Outside / Guides

How to insulate house walls from the outside Adding extra insulation to the exterior walls of an older home when renovating or remodeling is a great way of improving a home's walls thermal performance and reducing energy use while reducing heating bills, carbon footprint and improving a building's comfort level. It ...

The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) has released its list of the top 10 countries for LEED® outside of the United States, on which Canada ranked No. 1. The list demonstrates the global reach of the movement that is transforming the built environment into healthy, high-performing structures that benefit the planet ...

...outside air and transfers it to the water, which is then stored in the tank inside your home. The SANC02 is the first heat pump water heater with an exterior compressor to hit the Canadian market. It's important to note that heat pumps work more efficiently with warmer temperatures. Not only will they have a bottom f...

...outside is heavy with smoke from wildfires. According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, indoor air can be 2 to 5 times more polluted than outdoor air under normal conditions. Since outdoor air is usually cleaner, ventilation systems and especially HRV's and ERV's can reduce indoor pollutant levels by constan...

...outside. If vents go up through your attic, be sure they aren't leaking, or more importantly that they aren't simply vented into the attic space, which does happen. Basement mold & mildew prevention That musty smell in basements that is all too familiar is due to either poorly installed insulation , or having no in...

The production of vinyl (also known as PVC- polyvinyl chloride) accounts for approximately 40% of the chlorine gas produced in North America. Vinyl is highly polluting in production, and as a building product it is susceptible to UV exposure, causing it to break down and release particles. And in the unfortunate event...

...outside of the box. It's like there is some kind of one-upmanship going on in the tiny house movement that has builders forever taking design and material use to new levels. Don't mistake this for us suggesting this could be done in Canada without some modifications. The website claims it is pretty robust, but that i...

...outside in spring. Additional native plants were planted as well. Light and air: Expansive windows light and heat the home and create the feeling of being outside and connected to nature. Appropriately-sized roof overhangs regulate the amount of sun entering the home depending on the season. 100% of the lighting in t...

...outside to heat your home on the inside, you can also take heat from inside and throw it outside in order to cool your home. This can help you save on purchase price and maintenance costs, as you would have one machine doing the job previously done by two. This can also help you save basement storage space, as heat p...

...outside, which can be a helpful delusion during a long Canadian winter. A project like this takes a lot of foresight, planning and patience. Materials were collected and stored in their yard while the wood dried and plans were finalized. All said and done, a good portion of the materials for this project were not onl...

...outside views and natural light report higher productivity and worker satisfaction. How passive solar heating and cooling works: There are two dates that form the cornerstone of passive solar design, December 21st and June 21st when the sun is at its highest and lowest points. In Passive Solar design, window size...