rainwater-collection / Green Building & Sustainable Home Renovation Information & Advice

Rainwater harvesting is a great strategy for reducing domestic water use and protecting our homes and the land surrounding it. Harvesting rainwater can lead us to dozens of other practices that bring us into greater sustainability. The three potential sources for harvesting rainwater: Direct rainfall, street harvesting...

setting up a rainwater catchment system If it is not for financial reasons, why are you installing a water tank? Here are some reasons: To do your part for water conservation; to be able to water your garden with some independence from water restrictions; to use rainwater for laundry, showers and toilets; for increase...

Home water consumption in Canada: On average, Canadians use over 300 litres of water per person, per day. Compare this to consumption in the UK of 200 litres per day, and 150 litres per person per day in France. Hopefully, as we see the beginnings of water shortages hit closer to home, this serious issue will garnish m...

Stormwater - why it's important to choose permeable surfaces for paths & driveways As cities expand into the green space around them, naturally permeable landscapes are replaced with buildings, roads and parking lots. This inhibits the natural water-filtering process that happens when micro-organisms in the soil br...

How to grow vegetables & fruits in a garden Plants survived long before humans were around to water them, so we aren't talking about reinventing the wheel here, but rather a sensible choice of plants and basic water management. Native species of plants in a given region have adapted to their own climate and can usu...

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 ...

In 1996, this off-grid house designed by architect Martin Liefhebber was one of two concept homes selected by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) as part of their Healthy Housing Design Competition. What was to be built was a three-bedroom semi-detached home on a small lot in downtown Toronto, And beyon...

How solar air heaters work: Solar air heater diagram © Ecohome The above diagram indicates the basic concept of a solar air heater, and while there are many designs, the basic principle is the same - a small fan feeds interior air into a south-facing wall-mounted panel. Air is heated as it passes behind a black surfa...

  Solar thermal panels in cold climates are at risk of freezing in winter, so in the North, we use a glycol mix as a heat transfer fluid. This prevents panels from freezing but introduces new problems in the summer months when they are at risk of overheating.  There are two main types of residential solar thermal heate...

What is a solar thermal collector? A photovoltaic (PV) solar collector converts solar radiation into electricity, but a solar thermal collector is much simpler than that. It refers to a device that collects heat directly from solar radiation. That can be as simple and rudimentary as water being pumped through a black t...

Solariums have been gaining in popularity over the last 20 years, as many homeowners have found them to be a very enticing solution to brightening up a long winter. They are made even more appealing by the many manufacturers who offer solariums at very attractive prices - especially when compared to adding a home exten...