Feb. 9: Using Heat Pumps to Reduce the Carbon Footprint of Homes in Ottawa with Bill Nuttle and Holly Bickerton
We will hear from two homeowners from Ottawa who have used air source heat pumps to reduce GHG emissions from older, pre-1950s homes. Electricity generated in Ontario is over 90 percent fossil-free. Replacing a gas furnace with a heat pump is feasible in Ottawa, and it achieves a large reduction in emissions with little or no change in monthly energy costs.
Speakers:
Holly Bickerton lives in Ottawa South. Bill Nuttle lives in the Glebe. They each work in the field of environmental science and are actively promoting the switch to renewable energy in their communities.
Resource List
Nuttle, Bill. “Five Years After Our Heat Pump Adventure, We Go All In,” Medium, 8 Aug. 2022.
More Testimonials:
Bailes, Alison. “Will a Heat Pump Work in an Old House?” Energy Vanguard Blog, 14 Feb. 2023
Rosenow, Jan. “Why I replaced my new gas boiler with a heat pump,” Regulatory Assistance Project Blog, 26 June 2019.
To Begin:
Carbon footprint Calculators: Carbon Footprint and Carbon Zero
Ottawa’s Guide to Creating a More Comfortable and Climate-Friendly Home from Better Homes Ottawa
- Also check out Better Homes Ottawa for heating & cooling options
Better Homes Toronto (more info on Air Source and Ductless Mini-splits)
Pocket Change Project Website (with videos and more information)
EnviroCenter Website (for general information)
To Get Funding:
Better Homes Ottawa – Loan Program
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) – Canada Greener Homes Loan
Natural Resources Canada – Canada Greener Homes Grant
Info on Choosing a Contractor (A (non-exhaustive) list on the Better Homes Ottawa website of contractors trained by the City of Ottawa and which are knowledgeable of deep retrofits.)
More Information:
EnviroCrew Heat Pump Recorded Session
More information about Ductless Heat Pumps.
Charbonneau, Dave. “Natural gas bills noticeably higher for some residents in Ottawa,” CTV News, 19 Jan. 2023.
Embodied CO2 Technologies:
Finnegan, C. Jones, S. Sharples “The embodied CO2e of sustainable energy technologies used in buildings: A review article”, Science Direct, 15 Dec. 2018.
Johnson, Eric. “Air-source heat pump carbon footprints: HFC impacts and comparison to other heat sources”, Energy Policy, March 2011.
Archer, Dave. “Embodied carbon – the start of the journey”, Mitsubishi Electric, 10 Jan. 2022.
To Do:
- Go to Ottawa’s Home Show
- Get more information: do not hesitate to contact us and we will put you in touch with the speakers and volunteers.
- Contact our friends at Ottawa South The Eco-Action Network for some local testimonies
Check out this Podcast:
A look at Climate Change in Canada’s capital city. This podcast explores the many facets of this growing challenge through conversations with Ottawans committed to a sustainable future.