ove the hone, Now mong, the fir Ahe newly” Ada we S ellterhe : -encrgy dollars ‘The: ‘Office OM for: their sy nat het “typical tenovation ! and : home ‘cold ‘you ould fis beat ‘by ade ng insulation lighting ‘will: makes in Your energ ‘bil cntually pays off. G ch ve ie : g A thi of British C cohuinbi’ » single: atumily : howe are $0. vears old or ‘olde . + impeuvenients an expect to” scare alecon the. EnierGuide’ for Houses rau: ale, FO toll 0. dard; may expect a rating ol SO or ‘above ons the ting seal at Oto 1th. * EnerGiide for Houses 1 5 An EnerGuide tor Haaises ev auation does’) “not rephace.a honic inspection, EnerGatide tor: Hoinses,indludes: ane analysis ‘of the house’s 4 * energy performance and suggests eneriy eft: cichicy Improvements areas NOt iypically cov ered by a hone inspection, ‘BN irtually all Vancouver homes older than. 40° years were built without ventilation, sys- tens, / tilation. an prigritize where® tos pend your renovation ‘dak: there arene pressure sales tac: tics, ‘The EnerGuide tor,” Houses: report provides: you - with the’ information you need Improving. their energy. efficiency should go hand in hand with § improving ven: “to “speak with, any contractor orto.do it yourself: Here's how it works. : ‘the sophisticated: measurement tools: that. include blower door test: With a smoke pencil! the evaluator reveals energy leaks. Dano: the, visits ule evaluator models “the and creates a computer gener: ‘ated. report analyzing “home energy: use ‘and detailing potential iniprovements. Each” “report is accompanied by an official EnerGuide for, Houses rating label, homeowner © proceeds —awvith related. improvements before April, 1999: howe. equipped: awith > home , 7 This. rating label ‘will be upgraded for free it the An EnerGinide for Houses! report helps homeowners bet 6. ter tindlerstand ‘thiir, homes: ne eprtaritize. home: : ames, “iMprove home fort and energy! clticieney: yone: benefits: from, pares: licipating’ inthe EnerGuide © - for Houses program, You help. create. as healthier and“inare: canifortable © shome, 2 and mprave your standing! whens whe time: comes Ww sell home, a ; For more. informa tion, please “Scontacr’: “Building nsight “Technologies ar 209 ‘Energy “> already familiar to: Co An energy evaluator visits ONES RENTERS i ‘in ‘B, Ca are rehaving “an easier time finding housing . these days.’ : “According to, 1998 ° “Marker Survey! condiicted by Canada “Mortgage : and Housing Corporation (CMHC); rental vacancy rates-are Up sto 5.3% for the province ‘as'a.whole, a 50% increase over 1997 and: average , “rents are-flat gr declining i in most cen- tres, ; i The noticeable stan Greater Vancouver market where age rents have inereased despite: high- ver vacancy rate «Act one to the sur. Month tp 5% over 1997. : bedroom units. rent tor’ $675 “month up 1% over, 199 @-Twosbedroont units’ ren tor, $870 h up.2% ove ; : bedroom, units ent for $999 Rental’ Fenters fo. buy’ rather than . downp: » other per month dawi 3% ov . “The. survey also. shows that ‘rental vacaney levels are up ta 237% ih Greater Vancouver. from 1.7% inl? SOne™ reason? for higher rates'is that developers are cunvineing, than rent. by actually TOrtBae - : Charles King; B.C, gional condi *: for. the federal. go raiment 's housing “agency. : ‘ _ ‘Developers are sitting down with first ‘time. biyers-.and showing ‘them «that home ownership" can” bes more. ‘affordable than renting. As consumiers * see _rents Tise, a preater, case can, be’ , Made for, buy : creati ng. Develapers are using + centives,”.says King. "", Bur over: time higher vacancy “ CMHC's more’ ‘strategies .t0 “attract “renters such as combining today’ s low ‘mort: * page. rates with CMHC} S five percent nent Program and: various’: - should also help “renters, of figher caney rates have.an economic effect ‘of lowering rents, but there is a lag. In! fat, it-may: take one, year’ or more © before landowners drop rents,” "adds s economist. : “In the Vancouver area there is “al strong competition in’the, rental mar: ket as:more people ‘seck ta’ rent out vseeondary suites and investment con- dominium units and this'i is increasing “the rental vacaney rate,” says King.” The .only “unit type showing: decline i in Vacaiicy rates are’the bache- lor, units..where the: ‘acancy-rate. has, a dropped: to” 1.5%, from: 1.9%" “The decline ‘in vacancy. rates, for the small: bachelor. units: jus underlines the “importance, of stock. for many Cingle person m holds who" just’eain’t. ger“the- finances rogether tor: a sowmpsyment adds”: 3x8 4 oF the units are vacant, tip from: 34% in 19975 Other larger. centres, ; «Kamloops, © Kelowna, and? Princes: George; show higher vacancy rate lar rental Isanany parts of the pro