Weather or not… how fitting a vision of our future home in relation to what we have just been through. Thoughts of being snug and safe in our earthen home, drawing on our 5200 gallons of rain water using stored solar electricity to power low voltage pumps, using our composting toilet, excited about the wind and selling power back to BC Hydro. Even on the cold clear (sub zero) days we will be making 180 degree Celsius water to heat our floors and showers. In our new house weather is not an issue just a resource, but this month we have not been enjoying these future resources.

As everyone has experienced, November has had unprecedented amounts of rain, wind, snow, and freezing cold; we have been fully at the mercy of the weather. Our sanctuary has been the cob woodworking shop where the wood stove has dried our clothes, melted our snow for drinking water and warmed our bodies. We’ve been some of the most fortunate ones here in the Highlands of Victoria where power has been out for 6 days now, phones have been gone for three, temperatures dipped to minus 13 before windchill and the heavy wet snow reached 45 cm. Our trailers are well equipped with propane for the furnace, water storage tanks, and batteries for the 12 volt system; sounds good… when all systems function. In the extremely cold temperatures pipes have frozen and batteries have died; the trailers have no thermal mass and lose heat immediately after furnace fans quit. So we were faced with whether or not to use a generator and burn copious quantities of fossil fuels, spewing even more greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere. We did what any human being would do to keep their family from freezing in the dark…we fired up the noisy beast.

A subject that doesn’t even make us flush when we talk about it is our composting toilet system. We have been lucky, most of our neighbors had to pack water or melt snow in order to go to the bathroom. Composting toilets continue to provide a superior solution to flush toilets. No smell, no mess, no fuss, and as long as you work the toilet works.

When is it time to change our way of living to become sustainable? How do you know whether or not it is time to change? When we were pushed to join the chorus of generators in the neighborhood, when we realized we were fighting nature to survive and hold our ground. We already knew it was time to change but this whole experience has fueled our fires for our project, and has increased our sense of urgency to not only create a safe and climate friendly home for our family but to share this knowledge and sustainable way of living with others. When the big energy crunch hits in full force what will people do? They will go into survival mode just like we had to and do whatever it takes to keep their families safe, warm, and fed and in doing so, increase the rate of consumption of the dwindling resources. The transition away from fossil fuels to sustainable energy has to happen now…before people go into survival mode.

This extreme weather has challenged us…but what about all the other creatures. Our land has been hit hard with the early and heavy snowfall accompanied with unseasonable cold and sustained low temperatures. We have lost too many arbutus trees to count, and the poor young cedars have been flattened. All this comes on the heels of the driest summer on record. The earth is speaking and we need to listen.

We recently wrote to Saanich on our observations about green and sustainable building for their first workshop in a series called The Sustainable Saanich Series. Saanich made our four pages of notes/rants available to the rest of the participants and included our cover page with a photo of the American Bullfrog. Those that approached us laughing about the picture got the message… just because you’re “green” does not mean you are “sustainable”. A copy of this is also available on our web page in the log section.

Jessica Woolliams from the Cascadia Institute (www.cascadia.org) was a presenter at the Sustainable Saanich workshop; during her presentation she also noted “green building” does not equate with “sustainable building”. Green building as seen in the construction, architecture, and engineering industries is about being “less bad” with more efficient appliances, more insulation, less air leaks, more technologically complex heating/cooling systems, with minor attention paid to the embodied energy required to make the building itself or the systems. Sustainable building is as much about the embodied energy required to build the building as the energy required (over the course of the buildings life span) to make it habitable; a truly net zero emission home. Sustainable does not mean more efficient or more complex, it means that the inhabitants enjoy a level of comfort without compromising the ability of future generations to enjoy the same. Sustainable buildings and systems are made from lower embodied energy technologies/materials and the energy/products used are sustainable and renewable. Green building is a step in the right direction, but it is far from where we need to be. The LEEDs program is primarily focused on “green” building with different level of greenness. The Cascadia Institute, acknowledging the difference between “green” and “sustainable”, has just launched the next level above the LEED Platinum rating calling it “The Living Building Challenge”. Our project meets the requirements of this new challenge on almost all levels and it will be interesting to find out more. Perhaps our Eco-Sense home will be the first “Living Building” under this new program.

October was a physically busy month, but with the weather episodes in November we had to change gears and work on the systems design. The heating system is not as daunting or complex as we thought. It consists of the solar thermal collectors, a large hot water tank, radiant floor heating system, and a backup heating unit. The system requires three small low voltage assist pumps, one for the solar loop, one for the floor, and one for the back-up heating loop. Pumps are very efficient especially on low voltage DC. Thanks to the folks at SolarCrest for all their help so far. The backup system will be a wood boiler, most likely a Greenwood boiler out of Washington that has an 87% efficiency rating. The boiler on one armful of wood will produce 90,000 BTUs per hour for 12 hours. The amount of wood required is rather minimal, and the only time it will be required is during extended periods without sun. The tree fall on our land from the past snow storm probably amounts to three cords of wood, and it is my guess that with our systems, we may use about a cord per year or less as back-up to the solar.

In addition to the solar thermal collectors heating our hot water, we will have an opportunity to transfer the excess heat energy somewheres else during the summer. We would prefer to use this energy to make electricity for the grid, rather than shunt it off as excess. We are open to any ideas, suggestions or other to make this happen. If you would like to be involved in this please contact us. gord@eco-sense.ca .

The rain water system has also been very simple to design. Domestic water storage consists of two 2000 Gal tanks at the house site of which we want to draw from both, one, or the other; to pump one into the other if required to perform cleaning; be able to re-circulate either one through a sand filter, and ensure that all water drawn into the house comes through the sand filter and UV sterilizer. Sounds complex but when put on paper it is very simple. We have decided to have a standard float switch in one cistern hooked up to our well, where when the level drops quite low in the cistern the switch will send 72 volts DC (straight from the solar panels) to the Grundfos SQ Flex pump and top up the cisterns to a set level (also determined by the float switch). This means when the sun shines and the water is low the cisterns will be topped up automatically to meet our needs. Our need will be much less than a conventional home with no flush toilets, a water saving shower, and water conserving clothes washing machine.

The greywater system was also simple as pie. We plumbed the house site for separate grey water and septic and in a junction box out front we put in a valve to divert grey water into the septic (for code) or through a living worm bio-filter before it goes down to the mulch basins to water the apple trees for the pie. We had the inspector come up to view all the pipe work before backfilling. All was good.

We have tried hard to engage BC Hydro into discussions on the grid inter-tie program. Over the past three months we have had no response. Very disappointing! Speaking of difficulties, Sara Cassidy of Focus Magazine has written an article in December’s issue on hurdles of sustainable building. We will post a copy on our web page if we can.

For those who have shown interest in future workshops, we are just starting to organize a spring, summer and fall schedule with Elke Cole. Our goal is to get the walls up three feet or so before the first workshop, so participants have some exciting stuff to work on. We will also be looking for experienced cobbers to engage in some paid labour. Send us an email if you are interested. ann@eco-sense.ca

One final rant completely off topic. As we were huddled in the trailer with the wind up radio, we listened to CBC On The Island repeatedly discuss the power and phone outages, then in the same breath repeatedly discuss what number to phone in case of an emergency. If something does not sound correct, you are right. There is a disconnection between not having phone service and phoning for help, literally. In situations like this it is so important that able bodied individuals check on their neighbors…it is acceptable for technology to fail but no excuse for community to fail. As the snow clears we truly hope there has not been someone forgotten for days in the cold.

Sustainable Saanich Series

With the increasing interest in sustainable green development and the corresponding focus on municipal policies, by-laws and planning, there has been great interest in promoting large scale green building developments such as Dockside Green. The LEEDS program lends to creating a building that is more sustainable, has a smaller overall energy footprint, is energy efficient, and takes into the equation how far materials travel, whether they are renewable, and how it situates within a community (as in easier public transit options). The LEEDS program in Canada however does not have an equivalent for residential small scale buildings. Ann and Gord Baird would like to pry your attention from the large scale and demonstrate simpler smaller scale green building projects and discuss the values they have towards rural, suburban, and high density areas. We wanted to relay these ideas to each of the presenters prior to the Green Building Workshop in hopes that the Eco-Sense project in the Highlands provides some insight and value to Saanich, and to those attending the workshop.
It is our opinion that green building and supporting systems can be much simpler and thus more common place, but the present regulations, by-laws and zoning do not accommodate them; the resulting effect is the average person’s willingness to venture into this void is greatly decreased despite their individual desire to do so. There needs to be incentives (both financial and process oriented) at the municipal level to encourage sustainable housing not just for the big money making developments but for the small scale individual home owners.
Our home, the Eco-Sense project, is a combination of a passive solar design in a natural building focusing on simple sustainable solutions. Such systems include solar PV and wind electrical generation, BC Hydro grid inter-tie system, grey-water irrigation, composting toilets, rain water harvesting, and solar thermal collection for space and hot water heating, all intended to provide public education on alternatives that can be easily and cost effectively applied to all types of residences. Our project is not sponsored nor supported through grants; it is simply our own personal initiative, where sustainability and education fit within our values.
Trial through experience
From our first hand experience from searching for property, to beginning building our home we have learned lots about policy, zoning, by-laws, building code, and how it relates to small scale green building and the systems directly tied to sustainable development. Affordable housing is a byproduct of small scale green building, and as we discuss some of our experiences and insight we will point out where the sustainable choice is also the affordable choice.
Before we bought our property we approached each of the governing municipalities. Russ Fuoco from Saanich was quite supportive of our ideas but noted that the codes and bylaws were outdated and a long ways behind where they needed to be. Metchosin and The Highlands were also very positive, while the planning department in Central Saanich repeatedly closed the doors and was shortsighted. The property that fit our budget was in the Highlands, though up front we wish to thank Russ for his genuine interest.
Natural building methods
We have chosen to utilize cob as our building method of choice. Cob basically is a centuries old method used in Europe (where it is seeing a resurgence), using clay, sand and straw, materials close at hand that do not require excess processing, do not require transportation, and do not require chemicals. We are using soil and clay from our property and are working in conjunction with an engineer from the University of Manitoba in the design and testing of what will be the first code approved load bearing cob residence in Canada. Right away there is the affordable benefit that materials are “dirt cheap” so to speak.

Concept of space and materials
The nature of space in a cob structure is redefined as space is at a premium, meaning a smaller structure than a conventional house. A cob house is usually much smaller and of a more practical and personal design. A smaller footprint translates into less cost, less infrastructure, less heating, and less energy use. The minimal use of Portland cement and timber, the non-existent need for industrial products (sealers, wraps, moisture/vapour barrier products, sidings, etc), and smaller roof systems all lend towards less costly construction both financial and environmentally, especially when amortized over the life of the building which is 500-700 years. Smaller houses with simpler construction materials and methods lend to the reality of building affordable sustainable housing.
Codes
We have learned through experience that the building code is a roadblock to sustainability and affordability. In comparing a contemporary house with the code and requirements, trades are more likely required for just about every step. With natural building a relatively unskilled person can play a key role in the creation of their home. When we question some of the rational behind the code we are told that the code is there to protect the future owners, and therefore is making a judgment and a prediction on what the future is. Is this right? The building codes seem to be evolving towards bigger and more complex…these “Laws of More” are in direct conflict with sustainability and affordability.
An example of what is in store for the future; we had a perfectly good but incomplete septic system that was a gravity fed 3 chamber, no pump required… great for a solar powered house. What we were soon to learn was that the regulations had changed in the couple of years since it was created and the sizing of the system had to be increased to allow for 100 liters of water per room, for 4 rooms, to hold 4 days production. We also learned that the system could not be gravity fed, but instead had to have a pump, control module, alarm, anti-siphon and a larger field. For a rain water toting, grey-water re-using, composting toilet using family, with no need for the septic system, we had to complete the install of the $30,000.00 system. This does not lend to affordable housing. Instead of the laws and codes changing to reduce water consumption (i.e. low flush toilets, grey water reuse, composting toilets, water conservation, etc), the laws changed to accommodate greater hydraulic volumes per person. If we had been allowed to forgoe a septic system (or a very small more appropriate one), we would have been obligated to inform any future buyers of such; the implications of this would be future potential lower price, or reduced market. It would even have seemed more practical to update the land title showing we had opted out of the septic, and that future buyers would have to be aware of this. The owner assumes any potential for current or future liability for opting out of such a system.
A second experience with code. We wished to be completely self sufficient from BC Hydro. Our prior inspector told us that if (BC Hydro) services are available you have to hook up; he said it was against the law not too. When we asked why, his answer was “the sun is not reliable” and as his job was “to protect the interest of the future owners”; he was saying that self sufficient solar was not an option for the future and thus would not allow it. How should the municipality, city or district view this? We suggest that education on the side of the inspector, and a general understanding that providing solar services to the house IS fulfilling the obligation to protect the future owners.

Systems
A simple system is a cheaper system. It means less environmental manufacturing costs; a simple system is more intuitive, user friendly, and with less to go wrong. A simple system is usually the opposite of what the codes allow for.
Grey Water System
Municipal water’s life cycle includes collection, storage, filtering and disinfection, distribution and then the treatment of the final waste water. There is a cost to ensure our water is as good and safe as it is; energy is spent to get it to this state. There is the cost of the infrastructure built to ensure we have enough stored water reserves to meet our needs. On the other end after we have used our water, it becomes sewer that we spend a tremendous amount of money, energy and infrastructure to separate the water from the waste (to treat it); the greater the hydraulic volume of sewer the more energy is spent treating it (despite the amount of contaminants or solids).
Grey water reuse can dramatically reduce the quantity of sewer to be treated and the volume of water used in the first place. A big win both financially and environmentally. In our project we have kept it simple, we are using it for irrigation of mulch basins in a gravity fed orchard. We have solved basic grey water problems such as surge tanks and grease traps with the creation of an extremely simple and virtually maintenance free biological filter which utilizes vermiculture to create the added resource of top quality worm castings as a byproduct. Yet another benefit is that the individual home owners using such a system are not likely to put nasty chemicals down his/her drains. The likely reason why such single family systems have not taken off is that there is no money to be made by manufacturing such simple systems.
A municipal government can decrease the stresses on its infrastructure by reviewing existing laws and regulations in other jurisdictions and implementing them, or allowing projects to move forward based on existing bodies of knowledge. There has to be room for decision based management on “grey areas” that acknowledge external bodies of research, regulations and policies present in other jurisdictions. See attached photo.

Composting toilet (Thermophilic Humanure)
We do not flush and are proud of it. We do not create any black water, meaning we do not have to use the $30,000.00 septic system we had to install to get a building permit. This also means if we were hooked up to a municipal sewer system, we would not be adding to pressures on the infrastructure.
Surprisingly what most people take away with them when they visit our project is our composting toilet system. Homemade for $300 of materials including cabinet, seat, bins, solar panel and fan. More people have borrowed our Humanure Handbook (by Joseph Jenkins) than any other literature we have. Basically in a nutshell, you have to see it to believe it, and it seems to make sense to a lot of people. See attached photos.
Where does this fit into municipal planning and bylaws… well if a household wishes to use a composting toilet, they should be allowed. Any person willing to set up and use such a system has obviously educated themselves on use, maintenance and safe handling. The other reason it fits, is that if there is a large scale disaster, power outage, earthquake or such, emergency alternatives should be offered and accommodated for. This system could be implemented in a pinch (no pun intended), in any house, apartment or office. Once again this is an area where regulation that is “black” and white, should be re-assed and once again allow decision based management to acknowledge external bodies of research, regulations and policies in other jurisdictions.
(As an aside Joseph Jenkins will provide his book free of charge to any government official or policy maker).

Sustainable Energy systems
Whether it is wind, solar, micro-hydro or other, any small scale energy production reduces demand on the existing hydro infrastructure, lending to decreased need to install a coal fired generating plant or larger hydro lines in your back yard. Presently in BC there is no initiative or incentive to promote such sustainable systems, people choose them due to necessity or because of their values. BC Hydro does however have a grid-intertie net metering program; though it is not widely known. If at the end of a year you produce more energy than you pull off the grid, BC Hydro will cut you a cheque. In other countries of the world there are incentives to promote sustainable energy through higher payout rates for the energy produced by a household – in compensation for the utility company not having to invest in more infrastructure, the household is able to be compensated for the additional upfront costs of the system, and in doing so promoting the emerging sustainable power industry. Good for the planet and everyone on it…except the oil companies.
With the urgent need to regulate green house gas emissions, municipalities will need to seek ways to decrease their carbon footprint. A united effort from all municipalities to promote sustainable energy, and demand forward thinking programs, will help meet this massive challenge. Regulating that all new homes incorporate either solar hot water and or other energy systems is a obvious reality that will undoubtedly come; easier now than later. (Hint).

Zoning/Planning
In this very brief discussion on small scale green building it is very clear to see a common trend, one of less reliance and pressure on existing infrastructure. We see an opportunity for municipalities to promote small scale green building with their own set of incentives. About a year ago we wrote on an idea that seemed to perk some ears. After searching for property and learning about zoning, we realized that the only zoning we saw was NRA (Nothing Reasonable Allowed). Some zoning restrictions even noted you could not have a clothes line or a garden fence (really)! We came up with the idea of Net Zero Zoning (NZZ) which refers to the total energy requirements of developments. Housing initiatives would require green building and sustainable systems. Basically a green building scheme. With this there would be a series of criteria to be met to build within the NZZ; housing sizes smaller, greywater re-use, composting or low flush toilets, natural building encouraged, sustainable energy systems a must. In return there would be tax breaks for those in this zoning, thus encouraging small green building and resulting in less impact on municipal and regional infrastructure. In addition to this zoning you may have classifications such as NZZ1, NZZ2 and so on, allowing for green building strata developments, duplexes, etc.
This concept ties directly into affordable housing. Imagine if Saanich was able to purchase an acreage that was not sub dividable under current zoning rules. Saanich could then create the new NZZ and create small lots that were now for sale to individuals agreeing to build under the green building scheme. Green building schemes would keep property values more affordable and Saanich could generate revenue from the sale of these properties to pay for the research, development, and management of the new Net Zero Zones. This could be one piece of the puzzle in helping to create affordable and sustainable housing.

Officials need…
- to learn about small scale sustainable building methods
- to see first hand what sustainable methods look like
- to see validity in regulations and policies in other jurisdictions
- to have a source to turn to, to aid in “decision based” management in grey areas

Thoughts and suggestions
- Pay due diligence to policies and regulations found in other jurisdictions and review external bodies of research when called for.
- Develop a fast track process to allow progressive sustainable development and decision making – Management based decision making.
- Develop criteria to evaluate a developments’ “energy footprint” from the construction to its operation.
- Provide incentives to both small scale and large scale sustainable development when there is obvious decreased impacts on local infrastructure and environment.
- Mandate all new developments to incorporate basic sustainable systems like solar hot water, energy conservation, etc.
- Be willing to adjust zoning to incorporate and promote green building
- Include knowledgeable individuals (not just big developers) in developing green building practices and zone planning;

With the focus on green building, it should be recognized that large scale green development implements complex systems, and that simple systems should not be overlooked. Simple is more fitting with small scale, affordability, and the environment. In promoting the small scale green development, we have learned that the local level of government has the greatest impact on whether it succeeds or fails.