LiveSmart BC Community Feature
Back to the Future Homes
After spending 25 years as a corporate executive in the forestry products business, Hardy Wentzel has turned his energy toward revitalizing older homes.
Wentzel purchases homes built around 1955-1965 in the Kelowna area. Then he modernizes them and makes them more energy-efficient.
“I want to combine the atmosphere of a vintage neighbourhood with the feel of a modern home.”
Wentzel is creating a unique product for home owners who are looking for a character home-but one that doesn’t have many of the problems associated with homes of that era.
One of the first steps in the “modernization” process is to have the homes inspected by an Energy Advisor, who provides a report detailing all of the possible upgrades that can be made to a structure to reduce energy use.
These upgrades will increase the home’s EnerGuide rating, and qualify the homeowner for various rebates, depending on the level of improvement.
All EnerGuide Energy Advisors know how components work together to achieve a superior level of energy efficiency and indoor comfort. Wentzel makes improvements in every area the report reviews.
“It’s very remarkable to see what you can do when you go about your business in a sustainable, quality fashion.”
After the upgrades are done, an Energy Advisor will return to the building and test the effectiveness of the upgrades. In a home Wentzel worked on recently, he did a major upgrade to the heating system and insulation including:
• installing a new high efficiency HVAC system
• removing the drywall and making the walls thicker
• replacing old insulation in the attic
• insulating the bare foundation walls in the basement of the home
These changes, among others, increased the EnerGuide rating on the building by 50 per cent.
The retired executive isn’t sure if the everyday consumer is ready to put sustainability ahead of cost when looking at energy options for their homes. He believes a rebate program for energy upgrades is a step in the right direction.
“I believe it’s important for government to provide incentives to promote this kind of behaviour.”
For more information on the benefits of having an Energy Advisor visit your home, click here.
