Friday, April 17, 2009
Ottawa -- home of the energy audit debate
Home energy audits took centre stage as the legislative committee hearings for the Green Energy Act arrived in the nation's capital. Real estate, homebuilders and efficiency experts came out to discuss the finer points of home ownership and energy efficiency. This seems to be a recurring theme among some groups that build and sell homes, but not by those who are in the market to buy homes.
Some misconceptions about home energy audits:
1) Homeowners need to pay for two inspections to get any money back for upgrades they make.
Pay twice? No, this is not the case. While a follow up inspection is required to be eligible for reimbursements, it is factored in to the total audit cost. A homeowner pays a registered inspector to conduct an inspection. The homeowner is then eligible to receive a $150 reimbursement from the government. Once the energy efficiency upgrades are completed, the inspector returns to verify and the homeowner is eligible for a reimbursement for the work completed.
2) The government may enter your home or charge you for inefficiencies in your home.
Where did this notion come from? This is definitely not the case. The government cannot fine individuals for inefficiencies in their homes.
3) All real estate agents are against mandatory home energy audits.
No, not the case, but the Ontario Real Estate Association would like to believe it is the case. Many real estate agents support mandatory energy audits. They protect homebuyers by providing a useful tool for determining the true cost of their purchase and they reward home sellers for upgrades and well- built and maintained homes.
Warning. If your real estate agent says you shouldn't look at an energy audit when you're buying a new home, you may want to find a new realtor.
Buildings are one of the largest energy consumers in Canada. Labeling homes at point-of-sale is an effective way to increase the efficiency of existing homes.
Legislative Committee member MPP John Yakabuski is right when he says that energy audits do not ensure that the homeowner will increase the energy efficiency of their home; but, it's an important tool to get homeowners on the right path to energy efficiency, while saving money at the same time. ¶ 4:32 PM
Some misconceptions about home energy audits:
1) Homeowners need to pay for two inspections to get any money back for upgrades they make.
Pay twice? No, this is not the case. While a follow up inspection is required to be eligible for reimbursements, it is factored in to the total audit cost. A homeowner pays a registered inspector to conduct an inspection. The homeowner is then eligible to receive a $150 reimbursement from the government. Once the energy efficiency upgrades are completed, the inspector returns to verify and the homeowner is eligible for a reimbursement for the work completed.
2) The government may enter your home or charge you for inefficiencies in your home.
Where did this notion come from? This is definitely not the case. The government cannot fine individuals for inefficiencies in their homes.
3) All real estate agents are against mandatory home energy audits.
No, not the case, but the Ontario Real Estate Association would like to believe it is the case. Many real estate agents support mandatory energy audits. They protect homebuyers by providing a useful tool for determining the true cost of their purchase and they reward home sellers for upgrades and well- built and maintained homes.
Warning. If your real estate agent says you shouldn't look at an energy audit when you're buying a new home, you may want to find a new realtor.
Buildings are one of the largest energy consumers in Canada. Labeling homes at point-of-sale is an effective way to increase the efficiency of existing homes.
Legislative Committee member MPP John Yakabuski is right when he says that energy audits do not ensure that the homeowner will increase the energy efficiency of their home; but, it's an important tool to get homeowners on the right path to energy efficiency, while saving money at the same time. ¶ 4:32 PM
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