This is Rob Dumont's home (see this pdf file) in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. It was built in 1992, and it still stands as one of Canada's most energy-efficient homes. Rob Dumont was also involved in building the Saskatchewan Conservation House in Regina, in 1977. That was the prototype house that proved that the best building technique for cold climates is to build highly airtight, highly insulated houses.

So, when building a home like the Mill Creek NetZero Energy Home - that is, a cold climate home that produces as much energy over the course of a year as it consumes - the two most important steps to take are to insulate and seal it.  read more... »

My concern for the environment led me years ago to become acutely aware of the role that energy plays in our lives. The following quote sums it up nicely:

There is no substitute for energy. The whole edifice of modern society is built upon it…. It is not “just another commodity” but the precondition of all commodities, a basic factor equal with air, water and earth. E. F. Schumacher (1973)  read more... »