Better Building Code

With the heating season upon us, NAIMA Canada, the association of fibre insulation manufacturers, would like to remind homeowners that increasing the amount of insulation in their homes remains one of the best things they can do for the environment and their wallets.By adding insulation, you lower the amount of energy needed to heat your home, resulting in fewer associated greenhouse gas emissions and a lower monthly heating bill. Savings will vary.Inadequate insulation is one of the main reasons why the average Canadian home can lose up to 50 percent of its energy. Adding insulation will provide a lifetime of comfort and energy savings.Steve Koch, executive director of NAIMA Canada, believes the provincial government’s efforts to save energy are a great start.“The recent changes to the Ontario Building Code are an excellent example of the government’s commitment to energy conservation. Other examples are seen in its agreements with the Conservation Bureau, the City of Toronto and the Building Owners and Managers Association of Greater Toronto (BOMA).”The Conservation Bureau’s Every Kilowatt Counts program helps homeowners conserve energy by offering coupons for a host of energy-saving devices, such as programmable thermostats, dimmer switches and compact fluorescent light bulbs. Visit www.conservationbureau.on.ca for information.While pleased with the current level of provincial support for energy conservation, Koch added, “The government must adopt additional measures like British Columbia, which provides a tax rebate for energy-saving building products, such as weather stripping, insulation, heat pumps and the like. This kind of incentive will help stimulate even greater conservation in Ontario.”