Healthy Housing is a Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) vision of housing that promotes the health of its occupants while considering the environment and preserving our natural resources. Healthy Housing is based on over a decade of research by CMHC and others. Healthy Housing is not about building new high-tech houses but, rather, it’s about making Healthy Housing features available and affordable to everyone.
Following are five key elements of a Healthy House with tips on how to make your home better for the environment and more comfortable for you:
1. Occupant Health. Healthy Housing promotes superior quality of indoor air, water and lighting:
· Chose natural biodegradable products for cleaning (eg, baking soda, vinegar, borax)
· Furniture made from low-emission, natural materials – wool rugs, sofas and chairs made of untreated cotton with hardwood frames – makes for a healthy indoor environment
2. Energy Efficiency. Homes account for about 20% of all energy used in Canada. Of this, about 67% is used for space heating and cooling, 18% for lighting and appliances, and 15% for heating water. The Healthy House reduces energy use in all these areas, in all seasons:
· Placed under the concrete slab, rigid board insulation helps raise the temperature of the floor slab and increases comfort. It reduces heat loss by up to 75%
· Energy-efficient dishwashers, washers and dryers, refrigerators and freezers can cut energy consumption by at least 15%. Some models can reduce energy use by nearly 50%
3. Resource Efficiency. The Healthy House makes efficient use of all our resources. Efficient use is made of building materials, and recycling is encouraged. Durability of building components is essential. The Healthy House also conserves water and energy:
· Water-efficient toilets (6 L or less) use up to 80% less water than a regular toilet
· Shower Heads (9.6 L/minute) reduce water use by more than 60% with no loss of
performance
performance
· A simple and inexpensive aerator tap can reduce water use by more than 60%
4. Environmental Responsibility. The principles that guide the construction and use of the Healthy House are the cornerstone of environmentally responsible housing. The Healthy House may use alternative water and wastewater systems, encourages site planning that reduces land requirements, minimizes waste generation and pollutant emissions, promotes resource-efficient landscaping and considers broader community planning issues such as transportation:
· Recycle and compost to reduce the volume of household garbage sent to landfills
5. Affordability. For the Healthy House to succeed in the marketplace, it must be good for the owner, builder and future generations. Many features of the Healthy House make it affordable to own, and its design makes it easily adaptable to its occupants’ changing needs.
To learn more about other sustainable technologies and practices that can improve the performance of your home as well as information on owning or buying a home, call Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) at 1-800-668-2642 or visit www.cmhc.ca.
