Azadeh Joulaie admits that she and her husband Khashayar Ghandi were unprepared for the climate in New
Brunswick. “We moved here from Vancouver, and were surprised by how much colder it was here in the winter.”
The cooler weather prompted Azadeh and Khashayar to look for innovative ways to warm up. “Our first electric heating bill came as quite a shock” said Azadeh, “and we wanted to do something about that.”
They were so surprised by the cost of heating their home that they had NB Power out to take a look at the house, to make sure their electrical system was working correctly. It was through NB Power that they learned about the Efficiency NB’s Existing Home Energy Efficiency Upgrades Program.
Khashayar and Azadeh home is only fifteen years old but was still quite
inefficient, scoring only 38 on their energy audit. Their problem was mainly in their basement, which was still uninsulated. By insulating the basement, homeowners can improve their energy efficiency by up to 30 per cent. Azaddeh told us, “It was important for both our warmth and comfort to make energy efficient renovations.”
The Joulaie’s home renovation included: - An air-to-air ductless heat pump
- R20 basement insulation
- Energy efficient windows in the basement
- ENERGY STAR appliances and CFL lighting.
By committing to a more efficient building envelope for their home as well as changing to more energy efficient
appliance and lighting options, they are saving money on their heating bill, consuming less energy and taking action on climate change. Azadeh and Khashayar took advantage of $2000 of financial incentives available through Efficiency NB’s Existing Homes Energy Efficiency Upgrades Program, as well as incentives available through the federal government’s ecoENERGY Program.
Their renovations increased the energy rating of their home by 42 points, and reduced their home’s greenhouse gas emissions by 17.65 tonnes annually – approximately the same amount of greenhouse gas produced by four sport utility vehicles, each driven an average of 20,000 km a year.
The Government of New Brunswick, through Efficiency NB, recognizes that the biggest single action that can be doneto reduce greenhouse gas emissions is to reduce our energy consumption. By installing a more efficient heating system, they will be consuming less energy to heat their home.
“We always realized that energy efficiency was important and could make a positive impact on the environment, but what we didn’t realize was what a big difference it could make to us financially,” said Azadeh. Renovations that increase energy efficiency, she noted, are the only ones that you can see a return on right away.
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