Power Smart Homes: Save Money & Help The Environment

By Kari Kylo, BC Hydro Power Smart

Even in hot weather, your clients can stay cool with Power Smart homes. They’ll enjoy greater comfort, lower their energy costs, and leave a smaller footprint on the environment.

In 2007, more than 1,000 Power Smart Gold homes were built in BC. On average, each Power Smart Gold home saved nearly $550 per year in energy costs and used 30 per cent less energy than regular homes built in today’s market.

A Power Smart Gold home has a minimum rating of EnerGuide 80, which indicates it’s highly energy efficient. A rating of zero represents a home with major air leakage, no insulation and extremely high energy consumption. A rating of 100 represents a home that is airtight, well insulated, sufficiently ventilated and doesn’t require any purchased energy. When your clients are looking at purchasing a new home, consider recommending they ask for the EnerGuide rating and look for the Power Smart label.

If just 10 per cent of homes across BC were Power Smart Gold homes—that is, if they achieved at least an EnerGuide 80 rating—the province would save more than $89 million a year in energy costs. Power Smart homeowners appreciate the lower energy costs resulting from the Energy StarÒ-labelled appliances, lighting and windows.

To learn more about ways to conserve energy in everyday life, as well as BC Hydro’s Power Smart residential programs, such as mail-in rebates, the refrigerator buy-back program, Energy StarÒ windows, PST exemptions and Power Smart New Homes, visit www.bchydro.com/powersmart.