Why Not a Trike?

Regular readers of this column will know that I am a promoter of cycling. I have contended that travelling by bike  between any two points in Steinbach is not a hardship for any healthy person. In the past I have made this assertion as a healthy person. Today I am no longer a healthy person, nevertheless I still want to make the case for using a cycle.

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Towards a Net Zero Energy Home: One House Among Many

In previous articles, I described our experience with several energy-conserving and energy-generating features in our new home. I described their return on investment (ROI) and total energy saved or generated. While important for homeowners, this kind of information is also valuable for provincial and national initiatives to reduce Canada’s emissions.

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Towards a Net Zero Energy House: Emerging House Technologies

 “It is a tragedy to have sight but no vision.”

The costs of various house construction features are easily estimated and widely used in planning a house. The quantification of savings available from energy conservation features is uncommon or rare. I was introduced to the calculation of the savings produced by energy conservation features in 2017 by Gio Robson, energy consultant.

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Towards a Net Zero Energy Home: Are We There Yet?

In planning our new house, my aim was to make economically and environmentally prudent choices. I had no ambition of achieving a net zero energy home. However, as time went on, I realized that the notion of net zero energy provided a useful milestone to measure progress against.

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Solar PV Systems

I have been interested in solar energy for several years. In 2017 we visited a show home with solar panels and this provided me with information and contacts for a pilot project in which Manitoba Hydro provided a rebate of $1 per watt and accepted a bi-directional electricity meter for a solar system on a new house.

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