Natural Elements, NRCan's Monthly Newsletter

The “Solar Ready” Advantage

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In our increasingly environmentally-aware society, the benefits of solar technology are becoming more and more apparent. Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) has recently invested funding into the Alternative-Energy Ready project. The project’s first initiative will make solar hot water heating in homes more easily available to new home buyers. Launched in March 2007, the Solar Ready homes project is being piloted in cooperation with Doug Tarry Homes Ltd., based out of St. Thomas, Ontario.

Charles Zaloum, a Project Manager with NRCan, explains the concept of Solar Ready homes through a simple analogy: “In new houses, they install the pipes for a central vacuum system whether you want it immediately or not, creating the possibility for selling you a central vacuum system. If the pipes weren’t there, there would be no central vacuum market.”

Similarly, the Solar Ready project aims to create a market for solar heating. “Canada produces solar hot water heaters, but mostly for export. There is a huge demand internationally, which we want created here as well,” explains Charles.

Doug Tarry Jr., Director of Marketing for Doug Tarry Homes, says that the objective of the project is “to prove that solar ready homes can be converted to solar complete homes if homeowners are given the opportunity to participate.” At the time of construction, there will be an approximate $300 investment rolled into the cost of the house, with homeowners having the option to install the solar heating system immediately or retrofit their home at a later date. In either case, the monthly savings on hot water costs is expected to pay for the whole solar heating system within 10 years. As energy prices go up, this payback time will decrease, so what makes sense to some people now will likely make sense for most in the future, and as the name suggests, Solar Ready will be “ready” to accommodate.

Perhaps the most unique aspect of the Solar Ready project is that it is the first of its kind aimed at production builders, rather than builders of custom homes. Charles explains that although solar homes are not a new phenomenon, up until now they have mainly been built on large lots with perfect southern exposure. “There is no such luxury for homes being built in sub-divisions,” says Charles. “These are not cases of optimal performance. But even 70-75% of optimal performance on 40 000 homes saves more energy than doing a few dozen perfect solar homes each year.”

One key objective of the Solar Ready pilot initiative is to gauge the potential market and see if consumers are interested. Already, the feedback has been notably positive. There has also been a significant response from other production builders who want to be able to offer their clients the Solar Ready option. From the environmental benefits to the advantages for both builders and consumers, it appears as though the Solar Ready project is poised to be a great success.

It is worth noting that Solar Ready is just the first phase of NRCan’s Alternative-Energy Ready project, so be “ready” for similar initiatives for other renewable energy technologies in the near future.