Planning & Designing Sustainable Green Homes

Lifestyle and environment

Save money by washing clothes in cold water - especially as it can wash better!

It's tempting to run your washing machine on cold water to save some dollars, but many people will tell you that it's not effective for washing clothes properly or for removing stubborn stains - and that's not quite true. So, a little background story, I always called my mom "Laurence, the guardian angel of…

Lifestyle and environment

How to reduce energy bills this winter to help reduce the cost of living...

Faced with the rise in the cost of living that is hitting Canada and North America, reducing energy use and bills has become a necessity. To stay positive, the Ecohome team explores ways to save money while living better and greener. The current economic situation is pushing many Canadians and North Americans to…

Lifestyle and environment

COP26 and world carbon emissions by country per capita - which countries top the charts?

It's a common misconception that Canada & the US are doing ok 'ish' on carbon emissions - as looked at in terms of absolute emissions the usual suspects are there on top. However, looking at per capita CO2 emissions reveals a different story. With the recent COP26 Global Climate Change Conference in Glasgow…

Lifestyle and environment

Fridge organization - how to optimize fridges to reduce food waste (and why it matters)

The amount of food wasted in North America is huge - but beyond the implications of reducing our grocery bills, unnecessary food waste is having a significant impact on climate change. Here's a comprehensive guide to organizing fridges at home. Preventing food waste - optimal fridge organization Did you know that…

Concept and design

How to protect your home from wildfires - a burning need to know.

Home destruction vs. home survival in wildfires point to embers and small flames control as the main thing to help prevent homes igniting in wildfires. Here are some tips for homeowners & builders to prepare homes to withstand wildfires. Let’s start by pointing out that this post is mostly about fire coming from…

Planning and Design

Homes built for climate disruptions - a primer for home owners and buyers

As much as we want to see homes that are built sustainably - they must also fulfil their primary function - to provide safe, comfortable, healthy shelter for families to thrive - so durability and good design is key. I’m writing this during a heat wave in June 2021, as much of the US and Canada seem poised to…

Grants and incentives

Greener Homes interest-free loan scheme 2021 Canada - the ultimate guide

Deep home retrofits through grants and interest-free loans to make your home more energy-efficient were a promise by Trudeau and the Liberals and now in 2021, it looks like they're becoming a reality. The Canada Greener Homes Grant scheme is investing $2.6 billion over 7 years to help up to 700,000 Canadian…

Grants and incentives

Canada Greener Homes Grant 2022 - the "how to apply" guide - step by step

Canadian homeowners, with 2022's grants it's time to improve home insulation, to upgrade heating systems to more efficient ones like heat pumps, to install solar panels and replace old and leaky windows and doors. How and why to claim the Canada greener homes grant Buildings, including homes, account for 18% of…

Wood and organic materials

How to build high performance homes with less lumber

With the high cost of lumber, we decided to look at how we can still build high performance yet affordable homes. The cost of lumber is at an all time high, and because of that fact, other wall assemblies are showing themselves to be more affordable in comparison. So it’s a great time to highlight a few…

Lifestyle and environment

Here is what old coffee grounds are good for, including skin care!

Following on from our recent article on how putting old coffee grounds on gardens will not help them grow. We thought it would be useful to take a look at what coffee grounds are good for - like skin care. As we mentioned in our previous post, coffee has many magical properties but its magic should never be used on…

Lifestyle and environment

Next to nothing: why living zero-waste matters

How to live a zero-waste lifestyle - reduce your climate impact and carbon footprint with simple lifestyle choices , learn more here. Garbage is a major contributor to the greenhouse gas emissions heating up the atmosphere and causing climate chaos. People generate over 3.5 million tons of solid waste every day…