News
Sept. 08, 2015 | Tyler Difley
Features holding their own in resale
At first glance, Paula McGarrigle's Marda Loop home looks rather ordinary — a beautiful craftsman-style house not unlike many others throughout the city.
In this case, looks are deceiving. Beneath its unassuming exterior, the home contains an assortment of features designed to make it as energy efficient and green as possible. On the EnerGuide 0-100 scale, which measures a home's energy performance, McGarrigle's home has a rating of 86.
"People are quite stunned that it's an energy-efficient home," McGarrigle said. "It looks like it's been here for 100 years."
Green homes like McGarrigle's are increasingly common in Calgary and across the country. Their popularity has surged as sustainable technologies – from simple energy-efficient appliances and light bulbs to complex mechanical systems and renewable energy sources – have become less expensive and homebuyers become more concerned with their environmental footprints.