We are up to 6 members on the new Parkside Place E-Team! Join us! parksideplacevictoriabc@gmail.comWe have 40-year-old buildings, pipes, heating systems, on and on.
Retro-fitting needs to happen to bring down the costs and reduce our footprint.
Can our community become a carbon offset project for a corporation?
I wonder if there is corporation out there that would consider it?
hmmmmmmmmm......................
And here is a potential way to fund a retro fit.
"Central Saanich councillor Zeb King shelled out nearly five grand for a solar water heating system on his home, knowing he'd eventually see a return on his money, and then some, thanks to lower electricity bills."
The initial cost of installation remains the greatest barrier to making this technology more widespread, says King. That's why he is pushing council to use local improvement charges (LIC), usually levied for infrastructure like sidewalks or sewers, to pay for solar systems on private residences.
Matt Horne of the Pembina Institute and Nitya Harris of the B.C. Sustainable Energy Association presented the idea to Central Saanich council last year.
It would work something like this: Jane Homeowner wants to go solar. She chooses from a list of approved installers, gets a loan from the city to pay for the solar water heating system on her house, and pays back that loan through a surcharge in her property taxes over a number of years.
This system offers some unique advantages, explains Horne.
"Unlike a typical loan, which is attached to the person, an LIC is attached to the property," he says.
That means if the home changes hands before the system is paid off, the new owners pay the remaining surcharges. If it is paid for, the energy efficient home could fetch the sellers more money.
Also, lower electricity bills can almost entirely offset the tax surcharge, notes Horne."
From Monday Magazine
Mr. King can be reached at 250-652-4642, I'll be giving him a call and let you know how it goes.
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