Mississauga Real Estate Blog

Green Energy and Green Economy Act to Lose Mandatory Home Energy Audits

Anthon Pang, Broker, e-PRO, SRES (Right At Home Realty Inc., Brokerage) — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 21:52:36 -0500

Facing public opposition from consumers and the real estate industry, it appears the Province of Ontario is going to backdown on its plan to require mandatory home energy audits on the sale of homes.

As I blogged earlier, while this facet of the Act was well intentioned, the Energuide rating systems used in Canadian home energy audits has technical complexities and assumptions that make it a poor measure or comparison tool of a home's operational costs.

Last week, Pauline Aunger, president of the Ontario Real Estate Association, spoke to the Standing Committee on General Government:

First, let us look at the costs. Home sellers will first pay some $350 to $500 to obtain a home energy audit. It's an unnecessary fee because it provides very little information beyond a highly subjective number. But that's not the real problem. The real problem is that few homes will receive positive ratings, and those with less-than-ideal energy ratings will face pressure from homebuyers to either spend thousands of dollars to improve the energy efficiency of their home or lower their sale price.

For a moment, let's assume that a homeowner sells his home for $10,000 less than the original asking price based on the results of a home energy audit. Bill 150 presumes that homebuyers will use these savings to invest in improvements to the energy efficiency of their newly purchased home. I have been a realtor for over 30 years, and I can say with certainty that the overwhelming majority of homebuyers will not invest in new energy-efficient furnaces, wall insulation or solar water heaters. Instead, buyers tend to customize their recent purchase by investing in things like kitchen renovations, new furniture and other cosmetic alterations.

If the ultimate goal of mandatory home energy audits is to improve the energy efficiency of the housing stock of Ontario, then the government should expand its successful rebate program, not pass laws that won't work.

OREA is also concerned that mandatory home energy audits unfairly target single-family homeowners. Although subsection 2(1) of the bill is broad in terms of its application, OREA has learned that mandatory home energy audits will apply only to single-family homes. The fact that the government has chosen to place the burden of mandatory home energy audits directly on homeowners is extremely concerning to Ontario realtors. This design ensures that while all Ontarians contribute to our pollution problem and share in the benefits of going green, owners of single-family homes will bear the majority of the costs. If a culture of conservation is indeed a public good, as the government has indicated, then we should all share in its cost, not just homeowners.

As well as having concerns about home energy audits' impact on homeowners and our economy, realtors have serious doubts about their reliability. For example, an investigative report by the Toronto Star on home energy audits received three different sets of energy ratings and three different lists of recommended retrofit renos, ranging from $5,000 to $25,000, all on the same house. Compare this lack of standards to the consistent results of testing used to produce energy ratings on cars and appliances, and you will find that trying to rate an individual home is a very subjective process. We believe that the results of home energy audits are too inconsistent to be legislated as a requirement in a real estate transaction.

Realtors are not alone in their opposition to mandatory home energy audits. In fact, we are now joined by one of the largest, most important groups in this province: Ontario's 2.5 million homeowners. An Ipsos Reid public opinion survey released on Monday shows that 65% of Ontario homeowners oppose a system of mandatory home energy audits. Indeed, 92% of homeowners favoured voluntary audits, as does the Ontario Real Estate Association. Furthermore, a massive majority of 94% of homeowners believe that mandatory home energy audits will impose significant costs on home sellers and first-time buyers.

In addition, the poll found that 70% of Ontario homeowners believe that mandatory home energy audits will deter them from selling their home, having a detrimental effect on the real estate sector and Ontario's economy. Not surprisingly, the majority of Ontario homeowners oppose mandatory home energy audits because they know that the audits will hurt the affordability of housing, add yet another brake on the economy and erode hard-earned home equity.

In her response, the MPP from Etobicoke-Lakeshore stated:

It would seem to me that type of information, combined with the fact that the audit is then transferable to the new purchaser, helps very much on a critical issue and a critical barrier to first-time buyers and entry into ownership, and that is the carrying costs associated with that home.

To be clear, only the information in the audit is transferable to the purchaser. If the buyer wishes to carry out an ecoEnergy retrofit, the new owner must get a new pre-retrofit audit done, complete the work within 18 months, and obtain a post-retrofit audit to apply for the grant.

Bill 150, Green Energy and Green Economy Act

Anthon Pang, Broker, e-PRO, SRES (Right At Home Realty Inc., Brokerage) — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 16:00:56 -0600

McGuinty and the Liberals are rushing "Bill 150, Green Energy and Green Economy Act" through the legislature this past week. (Introduced on Monday, with Second Reading immediately following on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, ...)

A notable component of the bill is a mandatory home energy audit prior to the sale of a home. Like the private member's bill (Bill 101, Home Energy Rating Act) -- that appears to have died in committee -- the mandatory home energy audit raises many of the same concerns that I pointed out in October, including:

EnerGuide ratings are not consistently measured. EnerGuide ratings of an existing home can, and do, vary between energy advisers, depending on the assumptions they make and extent of data collected on the building's actual construction (limited to non-invasive visual inspection), without consulting the builder, building plans, materials specification, or equipment (e.g., HVAC) specifications.

EnerGuide ratings between different homes cannot be meaningfully compared. First, the EnerGuide rating scale is logarithmic (according to the Canadian Home Builders' Association); a home that rates 80 is not 10% more efficient than a home that rates 70. Second, the HOT2000 software (used to compute the EnerGuide rating) makes adjustments for climate zones (heating and cooling degree days); thus, homes in different climate zones may have the same EnerGuide rating, but have very different energy efficiencies.

EnerGuide ratings are not stable over time. First, the tightness of the building envelope may change over time (e.g., degradation of caulk, compromised vapor barrier, etc). Second, the Ontario government has no control or oversight into the implementation of the HOT2000 software -- achieving minimum EnerGuide ratings could be akin to chasing a moving target. Natural Resources Canada made controversial changes to the software last summer, without industry consultation, which if applied retroactively, would have had the general effect of lowering the EnerGuide ratings of existing homes already labelled. An added confusion is that EnerGuide rating reports and labels do not show the version of the HOT2000 software used.

EnerGuide ratings alone are not a measurement of building quality. The Canadian Home Builders' Association advocates the design and construction of a "house as a system". One danger in emphasizing EnerGuide ratings is that we may end up with homes with very tight building envelopes but which fare poorly on indoor air quality, humidity levels conducive to mold, etc.

Given these technical problems, homeowners should be extremely concerned about the impact of an unfavorable home energy audit on the resale value of their homes. (Nevermind that the home energy audit is going to cost you somewhere around $300 to $350 up front, before you receive the provincial rebate of (up to) $150 in the mail, roughly six weeks later.)

And the government's claim that mandatory home energy audits would stimulate green renovations is weakened because the ecoENERGY 'D' audit (the pre-retrofit audit) is not transferrable between homeowners (e.g., from seller to buyer). [The ecoENERGY Retrofit program is a federal program managed by Natural Resources Canada; the province can't change this constraint.] There is no immediate incentive under the proposed bill for the new homeowner to undertake any renovations, green or otherwise.

Hey! OREA's policy submission re: private member's Bill 101, and a recent press release, "Mandatory home energy audit could significantly hurt home sellers in an already tough economy" borrowed a phrase from my text without attributing me as its source! Plagarized by my own association? I'm flattered. ;)

Water Bill Arrears

Anthon Pang, Broker, e-PRO, SRES (Right At Home Realty Inc., Brokerage) — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 09:48:51 -0600

Here in the GTA and other parts of Ontario, water consumption is a metered utility. The occupant or owner may be billed quarterly by the city, regional municipality, or the local utility company. Like other utilities (e.g., natural gas & electricity), the seller is responsible for any consumption up to the date of closing.

However, unlike other utilities, water bill arrears can be carried forward and billed to the new owner. And from what I've seen, solicitors can overlook this in the closing adjustments.

One of my clients received a notice from the utility company for water bill arrears owed by the property's previous owner. Knowing that my client had title insurance, I contacted the insurer and confirmed that his policy covered the water bill arrears and that the deadline to file a claim had not lapsed. I assisted my client in preparing a claim, and in about a month, he received a cheque.

This incident came up in conversation with another client, and he remembered getting stuck with the bill on another property he had purchased directly through the listing agent. Unfortunately, too much time had elapsed.

Work with a knowledgeable and competent real estate professional who'll represent you and protect your best interests.

Become an EcoBroker - Promotional/Discount Code - Save $20

Anthon Pang, Broker, e-PRO, SRES (Right At Home Realty Inc., Brokerage) — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 17:15:06 -0600

Start saving and earning your EcoBroker designation today!

Enroll / Sign up here: EcoBroker - Get Started
Enter my EcoBroker number: EBC13654 into the promotional code box.
Refer a colleague (or more) and earn a referral fee.

BTW the online version of NAR's GREEN designation core course has slipped its December release. Learning Library says the target for release is around the end of this month (January 2009). In the meantime, you don't have to wait to take the Residential elective at Realtor University because the core course is not a prerequisite. Unfortunately, the 10% discount code I posted in November no longer works. (Sorry.)

Ringing in the New Year

Anthon Pang, Broker, e-PRO, SRES (Right At Home Realty Inc., Brokerage) — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 21:29:52 -0600

I hope you all had a safe and enjoyable New Year. My wife and I "rang" in 2009 with a pair of matching iPhone 3G's. Techno-geekie-romantic, sort of. ;)

I'd like to thank again all my clients and partners for working with me in 2008. And as we step into 2009, may our patience, hard work, and diligence, continue to reward us with opportunities and good fortune.

2009 will undoubtedly be a year of change, in politics, in the economy, in the workplace, and at home.

Rates Slashed!

Anthon Pang, Broker, e-PRO, SRES (Right At Home Realty Inc., Brokerage) — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 10:31:37 -0600

The Bank of Canada surprised some today by sharply cutting its key benchmark rate by 75 basis points (3/4 of a percent), at the high end of analyst predictions. This matches a 50 year low, last seen in 1958!

Ok, the central bank says Canada is entering a recession. On the other hand, this is positive news to homeowners with variable rate mortgages tied to prime before discounts disappeared and banks started quoted prime-plus. Some clients are enjoying prime minus 1% and prime minus 0.6% on their mortgages.

Energuy - The Game

Anthon Pang, Broker, e-PRO, SRES (Right At Home Realty Inc., Brokerage) — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 02:33:17 -0600

This is an entertaining (and educational) online game from the folks at Quebec's Agence de l'efficaté énergétique ("Agency of Energy Efficiency"). Grab Energuy's hand, lead him around rooms, and point out the energy savings. You'll play it over and over until you find every one (20 in all), or maybe you can't get enough of the celebratory dance moves. B-)

GREEN - Residential Elective Course Now Available Online

Anthon Pang, Broker, e-PRO, SRES (Right At Home Realty Inc., Brokerage) — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 08:32:19 -0600

The Residential elective course for NAR's Green designation has been launched at Realtor University. Check out the Featured Product link.

Enter the Discount Code "GREENRE08" (that's zero-eight for the last 2 characters) on this screen (not at checkout) to get the promotional pricing, i.e., 10% off the elective course, or 20% off the ABR+elective bundle.

Investing in Tax Sale Properties

Anthon Pang, Broker, e-PRO, SRES (Right At Home Realty Inc., Brokerage) — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 23:38:16 -0600

Does this sound familiar?

I just submitted a sealed bid on a tax sale property, and I think I bid too much. Is it too late to back out?

Sounds similar to buyer's remorse. Here's the scoop when bidding on a property being sold by public tender for tax arrears (i.e., municipal property taxes, interest, penalties, and other reasonable costs incurred by the city):

Contact the City. Theoretically, you should be able to withdraw your tender (e.g., by written request) any time prior to the closing date/time for receiving tenders.
The City reserves the right to cancel a sale up until a tax deed is registered.
If your tender is rejected, the City will either send back your bid documents and deposit, or provide you with the necessary information for other arrangements.
If you are the successful bidder, you have 14 days to close. If you fail to close, your deposit is forfeit.
If the successful bidder fails to complete the sale and you're the second highest bidder, you are then given 14 days to close. And if you also fail to close, your deposit is forfeit.

That said, remember, "Nothing ventured, nothing gained." To avoid an expensive learning lesson, do your due diligence.

By its very nature, a tax sale property is a problem property. You can't include conditions on your tender, i.e., subject to financing, insurance, inspection, etc.
The "assessed value" is not the same as its "market value". Use conservative estimates, and budget for overruns. If this is an investment, treat it like one. You're in business to make money.
Consult a lawyer. Chances are you won't receive a survey, nor be able to tour the property, get vacant possession, or even obtain a key. Know the risks. Know your rights.

November is NAR's Designation Awareness Month

Anthon Pang, Broker, e-PRO, SRES (Right At Home Realty Inc., Brokerage) — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 21:04:00 -0500

Yes, it's that time of year again. NAR would like to remind all of us of the value of professional development, and in particular, a NAR recognized/approved designation (or certification).

According to Realtor University, the "At Home with Diversity" online course is currently half-price ($24.50, reg $49).

For those of you attending the 2008 NAR Annual Conference and Expo (Nov 5 & 6), and taking the Green designation core course live, I'm looking forward to reading your reviews. The residential elective is slated to be available later this month as an online course, with the online version of the core course following in December.

Me, I just wrote my Professional Real Estate Brokerage exam this past week, and I'm hoping to wrap up my EcoBroker and NAGAB courses this month, after pushing them to the backburner for a few months. (*blush*)

Free Car and Upgrades with Purchase of Home

Anthon Pang, Broker, e-PRO, SRES (Right At Home Realty Inc., Brokerage) — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 11:29:22 -0500

I don't think it's the start of a trend, but sooner or later, someone in Canada was going to borrow this incentives idea from the Brits.

Country Wide Homes took out a half page ad in the weekend Toronto Star. The builder is offering a 2010 fuel efficient vehicle (ok, it's a Kia Rio, valued at $7500) with another $7500 in builder upgrades with the purchase of a new home in Newmarket. (Alternatively, pick a different Kia vehicle and pay the difference, or get $15000 in builder upgrade.)

Also worthy of mention is that the 90 detached homes planned (on 36' wide lots) for this community are all designed to Energy Star energy-efficient standards.

Privacy vs Prospecting Expired Listings

Anthon Pang, Broker, e-PRO, SRES (Right At Home Realty Inc., Brokerage) — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 19:54:53 -0500

Back at the start of 2004, REALTORS in Ontario (members of the Ontario Real Estate Association, OREA) were required to comply with the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA). As a result, MLS systems later introduced an opt-in field indicating whether or not the sellers consented to be contacted after expiry of their listing.

And last month (September 2008), Canada rolled out its own National Do Not Call List (DNCL), where Canadians could register their number(s) and opt-out of telemarketing. Again, REALTORS are expected to abide with its associated rules. Single number look-ups on the web are free (guarded by a CAPTCHA), so prohibitive cost isn't an excuse.

What's troubling is that there are still registrants who prospect "expireds" in blatant disregard of these privacy provisions. In the past two days, I've come across two cases. In the first case, the registrant blocked the caller ID of her number and failed to identify her brokerage. The incident was reported to the DNCL privacy coordinator. The number was *57'd (call trace) but follow-up may require follow-up with law enforcement authorities. In the second case, after questioning the salesperson and reminding him of the Do not "contact after expired" flag on the listing, I sent a follow-up email to his broker-of-record.

I've got better things to do than police other registrants.

Reference: Privacy Tip Sheet (pdf)

ecoENERGY Retrofit - Homes Program Stats

Anthon Pang, Broker, e-PRO, SRES (Right At Home Realty Inc., Brokerage) — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 13:30:57 -0500

Since the inception of the ecoENERGY Retrofit - Homes program (on April 1, 2007), the Office of Energy Efficiency (a part of Natural Resources Canada) reports that:

195,000 'D' audits (pre-retrofit assessments) performed
46,000 'E' audits (post-retrofit assessments) performed
$48.9 M in incentives (grants) paid out
average grant: $1060

NRCAN doesn't have any ready stats available on the distribution of homes by type (e.g., single detached vs semi-detached vs townhouse etc), but there is a breakdown by age of the home. As might be expected, owners of newer homes (less than 20 years old) were less likely to perform ecoENERGY retrofits than older homes. But an interesting observation is that nearly half the homes retrofitted were around 20-40 years old.

Higher Heating and Cooling Costs Due to Drafts and Poor Insulation

Anthon Pang, Broker, e-PRO, SRES (Right At Home Realty Inc., Brokerage) — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 20:39:55 -0500

I've been researching polyurethane spray foam (or spray polyurethane foam, SPF) insulation (for the rim joists and pony wall in my basement), and I'm feeling a bit mixed about the idea.

A bit of background: Polyurethane spray foam insulation is mixed at the nozzle from two liquid components (proprietary to each manufacturer). The R-value is around 6-8 per inch (it appears to degrade a little over time), making it more space efficient than either rigid foam or fibreglass batt insulation of the same R-value. Another benefit is increased air tightness as spray foam insulation expands into gaps.

As part of my ecoENERGY retrofit, these seemed to be negatives:

the components contain either CFCs (ozone depleting) or HFCs (greenhouse gas estimated to be 12000x worse than carbon dioxide) as a propellant or blowing agent
off-gas during the first 24 hrs (note: some products claim no VOCs)
more expensive (per sq ft) than rigid foam or batt insulation

DIY Kits:

Zerodraft Z2 (from Mississauga-based CanAm Building Envelope Specialists); a 200 board foot kit is $556.65 CAD
Tiger Foam ($335 USD + shipping/duty/taxes, or $499 CAD + $75 shipping from a Canadian distributor)
Fomo Foam ($335 - 360 USD + shipping/duty/taxes)

Do-It-Yourselfers should read the instructions! For example, the temperature of the components at time of application is quite critical.

DIY isn't for everyone. Zerodraft has authorized applicators. WALLTITE is the blue spray foam that viewers of Holmes on Homes (starring Mike Holmes) have seen several times; BASF has a list of "Foam Masters", trained specialists in the proper application of their WALLTITE product. The Canadian Urethane Foam Contractors Association also provides a membership lookup.

Canadian Banks Cut Rates

Anthon Pang, Broker, e-PRO, SRES (Right At Home Realty Inc., Brokerage) — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 12:56:00 -0500

I should also point out that Canadian banks are tightening up in other ways. Gone is the "prime minus discount" rate (e.g., "prime minus a quarter"), and expect to hear more "prime plus" quotes.

Keep this in mind if you're seeking a new or second mortgage or considering to re-finance.

Via Anthon Pang, Sales Representative, e-PRO, SRES:

On the heels of the Bank of Canada's announcement to cut its key overnight rate by half a percentage point (50 points, or 0.5%) to 2.5%, the big Canadian banks are also cutting their prime rate to 4.5% -- a reduction of only 25 points, no longer following the central bank in lockstep fashion. I'm curious to see where more nimble lenders will be offering for residential mortgages. Prior to the central bank's move, the best residential variable rate (3 yr and 5 yr terms) was 4.15%.

What's My Home's EnerGuide Rating?

Anthon Pang, Broker, e-PRO, SRES (Right At Home Realty Inc., Brokerage) — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 12:46:15 -0500

All homes are not created/constructed equal. According to the pre-retrofit energy evaluation for my home, it only rates 65 points on the EnerGuide scale. For comparison, the average energy efficiency rating for a house of the same age (3 years) in Ontario is 74! This is overshadowed by the highest rating achieved by the most energy efficient houses in this category: a whopping 89!

Not surprising, an estimated 20-30% of the heat loss is through my unfinished basement.

My report also shows a combined leakage area of 1468 square centimetres ... roughly 1.58 square feet, or a hole big enough for a 17" (radius) beach ball to pass through. Yes, that's bigger than the basketball shown in this powerWISE commercial with Canadian environmental activist, David Suzuki.

I'll be exploring ecoENERGY grant statistics and comments from contractors in a future post.

Floor Plans of Your Home

Anthon Pang, Broker, e-PRO, SRES (Right At Home Realty Inc., Brokerage) — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 18:25:23 -0500

Following up on my ecoENERGY audit, I obtained a copy of the mechanical drawings and heat loss calculations for my home, from the City of Brampton.

Since it's a reference plan for a model, it isn't necessarily accurate for my "as built" home. Differences include site elevation (percentage below grade), construction details (e.g., ceiling height, location of registers and return vents), furnace sizing, and furnace efficiency. Other sources of variance include infiltration (theoretical vs actual tightness), and assumptions, e.g., thermal resistance of uncompromised insulation.

One observation: for the walk-out basement elevation (unfinished basement), nearly half the heat loss is attributed to the basement's below grade (exterior) walls and floor. It gets worse quickly as the percentage of wall below grade increases.

Still, it should be relatively easy to determine the theoretical improvement (reduced heat loss) of insulating my basement. Of course, the only true test is seeing heating and cooling costs go down!

Via Anthon Pang, Sales Representative, e-PRO, SRES:

Would you like to see or have a copy of your home's floor plans? Well, the City of Brampton should have a copy of your home's building plans on file.

Just head over to the Building Division of Planning, Design and Development, now located at Flower City Community Campus (a "block" south of Queen St), address: 8850 McLaughlin Rd., Unit 1.

Once inside the building, head downstairs to Document Services. Don't forget to bring picture ID (e.g., Ontario driver's licence). The clerk will verify your identity against their tax roll information for the property. For a recent transfer in title, you may have to bring a copy of your Purchase Agreement to show that you are the new homeowner.

The clerk will then retrieve the microfiche for you to view. If you live in a subdivision, there's a reference set of plans submitted by the builder for each model, and a separate file specific to your lot. Among the things you might find: HVAC heat loss calculations, mechanical drawings, floor plans, elevation drawings, cross-sectional drawings, etc. (The city may not have a copy of your survey though.)

There's no cost to view your plans. If you'd like copies made, it's $5 per page + GST (capped at $25), plus a $5 access to information fee (per Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, R.S.O. 1990c. M56.). As an example, the reference set alone for my home was 30 pages.

What's My Credit Score? (Free Credit Report)

Anthon Pang, Broker, e-PRO, SRES (Right At Home Realty Inc., Brokerage) — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 20:15:00 -0500

Your credit score is a measure of your credit risk at a certain point in time. The higher your score, the more favorable lenders may be. A proprietary version of the credit score by Fair Isaac Corporation is the FICO score which ranges between 300 and 900.

If you want to know your score, you can order (for a fee) an online credit report containing your credit score from Equifax and/or Transunion.

If you just want to see what's in your file, you can request a free copy of your credit report be sent to you through the mail. In fact, it's recommended that you review your credit report annually, and dispute/correct/update it as needed. (By the way, your credit report is also known as a credit file disclosure, credit history report, or consumer disclosure.)

	Equifax	Transunion	Experian
Online Credit Report	$15.50	$14.95	N/A
Online Credit Report + Credit Score	$23.95	$22.90	N/A
Request Credit Report by Mail	Free	Free	Free
Request Credit Report by Phone	Free	N/A	N/A
Request Credit Report by Fax	Free	N/A	Free
Request Credit Report In Person	Free	Free	N/A

How long does it take? (Note: your mileage may vary.) For example:

	Equifax	Transunion	Experian
Request Sent	September 15, 2008
Processed	Sept 23	Sept 25	Sept 19
Response Received	Sept 29	Oct 1	Sept 23
Elapsed Calendar Days	14	17	8
Elapsed Business Days	10	13	6

How do the reports compare?

Equifax's credit history goes back about 6 years from the last transaction. The report also listed residences from the past 10 years. On my report, seven (inactive) accounts should have been shown as closed. Of the residences, one wasn't -- it was a work address.
Transunion's credit report is the most comprehensive. The credit history and list of residences goes back almost 20 years. On my report, I had no knowledge of two accounts, in addition to two accounts that should have been shown as closed. Of the residences, one was a work address, one was a PO box, and one I had no knowledge of.
Experian is the newcomer on the block. While it was the quickest turnaround response, it was also the most incomplete, especially with respect to active accounts.

Conclusion:

Both Transunion and Experian provided the more up to date reports on active accounts. While Transunion provides the most comprehensive report, it also raises the most concern. None were 100% accurate or complete.

Advice:

An interesting pattern emerges. Don't simply let an unwanted credit card lapse. Call the issuer and close it.

Buy a Bulb, Plant a Tree

Anthon Pang, Broker, e-PRO, SRES (Right At Home Realty Inc., Brokerage) — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 15:09:26 -0500

One of the "Every Kilowatt Counts" coupons is $4 off a decorative or covered CFL bulbs. Until October 24th, if you use your coupon at Canadian Tire on a 2 pack of Blue Planet energy saving bulbs, your net price is $3.99, roughly $2 per bulb, and comparable in pricing to regular, uncovered CFL bulbs. And for each pack that you purchase, Canadian Tire will donate $2 to Tree Canada and Trees Ontario. Details follow.

My Basement Leaks ... Air

Anthon Pang, Broker, e-PRO, SRES (Right At Home Realty Inc., Brokerage) — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 10:47:41 -0500

While I haven't seen the final 'D' audit report, this much is clear: my basement leaks air like a seive. The main reason is because the basement is unfinished. Sure, there's batt insulation in the rim joists -- there just isn't enough, and there are gaps. (There's a little breeze in one corner.) Yeah, there's a polyethylene vapor/air barrier -- but it doesn't work well when it's hung loosely by a staple or two. And there is a foundation insulation blanket -- except it only partially covers the foundation wall (i.e., it doesn't extend all the way down to the floor) and its original R-8 value has been comprised by compression.

Otherwise, the house is pretty tight. (It should be...it's only 3 years old.) Attic insulation is R-32 and the furnace is 91% AFUE.

So, the planned improvements/retrofits are:

Goal #1: insulate 100% of the basement's exterior wall area to R-23. Objective: $2000 in federal and provincial grants.

Goal #2: seal the basement header area and increase insulation value by R-20. Objective: $200 in fed/prov grants.

Goal #3: air sealing to increase airtightness, at least 20% better than the target. Objective: $600 in fed/prov grants.

If I replace the existing toilet in the upstairs powder room with an approved one, I could also qualify for a regional rebate. And because the existing toilet is a low flush toilet, but not on the approved list, it could be reused in a basement washroom, where there's currently a 3 pc rough-in. So:

Goal #4: replace toilet with low-flush or dual-flush toilet rated at 6 L/flush and meets Los Angeles Supplementary Purchase Specification (SPS), with a flush performance of 350 grams or more, and is on the Region of Peel's "Water Smart Toilet Replacement Program". Objective: $200 in federal, provincial, and regional grants/rebates.

Happy "Every Kilowatt Counts" Day!

Anthon Pang, Broker, e-PRO, SRES (Right At Home Realty Inc., Brokerage) — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 09:05:36 -0500

No, not really. The "Fall Every Kilowatt Counts Power Savings Event" runs from October 1st, 2008 to November 16th, 2008.

Visit Every Kilowatt Counts for more information. You can download coupons, get energy efficiency tips, and find contests and educational activities for your kid.

I kicked off the day with an ecoENERGY evaluation ('D' audit). Later in the day, I installed insulating switch and plug outlet foam gaskets (aka insulating sealers, draft outlet seals, or insulators). You can find a pack of 10 seals at Canadian Tire (made in Canada, CSA and UL approved), currently on sale for $3.59. The best online price (unfortunately, they only ship within the US) is 20 cents per piece at GoodCommonSense.net. (Disclaimer: I have no personal shopping experience with them.)

ecoENERGY Retrofit Grant - Money for Your Home Improvement...

Anthon Pang, Broker, e-PRO, SRES (Right At Home Realty Inc., Brokerage) — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 15:44:57 -0500

A little background history: In 2006, the Conservatives scrapped the Liberals' Energuide for Houses program, tinkered with it a bit, and relaunched their own ecoENERGY program in 2007. Instead of a federal subsidy paying about half of the cost of audits and a portion of the retrofit costs, the new plan simply increases the coverage for retrofit costs.

Getting your grant money in 5 "easy" steps:

Hire a qualified energy advisor to perform an energy evaluation of your home. A list of qualified energy advisors can be found on the NRCAN web site. This pre-retrofit audit is also known as a 'D' audit.
Select any of the recommended improvements from the home energy action checklist prepared by your advisor.
Implement the desired energy upgrades within 18 months.
Call your energy advisor to perform your post-retrofit evaluation (also known as an 'E' audit), to confirm your new energy rating and to submit your application on your behalf.
Wait to receive your cheque in the mail (up to 90 days) based on the eligible upgrades performed.

Note: You're under no obligation to perform all 5 steps. Maybe you just want to know how energy efficient (or inefficient) your home is. In Ontario, the province will rebate up to half of the cost (max $150) of the 'D' audit, whether or not you implement any retrofits or perform an 'E' audit. If you do apply for the grant, Ontario matches the federal amount, dollar for dollar.

BTW a list of qualifying improvements can be found on the NRCan website.

For more information:

p.s. I've booked my ecoENERGY audit/evaluation for this Wednesday. I'll be blogging about my progress here.

Conservation Day Coming To Brampton

Anthon Pang, Broker, e-PRO, SRES (Right At Home Realty Inc., Brokerage) — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 11:24:41 -0500

This is open to all Region of Peel residents (i.e., Mississauga, Brampton, and Caledon).

Coincidentally, Conservation Day in Mississauga was held last week during an exemption period (to the 2 bag limit) when residents were already permitted to place an unlimited quantity of acceptable waste at the curbside on scheduled pickup days.

Via Anthon Pang, Sales Representative, e-PRO, SRES:

Conversation Day is coming to Brampton!

Formerly known as Environment Day, this special one day event will be held at Fletcher’s Meadow Secondary School, located at 10750 Chinguacousy Rd., in Brampton, on Saturday, Sept. 27, 2008, between 8:30 a.m. and 3 p.m. Only residents arriving in vehicles will be allowed entry (i.e., no walk-in traffic).

Residents may drop off the following items free of charge:

household hazardous waste items (e.g., batteries, household cleaners, solvents, paint, motor oil, pesticides)

electronics (except TVs)

confidential fine paper for shredding, and

reusable goods for Goodwill (e.g., clothing, furniture, books, and small appliances).

The following items are not accepted at the event. Instead, you can take these to a local Community Recycling Centre (CRC):

waste wood

scrap metal

tires

TVs

(By the way, if you make a non-perishable food donation at the event, you'll receive a $10 voucher which you can use at a CRC.)

For more information, visit the Region of Peel Waste Management site.

The Green Shift or the Green Shaft - Canada - Election 2008

Anthon Pang, Broker, e-PRO, SRES (Right At Home Realty Inc., Brokerage) — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 15:43:41 -0500

Well, it looks like Canadians will be going to the polls on October 14, pre-empting our American neighbours by a couple of weeks (November 4).

There may well be some historical stats to support this "rush" to the polls. I don't know. It's backroom political strategy. I get that.

And while I'm in favor of fixed date elections, the fact is we don't have an American style House of Representatives. Non-confidence votes can unseat a party in power. There are times that a party in power needs a strong mandate (e.g., a majority goverment) to pass more effective legislation. For a minority government, passing legislation can be a constant tug-o-war struggle, seeking consensus, compromise, and support. It has its advantages and disadvantages. And I get that.

What I don't get is "the green shift". If you look at the Chicago Climate Exchange, the market value of carbon offsets is currently under $3 per metric ton. (It briefly spiked over $7 per metric ton earlier this spring/summer.) The Liberals say: [and my editorial comments follow.]

The excise tax on gas is equivalent to $42 per tonne of carbon. [Say, what?!]
The carbon tax will start at $10 per tonne of greenhouse gas emissions and increase annually to $40 per tonne in 4 years. [What you talking' 'bout Dion?]
The carbon tax will be revenue neutral. [So, just to be clear, the Liberals would increase consumption taxes to offset income tax reductions or additional credits. Classic "robbing Peter to pay Paul."]

Increasing the cost of a product lowers demand. So, it must be good if we lower our demand for products that harm the environment.

But it must be that if we lower our demand, then consumption tax revenue declines. So, how do you fund those income tax cuts and additional credits? By increasing the carbon tax, of course. (Hence the annual increase.)

Here's a better idea. Stop greenwashing. Take 1/14 of the excise tax on gas (currently, 10 cents per litre) and buy carbon offsets, so we can all feel good about driving our SUVs.

OREA Pre-Registration Course and Exam Changes - Course 1, Course 2, Course 3

Anthon Pang, Broker, e-PRO, SRES (Right At Home Realty Inc., Brokerage) — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 09:59:03 -0500

A number of changes (visible to students) are planned, starting April 1, 2009. These include:

Phasing out the real estate encyclopedia and provincial reference manual. Every course will eventually have its own textbook.
Courses to be renamed. Phase 1 becomes Course 1 ("Real Estate As a Professional Career"). Phase 2 becomes Course 2 ("Land, Structures, and Real Estate Trading"). Phase 3 becomes Course 3 ("Residential" or "Commercial").
All pre-registration exams will be multiple choice, in addition to being closed book (as of January 1, 2008).
With an automated exam administration system, every student will write a different exam (random ordering of questions, different questions) and receive their marks within days.