Canadian Households Increasingly Eco-Friendly

Judging by the numbers, Canadians are becoming more mindful of their impact on Mother Earth around the house.

According to a survey released by Statistics Canada, an increasing number of Canadian households have installed energy-efficient fixtures. Included in the findings of the Households and the Environment survey, which polled roughly 20,000 homes across Canada, the number of households using low-volume toilets has increased from to just nine per cent in 1991 to 47 per in 2011, a fivefold increase.

"The results clearly highlight that Canadian's are taking a more active role in the general energy efficiency of their homes," said Lisa Roberts, CREB® Member Programs manager. "This also translates to the residential resale market where both buyers and sellers are expressing interest in energy efficiency. CREB®'s HomeSmarts program is very much focused on providing REALTORS® with the ability to list and/or search for homes which have those energy efficient features."

Other energy efficient features that are increasingly finding their way into Canadian homes included low-flow showerheads, which have more than doubled in popularity from 28 per cent in 1991 to 63 per cent in 2006.

Another device gaining in popularity in the survey was a programmable thermostat, which according to Statistics Canada, can now be found in 54 per cent of those homes with a thermostat, up from 49 per cent in 2009. Of that 54 per cent, nearly threequarters (73%) of households with programmable thermostats that had been programmed reported that they lowered the temperature when they were asleep. According to BC Hydro, turning the heat down by just two degrees can reduce your home heating costs by five per cent, while programming your thermostat to set back the temperature by five degrees for eight hours of every night will save approximately 10 per cent on your heating bill.

"With the increased use of energy efficient lighting, programmable thermostats and low flow plumbing being cited in the Households and the Environment Survey, it is clear that CREB®'s HomeSmarts program, which showcases all of these, hits the mark," said Roberts.

Launched in May 2012, CREB's® HomeSmarts program adds a little green to the homebuying process by enabling REALTORS® to display the eco-friendly features of a listing within MLS®.

"With key efficiency features now available through MLS®, sellers, working with their REALTOR®, can leverage CREB®'s HomeSmarts to make their energy efficient home features more marketable," said Roberts. "For buyers, it's now easier for their REALTOR® to find a home that fits their energy efficiency values."

For more information on CREB®'s HomeSmarts program, visit CREB® Homesmarts.

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