Canada house cuts energy consumption to zero

TORONTO, (Reuters Life!) - A state-of-the-art Canadian home is offering relief from the high energy bills that come in a cold, northern climate, by generating as much energy as it consumes over a year.

The house, called the Riverdale NetZero Project, in Edmonton, Alberta, is equipped with energy-efficient appliances and a solar power system and is part of a zero-energy project put together by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation.

"Everybody has always been frustrated by energy bills," said Gordon Howell of Howell-Mayhew Engineering in Edmonton, who is part of the team working on the Riverdale house.

"They're sensing that they want to do something to be responsible themselves for their energy consumption."

For the Edmonton house, one of 12 planned for Canada, 80 percent of the savings will come from reducing the amount of energy used. That includes wall and ceiling insulation, a ventilation system with heat recovery and high-performance windows that don't let heat or cool air escape.

"It's stunning what efficiency can do," said Howell, an electrical engineer specializing in solar power.

Solar energy, which is more expensive to install than energy-efficient products, provides the remaining 20 percent of the energy savings in the house, which is due to be completed by March 2008.

The building uses solar energy to heat water and help heat the home in winter, as well as to help with summer cooling.
By Naomi Kim


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