Program to Cut GHG Emissions Lives On in Ottawa’s Windows and Doors

Many new changes occurred in 2004. For example, Facebook had just been launched and the still-wildly popular World of Warcraft had just been release. 2004 was also the year that the previous Liberal government launched their initiative, the One-Tonne Challenge, in an attempt to drastically reduce Canada’s carbon footprint. The challenge called on each Canadian household to take on measures to reduce their annual greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, with the goal of a one-tonne reduction—20 percent of the average home’s total emissions. This could be done in many ways: dietary changes, taking shorter showers, leaving the car at home, changing lightbulbs, and (you guessed it) energy-efficient windows and doors. The program was eventually deemed ineffective and subsequently scrapped by the Conservatives, but it brought a more widespread awareness of how everything we do impacts our surroundings, and Ottawa windows and doors manufacturers have continued to build products that take this message to heart.

As a retailer who sells windows and doors in Ottawa and the surrounding area, our task is to guide consumers in making smart choices about the products that they use in their homes. And with an increased awareness of how these choices impact the environment, your consumers will doubtlessly have questions that you must be prepared to answer. Here are some of our favourite tips for reducing a home’s GHG emissions:

  • Turn Down the Thermostat. Even just turning it down by two degrees over the course of a year could reduce emissions by as much as 500 pounds. With the right windows and doors, customers can turn down both the heat and the A/C without sacrificing any comfort.
  • Go for South-Facing Windows. Not everyone has the option, but for those who do, a South-facing window will bring you more natural heat during the winter (when the sun is lower in the sky throughout the day) and reduce solar heat gain in the summer—even more so if they have an eave to help keep windows shaded when the sun is high. West-facing windows are the least efficient, since they capture so much sun on summer afternoons.
  • Install a Door That Fits. While windows get most of the attention, doors can be sources of heat loss in the winters. The primary cause is an ill-fitting door. A newly-installed door made from a material that insulates well is a fantastic asset for any home.
  • Replace Old Windows. Nothing lasts forever. If a customer is on the fence about new windows, and the ones they have are more than fifteen years old, then it’s time to replace them with models that will help reduce their GHG emissions.

With the right windows and doors, Ottawa residents have the power to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and do something great for the environment—and you have the power to help them!