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Prompted by Earth Day, but firmly convinced that we can make better choices every day (and that this would actually make a difference), here's an Ecohome checklist of easy ways to learn sustainable habits at home. Earth Day 2023 every day - let's be inspired According to a recent survey sponsored by Google of more…

Holistic design, recycled materials, hempcrete, pushing the boundaries beyond Net-Zero, all of this and more at the UBC Vancouver campus in the form of the Third Space Commons building by Third Quadrant Design. Officially billed as displaying the best of 'carbon minimalism', Third Quadrant Design's Third Space…

Bill S287 was signed on Jan 30th and signals State sanctioned incentives for the Decarbonization of the Concrete Industry - including the supply, delivery and use of lower carbon concrete. In a breakthrough for reducing the carbon footprint of North American construction, Bill S287 was signed on the 30th of January…

High performance energy efficient homes help to reduce the amount of energy needed to heat and cool them, but this is only half of the story! The embodied carbon in the construction is also important, especially when building mid-rise high density homes. Embodied & operational carbon comparison for mid-rise…

The construction of mid-rise projects with mass timber products like glulam beams and CLT panels is a quick, durable and cost effective way to significantly reduce embodied carbon in our cities buildings. See more in the mid-rise wood v concrete report. Located in the bustling Griffintown neighborhood of Montreal…

As North America accelerates the electrification of homes and reduces our reliance on fossil fuels like oil and gas for heating and cooking, this also increases the potential for power outages in cold weather to disrupt our daily lives. Why be prepared for power outages in cold weather? From celebrating holidays to…

Heat pumps are still perceived as a new concept to many homeowners in the US and Canada and as they've improved considerably in performance over the years there are many misconceptions about heat pumps needing backup heating. Ecohome investigates. Having a backup heat source that can operate without electricity…

A new grant scheme for heat pumps for 2023 of up to $5000 has been announced in Canada to help low and middle-income Canadian households switch from oil fired heating to electricity. This $5000 can be added to existing home improvement grants. The federal Government of Canada just announced details of a new grant of…

Many of us live in cities where homes like apartments built from subdivided older houses don't have a private parking spaces - as EVs become the preferred option for commuters, what are the solutions for charging an EV in public places or on the move. Any of us who've owned gas powered vehicles over the years know…

In order to help the mid-rise construction sector, Ecohabitation our Quebec partners have conducted a large-scale comparative study in 2022 demonstrating that the construction of mid-rise wood buildings is a winner on all fronts for all stakeholders. The vision: a brighter future for Canada and North America through…

A classic fall time activity - the habit of collecting fallen leaves has been called into question by many environmental experts. What are the advantages and disadvantages of raking up and disposing of dead leaves? Ecohome takes a closer look. Who hasn't played in a huge pile of fallen leaves, all raked up…

It's tempting to run your washing machine on cold water to save some dollars, but many people will tell you that it's not effective for washing clothes properly or for removing stubborn stains - and that's not quite true. So, a little background story, I always called my mom "Laurence, the guardian angel of…

Even when turned off, gas stoves & cooktops can be dangerous - leaking harmful chemicals like nitrogen dioxide, methane & cancer-causing benzine into homes. Over 40 million US & Canadian households can mitigate or eliminate the risks from cooking with gas. Gas stoves - playing with fire? Fossil gas stoves and gas…

Faced with the rise in the cost of living that is hitting Canada and North America, reducing energy use and bills has become a necessity. To stay positive, the Ecohome team explores ways to save money while living better and greener. The current economic situation is pushing many Canadians and North Americans to…

We previously reported that the UK and Europe was phasing out the use of 'natural' fossil gas in homes, and that Canada is also dropping hints about banning gas. Now California has decided to go ahead and ban gas furnaces, and gas water heaters in homes. “While this strategy will clean the air for all Californians…

Two First Nations women have secured funding to build an off-grid solar powered greenhouse to provide food security for their community. The Sagkeeng First Nation is a Treaty-1, 3 and 5 First Nation in the Eastman Region of Manitoba, where two young and ambitious members of their community have undertaken a project…

Choosing the best heat pump can be difficult. Heat pumps are poorly understood, they have often been over-sold, poorly installed, and placed where they can be a noise nuisance. But the best heat pumps are a really good choice for heating green homes. How do the best heat pumps work? A heat pump works very…

We recently helped renovate and stain a huge red cedar deck that had been exposed to all weathers, ice, rain and simple living - burgers dripping relish and ketchup - and all the things we enjoy on a backyard deck. How to stain or paint an old cedar deck to make it look new and last longer. Staining or painting an…

Using naturally occurring microalgae, Prometheus Materials and a team of scientists and engineers at the University of Colorado Boulder have developed a carbon zero alternative to carbon intensive portland cement based concrete... suitable for ready mix. In a recent press release, Prometheus Materials, a zero-carbon…