Research Highlight

Residential Solar Mass Wall Analysis for Canada (65861)
Passive solar heating offers great promise for reducing the use of conventional heating fuels in Canadian houses. This study explores the performance of one type of passive solar heating system, the mass wall. Mass walls hold the promise of being able to provide passive solar heating in situations in which direct gain is not suitable, but the results of the study are not favourable for Canada.

About Your House

Insulating Your House (62039)
A well-insulated home will not only keep you warm and comfortable, it'll also save you money in reduced heating bills. Written for homeowners, landlords and contractors, this checklist helps you assess insulation problems, explains what makes insulation effective and examines insulation in walls for new and older homes, and for attics and basements. Included is a handy reference table on the different types of insulation, such as glass fibre and cellulose, with R-values plus advantages and disadvantages for each type.

Renovating for Energy Savings
There are many benefits in making energy saving improvements in your home. This series of fact sheets describe options for saving energy in housing of specific styles and ages.

Life Cycle Costing Tool for Community Infrastructure Planning - Tool and User Guide
This tool provides long term cost estimates of major community developments at the earliest possible stage with minimal input. The excel spreadsheet contains macros. In order to use the Tool, download and save the file to your computer. The User Guide provides guidance on all aspects of Tool operation from installation, to development of scenarios, to outputting results, to viewing internal calculations and conducting further analysis. The Guide can be read from cover to cover or can be referred to as specific questions arise.