backyard-chickens / Green Building & Sustainable Home Renovation Information & Advice

Raising backyard chickens: a homeowner's and pro's guide For years there has been a growing trend towards raising chickens in an urban or suburban backyards, and the high price of eggs has only increased the interest. Eggs from chickens you raise yourself in the backyard are fresh, organic, and simply taste better. Thi...

Backyard composting: create your own rich garden soil from kitchen food scraps Composting is nature's ultimate recycling system, turning your kitchen scraps and yard waste into a nutrient-dense, soil-building material. For the eco-conscious homeowner, it's a direct way to reduce waste and landfill methane emissions. Fo...

The Quebec homeowner's guide to ADUs, multi-generation & backyard tiny houses  How to navigate municipal bylaws, PIIA architectural requirements, and construction costs to build a legal secondary suite or "UHA" in Quebec. In Quebec, the conversation around Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) is rather unique. While the...

As summer arrives and homeowners start opening their pools, those first couple of weeks will be a bit too chilly at first without a pool heater, unless of course ice dunks are your thing. Pool water does not heat up fast or for free, so here we want to explore the cost of heating a pool with a variety of methods.  Give...

How to build an outdoor kitchen: a homeowner's and pro's guide An outdoor kitchen is more than just a place to grill; it's a versatile, functional extension of your living space that brings friends and family. Not only will an outdoor kitchen let you get to spend more time outdoors, cooking outside during the heat of t...

Shipping container homes are gaining popularity globally, especially as Tiny Houses, as they can be seductively attractive with their modern looking lines, colours and shape - but one question we've been asked consistently is: Are shipping containers good or bad as homes , and for the environment? Like many great ideas...

Alternatives to grass lawns - ground covers!  North American backyards have one main point in common – Kentucky blue grass. But here we’re talking about ground covers and alternatives to this grass, not a bunch of fiddle and banjo players jamming in your backyard.  The traditional green grass we use to cover our front ...

I'm sure we can all agree that as the cost and inconvenience of commuting to work continues to escalate, the advances in networking technology are making the possibility of working from home a viable alternative to schlepping ourselves to the office. When we consider eliminating the daily commute, the benefits are clea...

How to save money on heating a pool Swimming in a warm pool is a wonderful feeling, and while we hear from many pool owners in the cooler states & provinces that they really enjoy the experience of a warm swim from late spring or early summer through to autumn, the cost of heating their pool can be a major downer. ...

Natural swimming pools - what are the origins? Natural pools were inspired by the beauty and joy of swimming in mountain lakes, a team of Austrian researchers are credited with launching a movement back in the 1980's that saw chlorinated swimming pools being replaced by natural swimming pools and swimming ponds. The id...

The complete guide to Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) in Canada As housing prices soar and the need for urban density increases, the Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) has emerged as one of the most popular sustainable housing solutions in Canada. Whether you call it a laneway house, a garden suite, a granny flat, or a base...