Renovations are often necessary to renew aging co-op buildings, add new accessible units or improve sustainability. Whatever your reason to do co-op renovations, here are some things to consider:

Necessity

As yourself: do you really need to renovate? If the answer is “yes”, how can you make the most energy efficient use of the space? If you are renovating, extend the life of your co-op with durable, sustainable materials (see “Materials”). Choose your contractor carefully.

Efficiency

Consider making your renovated space more energy-efficient by using high-efficiency heating and cooling systems (which can include free passive solar heating and cooling); a high-performance building envelope with good insulation to minimize heat transfer between the indoors and outdoors and conventional or alternative HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) systems for human comfort and health. Also consider using low-flow fixtures, low-flush toilets and smaller pumping systems. Remember smallchanges add up to savings that can help you make even bigger ones.

Check out the Canada Mortgage and
Housing Corporation’s FREE guide to
more efficient mechanical systems

Materials

Are they gathered from well-managed ecosystems? Some manufacturers will give information that answers this question. Do they contain chemicals that may be harmful to your co-op members and which could leech into natural systems? Consider also the energy used to extract, process, produce, transport and install the building materials you choose. Consider using locally produced and less-processed or recycled materials.

Energy

Consider alternative energy sources for your renovation. This may even be the time to look at switching to renewable and sustainable energy options.

Check out the Light House Sustainable
Building Centre’s site on creating an
efficient and comfortable home

Check out the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation’s FREE downloads for making your renovations more energy efficient options.

More questions? Go to www.cmhc.ca (type ’healthy homes’ in the search box) You can also ask the Lighthouse Sustainable Building Centre, or post a question at www.grist.org/wakeup/green-living.html. Don’t forget you can log on to Co-op Talk and post a question in our sustainability forum.