WELLINGTON COUNTY – Wellington County is collaborating with the Canadian Home Builders’ Association (CHBA) to make its innovative Home Energy Tool Kits available to municipalities and Home Builders’ Associations across Canada.
“Wellington County is committed to delivering innovative, high-quality services and solutions that create real impact for our residents,” said James Seeley, Planning Committee Chair. “Our collaboration with CHBA will enable communities nationwide to adopt our proven tool kit.”
Wellington County created the Home Energy Tool Kit to help homeowners better understand their energy use, save money, lower their carbon footprint, and create healthier, more comfortable homes. Using hands-on tools, tips, and a step-by-step workbook, the kits guide users through eight comprehensive activities, covering everything from mechanical systems to lighting efficiency.
“We developed the Home Energy Tool Kit to put practical knowledge directly in homeowners’ hands, empowering them to make informed decisions about their energy use,” said Karen Chisholme, Climate Change and Sustainability Manager. “With support from the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, we spent nearly a year developing the comprehensive workbook that forms the heart of the tool kit. It’s truly an honour to have CHBA recognize this work and use it to benefit communities across Canada.”
The collaboration with CHBA supports Natural Resources Canada’s investment in the 4-year national ‘Towards Cost Effective Net Zero Energy Ready Residential Renovations’ initiative led by the CHBA. This funding helps CHBA deliver workshops and forums across strategic markets in Canada to accelerate the adoption of energy-efficient technologies and innovative solutions like Wellington County’s tool kit.
“Making our tool kit available to other municipalities truly reflects the spirit of collaboration – municipalities helping municipalities,” Chisholme added. “There’s no need for every community to reinvent the wheel when tested, proven solutions already exist. This collaboration exemplifies how local innovation can scale to create national impact, with our research and development investment now benefiting communities across the country.”
The buildings sector is the third-largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in Canada. With over 15 million existing homes that could improve energy performance, community programmes like Wellington County’s play a vital role in reducing emissions while creating healthier, more comfortable, and more affordable homes for Canadian families facing rising energy costs.
Since launching in March 2023, the 14 Home Energy Tool Kits available through the Wellington County Library system have demonstrated remarkable success, with 115 loans recorded and an impressive 4-star resident satisfaction rating.
For more information about Wellington County’s Home Energy Tool Kit programme, visit www.wellington.ca/energykit.
