Greener Homes interest-free loan scheme 2021 Canada - the ultimate guide

The Canada Greener Homes Grant scheme is investing $2.6 billion over 7 years to help up to 700,000 Canadian homeowners across the country improve the energy efficiency of their homes and reduce their energy bills withgrants of up to $5,000 to make energy-efficient retrofits to their homes and up to $600 to help with the cost of an EnerGuide home energy evaluation.

为了帮助房主并在这些措施的基础上进一步发展，2021年联邦预算还提议在5年内提供44亿美元，从2021-2022年开始，通过高达4万美元的无息贷款，帮助加拿大多达20万名房主完成深度房屋翻新，使建造不良的房屋显著提高能源效率。

$40k Interest-Free Loans for Green Home Renos in Canada, Eligibility and How to Apply

Details will soon be available on the $40,000 Greener Homes interest-free loan for 2021that incorporates and builds on the energy audits and grants already available -so sign up here for afree Ecohome membership, and we will let you know as soon as the application and eligibility requirements are announced and the application process is open.

What are the Best Green Home Upgrades to do with Grants and Tax Credits?

To make the best use of green home improvement grants and tax incentives, you'll want to spend that money on repairs that will offer you the best return on your investment.The most important principle of green home building, in our opinion, is to reduce consumption in passive ways first. That means – spend money on insulation and airtightness first, then look at the cool energy-saving gizmos.

It's not that we don’t like gizmos (see our favorite energy efficiency smart home gadgets here), but gizmos break down and insulation doesn’t. No one ever called an insulation repair person in the middle of the night because their insulation suddenly stopped working and their house was starting to freeze. But you can be sure that furnace repair companies have gotten a few such calls.

We're often asked ifbetter insulated homes are worth the money, and the answer is a resounding yes every time. It's actually the cheapest way to build and live. And even being able to sell your home in the future may depend on it being energy efficient, as we will soon havemandatory energy labelling of homes before resale in the US and Canada, just like what is already a condition of sale in Europe.

You may simply not be allowed to sell your house in the future if it doesn't meet certain energy standards, making it even more essential to make the best use of renovation incentive programs.

What makes a home energy efficient?

Build a house airtight and well-insulated, because those things will last. Your furnace, boiler and heat pump on the other hand, will at some point ask you to pony up some cash if you want them to keep working.For home renovations it is important to focus on the same things. You will carry out work a bit differently with green home renovations compared to building a new home, but the principles are the same so start here with understanding -how much insulation does a house need?

And it’s best to learn that here from us, because we don’t have a skin in the game. A builder on the other hand does, since they want the job and they want to make as much money as possible, so you’ll get a myriad of answers if you ask them that question.

The next thing you need to know iswhy it is so important to build a house airtight. Air leakage accounts for 1/3rd of heat loss in homes and causes moisture damage in walls as humid air escapes through tiny holes.

空气屏障可以在墙的任何地方，可以依靠许多不同类型的材料。所以，如何制造一个空气屏障取决于你是在房子的内部还是外部进行工作。Learn about the best way to insulate exterior walls here, since that is the easiest way to make a house airtight during renovations since you will need a weather barrier.

Even the house wrap you select will make a difference in performance and durability, see our page onchoosing the best weather barrier for a house.

Now that your walls are super-insulated and airtight, or arguably even before, you need to findthe best way to insulate an attic. It needs to be done carefully and by qualified professionals becauseit is essential to make sure you attic is well ventilated.

如果你修好了墙壁和屋顶，但仍然有异味，那可能是你的地下室。这是房屋建设中最大的错误所在。Have you ever asked yourself为什么我的地下室有霉味?There is a quick and easy answer – because a long time ago someone probably poured concrete into a wet hole in the ground, slapped some 2x4s against it and covered it with a sheet of plastic.

What could possibly go wrong with that you ask? Because organic materials that are kept wet will rot, full stop. If you want to test that theory, try this- the next time you pull your laundry out of the washing machine, stick it in a plastic bag instead of the dryer and see how it smells in a month. Spoiler alert - it will smell just like a 20 year old finished basement!Learn the best way to renovate and insulate basements here.

另一项提高能效的家庭升级项目是更换窗户，但在你的有生之年，这几乎不会带来投资回报。换一个房子的旧窗户可能要花2万美元，而你可能只会在房子的使用寿命中节省5万美元的能源，所以也不要急于这么做。See here about when to replace windows and when to repair them, andif you're getting condensation streaming down windows, here's how to fix that.

现在转向用绿色改造税收抵免替代供暖系统。更换旧的和低效的火炉是有意义的，因为它们通常有有限的寿命，但这也是一个切换到清洁能源的家庭取暖燃料的好时机。在许多州和省份，天然气供暖很受欢迎，而且价格低廉，但随着化石燃料的持续减少和价格的上涨，情况可能并不总是这样。

Compare with Europe for example, where "natural" gas is being phased out - in fact the UK has banned all gas powered heating in new homes as of 2023 - so the writing is on the wall for North America too we figure.Heating homes with electricity can be clean and affordableregardless of high electricity rates if your house is well-sealed against heat loss and if youchoose an efficient heating system like a heat pump. Heat pumps can be up to 3 times cheaper to operate compared tonoisy baseboard heaters.

We see endless renovations carried out by well-intentioned builders that don’t have a clear understanding of how houses actually work, and this leads to higher utility costs and premature failures of homes. This is why we always encourage homeowners to educate themselves on the basics beforechoosing a green home builder, that way you know what to ask a contractor.

You will find all the information you need for building and renovating in ourgreen home building guide, and if you don’t find what you’re looking for check out ourgreen building discussion forum, and leave a question of your own if you don’t find all the answers you need.

Now you know about加拿大绿色家园免息贷款计划。Learn more aboutCanadian and US renovation tax credits and incentives, as well asgreen home improvement ideasin the pages below and in the EcohomeGreen Building Guidepages. Canada Greener Homes Grant 2021 - How to apply step by step Find Free Home Energy Audits in Canada Easy DIY tips to make a house efficient and save on heating and cooling costs Tips to keep your home air quality clean and safe during renovations Find out aboutthe benefits of afree Ecohome Network Membership here.