19th Century B & B Doubles Down on Savings
Angela Keller-Herzog radiates enthusiasm as she talks about how she has updated her magnificent home to make it more sustainable. This classic brick, 19th-century house in the Glebe neighborhood of central Ottawa, Ontario, is also the home of her business, Angela’s B&B.
Angela has taken big strides to conserve energy and water, in keeping with her environmental and social values. She has completed all these upgrades:
- Insulation in attic, walls, and basement
- High-efficiency gas boiler
- On-demand, tankless gas water heater
- Low-flush toilets
- Energy Star refrigerator
- Ventless, condenser clothes dryer
- Solar photovoltaic (PV) array on the roof
The results are impressive. Angela has cut the annual electricity consumption in half, while keeping natural gas use about the same due to higher efficiency, despite heating all of the houses with gas now.
This all adds up to big cost savings on the electric bill. On top of that, the solar PV system is adding almost 4,000 kWh per year to the plus side of the equation. And annual water consumption is down to just over half what it was before.
Angela used a home energy assessment from the Ottawa Envirocentre to guide her decisions, along with thermographic images from Infinity Home Inspections. Thermographic or infrared images give you a picture of the places in the house that are leaking cold air and losing heat, making it easier to know what to fix,
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When asked how she is benefitting, Angela replied,
"Clearly, I’m saving a whole bunch of cash, … and beyond that, I’m creating a values-based business. I have a little bed and breakfast, and I’m attracting customers who value a lower carbon footprint and living more sustainably."
Angela’s B&B was awarded a Platinum rating by TripAdvisor’s GreenLeaders Program.
Details
- Built: 1898
- Renovated: 2013
- Square Footage: 3,300 sqft
- EnerGuide for Houses Rating Before Reno: 23/100.
- EnerGuide for Houses Rating After: 59/100.
Why We Love It
- Conserving a building with lots of character
- Antique hardwood trim and flooring is beautiful
- Ambitious energy and $$ savings
- High-efficiency heating and hot water equipment
- Use of solar photovoltaics
- A heat pump condenser clothes dryer
The Numbers
- Investment in efficiency upgrades: $32,000
- Investment in solar PV: $21,000
- Total invested: $53,000
Article by:
Wayne Groszko
Wayne Groszko is a consultant, researcher, and teacher in Energy Sustainability with 13 years of experience. He has taught at Dalhousie University and the Nova Scotia Community College, in the Faculties of Engineering, Environmental Science, and Energy Sustainability Engineering Technology. Wayne is also President of the Community Energy Cooperative of New Brunswick, and has worked as Renewable Energy Coordinator with the Ecology Action Centre in Nova Scotia. He holds a B.Sc. (Hon.) from the University of Calgary, and a Ph.D. from Dalhousie University.