After moving to New Brunswick and seeing their first winter heating bill, Linda Roy and her husband, Jerry, were shocked - it was well over $600. Wanting to lower their winter heating bills, Linda started looking for ways to improve her home’s energy efficiency. That’s when she came across NB Power’s Home Insulation Energy Savings Program and thought it could be the help they needed. 

After scheduling a home energy evaluation and receiving a list of recommended energy upgrades, Linda and Jerry worked closely with her contractors, Couture Builders and Renovators to air seal throughout their home, insulate her basement and Maritime Refrigeration to install two ductless heat pumps. It’s important to choose a good contractor, and Linda found great tips for hiring hers through NB Power’s website.

With their upgrades finished, they had an energy advisor back in to do a second evaluation. 

“We knew almost immediately what to expect for our financial returns from the program,” Linda said. “NB Power staff offered us great comfort to know that we were not going to see those high bills from our first winter again.” 

The Roys have seen significant savings in their energy costs. They got $2698 in incentives back from NB Power. They also find their home more comfortable and the air quality much better. Linda has a chronic illness and needs to maintain consistent temperatures in her home. 

“We purchased two heat pumps, one upstairs and one downstairs,” she said. “The upstairs one was purchased prior to the insulation being put in- this brought significant savings, but once the insulation was installed, it was far better.  I would say almost 70% savings overall. Now I can sleep in comfort, whether it is winter or summer, and know that my illness will be better controlled with the consistent temperatures.”

What about those high heating bills? Since completing the Home Insulation Energy Savings program, Linda and Jerry haven’t had a bill over $250 in the past 2 years.

Not sure how your home measures up? Book a home energy evaluation for only $99. You will get a full list of recommended upgrades and some free energy efficient products installed. You’ll be eligible for money to help you pay for the work, plus you’ll enjoy significant energy savings for years to come. 

Visit our website to register or call us at 1-800-663-6272 and press 5 for Efficiency Services.

What would you do with some extra money in your pocket?  Visit our Facebook page and tell us for a chance to win 1 of 3 great prizes- contest runs until August 25, 2017.

Nestled along the shore of the Bay of Fundy about eight kilometres from Dorchester is the Johnson’s Mills Shorebird Reserve and Interpretive Centre. The centre is owned by the Nature Conservancy of Canada, a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving natural habitats, plants and animals.

The centre recently upgraded to a solar energy system that is able to power the entire facility. On cloudy days when the centre cannot draw enough power from the sun, it uses energy from the NB Power grid as part of the Net Metering Program. The program is designed to allow customers to generate their own electricity to offset their consumption, while remaining connected to NB Power's distribution system – so they can meet their electricity demands when their generation unit cannot.

“It was important for the Nature Conservancy of Canada to power our facility with solar energy because in protecting habitats and managing our lands, we want to minimize our impact on climate change,” Kerry Lee Morris-Cormier, Manager of the Shorebird Interpretation Centre, said.

The solar array is made up of 4, 250W photovoltaic solar panels with converters. EOS Eco-Energy, a non-profit organization based out of Sackville that supports energy conservation and renewable energy technologies, supplied the funds to pay for the array through a grant.

“By reducing our carbon footprint, we are having a positive effect on the environment here,” said Morris-Cormier.

“The Interpretive Centre was able to net zero their consumption last year using the grid as a reliable source when the sun is not present but were able to give all that energy back using the power of the sun.  It’s a great example of environmental leadership and stewardship,” said J.P. Ouellette, Renewables Specialist at NB Power.

The purpose of the Interpretive Centre is to provide a safe place for shorebirds to roost, or rest, during their migration each year from the Canadian Arctic to South America. Up to 100,000 stop and rest at Johnson’s Mills. The mud the low tide leaves behind is rich with food sources for the birds to store in their fat pouches.

Shorebirds fly over the ocean for three days straight before arriving in South America. These birds can’t swim, which is why it is so important for them to remain undisturbed while they roost throughout the month of August, and is why the Johnson’s Mills Shorebird Reserve and Interpretive Centre exists.

“We have converted this old cottage from the 1950’s into an interpretive centre so we can be here in the summer months to monitor the species and help inform the public of how special these birds and how to best visit the area without harming the birds,” said Morris-Cormier.