Castlegar mayor and councillors register for energy diet - there's still time for Kootenay residents to sign on and save
By Kyra Hoggan
Two city councillors and the Castlegar mayor signed on to Fortis’ Kootenay Energy Diet back in May, becoming personal role models for a program the city is already officially supporting.
FortisBC has subsidized the initial home energy assessment, which is valued at $400, offering it for just $60 for Diet participants, but the city further slashed that to $35 by subsidizing the first 50 applicants.
Councillors Dan Rye and Kevin Chernoff, along with Mayor Lawrence Chernoff, signed on for the Energy Diet themselves, explaining their commitment to conservation stretches beyond council chambers and into their personal spheres.
“I was interested to know where I stand; how my house would measure up,” said Mayor Chernoff. “And it means saving money and energy, so it’s really a no-brainer.”
He said the assessor came to his house and was very impressed by the professional, thorough assessment and straight-forward explanations.
“He gave me better light bulbs and insulation to cover my hot water line where it comes out of the tank,” he said, adding he was left with some simple recommendations, like adding more insulation to his attic, that shouldn’t cost more than about $1,000 and should mean long term savings.
“That’s really the key – saving money and conserving energy. Who wouldn’t want to do that?”
Meanwhile, Councillor Kevin Chernoff (no relation to Mayor Lawrence Chernoff, as confusing as that might be) had a somewhat surprising result after his assessment.
“I’ve always been pretty conscious about the energy we use – I wanted to see if the things I’ve done, like switching to LED bulbs and digital thermostats, actually made a difference,” he said. “(The assessor) came to my house and did a bunch of things, including the fan test, where they pressurize the house to detect heat leaks around windows, doors and electrical sockets, which I think is really helpful.
“It turns out, the rating on my house is very good – they didn’t have any recommendations for me to do anything more than I’ve already done.”
So was the whole exercise a waste of time? Absolutely not, according to Councillor Chernoff.
“First, it told me I’m on the right track,” he said. “As an added bonus, I get an Energuide rating to affix to my electrical panel (breaker box) that will increase resale value and give me kind of a benchmark from which to measure any future improvements I might make, like maybe adding solar panels or geothermal heating.”
But the good news isn’t just for our civic leaders – you, too, can trim your energy bill by participating. To register, click here or visit the FortisBC booth that will be at the Pass Creek Fall Fair on Sept 21 and 22.
And if you’re concerned about the upfront costs of energy retrofits, worry no more: you may be eligible for up to $20,000 in financing from your local credit union. The Kootenay Energy Diet Energy Efficiency loan features a fixed low-interest rate; equal, predictable monthly payments over a five year term and an amortization period of up to 10 years.
Visit participating credit unions for more information and to apply.
For more information, call Fortis at 250-368-1918 or email us at energydiet@fortisbc.com.
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