Each year, members of the Canadian Federation of University Women learn more about energy efficiency from the hosts of its Eco-friendly home tour. It’s not surprising that most of the hosts for this year’s tour on May 5 have science backgrounds.
When asked what the focus of their home’s construction was, Mark and Melanie Piorecky, who are both environmental consultants said “structure simplicity, openness, passive solar gain, elimination of thermal bridging, increased insulation and air tight construction,” are the focus.
After researching designs and materials for over a year, Mark and Melanie constructed a home in the BX that uses 31.4 GJ annually - an average home of similar size would use 147GJ. They also kept the cost equivalent to that of standard construction.
Janet Armstrong and Lloyd Davies have agreed to be hosts for a second time in order to share the evolution of their journey from renovating their 70-year-old home and cutting their energy costs in half, to the process of lot subdivision and designing a new net zero home on the same East Hill site.
Their new net zero home will be in the early stages of construction during the tour, nevertheless Lloyd, a retired Biology teacher, said he will describe how earth tubes and a cold room in the basement will assist in heating and cooling; how their solar panel array will produce surplus energy - enough to feed into the BC Hydro grid, and how a solar chimney and a solar gain room on the upper floor will complement the system.
A walk around Tyler Perrault and Regan Truscott’s BX acreage reveals a lot about their attitude towards experimentation with materials and water conservation. In addition to a two-storey log house; a Nebraska style straw-bale well house, and a funky root cellar using magnesium oxide panels, Tyler and Regan have a fascinating straw bale garage, with an earthen plaster exterior and beautiful glass doors.
The floor above the car garage provides not only accommodation for guests but a multi-purpose space for artistry and a shower suitable for washing dogs. The floor below the car garage serves as a woodworking shop which is warmed by a wood stove. The structure also incorporates a green roof and a 1000 gallon water reservoir, which is heated with an in-slab pipe connected to a hot water tank within the garage.
In addition to the tour, CFUW will hold its second Eco-Afternoon at Vernon’s Okangan College on April 7. Peter Matheson, from Grand Forks will speak on tiny houses and tiny house villages; Nick Watson, a Registered Energy Advisor from Coldstream who will describe how an energy advisor can enhance the home design process; Associate Professor Denise Kenney from UBCO will present her documentary called Living Building: The Ethel Lane House; and Ashley Lubyk, Community Energy Specialist for the City of Kelowna, will speak briefly about the BC Energy Step Code.
The presentations are set for 1:30 - 4:30 p.m. on April 7 at Okanagan College in the lecture theatre. Tickets are $15 at the door. For information, email Pat Martin at pat2030@telus.net.
Tickets for the May 5 Home Tour, which will run from 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. cost $25 and will be available at the Bean Scene as of April 1. All proceeds from these events go towards two scholarships that CFUW provides annually for two local students. Anyone in the community willing to be a future home host can email franceswarner@shaw.ca.