eco-strata

Larger Investments: the next step to greening your multi-family dwelling

Virtually all of the retrofit and refurbishment recommendations made in this guide are relatively low in cost and can lead to impressive savings in water and energy use, and increase quality of life. For the most part, these are steps individuals can take themselves. Many can be completed by a hired contractor, including fairly simple upgrades such as changing light ballasts and installing light sensors. These are the ‘easy pickings.’ If all multi-family dwellings in the Lower Mainland followed these fairly simple steps, our Eco-Footprints would ultimately be a lot smaller. 

The next steps, which are not covered in this guide, include more significant upgrades such as:

• Changing water boilers
• Adding rooftop solar cells to produce hot water or electricity
• Reinsulating a building’s envelope and/or roof
• Modifying or replacing the Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems for more energy-efficient performance
• Changing a building’s windows to Energy Star/high efficiency ones.

Despite their (often) high upfront costs, strata councils should consider making such investments when the “low-hanging fruit” have been picked, when windows, water boilers, etc., are nearing the end of their natural life cycle, or simply if the building’s budget permits it. Keep in mind the possible incentives such as low- or no-interest loans, subsidies and tax breaks that are offered to help defray some of the costs. If you wish to pursue such larger investments, we recommend you get in touch with the Light House Sustainable Building Centre in Vancouver or an organization such as the Society Serving Ourselves Sustainably, who will discuss options with you.