reepGreen Solutions

Come and visit REEP House for Sustainable Livingin the heart of downtown Kitchener, your one-stopshop for green home options.

This century-old brick home has been renovated far beyondbuilding code standards to showcase energy and water innova-tions that any home can adopt. It has achieved a 91% energyreduction, and is now a “near net zero” building.

You will see home improvement options side by side, and are in-vited to log in to the REEP Green Home Planner to comparecosts and payback. REEP will help you connect with the localsuppliers and contractors who can make your own home morecomfortable and affordable to heat and cool. Find out about thegrants and incentives that can shorten your payback even fur-ther.

REEP Green Solutions offers free tours of the REEP Houseevery week and workshops throughout the year on various en-ergy and water topics. To register, contact us at 519-744-9799or info@reepgreen.ca.

Water ManagementFront landscaping donated by Quiet Nature; Rearlandscaping and rain garden donated by Wildlife Gardening

REEP House has several unique features addressing watermanagement and sustainable landscaping.

Drought TolerantNative PlantsThe gardens at REEP House are xeriscaped so that no munici-pally supplied water is needed for watering or maintenance.This means that plants in thefront and back yard gardenshave been specifically chosenfor their low maintenance anddrought tolerance. They re-quire no pesticide, fertilizer orcity water to thrive. Most arenative to this area, restoringwildlife habitat to the city.

Green Features ofREEP House for Sustainable Living

Permeable PavingManufacturer: Aqua Pave

The driveway and parking areafeature permeable unit pavers.They are linked to a drainageand filtration system with a biofilter layer which deals with po-tentially harmful runoff, thusprotecting a nearby surfacedrainage creek. We like to saythat not one drop of rain waterescapes REEP House into thestormwater system. Our pavingstones are nine times morewater-permeable than standard

interlocking brick, and the secretis in the gravel layers under-neath.

Rain GardenIn the backyard, our rain gardenallows water from the sumppump to be quickly absorbedinto the ground, preventing un-wanted runoff. The structureconsists of a trench filled withlayers of smooth stones, embel-lished with native plants andsome tulips for colour. It demon-strates a simple, low impact wayto wisely steward the water thatfalls on your property and topromote luscious plant growth.

The entire rainwater load on siteis either directly infiltrated backinto ground water through therain garden or captured and re-used for house related functions.

Working together for healthier homes and sustainable communities

20 Mill StreetKitchener

Wise Water UseRain Water HarvestingManufacturer: Bushman; Systemdesign by Geoff Jones - ECOShift;Supplied by Ben Polley - Evolve BuildersGroup

All roof drainage is captured in two largeabove-grade rain cisterns and used bothfor toilet flushing in the house as well asgarden and landscape watering, if re-quired. A single aesthetically pleasing cis-tern replaces four small barrels.

High Efficiency ToiletManufacturer: Hennessy & Hinchcliffe;Donated by Water Matrix

Why use six litre per flush when this ultra-efficient toilet can do it with three? Thetoilet uses air pressure to achieve superiorperformance and features a compact andstylish design. Toilet consumption can ac-count for 30% of the total householdwater consumption and this unit willachieve a significant reduction.

Water ConditionerManufacturer: HydroFlow;Donated by HydroFlowCanada

This product induces AMradio waves into the plumb-ing system. The goal is toforce suspended material tojoin and stay in suspension,preventing adherence or ac-cumulation in pipes or appli-ances without the use of anychemicals, backwashes ormaintenance.

Grey Water SystemManufacturer: BRAC; Sys-tem design by Geoff Jones -ECOShift; Supplied by BenPolley – Evolve BuildersGroup

A grey water system captures,filters, treats and re-uses drainwater from hand-washing

sinks and showers. The water is then recy-cled for toilet flushing, saving 30,000 litresof water per year for the average familyand about $150 in water bills. If greywater systems were in every Canadianhome, we could save billions of litres ofwater!

Water HeatingTankless Water HeaterManufacturer: Navien

Unlimited hot water from a small, efficientunit - tankless technology has arrived inCanada. A real retrofit space-saver in yourbasement.

Drain Water Heat RecoveryManufacturer: RenewABILITY EnergyInc; Donated by Drain Power

Much of the energy you consume in yourhome is used to heat water for everydayhousehold tasks, mostly showers, and youcan recover and re-use some of that en-ergy before it is lost. Preheat your incom-ing water with your outgoing drain waterwith this innovative made-in-Kitchenertechnology. The Power-Pipe consists ofmultiple coils of copper tube wrapped to-gether around a copper central drain pipeand can be used in combination with vir-tually any water heating system to increaseenergy savings. Hot water going down thedrain transfers its heat to incoming coldwater moving up the coils.

Working together for healthier homesand sustainable communities

Heating, Ventilation andAir ConditioningInstallation of HVAC system donated byReitzel Heating and Air Conditioning

REEP House demonstrates a variety ofsolutions for each retrofit challenge. It hastwo parallel heating systems: a wall hungboiler with hydronic distribution and aground source heat pump with forced airdistribution. With both demonstrated, thepublic can compare them side-by-side andmake informed decisions of their own,based on their own needs.

High Efficiency Boilerand Radiant HeatManufactured and donatedby Viessmann

Hot water heating can be added fairly eas-ily to homes and is more efficient, com-fortable, and blows less dust than forcedair heating. The 95% efficient wall hungboiler provides in-floor heating on theground floor and basement and heats theupper level through modern wall radia-

tors. Water distribution through PEX pip-ing with a pump uses one-sixth of the en-ergy consumed by the fan in typical forcedair systems and can be easily zoned. Radi-ant heat conducts directly into the bodyand “feels” warmer, thus enabling lowerthermostat settings. Check out our bath-room radiator that doubles as a towelrack!

Ground Source Heat PumpManufacturer, NextEnergy / ClimateMaster; Donated by Earth FX Energyand Bostech Mechanical

The ground source heat pump extractsheat from the earth via two vertical wellsbehind REEP House. This system notonly provides heat through our super-quiet forced air system in the winter, butcan cool in the summer. Geothermal heat-ing and cooling is especially attractive forhomes without access to a gas line.

Energy Recovery Ventilator (ERV)Manufacturer: Carrier

At REEP House, our ERV system is con-nected to the forced-air ductwork system

and the bathroom fan. An ERV is a rela-tively inexpensive and energy efficient wayto bring in lots of clean, fresh air. Thistechnology regulates humidity to preventmould and window condensation – a ne-cessity in well-sealed homes such as REEPHouse.

Programmable ThermostatsProducts: Various units installed at REEPHouse for demonstration

A programmable thermostat wakes youup warm and saves money while you aresleeping. Don't leave home without it!This is Energy Savings 101.

Ceiling FansManufacturer: Hampton Bay; Supplied byUrban Lights

Ceiling fans are an elegant solution for thesummer. Canadian summers are not con-sistently hot, and ceiling fans will keep youcool for a fraction of the cost and energyfootprint of air conditioning. Quality fansare silent on low speeds.

Insulation, Draft Proof-ing, Windows and DoorsTwo ingredients are essential to any en-ergy retrofit: insulate to a very high level(beyond building code) and seal the housewell. If you achieve these two goals, youcan turn nearly any home into a “near netzero” energy home. The insulation dis-play at REEP House demonstrates optionsincluding blown-in cellulose, rock wool,and polyurethane foam. The online REEPGreen Home Planner helps you comparetheir costs and payback.

Super-Insulated WallsProduct: 6” (R38) Lapolla Foam-Lok

Our walls are insulated with six inches ofpolyurethane foam, installed and donatedby Reitzel Insulation, giving us an insula-tion value of R38 – nearly double thebuilding code requirement. Polyurethanefoam has a high insulation value per inchand locks out moisture and air movementwith ease.

Basement Insulation SystemProduct: 6” (R38) Lapolla Foam-Lok

The warm basement at REEP Housedemonstrates that a stone foundation canbe safely and efficiently insulated. A layerof dimple board along the foundation walland a drainage system along the indoorperimeter manage any incoming waterleaks, while six inches of polyurethanespray foam controls moisture and trans-forms the basement into a cozy livingspace. To top it off, we used paperless dry-

wall throughout REEP House which re-duces the risk of mould.

Warm AtticProducts: 4.5” (R28) Lapolla Foam-Lok(interior) and 4” (R22.3) Atlas RoofingACFoam Nail base

REEP House demonstrates what is calleda “warm attic”. A combinationpolyurethane spray foam on the insideslopes of the roof and polyiso board onthe outside of the roof gives us a perfectair seal and a great insulation level. Ourattic provides warm storage space abovethe master bedroom and gorgeous heightin the bathroom and second bedroom.

WindowsManufacturers: Inline Windows andGolden Windows with Cardinal Glass

An array of window options adorn REEPHouse, including foam core windows withfibreglass frames and wood veneer as wellas solid wood windows filled with bothkrypton and argon gas. If you are buyingwindows, always chose high performancewindows. Find a supplier who can matchthe correct low E coating to the windowlocation in your house.

DoorsManufacturers: Madawaska Door,DorplexOur solid fir front door and frame in-cludes stained glass inserted into customdouble-glazed glass. Our back doordemonstrates another high-quality option,a fibreglass foam core door that is stableand durable.

Lighting and AppliancesLighting fixtures and energy saving dim-mers and sensors supplied by Urban Lights

Remote Vacancy Sensors and Dim-mer Switches - Manufacturer: Lutron

Vacancy dimmers are a triple threat, sav-ing energy by turning lights off when youleave the room, allowing dimming, andextending bulb life. One switch does it all!

Energy Efficient Light BulbsREEP House demonstrates a variety ofLED bulbs which contain no mercury, aremore durable and efficient, and providebetter quality light than most CFL bulbs.For directed task lighting, LEDs outper-form CFLs hands down, and prices aredropping rapidly.

Whole Home SwitchProducts: Standard electrical pony panelhouses a relay which acts as a whole homeswitch

Hitting the switch on your way out thedoor is very satisfying! This is the ultimatepower bar - not bad for enforcing bedtimetoo. It turns off every appliance pluggedinto upper sockets and every light in thehouse with one switch at the front door, oreven beside your bed!

RefrigeratorManufacturer: Sun Frost

This cutting-edge refrigerator is super-in-sulated and is built with the compressoron top. It can also be hooked up to thegreat-outdoors, using the Canadian winterair to keep cool. These and other energy-saving features mean that it costs less than$5 a year to operate.

Working together for healthier homesand sustainable communities

Green Materials andHeritage FeaturesReused and Reclaimed materialsProducts: doors, stairs, banister, newel,flooring, trim, and collar ties

At REEP House, many of the original fea-tures of the home are integrated into therenovation design. The beautiful stairwayand newel are a case in point. REEPHouse also features 100-year-old fir floor-ing from a London, Ontario distillery,hand-stripped original white ash base-boards and trim (mixed with new repli-cated trim), and collar ties made from100-year-old barn beams.

Stained GlassA heritage high-performance window ispossible. Original stained glass can be in-stalled on the inside of a window withwood trim, and then protected by doubleglazing. Artist Lynn Chidwick designedthree beautiful stained glass pieces forREEP House.

Recycled Polymer ShinglesEnviroshake shingles are made from 95%recycled material, a composite blend ofpost-industrial plastics, recycled rubber,elastomers and cellulosic fibre materials.When a typical 4,000 square feet roof isfinished, 64 tires will have been divertedfrom landfills. These shingles come with a50-year, transferrable warranty.

Overall Green Features2011 Minister’s Award forEnvironmental ExcellenceThe Ontario Ministry of theEnvironment has recognized the REEPHouse for Sustainable Living by awardingREEP Green Solutions with the 2011Minister’s Award for Environmental Ex-cellence in the non-governmental organi-zation category. The award “recognizesleadership and innovation in environmen-tal protection and recognizes home-grownenvironmental achievement”.

LEED Platinum-targeted RenovationMindscape Innovations is a local consult-ing firm that is working with us in our goalto achieve LEED Platinum certificationfor REEP House. Mindscape has beenawarded municipally, provincially, andfederally for its work in the green buildingand green energy markets. It has helpeddevelop building programs like LEED forHomes, Built Green, Solar Ready, andENERGY STAR, and has played a keyrole in the creation of Ontario’s GreenEnergy Act.

Whiting Design is a leader in the sustain-able design field and the architectural de-signer of REEP House. Whiting Designworks with clients who want to reducetheir environmental impact and createspaces which are beautiful, functional, andeconomical, often incorporating existingand historic structures, to improve effi-ciency and re-invigorate space.

Energy Savings atREEP House

Thank you to the funders who built REEP House:Canada’s Economic Action Plan, Ontario TrilliumFoundation, Ontario Power Authority, Region of Wa-terloo, City of Kitchener’s Local Environmental Ac-tion Fund (LEAF), The Kresge Foundation, WaterlooNorth Hydro, Kitchener-Wilmot Hydro, Cambridgeand North Dumfries Hydro, Canada Mortgage andHousing Corporation, The Kitchener and WaterlooCommunity Foundation, Your Neighbourhood CreditUnion. Thanks also to our many contractor partnersfor their generous contributions of time and materials!

Energy savings modeled usingCanada’s EnerGuide Rating System.

START SAVING MONEY NOW!

info@earthfxenergy.com29 St Charles Street E.,Maryhill ON N0B 2B0

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Getathird-partyperspective.ContactREEPGreenSolutions•info@

reepgreen.ca•www.reepgreen.ca•519.744.9799

Training buildersto build green

Certifying new andrenovated homes withprograms like LEED,

ENERGY STAR,Built Green,

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Solar and windenergy projects

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6-1373 Victoria Street, N., Kitchener519.570.1234

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REITZELSPRAYFOAM

WWW.REITZEL.CA

& BLOWNINSULATION

SINCE 1976

REITZ

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ANNIVERSARY

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• Insulation Removal• Fireproofing• Soya Foam• Government GrantsMay Be Available

• Attics • Ceilings • Walls• Basements & Crawl Spaces• Ask About Our Green Solutions!

Call Today for a FREE On-Site Estimate & Local Service

519-886-6100

encourag ing & st rengthen ing ecosys tem biod ivers i t y

inc reas ing the amount of natura l a reas

g iv ing back to wi ld l i fe by res tor ing & mainta in ing hab i ta t

he lp ing to preserve nature for fu ture generat ions

at t rac t ing or deter r ing wi ld l i fe in natura l & humane ways

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Geta

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ontactREEP

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• 519.744.9799

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Working together for healthier homesand sustainable communities

• Lower Construction & Life Cycle Costs• Pedestrian Friendly• AquaPave® provides a flat smoothsurface with narrow voids that is free ofloose aggregates

• Disability Friendly• Meets design guidelines recommendedby the Americans with Disabilities Act(ADA)

• Eliminates Surface Runoff• Reduces Pollutants in the Environment• Water Harvesting• Traffic Calming• Geothermal Systems• Earn Up To 12 LEED Points

519 740 60001081 Rife RoadCambridge

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Permeable On-Site Stormwater Source Control System

The Power-PipeTM uses outgoingwarm drain water to pre-heat yourwater heater's cold water supply.

This approved heat exchanger safelysaves you money that would other-wise simply go down the drain. Saveupto 35% in water heating costs!

Toll free 866-888-0883Email info@drain-power.com

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Proud supporter of REEP HouseCertified dealer/installer of Power-PipeDrain water heat recovery specialists

ecoEnergy Retrofit program recognizes the Power-Pipe

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reepgreen.ca•www.reepgreen.ca•519.744.9799

natural building living roofs waste and water natural floors and more

Quiet Nature Ltd.1124 Nith Rd.Ayr, ON N0B 1E0www.quietnature.ca

1-888-876-0110t: 519-632-5218f: 519-632-9058