Ten homes per year per community are chosen for the insulation and air sealing work – home energy audits and retrofits are a major conservation tool used at Attawapiskat FN, Kashechewan FN & Fort Albany FN to conserve power.
Choosing the Homes for Energy Audits and Retrofits (Key Criteria)
- High “blower door test” number (leaky house)
- Low insulation levels in attic and walls
- Foundation level and dry
- Roof not leaking, shingles and flashings in good shape
COTC Energy Retrofit Work
- Air seal attic floor, install HRV ductwork
- Insulate attic (blown-in insulation 19” – R50)
- Air seal window and door frames
- Install and tape weather barrier on exterior walls
- Insulate exterior and crawlspace walls with 1.5” of extruded polystyrene (adding R7.5) and crawlspace walls, sealed at all seams
Health and Safety Work
- Install sealed poly over dirt floor in crawlspace
- Install Heat Recovery Ventilator (HRV) for continuous fresh air in the home
COTC Progress To Date on Energy Audits and Retrofits
- COTC Crews have retrofitted approximately 30 homes per community – 90 in total
- Anticipate doing energy retrofits on at least 60 more homes by 2020.
- On average the energy retrofits are lowering energy bills by 25%, some homes are seeing 40% + reduction!
Average Costs and Savings
- Average retrofit cost/unit $12,700,Includes retrofit materials and crew salaries
- Training cost/year/community $31,000
- Admin, equipment and shipping costs/year/community $217,000
- Average kWh savings/unit/month = 390 kWh
- COTC target average, kWh savings/unit/month = 240 kWh