As a real estate agent, I partake daily in the biggest recycling project on the planet, that being the sale and purchase of homes that have previously been lived in, also known as "resale" homes. I am a big fan of older homes (and for simplicity's sake, let's consider an "older" home to be anything past 20 years of age) and feel that they have certain advantages over new builds. They are usually located on larger lots in established neighborhoods and include mature landscaping. And if you are buying an "old" home (70+ years) you are likely to find the wonderful character that is typical of homes built in that particular time period.

I myself have lived in an "older" home (built in 1981) for the past 6 years. When we purchased it in 2002, it was in need of cosmetic upgrades (paint, flooring, fixtures) which we have completed over the years. We also replaced the roof in 2006. But recently, I have been comparing notes with many of my friends living in new homes and it has become to very apparent to me that there are so many more upgrades that we can make in order to reduce our energy consumption and costs.

The following is an excerpt from the Natural Resources Canada website:

"Today, 17 percent of all energy used in Canada goes toward running our homes. Every time we use energy from fossil fuels such as coal, oil and gas, we produce greenhouse gas emissions. By using less energy in our homes, we help reduce the production of the greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change and harm our environment.

Nowadays, homes that are more than 25 years old have the potential to save an average of 35 percent of their energy use. Homes that are more than 50 years old could achieve even greater savings – an average of 38 percent."

Reading these stats, paired with my desire to tread lightly on the earth, provides me with my moral nudge. My financial nudge came on Tuesday when the Federal Government released it's budget for 2009: "The budget includes $7.8 billion for housing construction and renovation. If you already own a house, you could qualify for a tax credit of up to $1,350 for eligible home renovations and alterations." Combine this with the existing ecoENERGY Retrofit program grants up to a maximum of $5,000 and I am ready to act.

So, where to start? Well, my first step will be to call my friend Ryan at AmeriSpec Home Inspection Services (who have been certified by Natural Resources Canada as energy advisers) to schedule an assessment of our home. That will give us a good starting point. Next I will hop out back to plant a money tree... and then I will sit down to work out a budget to see how much all this saving the planet is going to cost!

Follow on my journey to get my house green and check back next week to see how the initial assessment went!

Visit me here for more information on Lethbridge Real Estate.

Click Here to View Articles Written by Liz