EnWise Power Solutions: Products & Services from A to Z

Part of the EnWise business model is its ongoing assessment of all home-related environmentally-friendly products and services from around the world. This assessment enables the company to deploy best-in-class solutions when improving the energy efficiency of its customers’ homes. The products themselves are measured according to environmental industry standards such as the EnergyStar rating and EnWise installation and services teams are the most qualified in the region.

Blower Door Test, The
An EnWise service where the residential energy professional (see overleaf) creates negative air pressure inside the customer’s house, drawing air in to detect any cracks and leaks. This also establishes the total air leakage rate of a home and highlights remedies.

Compact Fluorescent Bulbs - CFLs
CFLs are simply miniature versions of full-sized fluorescents. The compact design allows them to be used in place of incandescent light bulbs. CFLs are available in a variety of shapes and screw into standard sockets. A range of wattages is available and give off light that looks just like the common incandescent bulbs, not like the fluorescent lighting that is often associated with factories and schools. Standard light bulbs lose 90 per cent of their energy as heat. New compact fluorescent (CFL) “spiral” bulbs last ten times longer than ordinary light bulbs, are 75 per cent more efficient and fit in standard sockets.

Dual-flush Toilets
Of all the water consumed in modern-day homes, toilets account for 30 per cent. Dual flush toilets enable homeowners to use as little water as is necessary every time they flush. Homeowners are also eligible to receive subsidies from the government for installation.

EcoEnergy Initiative
The EcoEnergy Efficiency Initiative, officially launched by the federal government in January 2007, encourages the construction and retrofit of more energy-efficient buildings and homes to accelerate energy-saving investments separately. The first part of this initiative that began in April 2007 includes a budget of $220 million over four years and is designed to offer homeowners and smaller businesses support and information to retrofit buildings and make them more energy efficient. Under the initiative, homeowners are eligible to receive a grant of up to $5,000 depending on the energy efficient upgrades installed in the home, providing an incentive to homeowners for improvements that reduce their energy demands. In June 2007, the Ontario government announced its commitment to match the Federal program, making homeowners eligible for up to a total of $10,000 for their energy efficiency efforts.

Energy Audit
Typically, the term energy audit is used to describe a broad spectrum of energy studies which stem from a thorough walk-through of a residence, identifying major problem areas and detailing a study of all systems and appliances that use energy in the home. The audit is intended to demonstrate where energy is being lost and where there are opportunities to increase efficiency.

EnergyStar Rating
EnergyStar is a joint program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy helping us all save money and protect the environment through energy efficient products and practices. Energy efficient choices can save families about a third on their energy bill with similar savings of greenhouse gas emissions, without sacrificing features, style or comfort. EnergyStar helps consumers make the energy efficient choice.

EnWise Building Science (EBS)
EnWise Building Science (EBS) offers a comprehensive home energy audit service developed by the Government of Canada, ensuring that our customers receive the highest quality unbiased home energy efficiency assessment using the most up to date and comprehensive systems of evaluation.

EnWise Capital Corporation (ECC)
EnWise Capital Corporation is the sister company of EnWise Power Solutions, providing EnWise customers with access to financing, if so desired.

EnWise Consumer Finance Program
Financing program designed specifically by EnWise to make the completion of environmentally beneficial changes to the home as affordable as possible. EnWise has the capability to qualify homeowners on the spot for up to $50,000 in financing towards the EnWise Basic Suite, at a competitive APR and repayable over three, five, seven, or 10 years. The program is facilitated by EnWise Capital Corporation.

EnWise First Step, The
The EnWise First Step is the basic suite of products from which any home can see significant benefits in reducing their energy consumption to become energy efficient. The First Step includes the following products: a tankless hot water heater, a programmable thermostat, weatherization (weather stripping, draft proofing, caulking and insulation), an Intellidyne controller and compact fluorescent light bulbs. The average cost for the EnWise First Step is approximately $5,000 or $60/month based on bundle discounted pricing. The average consumer can save approximately $80/month on their energy bill which translates into a positive net-cash flow of approximately $20. (Results will vary for different homes).

EnWise One-Stop Shop Process
The EnWise one-stop shop solution is an easy four-step process: First, Registered Energy Professionals (REPs) conduct a home energy audit and provide a customized home energy report with recommendations of the most energy efficient suite of products and services that make sense for the homeowner and the home. Second, the EnWise Installation Team performs a certified and reliable installation on all recommended products and services. Third, if required, EnWise provides the most affordable end-to-end financing through EnWise Capital Corporation. Finally, with upgrades complete, the homeowner will start saving money on their home energy costs and reduce their impact on the environment.

Furnaces
These are another common area for energy inefficiency in the home, with the root of the problem being a poor conversion ratio of fuel to heat in below-par furnaces. This ratio is known as the annual fuel utilization efficiency or “AFUE” rating, and the Ontario Energy Efficiency Act specifies that furnaces should normally have an AFUE of between 65 per cent and 80 per cent or better, depending on the type of furnace in question. This means that between 65 and 80 per cent of the fuel entering the furnace is converted to heat and the remainder is lost through the chimney. EnWise only carries Energy Star rated furnaces that have AFUE ratings of 92 per cent or better.

Geothermal
A geothermal system consists of a geothermal unit, generally located in the basement of a house, which is connected to a Ground Loop that is buried in the earth. Water circulating through the loop pipe absorbs the heat from the ground and takes it back into the house. The geothermal unit transfers the heat to the air that is drawn through the unit and blows the warm air around the house using standard air ducts. In the summer, the constant temperature of the ground is also used for cooling the house.

Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning (HVAC)
EnWise assesses all furnaces, appliances, air conditioning units, gas and electrical loads to determine where homeowners are unnecessarily wasting money and energy.

Heat Loss/Gain Test, The
EnWise calculations made using seasonal temperatures that assess windows and the building structure for their relative energy efficiency.

Home Energy Audit
Term for the service by which EnWise determines: how much energy a home consumes; where the home is energy-inefficient; e.g. insulation, heating, cooling, lighting; where the homeowners can make improvements to increase the home’s energy efficiency and reduce utility costs. This ecoENERGY certified service takes approximately 2 hours to complete and is the first step in the EnWise four-step process.

In-Floor Heating
This is a form of “hydronic” heating where water is used as the medium for transferring heat. Hydronic systems tend to be more energy efficient than conventional forced air heating systems because the entire floor radiates heat evenly across the rooms of the home. They also negate any problems associated with drafts, or the distribution of dust etc. through ducts in the home.

Insulation
Poor insulation is a common cause of energy efficiency in the home. EnWise assesses windows, doors, air ducts and other areas during the home energy audit to identify where improvements can be made, and currently employs the ‘Zerodraft’ product line of draft proofing, weather stripping, and sprayed insulation to the benefit of its customers. In some cases EnWise will recommend replacement of the entire door or window, in which case EnWise relies on Pollard Energy Star doors and windows.

Light Bulbs
Possibly the best-known and easiest method of improving energy efficiency. Compact Fluorescent, energy-efficient light bulbs last ten times longer than ordinary light bulbs and use 75 per cent less energy.

Residential Energy Professionals (REPs)
EnWise’s in-house professionals, who are trained and certified by Natural Resources Canada to conduct the ecoENERGY home energy audit, deploy the four-step process (see previous). They make recommendations for fixes, develop an implementation schedule as well as coordinate with the government for a potential energy savings rebate, and coordinate with EnWise Capital Corporation if financing is required.

Smart Programmable Thermostats
The basic thermostat will only switch on the furnace to heat a home when the temperature in that home drops below a point specified by the homeowner. The settings are static; however, smart thermostats can also be set on timers to warm the house in advance of the homeowners waking up in the morning or arriving home in the evening. This ensures that energy is not wasted heating the house in the winter when there is no one there, or – similarly – cooling the house with air conditioning unnecessarily in the summer. EnWise employs Intellidyne Smart Controls for furnaces, air conditioning systems, and boilers in order to improve energy efficiency.

Solar* Power
Once perceived as science fiction, solar is now the fastest growing source of energy in the world. Solar energy has become mainstream for creating electricity, heating air or water in homes. As an energy source, solar is plentiful, free, and very environmentally friendly. The photovoltaic (PV) cells that act as semiconductors in the panels contain no liquids, corrosive chemicals, or moving parts, and the panels have zero emissions and require very little upkeep once installed. EnWise carries a range of solar pool kits, solar PV systems, solar roof tiles, and solar thermal systems.

Tankless Hot Water Heaters
Older or poorly functioning water heaters use a significant amount of energy as the tank endlessly heats and cools even when not in use. EnWise uses replacement ‘tankless’ or “hot water on demand” water heaters from Rinnai to improve energy efficiency in its customers’ homes.

Wind Turbines*
Wind energy systems are one of the most cost-effective, non-polluting home-based renewable energy systems. Depending on the available wind resource, a small wind energy system can reduce electricity bills by up to 100 per cent.

*Note: It is important to note that renewable energy products such as solar panels or wind turbines have the additional environmental benefit of reducing the strain on traditional energy sources that have a much worse impact on the environment, such as oil, natural gas, and coal.

About EnWise Power Solutions
Privately owned EnWise Power Solutions was created to meet the need for greater energy management efforts. EnWise is committed to fostering a culture of energy conservation by providing straightforward ways – a one-stop-shop approach – for homeowners to protect the environment, lower home energy bills and therefore save money, collect government administered energy saving rebates and improve the value, comfort and re-sale value of their home – all at the same time. The company is funded by 30 private investors, employs 80 people, and is headquartered in Toronto, Ontario. The Free* EnWise Home Energy Audit is available to homeowners in the GTA and parts of southern Ontario. Further information on EnWise Power Solutions is available on the company’s website at www.enwisepower.com.

- 30 -

For further information, photography or to arrange an interview, please contact...