Visit Climate Friendly Homes in Vernon to see firsthand what people are doing to make their homes more comfortable and climate friendly.
What is a Climate Friendly Home? A Climate Friendly Home is an energy-efficient, all-electric, zero-emissions home that does not burn fossil fuels such as natural gas or oil for heat, hot water or cooking. A Climate Friendly Home can also have lots of other useful features that make the home more sustainable, comfortable to live in, cheaper to operate, and more!
Check out homes in Vernon and see which homes you would like to visit on the tour.
You can preview each home and learn about the measures that have been implemented to make the home climate-friendly by browsing the map and selecting each home.
Once you have found the places you would like to view, you can plan a route for your tour. Neighbourhood parking may be limited so it is encouraged that you get there by taking more sustainable modes of transport like walking, cycling, or public transit.
When you visit each home, please remember to ask the homeowner questions about their experience getting their upgrades and how they are working for them. Local energy experts may be in attendance at select locations to answer more technical questions.
The City of Vernon has made the following commitments to climate friendly homes:
Climate Action Plan (CAP): 210408_cap_full_final.pdf (vernon.ca)
- CAP building goals (see page 31)
- Goal 1: All new buildings are efficient, use zero carbon energy systems, and are resilient to, and adapted for, projected climate change impacts and hazards
- Goal 2: Existing buildings are retrofitted to be energy efficient, use zero-carbon energy systems, and are resilient to, and adapted for, projected climate change impacts and hazards
Climate Action Plan Story Map: Climate Action Plan (arcgis.com)
City of Vernon Building Bylaw: Building Bylaw #5900 (vernon.ca)
- See Part 15: Energy Conservation and GHG Emission Reduction
For more information or it you have any questions, please contact:
Kevin McCarty
Specialist, Climate Action
City of Vernon
Phone: 250-307-5297
Email: kmccarty@vernon.ca
What Makes a Home Climate Friendly?
A Climate Friendly Home:
- Uses a heat pump for heating in the winter and cooling in the summer
- Efficient electric hot water tank or heat pump hot water heater
- Well insulated/draft free
- Energy efficient appliances such as induction stoves
- Electric stove and appliances
- Has no appliances or systems that burn fossil fuels, such as natural gas, propane or oil
- Is generating its own renewable energy using renewable energy technologies.
- High quality doors and windows
- Passive solar design
- Electric vehicle charger
- Rainwater collection
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Where to Start
Regardless of where you are in your home retrofit journey, there are plenty of free support programs and available incentives to help you take the next step to reduce emissions and increase energy efficiency.
Check out the Community Energy Association’s Building Resources webpage to access building energy retrofit resources, as well as CleanBC’s Better Homes webpage to learn about provincial rebate programs that can help to reduce the costs of your home energy retrofits.