News

Policy and Regulations

Oil heating ban in new homes in Canada, is gas next?

From December 2021, Quebec banned oil heating in new homes, and as of 2023 it will even be prohibited to replace or repair oil furnaces. Looked at in detail the new provincial regulations potentially also go for gas heating. Adopted on November 17, 2021 in Quebec, the regulations for banning oil-fired heating…

Commuting

Google Maps updated to show most eco friendly and fuel efficient routes first

Google maps has now been updated to show the most eco friendly route to drivers, as well as adding additional information for bike routes, it's an interesting application of technology. Google just announced that effective immediately, the Google Maps app will feature the most eco-friendly routes for iOS and Android…

Design

Home foundation trends in 2020 are encouraging for sustainability as slab on grade wins

The National Association of Home Builders just completed a study of home foundation trends for 2020 in the US, and the results were both surprising and encouraging! Slab on grade foundations are a clear winner. It's slab on grade foundations for the win! The NAHB study showed that 65% of new single-family home…

Formica corporation announces new sustainability goals, targets net carbon neutrality by 2030

Annual Sustainability Position Paper to detail Formica Corporation’s progress It has been conclusively shown that homebuyers are increasingly looking for green and energy efficient homes, not just for their own benefits but as members of a global community. Homes built with sustainable non-toxic building materials…

Ecohome

How can we help with your green home project?

Visitors to Ecohome are looking for help & advice for their sustainable construction projects - well, it's our turn to ask for your help. By taking a few minutes to share some insights about your green construction goals, we can plan for the future. Ecohome is a global pioneer in promoting sustainable housing, and…

Water

Trump shower head rules reversed by Biden - water efficiency is back!

Water efficiency is the smart use of our water resources through water-saving technologies and simple steps we can all take to Green up our homes. Using water efficiently will help ensure reliable water supplies today and for future generations. We were pleased to hear back in 2021 that the Department of Energy in…

Commuting

Canada requires all new light-duty cars and trucks sold in 2035 to produce no emissions

Sustainable transport solutions can significantly contribute towards reduced emissions and improving air quality - especially around cities - so Canada is mandating that all vehicles sold in Canada are to be zero emissions by 2035. To build a cleaner and more prosperous economy that creates good jobs while working…

Energy efficiency

Canada Greener Homes Grants retrofit program is launched

The Canada Greener Homes Grant 2021 is to help homeowners make their homes more energy-efficient, create new jobs across Canada for energy advisors, grow domestic green supply chains, and help fight climate change. Canada launches $2.6B of home improvement grants Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Natural Resources…

Design

Canadian students win first prize at Formica’s 2021 FORM Student Innovation Competition

This year marked the fourth year Formica Canada ran it's FORM design competition, and the second year that it was won by Canadian design students. Formica Canada runs an annual design competition called the FORM Student Innovation Competition, and it has been won by University of Montreal students Bénédicte Laurent…

Products and Materials

Two startups cutting emissions from the use of concrete have won the $20 million Carbon Xprize.

Ecohome encourage anyone building with some ready mix concrete to check if there is a local supplier of CarbonCure to help reduce the carbon footprint of your build. A while back Ecohome was pleased to find and report on some upcoming technologies that were producing Low-carbon and carbon-neutral concrete…

Policy and Regulations

Carbon tax in Canada or USA – How More Tax might be a Good Thing

Raising taxes is usually something that dips into all wallets - but the Carbon tax, applied correctly to target consumption, may be the best thing that ever happened for the North American construction industry and homeowners. I was a carpenter/contractor for decades, during and in between university. In 2008 an old…