One Townhouse and One Condo needed

Please keep in mind what this is all about. First, you know to fill up your gas tank today it is costing you far more than it did even two weeks ago. Our costs to heat our homes and fill them with water are no different, it is expensive today and will most certainly be more expensive a month from now and next year? Who would like to take a guess what the cost will be next year?

Parkside Place needs to reduce its energy costs its that simple.

With a full 45% of the condo fees going to energy and resources (sewer, heat, water) and no end in sight don't you think its to address this?


What will we do if 100% of the condo fees have to go to energy and resources?
No money left for maintenance?
The fees will double from the current 230.00 per month.
Why? We have to have maintenance done, and we still have to pay for water, sewer and heat.

City Green needs a town house and a condo to enter for the purpose of providing us with a energy audit. They will walk through your home and identify areas that we can work on to reduce consumption. This is an educational process and your unit would be the 'typical' Parkside unit and resident that would be the 'example' for us all to learn from. Please volunteer your home for this important audit.
Email me at parksideplacevictoriaBC@gmail.com

Here is one example of how one thing affects another:
our parking lots, asphalt everywhere.
Did you know asphalt increases the temperature by 25%?
Are you hot in the summer? are you running a air-conditioner?
My house has 3 ceiling fans, I'm certain they will run all summer long.
(I've only been here since Oct. last year).

Standard parking lots constructed with traditional techniques of impervious pavement (typically concrete and asphalt) are associated with a host of inherent problems: runoff problems, heat buildup, air pollution, light glare, and poor aesthetics.

If the asphalt was a sustainable surface, which is a brick made of materials reclaimed and allows grass to grow between each block the temperature around our complex would reduce dramatically.
Something as simple as that can see each of our homes cooler, possibly not utilizing air-conditioners and ceiling fans. That reduces energy use, green-house gasses and so-on.

The parking-lots are planned to be paved, they are budgeted for in the special budget we have. Should we have a closer look at this? or should we just pave it the way it has been for the last 40 years? How is technology that is 40 years old working for you today?
I thought so. Yes, lets have a closer look at it and lets make an informed choice.
(Home Depot sells the product we may consider for our parking lots. I plan on communicating with Home Depot. I am hoping they will help us in reducing the cost in exchange Home Depot could use our complex in Victoria as the 'example'. What do you think? or, possibly you know of another business that offeres this 'type' of product, they might be interested in helping us out. Let us know!)

Received Correspondence this past week from:
Britt Karlstron - City Green
Tricia de Macedo - Environmental Planning Officer - District of Saanich
Adriane Pollard - Manager of Environmental Services Planning Dept. District of Saanich

Essentially this is the message:

"The District of Saanich under our Green Building Program is willing to pay for two hours of consultation with City Green."

The District of Saanich Green Building Program is about new construction, new single family housing and green initiatives and not about town homes / condo's built in the 60's. It is fantastic the District is approaching new buildings, and even better they recognize we need help and offered it.

My sincere thanks to the District of Saanich, it is a big step.

I've been researching grants for our property, grants that can help us 'convert' our older technology to green technology. I have to report there is very little for a complex such as ours. There is definitely a gap at all levels. There aren't even tax opportunities. (Note: it is entirely possible I have missed something, please please let me know if that is the case)

Strata's, Condominium Corporations don't fit into the nice square boxes that are required for consideration. This is why the District of Saanich offered to help with those two hours with City Green, we were not eligible for their energy audit grant.


Again, thank you for recognizing the desire and effort of Parkside Place, and stepping up to support us District of Saanich!

We will keep you informed about our progress and will in all likelihood be back looking for support in writing for future lobbying efforts that I believe I will now have to plan for.


People who have expressed interest in being part of the Parkside Group:
Keven Jones - (Strata #68 Parkside Place Council Treasurer) - Kevin did research last year into gas and electrical usage for our complex.




PS. I have sent emails and the sustainability plan to elected politicians, I will name them in future posts and what they reply with, or, if we received no reply at all.