Episodios

  • 398. Solar and Community Energizes Urban Living for Heather and Justin

    398. Solar and Community Energizes Urban Living for Heather and Justin
    Mar 11 2025
    “What we love about Blatchford is that all of the homes here are heated with renewable energy,” says Heather MacKenzie," of their home in the largest carbon neutral community in North America. In Part 2 of our series on Blatchford Carbon Neutral Community we meet Heather and Justin, two of the early residents of this visionary community. Blatchford has a green building code, geo-exchange (geothermal) district heating and its located right in the heart of the city. Heather and Justin love the renewable energy heating, the downtown location of their home and the amazing amenities you would not expect in a downtown neighbourhood: a lake with wildlife, walking paths, green spaces, a pedestrian only street in front of their home, a playground, community garden and they really love that there is a light rail transit station right on site. GreenEnergyFutures.ca CKUA.com Podcast Listen on CKUA.com Subscribe to our Podcast Check out our full length video in our blog at GreenEnergyFutures.ca
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    4 m
  • 397. Blatchford The Largest Planned Carbon Neutral Community in North America

    397. Blatchford The Largest Planned Carbon Neutral Community in North America
    Mar 4 2025
    When Blatchford was announced as the largest planned carbon neutral community in North America it was seen as "wildly ambitious." "It's right in the heart of the city, connected to transit, and boasts short travel distances. There's a grocery store already, there's an LRT stop, it's all the things that new neighbourhoods often wait years and years for, uh, but they're already here in Blatchford," says Anne Stevenson City Councillor for Edmonton, Alberta. Today Blatchford people-centred urban design is attracting residents and near net-zero building standards are just what's needed to build the affordable, resilient and sustainable neighbourhoods of the future. In short this is where things are going and "We've got a great head start in Blatchford," says Stevenson. We talk to the city councillor, the developer and some residents who are now living in this super sustainable neighbourhood located right in the heart of the City. This is part 1 in a series we are doing talking to builders, home owners, heat pump companies about this amazing project in North America's most northerly big city. GreenEnergyFutures.ca CKUA.com Podcast BLOG: https://greenenergyfutures.ca/episode/397-blatchford-the-largest-planned-carbon-neutral-community-in-north-america-is-wildly-ambitious VIDEO: https://youtu.be/3xsdx7V7rwc?si=01GryhWWp4kBDqf1
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    4 m
  • 396B. Anatomy of an Amazing Net-Zero Straw Bale Dream Home

    396B. Anatomy of an Amazing Net-Zero Straw Bale Dream Home
    Feb 18 2025
    This week in part 2 we return to see the straw bale dream home 8 years after filming a story on the Making of the Straw Bale Dream Home. This home features some of the most innovative features we've seen in any green home. Lance and Wendy Olson lead us on a tour of their version of a passive house that is heated mostly by passive solar energy. The home has many innovative features including passive solar energy storing rammed Earth walls, a solar thermal in floor hydronic heating system and solar PV modules to provide the electricity. Then there are recycled materials in the form of cupboard doors made from hardwood seat backs from the Jack Singer Concert Hall and many other quirky features too. Get ready to be inspired! This is our 4-minute CKUA Radio feature. You can see these and more features in our full length video: https://youtu.be/38akJEh2j4A GreenEnergyFutures.ca CKUA.com Audio Podcast Check out our blog for more in this amazing story. Subscribe today on the usual podcast services.
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    4 m
  • 396. Deep Dive summary of Anatomy of a Straw Bale Dream Home

    396. Deep Dive summary of Anatomy of a Straw Bale Dream Home
    Feb 14 2025
    Here is an AI deep dive summary of Green Energy Futures' David Dodge interviews with Lance and Wendy Olsen about their unique straw bale home. The Olsens, seeking to downsize and minimize their environmental impact, built a net-zero home incorporating straw bale insulation, rammed earth walls, and solar technology. The home features innovative elements, such as reclaimed concert hall seatbacks repurposed as cupboards and a toilet paper storage system built into a wall. Lance discusses the home's heating and water systems, as well as artistic details like a custom handrail he is building for the spiral staircase using reclaimed farm material. The video highlights the home's energy efficiency and sustainable design, offering inspiration for anyone interested in green building practices. Let us know if you find this a helpful addition to our coverage of the Straw Bale Dream Home. GreenEnergyFutures.ca Episode 396 - Anatomy of a Straw Bale Dream Home
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    13 m
  • 396A. Making of a Net-Zero Straw Bale Dream Home - Part 1

    396A. Making of a Net-Zero Straw Bale Dream Home - Part 1
    Feb 13 2025
    In part 1 of our series on a Net-Zero Straw Bale Dream Home we meet Lance and Wendy Olson as they were building their straw bale home. They wanted to downsize, reduce their footprint and build the most energy efficient home they could. After a lot of research they landed on the idea of building a straw bale home. But they didn't stop there, this straw bale home has loads of innovative features in it from the rammed Earth walls, to solar thermal heating and solar PV for electricity. Their goal was to reach net-zero. We were there when the Olsons worked with partners at SAIT and Habib Gonzalez, the guru of straw bale building in Canada. In part one we see how the home is built and some of the unique features of this amazing and sustainable homes. GreenEnergyFutures.ca CKUA.com Podcast PART 1 - Making a Straw Bale Dream Home ✅ BLOG - GreenEnergyFutures.ca ▶️ YOUTUBE - https://www.youtube.com/greenenergyfuture/
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    4 m
  • 395B. Worst case scenario - An air-source heat pump at -41

    395B. Worst case scenario - An air-source heat pump at -41
    Feb 4 2025
    In Part 2 of our series on the worst case scenario for an air-source heat pump, improvements were made, the post reno energy audit is done and we check back a year later after installing an air-source heat pump in a cabin with 2x4 walls and R12 insulation in the cold Canadian north. Full story GreenEnergyFutures.ca VIDEO story https://www.youtube.com/greenenergyfuture/ GreenEnergyFutures.ca CKUA.com Podcast Subscribe to hear new stories every week - check back on our more than 400 stories!
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    4 m
  • 395A. Worst Case Scenario - Installing an air-source heat pump in a 2x4-walled cabin

    395A. Worst Case Scenario - Installing an air-source heat pump in a 2x4-walled cabin
    Jan 26 2025
    Energy efficient heat pumps are revolutionizing home heating. So we wanted to know, can we install an air-source heat pump in a cabin with energy inefficient 2x4 walls? This is part 1 of that story that starts with an energy audit. Energy efficient builders hold tight to the maxim "envelope first" which means focus on improving insulation and other measure that reduce your energy needs first before looking at your mechanical systems. But what if you are on a budget? What if its a seasonal cottage? What if you can't spend tens of thousands of dollars on those improvements? We set out to answer these questions and to determine the limits of air-source heat pumps that are taking the world by storm these days. Learn more in our blog and video story and watch for part 2. GreenEnergyFutures.ca CKUA.com Podcast
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    4 m
  • 394B. Janna Greir adds Kunekune pigs to her thriving Solar & Sheep operation

    394B. Janna Greir adds Kunekune pigs to her thriving Solar & Sheep operation
    Jan 21 2025
    In part 2 of our Solar & Sheep series first generation farmer Janna Greir adds Kunekune pigs to her solar & sheep farm. It turns out these cute little oinkers are symbiotic with the sheep. They eat parasites and worms left behind by the sheep thus interrupting their lifecycle keeping the sheep healthier. www.GreenEnergyFutures.ca www.CKUA.com Podcast Full story https://greenenergyfutures.ca/episode/394-first-generation-farmer-janna-greir-builds-thriving-operation-by-combining-sheep-and-solar Be sure to check our part 1 and Subscribe Today for 400 more stories just like this!
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    4 m