’ cash back incentives.

Help the Planet, Help Your Wallet

CMHC has added environmentally friendly features to the Mortgage Loan Insurance it offers. If you use CMHC insured financing to buy an energy-efficient home, purchase a house and make energy-saving renovations or renovate your existing home to make it more energy-efficient, a 10% refund on the Mortgage Loan Insurance premium may be available. You could also have the added flexibility of a longer amortization (the period of time required to repay your mortgage) from 25 years to a maximum of 40 years, significantly reducing your monthly payments.

The Government of Canada actively promotes energy conservation and initiatives to reduce greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change.

How It Works

Obtaining an energy assessment through an NRCan qualified energy advisor.

NRCan has developed an energy assessment and labelling system to help homeowners make energy-saving choices when buying a home or renovating. For a fee, a NRCan qualified energy advisor will evaluate the house to determine its energy efficiency rating on a scale of 0 – 100.

For more information, including information on the Government of Canada’s ecoEnergy initiatives, please visit:

http://oee.nrcan.gc.ca

New, Expanded Rebates for Green, Clean Heating

January 11 2008
http://www.gov.ns.ca/news/details.asp?id=20080111003

Nova Scotians wanting to use clean, green heating systems can now receive a larger rebate from the province.

Conserve Nova Scotia has expanded its solar heating rebate program to include solar air. The percentage and maximum rebate amount for the solar water heating program has also increased. These changes were effective Jan. 1.

“We’re expanding the solar rebate program to provide even more incentive for Nova Scotians to use solar heating,” said Richard Hurlburt, Minister responsible for Conserve Nova Scotia. “Solar heating is a clean and abundant energy source that could significantly reduce CO2 emissions. For every 100 installations, we could see reductions of up to 250 tonnes of CO2 emissions a year. Every bit counts in our effort to have one of the cleanest and greenest environments in the world by 2020.”

Solar air heating systems use solar energy to heat air for a residence or facility. The simple technology uses panels placed on a south-facing wall or roof. When sunlight hits the panels, it warms the air, which is then used for space heating.

Provincial rebates are available for 15 per cent of the cost to install solar air heating systems for residential, institutional, industrial or commercial use. The maximum provincial rebate is $20,000. Federal solar air rebates of 25 per cent (up to $80,000) are also available for commercial, industrial or institutional use. The federal rebate is not available for residential use.

To be eligible, solar air heating systems must be installed after Jan. 1, included in Natural Resources Canada’s list of approved systems and be installed in a home or facility in Nova Scotia.

Solar water heating systems use solar panels that transfer heat from the sun to water. The provincial solar water heating rebate has increased to 15 per cent from 10 and the maximum rebate amount has risen to $20,000 from $5,000. A federal solar water heating rebate of $500 for residential domestic water heating systems and 25 per cent for commercial, industrial and institutional (up to $80,000) is also available.

To be eligible, solar water heating systems must be designed for year-round use. Systems must be installed after Jan. 1, included in Natural Resources Canada’s list of approved systems, and be installed in a home or facility in Nova Scotia.

Projects that exceed the provincial rebate maximum of $20,000 may be considered, but the applicant must submit a detailed project description for pre-approval.

Under the Environmental Goals and Sustainable Prosperity Act, Nova Scotia has a goal of reducing greenhouse-gas emissions by 2020 to at least 10 per cent below 1990 levels.

For more information about solar heating rebates, call Conserve Nova Scotia’s ENERinfo line toll free at 1-800-670-4636 or visit http://www.conservens.ca .