Long-term exposure to high levels of radon gas in homes is the second greatest cause of lung cancer after smoking - that's 25000 preventable deaths a year from radon exposure - has your home been tested. Why is radon a problem in USA & Canada? Radon gas is cancer-causing radioactive, invisible, odourless and…

Discover the benefits of hemp insulation for sustainable building solutions. Learn how hemp offers eco-friendly, energy-efficient, and non-toxic alternatives to traditional insulation materials, perfect for reducing your carbon footprint. A comprehensive guide to hemp insulation: a sustainable choice for insulating…

Three greenhouse owners share their construction methods and experiences for building greenhouses in cold climates where the benefits accumulate for food production. Can a greenhouse produce food all year in cold climates? Growing fruits and vegetables all year round in Canada or the colder parts of North America…

The Toronto Healthy House was built in 1996, completely independent of municipal water, sewer and electricity systems. Here is a look back at it, with some tips on optimizing an off-grid home. In 1996, this off-grid house designed by architect Martin Liefhebber was one of two concept homes selected by the Canada…

The new Powerhouse standard factors the entire energy consumption and life cycle of buildings from cradle to grave. Powerhouse Paris Proof is a relatively new building standard that originated in Norway that is based on the Paris Agreement’s 1.5°Celsius  target. The standard lists maximum and total CO2 emissions per…

How to prepare for emergencies and power outages. We are seeing more frequent and more severe weather events as our climate changes, and all evidence points to that trend continuing. Here we have a list of ways to prepare yourself in the event of grid failure or absence of municipal services. Storing emergency food…

Design ideas and home-durability measures to help families and homes withstand a changing climate. Future-proofing homes: Our society has a collective trust in its commercial building industry to provide us with homes that we assume meet some realistic standard of resilience. They do to an extent, but a very minor…

The flat plate solar thermal collector from Viessmann has a modulating collector to prevent overheating. Solar thermal panels in cold climates are at risk of freezing in winter, so in the North, we use a glycol mix as a heat transfer fluid. This prevents panels from freezing but introduces new problems in the summer…

Sensible design, material re-use and using recycling centers can reduce what you send to a landfill. Whether you are building a new home, renovating an existing property, or completely deconstructing a building , you will end up with substantial amounts of waste, and some of these building materials can be reclaimed…

Recounting the trials — and joys — of building a Canadian home to meets the "Passivhaus" standard. First, the background to this Passivhaus My partner and I are geeks. Our idea of a romantic dream was to build a house so well insulated you could heat it with a hairdryer. For added fun, we wanted to do this on a…

Choosing the right solar thermal water heater system. What is a solar thermal collector? A photovoltaic (PV) solar collector converts solar radiation into electricity , but a solar thermal collector is much simpler than that. It refers to a device that collects heat directly from solar radiation. That can be as…

The Nail Kicker quickly and easily removes nails from old lumber, saving costs on material purchase as well as waste disposal. Most people, certainly those reading here on our site, would no doubt prefer to see old lumber re-employed than sent to a landfill, but staying on a construction budget can on occasion trump…

A comeback for foam radiant floor ICF forms heated with air tubes. Radiant heating systems are very common in concrete floors now because they provide a very balanced and comfortable distribution of heat. Those systems are most commonly hydronic, meaning heated liquid is pumped through tubing in the concrete which…

This type of concrete reduces the carbon emissions by 70%, fuel consumption by 30% and water use by 80%. A new cement block manufacturing process developed by an American company named Solidia Technologies® produces 40% fewer emissions during manufacturing than conventional concrete, resulting in a dramatically…

A study showed that reflectors on solar panels can increase their performance by up to 30%. The continuing drop in cost for home solar power generation has led to a dramatic increase in the rate of installations, for both residential and commercial use. Increasing the yield through reflection could make that an even…

Kunos oil from Livos is a natural finishing oil for floors, counters, furniture & decks - enrich wood surfaces safely, protect them from stains & water ingress. Being safe to breathe, natural oils are suitable and safe for pretty much  everyone, but of particular value in the homes of pregnant women, young children…

Wood ceilings are a beautiful natural material with no off-gassing and no treatment necessary so why do we systematically choose drywall. Wood ceilings - what's the the skinny? Ahhh, the charm of a wood ceiling, seriously, what's not to like? The intent of this page is less about talking you out of installing gypsum…

Handing over the keys to the new owners of a LEED home built by students and donated to Habitat for Humanity. Our House is the story of a small town united around the construction of an exemplary home. After being awarded with the ‘Prix d'excellence’ at the end of 2017 by the Public Administrator of Quebec (the…

A Saanich, BC. home is the first certified with the CHBA's Net Zero Label. Net Zero Homes - the design & certification process In May of 2017, the Canadian Home Builders Association [CHBA] officially launched its Net Zero Home Labelling Program , following the successful completion of a 15-month pilot project to…