To what extent can the application of R-2000 and Advanced House energy standards to affordable housing be cost effective, and what are the most appropriate technologies for attaining this goal? / While the technology to construct energy efficient houses exists, whether or not this is economically feasible at the affordable housing level remains undetermined. The current lack of knowledge of the issues related to energy efficiency in lower cost housing is a significant barrier to change. / The study provides a survey of some of the potential upgrades available on the Canadian market and reviews the incremental cost, performance and potential for acceptance of various options. / While varying fuel prices and economic conditions across the country result in equally variant levels of cost effectiveness, it is found that the R-2000 preferred packages, when combined with an energy efficient mortgage (EEM) discount or 1/4 percent, are cost effective in all but one case investigated. Without an EEM, R-2000 upgrading is not cost effective in regions with low fuel prices. Incremental costs for meeting the Advanced House standard are relatively high, but upgrading to this level is found to be cost effective in Halifax (even without an EEM) and in Toronto and Vancouver with an EEM. R-2000 packages should prove acceptable to both builders and buyers, while Advanced House performance requires more significant changes in current practice but could be popular where it is cost effective. Energy efficient upgrading for affordable housing does not appear to be prohibitively expensive in Canada and an opportunity exists to make a significant impact on residential energy consumption. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:LACETR/oai:collectionscanada.gc.ca:QMM.22544 |
| Date | January 1995 |
| Creators | Lee, R. Kevin |
| Contributors | Friedman, Avi (advisor) |
| Publisher | McGill University |
| Source Sets | Library and Archives Canada ETDs Repository / Centre d'archives des thèses électroniques de Bibliothèque et Archives Canada |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Coverage | Master of Architecture (School of Architecture.) |
| Rights | All items in eScholarship@McGill are protected by copyright with all rights reserved unless otherwise indicated. |
| Relation | alephsysno: 001461964, proquestno: MM05340, Theses scanned by UMI/ProQuest. |
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