Withstanding Low VOC Scrutiny
Sansin Corporation
Sjoerd Bos, Vice President
Low VOC stains, and other architectural coatings, will have an increasingly important role to play, especially as green home building programs continue to grow, and as consumers increase demand, and are willing to pay for, a greener, healthier home environment. However, as consumers demand low-VOC and low-toxicity coatings, they will be increasingly adamant that they still perform as well or better than their more toxic counterparts.
We also see heat-treated wood growing in demand for outdoor siding, decks and other features. Heat treatment of wood reduces hygroscopicity, improves dimensional stability, and increases resistance to microbial attack and biodegradation without the use of toxic chemicals. With proper finishing and coating to protect from UV degradation and natural weathering, stunning wood exteriors can be achieved at a much lower cost.  
To ensure a product can withstand extensive scrutiny, it’s essential that a company invest in research and development and extensive testing. When it comes to comparing green products, we suggest to our dealers that they advise consumers to look beyond the label, and to compare apples to apples. In the case of wood stains, that means comparing alkyds to alkyds, hybrids to hybrids, and acrylic to acrylic. 

Composting Toilets Systems: Moving to the Mainstream
Sancor Industries
Scott Smith, VP Marketing
Installing a composting toilet system is becoming more popular for applications other than just cottages and cabins — the traditional places where we tend to think of using compost toilets. But use of composting toilets in home applications, such as workshops, basements, pool cabanas, as well as commercial applications including golf courses, warehouses and construction sites, is growing.
A composting toilet system offers many benefits over other options, such as traditional plumbing or septic tank systems. They are environment-friendly, use very little water (as low as 0.2L per flush) or no water at all, and they are also easily installed without plumbing or septic, making them extremely economical (a new septic tank system can cost from $5,000 to $25,000; a complete composting toilet system is in the $2,000 to $6,000 range).
There is also rise in the use of composting toilets in non-traditional applications, like concrete slabs, largely due to innovations in the installation technology. Newer systems are also much more aesthetically-pleasing with modern ceramic bowl designs and push-button flushing. Great looks, environmental benefits and money savings are moving composting toilets toward the mainstream.

Unlocking Z Wave Technology
Schlage - Ingersoll Rand Residential Solutions
Sam Russo, Marketing & Business Development Manager
Home automation technology is a growing trend among household consumers, and it’s quickly becoming an important value-added feature and differentiator for home builders across Canada. To set their homes apart from the rest, progressive builders might consider looking toward Z Wave technology.
A radio frequency communication platform, Z Wave technology allows enabled devices to be securely accessed and monitored wirelessly, giving home buyers the freedom to lock and unlock the front door, reset the temperature on their thermostat, or adjust their lighting room by room — all from the convenience of an easy-to-use web or mobile interface. Take it one step further by installing web-based security cameras that allow the homeowner to monitor activities inside the home.
There are lots of ways to make your homes stand out from the competition. One way is giving home buyers the ability to manage the safety, comfort and efficiency of their homes, all from the convenience of their couch, car, or from a vacation home thousands of kilometres away.

The 100-Year Septic System
SoilAir Systems Canada
Gary Sharp, P. Eng., President
It’s seldom discussed, but more than 25 per cent of Canadian homes rely on septic systems to process their wastewater. So why do we build houses to last 100 years and septic systems that need to be replaced every 20 years or so? Traditionally, this has been considered normal behaviour in the septic industry. Contractors install septic systems using septic tanks that corrode with wastewater and drain fields that biologically clog over time. When they fail, contractors replace them with — you guessed it — septic tanks that corrode with wastewater and drain fields that biologically clog over time.  
The key elements required to make a septic system last 100 years include: a tank that does not react with wastewater; a drain field that relies on aerobic bacteria to process the wastewater; providing a drain field ventilation to support the aerobic bacteria; monitoring the performance of the system; and providing professional, annual maintenance for the system and all components.
Einstein said doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result was insanity. A better understanding of how septic systems work will allow us to make septic systems last as long as the houses they are connected to.  

It’s Time to Look Outside the Building Envelope
Stantec Consulting Ltd.
Kevin Fergin, P. Eng., President of Brantford Home Builders’ Association; Principal, Stantec Consulting Ltd.
Our industry has made tremendous strides over the last 10 years to advance the energy efficiency of homes and to educate the consumer on building green. We are getting to the point where energy efficiency is being pushed to “net zero,” and affordability is eroding.  We need to shift our focus outside the building envelope and look at energy efficiency at the community level, whether through a Plan of Condominium or a Plan of Subdivision.
Local and regional municipalities need to move beyond the philosophical approach to green, and take concrete steps to embracing the “built form” of energy efficiency. The Ministry of Environment (MOE) must also recognize that technologies and engineering approaches have evolved and that green solutions to grey water recovery/reuse, advanced wastewater treatment/reuse and heat energy recovery methods exist in the built form in Europe and areas of the US. 
We need the MOE to take steps to embrace new approaches while maintaining the health and welfare interests of the public. If all levels of government get on board and work with our industry, we can create the energy efficient communities of the future, today!

Government Stimulus Grants
Vinyl Window Designs Ltd.
Phil Lewin, V.P. Marketing
Compared to our southern neighbours, Canadians are more amenable to government involvement. As a result, awareness and use of stimulus grants for the purchase of energy efficient products resulted in our federal government running out of money to sustain the EcoEnergy grants far earlier than they anticipated.
The problem with this, however, is that the government has now created a financial expectation that, in the absence of grants, encourages homeowners to wait for a new grant program before making purchases. If you want to renovate your home with energy efficient products, do you want to sign a check for payment to the contractor — only to discover the next day that you could have saved thousands of dollars from a new government program? Not likely, unless your furnace died or your windows were falling out of their openings. Otherwise, one is motivated to wait, and that is not good for the natural flow of our industry.
While we all love the excitement generated by government industry stimulus grants, we are now paying the price for that involvement. It’s time for government at all levels to step up and end the uncertainty of what they are going to do or not do over the next 18 months.

Bungalows for Baby Boomers
Marcus Design
Marcus Cormier, PTech
Bungalows have been around for a long time, although their popularity and usage has varied throughout past decades. As a house designer, I’ve noticed a gradual increase in bungalow construction during recent years, a trend I attribute to the first onset of the Baby Boomer generation settling into comfortable retirement.
Some retired Boomers will seek Sun Belt regions. Others will mature in place. However, many will opt to build that final home in order to downsize, prepare for future needs and accommodate an independent lifestyle.
Whether financially set or living on a fixed income, this generation will look for style without unnecessary excess. They will opt for maintenance-free materials and simple and efficient landscaping elements to minimize outdoor work.
To safeguard their independence, homes will require extra planning to accommodate possible barrier-free living, such as wider doors, extra wall reinforcing for future grab bar installation, and the elimination of stairs; an increase of slab-on-grade construction is likely to coincide. Baby Boomers will likely choose this alternative in regards to both barrier-free living and downsizing purposes. 
With proper planning and a few simple considerations, builders and designers should be able to provide comfortable retreats for the Baby Boomer generation.

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