Federal dollars for local green, affordable housing initiative

Community Living home gets green facelift Solar panels, new insulation and new windows are hoping to save cash for residents at Community Living London, CTV's Gerry Dewan reports.

It's much more than just a fresh coat of paint for this old, east-London bungalow.

“This is a lifelong, game-changer opportunity for these people,” stressed Community Living London Manager of Accommodations John McVeigh.

Community Living London resides in the house, and they've seen it get an eco-friendly retrofit thanks to the London Environmental Network's Nonprofit Resiliency Project.

"We have 30 multi-unit residential buildings,” Nicole Karsch told CTV London. “So essentially what we do when an organization joins is we find the buildings that are in biggest need. We send our team in. We assess the building from top to bottom."

Karsch is Director of Programs at the London Environmental Network. She said the home has had solar panels added, air leaks fixed, new insulation brought in, and it will be getting new windows.

McVeigh said the changes not only bring an environmental benefit but also deliver an economic benefit to residents, “For the people who live here who, you know, live on $1,200 a month - to eliminate a hydro bill and have an extra, probably ten per cent of earnings, you can imagine the kind of game changer that is for those people.”

On Monday, the federal government announced funding of $425,935 for the Nonprofit Resiliency Project. London West MP Arielle Kayabaga said the funds come from the Smart Renewables and Electrification Pathways Program (SREPs).

“We're trying to sustain our future,” Kayabaga said, “We're trying to make sure that our children, our grandchildren can have a world that is sustainable, that they can live in. So going net zero, living environmentally friendly, is not just for the wealthy. It's for everyone, including people who are living in deeply affordable housing.”

On sunny, summer days the solar panels will generate more energy than the house can use. The excess additional energy will be put back into the hydro grid, with Community Living London getting carbon credits. Nicole Karsch said that the changes will also make the home a safer, more comfortable place to live, “With the installation work that was done, the air sealing, improved ventilation, it's a more comfortable space. The temperature is more controlled.”

Building occupants and managers will also receive training on how to track emissions and make improvements.