WHEREAS our current housing codes do not incorporate the latest energy efficient technologies or ideas,
AND WHEREAS heating and powering houses accounts for a substantial percentage of an individual's greenhouse gas emissions and home maintenance bills.
AND WHEREAS an individual's awareness of their energy consumption may result in the ability to conserve,
BE IT RESOLVED that the GPS will advocate for the mandatory installation of solar hot water heaters, solar air heater and hot water heat recovery systems on all new houses, and for the development of a program that will aid in the retrofitting of all existing houses with these devices.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the GPS will advocate for the installation of digital electrical control panels (ie. a Green Switch) that readily shows individual energy consumption as well as gives the ability to easily turn off all unnecessary power, in all new houses and the development of a program to retrofit all houses in Saskatchewan with such devices.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the GPS will advocate to have utility prices of electricity, natural gas, and water fluctuate with demand.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the GPS will advocate that all new houses and housing developments be designed to take advantage of Saskatchewan's abundant passive solar potential.
Can it be also further
Can it be also further resolved that Saskatchewan start to phase in an Energuide rating for all heated buildings in Saskatchewan, starting with new buildings and then all buildings sold. This places a visible value on energy conservation and will be a valuable and expected source of information for potential buyers.
I think this needs some
I think this needs some rework. Sure, we want to encourage use of solar heaters and passive solar energy, but we'd find it really hard to justify why we were just advocating solar, to the exclusion of other renewable and/or high-efficiency alternatives. I couldn't endorse mandatory use of solar hot water heaters, since that would exclude other green alternatives, such as using a building's wind generator or ground source heat pump to heat water.