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R-2000 designs cut energy costs up to 80 per cent than 300 R-2000 homes have been built across the Choosing a new home can be a complicated pro- cess. Not only do you have to consider location, size. style and purchase price -- but also how much your an- nual energy bill is going to be. With home heating costs expected to rise by as much as 10 to IS per cent each year. many homebuyers are starting to look at the cost of a home in terms of principal, interest. taxes and energy costs A conventionally built home that seems affordably priced can cost substantially more over time than a slightly more expensive energy-efficient home of the same size. Some homebuyers are discovering how substantial the savings can be after tak- ing possession of one of a new breed of energy- efficient homes. Designed to save homeowners up to 80 per cent on their annual energy bills, the R-2000 home in- corporates state-of-the-art concepts in energy effi- ciency. Yet at first glance an R-2000 home looks like any other you might find in your neighbourhood. The energy- efficient features are built into the home and are, for the most part, unnoticeable. Based on concepts de- veloped by Government of Canada researchers and funded under a joint pro- gram between' Energy. Mines -- and Resources Canada (EMR) and_ the Housing and Urban De- velopment Association of Canada (HUDAC), more country to demonstrate this new concept. The R-2000 design makes use of four key fea- tures to reduce energy re- quirements -- heavy insula- tion (two to three times as much as in a conventional house); an air-vapour barrier which seals the house com- pletely; mechanical ventila- tion, including air-to-air heat exchangers to maintain indoor air quality; and im- proved double- or triple- glazed windows, sized and placed to take advantage of free solar heat. R-2000 homes have other modifications such as air-lock entries and low- powered fluorescent light- ing. Energy-efficient ap- pliances are recommended to further reduce energy needs. The R-2000 program is intended to demonstrate the value of energy-efficient construction techniques to both the building industry and the home-buying public. In 1983, three hundred home builders were selected to build R-2000 homes. Another 1200 _ builders received special training in new building techniques through HUDAC seminars. Federal subsidies are pro- vided to builders to offset the extra costs involved in train- ing their employees and in opening the home for public viewing for one month. Reports from R-2000 builders indicate that these models are outselling con- ventional homes in spite of a slightly higher purchase price. The builders say the major selling points are re- duced monthly energy costs; the increased comfort of a quiet, draft-free house; con- trol over ventilation and humidity and the overall quality of construction. HEATLINE help a phone call away For more than six years Canadians from every prov- ince and territory have been phoning Ottawa to get help- ful and accurate information on how to save energy in their homes. Today the HEATLINE continues to provide a unique service to the energy consumer in search of facts and assistance. Created in 1977 by En- ergy, Mines and Resources Canada, the HEATLINE has logged more than 500 000 calls on its national toll- free phone system (1-800-267-9563; in British Columbia 112-800-267- 9563). During last Novem- ber alone, this free service was used by more than 10 000 people. All the more remarkable is the fact that the HEATLINE service is operated by just 20 people. The HEATLINE pro- vides the public with advice on a wide range of energy- related topics. Householders planning insulation, heating system adjustments or other energy-conserving projects can get comprehensive ad- vice backed by printed in- formation about materials and procedures. Govern- ment of Canada grant assis- tance programs can also be explained by the HEAT- LINE's staff. The key to the HEAT- LINE's success is the high level of training and com- mitment of its employees. Staffed by program officers and more extensively trained technical officers, the HEATLINE is backed by technical researchers who stay abreast of the rapidly evolving field of home energy management. Typical of the HEAT- LINE's staff is Suzane Dubé -- a technical officer who has been advising Canadians for more than three years. A new employee would re- quire two years of training to achieve the level of technical expertise Suzane has accu-. mulated. Enthusiastic about her work, Suzane finds that the public appreciates the, straightforward approach of the HEATLINE. "When someone calls me needing information, either I've got it or I'll get it and phone them back," she says. This contrasts with the experi- ence that many consumers have when consulting con- tractors or material suppliers for information. Suzane re- calls one householder who, in frustration, called the HEATLINE after getting in- complete and _ conflicting advice from a half dozen other sources. "She was at the end of her rope. I gave her so much information, she ran out of paper. After the call she felt she un- derstood enough to deal knowledgeably with con- tractors and suppliers." Suzane feels that over the last few years the public has learned a great deal about energy use and conserva- tion. "Callers are a lot more knowledgeable now. They want more detailed technical information than a couple of years ago." She notes that many callers "are really do- ing their homework before making an energy-related investment." With the public becom- ing more careful in planning home energy _ projects, Suzane feels that the HEAT- LINE provides a valuable consumer protection -- ser- vice. Many of Suzane's call- ers have a firm idea about what they want to do and contact the HEATLINE to double check contractor's estimates or claims of poten- tial energy savings. Suzane receives an average of 125 calls per week. While the average call is only about 10 minutes in length, she will spend as long as 45 minutes with call- ers who have more com- plicated problems. When ; ~not on the phone, she spends time researching and re- viewing technical infor- mation provided by the HEATLINE's research staff. She feels this ongoing training is important to keep up with the changing nature COOEFATIER THE HEAT PUMP DOES IT ALL Escape the swelter of summer heat. Keep your home cool with an electric heat pump. You can choose a heat pump that can do alll heat pump just right for your home. And after a long cool summer, you'll appre- ciate the economy of the heat pump in winter. It is expected that thousands of Canadian families will soon be taking advantage of R-2000 effi- ciency and comfort as this new approach to house con- struction becomes more widespread. R-2000 homes and others like them still represent only | per cent of all new homes. But the R-2000 demonstration pro- gram represents a major step in setting the standard for houses of the future. of home energy technolo- gies. Suzane's enthusiasm for her work is typical of the HEATLINE's staff. Although Suzane estimates that she has received more than 18000 phone calls since she began at the HEATLINE, she still finds working with the public sat- isfying and interesting. The public's need for the HEATLINE's services seems similarly constant. A half million calls later, the public still lights up the switchboard looking for help in their efforts to save your cooling and winter heating. Or one that will do the heating with some help from your existing furnace. There's a clean, easy-to-install Midland Public Utilities Commission 67 Fourth Street, Midland 526-9361 Page B4, Home Energy Guide 1984 1-C Simcoe Street, Penetanguishene 549-8081 Phone today about economical year-round comfort. Penetanguishene Water and Light ae >a. -- ay OEE oo oR