solar-greenhouse / Green Building & Sustainable Home Renovation Information & Advice

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...

As a native Californian transplanted into a much cooler climate (Western Quebec), I find myself mourning the loss of fresh local seasonal fruits and veggies all year long, which I understand is a first world problem on a few different levels. All that to say, that I often get to dreaming about and researching what's po...

Growing Fruits and vegetables all year round in Canada or the colder parts of North America would be wonderful but, sadly, our climate limits us to a few growing months in the summer. And even that would be in the balmier areas of our country; at high altitudes and further north it is difficult to grow any edibles with...

The tiny house movement is a fascinating trend that draws attention to one of the greatest problems with the housing industry; how big our homes have become. But the custom homes being built on trailer beds have many limitations, mainly because they need to comply with the rules of the road as a vehicle. So they aren’t...

So, urban agriculture. It's important, right? That’s certainly the conclusion I've come to when pondering the future of food production, our future on this planet, and sustainability in general. As a proponent of urban agriculture it's also clear to me that both space and soil toxicity are challenges that beg to be ove...

There is a lot you can do in home construction to take advantage of the free energy provided by the sun. That can be passive solar, which is about home orientation and window design to passively heat your home, or active solar which involves mechanical solar panel systems. Solar panels can be either thermal (which tran...

Going solar at home is more straightforward and affordable now than ever before, with areas throughout Canada experiencing a jump in residential solar power installations in the past few years. If you’re thinking about taking the leap into renewable energy in your own home but don’t feel you have enough information abo...

  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...

Diligent research is absolutely essential for any homeowner looking to install a photovoltaic (PV) solar panel system on their home. But at some point, you need to hand the reins over to a trustworthy contractor. To get to that point of trust, you need to ask questions to confirm you’re getting the best equipment and s...

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...

It might seem like pie in the sky, but with these easy to read DIY instructions from the good folks at the Endeavour Centre your dream of a warm, net-zero shower is well within reach.  This tutorial will show you how to make excellent use of an easy to put together, handmade, solar hot water system. Use it to build the...