AS some readers know, I spend a small part of my professional life away from my desk undertaking what I think are compelling adventures and expeditions.
This summer myself and three teammates intend to make a traverse of the ice-choked Northwest Passage solely under human power in a custom designed ocean rowing boat, travelling some 3,000 kilometres from Tuktoyaktuk, N.W.T. to Pond Inlet, Nunavut. Our hope is that by making this traverse, a traverse that's never been done before because it couldn't have been done before, we'll be able to bring awareness to the profound effects climate change is having on the Arctic.
I've spent the last six months consumed in the design of our custom rowing boat attempting to create the most versatile, energy efficient, environmentally sensitive craft possible. This design exercise made me think about the simple changes that can be done to make a home more energy efficient and livable. Here are a few simple steps one can take to greatly increase the efficiency of their homes: . Increasing the insulation in your home is a guaranteed way to move towards energy efficiency. A well insulated, well sealed and properly venti-
lated home will be a warm and comfortable one and will be the most energy efficient solution.
. Draft-proofing your home is likely the easiest and cheapest way to make energy-efficient gains in your home. Seal things up and your energy bills will drop.
. Having a look at your furnace is always a good move. Older furnaces are often oversized and typically have very inefficient motors and heat exchangers. Upgrading to a more energy efficient model will see immediate gains.
. Replacing single-glazed windows with double-glazed ones will bring huge gains as a single pane of glass has very little insulation qualities.
The Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corp. has a number of programs to help out home owners wishing to make energy conscious changes to their homes. Look on their website to see eligibility.
Simply put, an energy-efficient home uses less energy and is less expensive to operate. Making some simple changes won't break the bank and you might even receive financial assistance to do it, you'll see significant reductions to your monthly utility bill and through it all you'll be reducing your greenhouse gas emissions as well.
Kevin Vallely is a residential designer in North Vancouver. Scan this page with Layar for video preview of his expedition.
