Resources
The City
Over the course of the last five years we have accumulated a store house of information on green build, local practitioners and suppliers, neighborhood groups working towards a carbon neutral future, and the protection of our natural environment. Victoria is an activist city of lively and distinct neighborhoods where residents take their responsibility to contribute to the well being of their neighbors seriously. Had we not undertaken the Net Zero retrofit - chances are we would be far less well informed about the resources and network of support. It makes us doubly glad that we renovated this house in this place.
The Council and Mayor of Victoria are strongly committed to achieving carbon neutrality. Folks from the city have been cheerleaders, mentors and champions of our efforts to get to net zero. Should you be lucky enough to live in Victoria, there is no need to worry about fighting city hall if your aim is to reduce your carbon footprint. We encourage you to reach out to the municipality for help as early as you can. The myriad services they offer or recommend come at no or low cost and are immensely helpful.
In March 2019, the City of Victoria declared a climate emergency and committed to achieving carbon neutrality by 2030. Over 1,400 jurisdictions in 30 countries have declared a climate emergency. The City’s declaration of the climate emergency reemphasized the severity of climate risks and the need for bold and sustained action to avoid the most severe impacts of climate change. In response, the City identified six High Impact Initiatives for accelerated action, each of these actions has been initiated. The Climate Emergency High Impact Initiatives are:
Accelerated oil to heat pump
Increased active transportation infrastructure network (aka biking)
Development of a regional home energy and efficiency retrofit program
Zero Emissions mobility incentives
Acceleration of low carbon step code requirements for commercial and residential buildings
Development of a bus rapid transit system More details HERE
To better appreciate the splendor of Victoria, we recommend you join your neighborhood group. For us that means Fernwood’s and Oakland’s. I was lucky to have gone through phenomenally comprehensive Victoria Neighborhood Champions Training Program. The same fine folks that do the training also offer My Great Neighborhood Grants. Volunteering for one of these initiatives is a super duper way to get to know people who care deeply about community.
The Gardens and Natural Habitat
Victoria is a city of gardens devoted their maintenance and habitat restoration of wild zones. Founded in 1921, The Victoria Horticultural Society is the largest gardening group in Victoria, with over 500 members. You can go to their site to identify gardens looking for volunteers, and to match your interests to their needs. This from the VHS site:
“Most public gardens have a strong core of volunteers and a rewarding social scene in addition to an opportunity to make a difference. Learn from experienced horticulturalists and reap the benefits of fresh air and exercise. Most volunteer gardening is seasonal with regularly scheduled times, but some areas require occasional help for special projects (e.g., invasive species removal). Most municipalities have sporadic invasive plant removal programs for the public park nearest you. No matter your skill level, availability, or physical prowess you would be welcomed at a local public garden.
Abkhazi Garden
This garden is a small gem at 1964 Fairfield Road. Volunteer gardeners, gate greeters and tour guides needed. Detailed plant knowledge is not required for greeters or tour guides. For volunteer information contact the Friends of Abkhazi Garden.
Dominion Brook Park
A 104 year old, 11 acre botanical park being lovingly restored at 8801 East Saanich Road (former Dominion Experimental Farm). For volunteer information send an email to contactus@dominionbrookpark.ca.
Government House Gardens
The 32-acre Government House estate at 1401 Rockland Avenue is a wonder of reclamation and one of our best kept secrets for a marvellous stroll, picnic or tea date. The Friends of Government House Society and 250 volunteers maintain 14 acres of cultivated garden, while many others volunteer in the tearoom and costume museum. Volunteers are needed for gardening , the tearoom, and various other activities. Contact The Friends of Government House Gardens Societyfor more information.
Horticulture Centre of the Pacific (HCP)
The HCP at 505 Quayle Road in Saanich (formerly Glendale Gardens) is a public teaching garden, a wetland conservation area, and a horticulture school (Pacific Horticulture College). There are many places to volunteer: in the gardens themselves, in the shop and office, and at events. The VHS supports two of the many gorgeous gardens here: the Doris Page Winter Garden and the Hardy Plant perennial borders. See the HCP Volunteer page for more information.
Lifecycles
Lifecycles is a non-profit organization that cultivates community connections through growing and sharing healthy food. There are many opportunities for volunteering with these keen, committed folks: The ‘Welland Legacy Orchard’ (a heritage orchard in View Royal), the ‘Fruit Tree Project’ (picking, sharing and preserving surplus fruit of local gardens), ‘Growing Schools’ (teaching school kids how to garden), a ‘Seed Library’, and the ‘Community Food Program’ (learning, sharing and teaching how to preserve food). See their volunteer page for more information.
Point Ellice House
A heritage garden with a quaint tearoom at 2616 Pleasant Street near the Bay Street bridge. For volunteer opportunities visit this webpage.
Saanich Municipality
To help with invasive species removal in Saanich, see this webpage.
St. Ann’s Academy
A heritage garden on a beautiful site at 835 Humboldt Street. For volunteer opportunities visit this webpage.
Swan Lake Nature Centre
A refuge of wilderness in the city, Swan Lake Christmas Hill Nature Sanctuary at 3873 Swan Lake Road requires volunteers for its native plant garden, ambassador program, and nature centre. See this webpage for more details.
Uplands Park
Uplands Park includes Cattle Point and a section of Beach Drive in Oak Bay. It is a treasured 76 acre park with wonderful views, seaside Garry Oaks and lovely spring wildflower display. ContactThe Friends of Upland Park to participate in the invasive species pull. Margaret Like is the fearless leader.
Links on their site will speed you on your way to mastery of your garden. Retail Supporters, Resources, Local Garden Centres and Nurseries, Local Gardening Groups, Local Public Gardens, Food Growing in the City, Seed Sources.
Great Community Resources with strong Environmental Orientations
Creatively United - founded by the tsunami of goodness and creativity - Frances Litman, is an incredibly comprehensive resource. CreativelyUnited.org is a free, non-profit community solutions sharing hub. Post events, articles, artwork, book and film reviews and share what’s going on in your community. CU also feature more than 175 non-profits with an emphasis on environmental and social accountability and offer numerous free resources, including a guide featuring 58 Solutions for Lighter and Happier Living, plus a popular Climate and Artists webinar series. See all our videos on YouTube. Why not get started by taking their Lighter Living Pledge?
One Planet Saanich is another group doing important work on the South Island. One Planet Saanich engages schools, businesses and community groups to create their own One Planet Action Plans. The cohort includes schools, a church, a rowing club, local businesses, developers, community networks and others. The District of Saanich is part of the Greater Victoria Regional District and is an active partner in this initiative. One Planet Saanich was initiated in 2018 as part of a global project that brought together 4 communities (Canada, Denmark, South Africa, UK). Sign up for their Zoom seminars.
SIPP - South Island Prosperity Partnership. Working from the premise of citizen inspired transformation, SIPP is devising a long-term regional plan to nurture a more innovative, diversified, inclusive and sustainable economy catalyzing the creation of high-quality, household sustaining jobs so that more families can afford to build a life here. SIPP is an alliance of over 70 public and private-sector partners in Greater Victoria, including eleven local governments, nine First Nations, three post-secondary institutions, nine industry associations and non-profits, and more than 30 major employers. Catch up on the thought provoking seminars on their video channel. SIPP is collaborating with South Island First Nations, the Victoria Native Friendship Centre and the Métis Nation of Greater Victoria to establish an Indigenous Prosperity Centre (IPC) for southern Vancouver Island.
Further Afield The Climate Atlas of Canada which debuted in 2018. It is a great reminder of what we are fighting for. Absent real action to reduce emissions we are facing catastrophe. Did you know that temperatures in the Canadian Prairies are on track to increase six degrees this century? This amount of overall warming could increase the number of very hot days (above 30 C) in farming areas near Saskatoon, Brooks Alta., or Brandon from about 15 now to about 50 by the end of the century. Such conditions will wither crops and bake soils. Ag inputs are big culprits. These impacts can be averted if we and other nations reduce emissions. Don spotted this compendium of climate data and wisdom created by the great people at the Prairie Climate Center.
Online Press
Local, National and Global News with above average coverage of the climate issues: Capital News Daily homegrown, Canada’s National Observer (founded in 2015 to put climate change front and centre in Canada), The Tyee, Yale Climate Connections, The Guardian.
I heartily recommend Ezra Klein’s Vox Media series on climate - and most especially his interview with MacArthur Genius, Saul Griffith.
Formal Net Zero Energy Certification Programs
Several organizations offer formal net zero energy certification programs. The following list is pulled from the Zero Energy Project’s site.
Earth Advantage provides Zero Energy and Zero Ready Home Certifications in locations where Earth Advantage green certification is offered.
The Living Building Challenge offers nationwide Net Zero Energy Building Certification.
Passive House Institute offers nationwide Passive House Certification.
The US Department of Energy has a Zero Energy Ready Certification.
The Canadian Home Builders Association launched a Net Zero Energy Home Labeling Program that recognizes homes that reach zero energy ready status, too.
Built Green’s Net Zero Energy Label indicates that a home is modeled to reach zero energy.
The Green Built Alliance certifies zero energy homes through their Green Built Homes program.
The Green Home Institute acknowledges homes through the Zero Energy Capable Program.
The U.S. Green Building Council offers LEED Zero to compliment their other green building certifications.
If you are building a zero energy home, use one of these programs to certify that the home you have built has reached the zero energy standard. And if you are purchasing a zero energy home, look for one of these certifications to ensure that the house you are purchasing is a genuine zero energy home.
We used the Living Building Challenge guidelines for our renovations. Once the house is finished we plan to apply for several petals of certification. Certification is based on a year’s worth of experience living in the house.
Municipal + Regional Resources
City of Victoria Climate Leadership Plan
The City of Victoria is committed to an 80 percent reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and a shift from GHG-intensive fossil fuels to 100 percent renewable energy. The Climate Leadership Plan lays the foundation for this carbon-free future with a series of goals, targets, strategies and actions for each of us to work towards that will take us towards low carbon prosperity.
CRD - Climate Action at Home and at Work
As we were looking for resources to add to the green book box, a friend of Wendy’s who works at the CRD who told told us to look at the Climate Action page of the Environment & Education section of the CRD website. To my delight, not only did we find resources for home and business owners to reduce energy and fuel use, increase renewable energy supply, and prepare for climate-related impacts, but we discovered Climate Action To-Go Kits containing resources and activities for you to:
Measure household appliance electricity use with a Kill-A-Watt meter
Discover air leaks in walls and around windows using a thermal leak detector
Measure your home’s optimal lighting using a digital illuminance light meter
Tune up a bike or track steps while learning about local active transportation routes
Test showerhead water efficiency
Learn about expected climate changes while preparing for both adaptation and emergencies
The kits are available through the Greater Victoria Public Library, Salt Spring Island Public Library, Vancouver Island Regional Library and Camosun College Library.
Rebates
For more information please see the dedicated Rebates section on the Resources page.
The CRD lists a number of rebates for homeowners undertaking home energy retrofits, including a $350 top-up rebate for (up to 270) households in the capital region to switch from a fossil fuel (oil, natural gas or propane) heating system to an electric air-source heat-pump. For more information on CRD rebates and top-up rebates from municipalities, head to the CRD website by clicking the button below.
City Green Energuide Home Evaluations
The team at City Green did our Energuide Home Evaluation. Read more about this “enterprising nonprofit” and their services by clicking the link below.
Recommended Reads
At a certain point in the project, I decided to reach out to team members and ask them for books, blogs or videos that they found to be particularly helpful - or that friends they trust felt were especially valuable.
Wendy’s List
I'm one of the two clients for this net zero project and the author of this website. I love architecture - vernacular and grand, ancient and modern. I grew up in New York City, and studied under the legendary architectural historian, Vincent Scully at Yale where I met my husband, Don Feinberg. Before embarking on this project in Victoria, Don and I built Brewery Ommegang (the first farmstead brewery built in the United States post Prohibition). We’ve been involved in sustainable and environmental issues for decades. This is an eclectic list, as I am equally interested in architecture, green build, garden design, local history and eco-feminism.
The Backyard Farmstead, Carleen Madigan an introduction to the best Storey Publishing information about gardening compiled by the editor over the past 40 years. Storey Publishing is a good source for excellent how to guides. My daughter Claire found me this little gem.
City in Color - Rediscovered Stories of Victoria’s Multicultural Past, May Q. Wong well told and fascinating stories of people who made a difference once they came to Victoria, like Isaburo Kishida, grandaddy of Japanese gardens here.
City of Victoria - Climate Leadership Plan - Strategies and Actions for a prosperous low carbon future. A great monograph put out by the city and our reference manual. The city named us Climate Champions and we got a copy of this guide at the first Climate Champions meeting. It’s part of the reason we are committed to making our house a demonstration project.
Edible Estates - Attack on the Front Lawn, Artist and activist Fritz Haeg’s prototype edible gardens and manifesto. Who needs lawns (or driveways, for that matter)?
The Garden Awakening, by Mary Reynolds - Irish landscape architect, activist and environmentalist a proponent of rewilding and the youngest person ever to win a gold medal at the Chelsea Garden Show. Moira Wilson turned me on to this lovely book.
Green from The Ground Up - David Johnston & Scott Gibson - A Builder’s Guide to sustainable home construction. Affordable and sustainable won’t be possible unless and until our governments make it a national priority and there is a Green Corps of contractors who are ready to swing into action.
The Good Rain, Timothy Egan - A beautiful blend of nature writing, anthropology, politics and history. Egan describes his journeys in the Pacific Northwest through visits to salmon fisheries, redwood forests and the manicured English gardens of Victoria tracing the changes that the settler culture has wrought on the land over the last century and a half.
The Integral Urban House, Sim Van der Ryn et al - The bible of the urban homesteading movement. These Berkeley people had it all figured out half a century ago! What the hell have we been up to in the intervening years?
The Japanese Garden, Sophie Walker. The most comprehensive exploration in English of the art of the Japanese garden covering more than eight centuries of the history . This book floored me when I first saw it at the New York Botanic Garden. I fell in love with HCP (The Horticultural Center of the Pacific in Saanich) and especially love the Takata Garden re-creation Bob Clark created there. The more you dig, the more you learn how many fine Japanese gardens there are in Victoria and what a strong influence they have on home gardening here. We are in the Pacific Rim. What grows in Japan thrives here too. Incredibly the most significant 19th C Japanese gardens all trace to the genius of one man - Isaburo Kishida. (Thank you May Wong). Samuel McClure incorporated elements in his landscapes.
The Life and Times of Victoria Architect P. Leonard James - Rosemary James Cross (James’ daughter) explains why this prolific architect deserves more attention for his work.
Samuel Maclure - Bingham, Janet - The story of the most revered architect on this island.
Musings of An Energy Nerd - Martin Holladay - Compendium of Blog Post Essays which first appeared in Green Building Advisor - a go to source for building science experts a division of Taunton Press - see other publications from them such as Fine Homebuilding. Boy, was I ever glad to come across this book. Time and again it has served as a handy reference to and demystifier of our project. Holladay, now retired, is a veteran of the green build movement of over 30 years standing. His book begins with an overview of construction basics for energy efficiency and a clear discussion of building science and energy modeling. Martin presents several options for energy upgrades for an existing house (from replacing windows to adding super insulation) unravels the mysteries of HVAC systems, and assesses the pros and cons of the Passivhaus standard. The book wraps up with a manifesto for a “Pretty Good House”. His systems approach inspired the organization of the website into each component for ease of exploration. Read this sobering rumination on climate crisis from Martin’s personal website on the book Burning Down the House.
The 100 Mile Diet - A Year of Local Eating, Alisa Smith and J.B.McKinnon - Victoria sustainability expert Roy Brooke recommended this book written in 2007 as a seminal work in the eat local movement .I soon found out my friend Marion Cumming is friends with James (J.B) who was once editor of Monday Magazine in a time of heightened advocacy. In further perusing I realized that the book was edited by my kindergarten friend John Glusman. The best friend in the book, Ruben - works at the Fernwood NRG and helped me understand the solar bulk buy we participated in. Small world indeed. Around the time their 100 Mile diet year was lived (2006) , I co-founded the first rural Slow Food Chapter in the US - in Cooperstown, NY. I love the way that Alisa and JB weave their individual stories, natural history and politics into the mix. It is very much a model for this blog.
Remodelista - This is the book that accompanies the website that is a source list for all sorts of well-curated great gear for the home with the aesthetic that values personality over perfection. A picture is worth a thousand words. They are placing greater value on living lightly on the land - which will help more people approach reno from this vantage point.
The Shingle Style Today - Vincent Scully, George Braziller 1974. My professor exerted a lifelong influence on the way that I see buildings. Vincent Scully has been honored as one of the most gifted historian and critics of architecture in the history of the United States. A native of new Haven, Scully taught at talks for more than sixty years. Architect Philip Johnson described Scully as the most influential architectural teacher ever.
3 Influential Demonstration Houses: Smart Home Guide from Exhibition & Demonstration Home at The Museum Science & Industry - Chicago 2012 - eco- architect Michelle Kaufmann. This show got us excited to try a green build one day. This demonstration home, one we toured in Western Massachusetts, and an off the grid cedar and oak cabin we stayed in in Dartmoor National Park were tremendously important inspirations. See Rupert McKelvey’s cabin profiled in Dezeen here. The power of example is potent.
This Old House - Volume One Fernwood & Victoria West - updated 2013 by The Victoria Heritage Foundation for the City of Victoria. Where to turn if you see an interesting house and want to know its provenance. Our house was not special enough to be included - but no matter. We love their self guided walking tours - both in pamphlet form and downloadable on your phone.
Matt Grocoff’s List
First up (after me) a curated list from Matt Grocoff (our International Living Futures Institute savvy consultant). Matt did the first retrofit net zero of an old house in USA about 13 years ago. Our daughter Claire (an industrial designer) knew of his work and bought us a consult with Matt as a surprise Christmas present. It was the first time anyone ever bought him as a gift! Matt put us on track to shoot for net zero. He's our yoda. Be aware we have not necessarily reviewed all the references. That said, we trust the source:
Matt writes: "Wendy - I reached out to several friends who are authors and got some nice feedback on resources and books. Here's a list of mine and their resources (They all recommended their own books!!). More as they come . . .
1. Zero energy project https://zeroenergyproject.org/…/twelve-steps-affordable-ze…/
2. GreenBuildingAdvisor.com https://www.greenbuildingadvisor.com/blogs/ this is where Musings of an Energy Nerd posts reside
3. Nate the House Whisperer http://www.natethehousewhisperer.com/blog also some excellent youtube videos
5. Existing buildings: https://oscar-apti.org/?fbclid=IwAR0WZFLrA4c9w5kc_gwJcztWAXJfbYKIL73i0zcV2Wk41VjE5q2MLiGtpII
6. Association for Preservation Technologies: https://www.apti.org/sustainable-preservation?fbclid=IwAR04BpFzwf1hwjTbi0psV5eQEerndY8oJe8ZlSlUz8np36gnDJPJyxm8jUo
8. No regrets remodeling (that's the Grocoff house on the cover) https://www.amazon.com/No-Regrets-Remodeling-Create-Comfortable-Healthy/dp/0963944436?fbclid=IwAR2FD3MHtzKaSjmS74fBwMGFpUh-PdxGtywehkksecTHOQeuaOwC29xKZbA
9. Green Building for Dummies - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_1jE9VCW4A
10. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=DTG2g82jCs4 There are several episodes, geared toward a hot, arid climate. This one is about energy audits, which should be the first step. Home Energy Checkup is a more marketing-friendly name.
11. Pro Trade Craft - https://www.protradecraft.com/?fbclid=IwAR3rdF3SGRuSPhxLpdq4nhq9K6xbQ6-LVA1TTeQ0ZZrSA_garN7Z9UTiRQM
12. PDF of my friend Ann Edminster's book: http://aiacalifornia.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/ZNEprimerMar19-2018.pdf?fbclid=IwAR1H-annyXyn1n7soclt644XZhF5oo9IhRK0axs15U67L4IT4Wn4ugH_iFw
David Scott’s List - our architects
Thermal Delight in Architecture “ David says “This one is always important in the consideration of space and energy as it relates to senses and not simply numerics.” https://mitpress.mit.edu/books/thermal-delight-architecture
This one was good to read as it relates to the early context of architecture in BC. -Bingham, Janet (1985). Samuel Maclure, Architect. Horsdal & Schubart. ISBN 978-0-9206-6302-8.
Bryan Mackay Lyons introduced this essay to us at Dalhousie and is one of a handful of essays which I re-read every few years. Central theme being a distinctly North American form of innovation coming forth from the ad hoc nature of construction:) -Tom Peters, ‘An American Culture of Construction,’ Perspecta 25
Nancy Stevenson’s List
Nancy is a dear pal in Chicago. We met at a University of Chicago Graham school class on sustainable design about a decade ago. We have had many fun adventures together including organizing a symposium on the history and relevance of the Women’s Land Army to the modern farming movement. Did you know that the majority of new farmers in the last decade are women? Nancy and her husband Adlai have a summer cabin on Hernando Island. Their honeymoon was spent driving across Canada when the highway was in places still a dirt road. When I announced our intention to buy a house on Vancouver Island Nancy prepared a British Columbia Bibliography for me. No stinkers in the bunch! I keep it at the ready at all times on my desk. You should too.
Benedict, Ruth. Patterns of Culture. Houghton Mifflin, 1934
Boas, Franz. The Social Organization and Secret Societies of Kwakiutl Indians. Forgotten Books, original , 1897.
Hutchens, Alma. Indian Herbology of North America. Shambhala, 1991.
*Modzelewski, Michael. Inside passage: Living with Killer Whales, Bald Eagles, and Kwakiutl Indians. Harper Collins, 1991.
Proctor, Bill & Yvonne Maximchuk. Tide Rips & Back Eddies: Bill Proctor’s Tales of Blackfish Sound. Harbour Publishing, 2015 (a nice overlap with Inside Passage).
*Raban, Jonathan. Passage to Juneau.: A Sea and Its Meanings. Vintage Books.2000. I listed to the Audio book version which is brilliant.
*Sewid, James. Guests Never Leave Hungry: An Autobiography of James Sewid, A Kwakiutl Indian. 1995
Stewart, Hilary, Indian Fishing: Early Methods of the Northwest Coast. Douglas & McIntyre.1977.
Turner, Nancy J. Plants in British Columbia Indian Technology. British Columbia Provincial Museum. Victoria. 1947.
*Vaillant, John. The Golden Spruce: A True Story of Myth, Madness and Greed. W.W. Norton, 2006.
Wardwell, Allen. Tangible Visions. Northwest Coast Indian Shamanism and Its Art. Monachelli Press. 1996. (A big heavy book, more for looking. I’ll loan you mine when you return.)
* Stars are for the fun reads.
Nancy also ordered me Hilary Stewart’s Wild Teas. Coffees and Cordials and Drinks in the Wild will come before you leave. If so, While on Hernando, she also read Stewart’s book Cedar: Tree of Life for Northwest Coast Indians. Great like Indian Fishing.
Nancy is a wonderful writer. I have to give her young adult books a plug! Horse Dreams is a coming of age story of a latchkey child who loves horses but has been forbidden to ride. I loved Capitol Code - so much I bought copies for half a dozen friends who have middle-school aged children, or who are themselves civics teachers. It tackles the important topic of privacy, surveillance and prejudice through the exploits of young heroine Leili Teng who is determined to exonerate her code-cracking dad. Leili is a brave and feisty character middle school girls will love. The settings in and around Washington DC - from the Metro system, to Chinatown and senate offices are beautifully drawn. There is a handy tour of the Washington sites featured in Leili's story at the back of the book which inspire exploration. I highly recommend this book for the 6-9th grade set - their parents and teachers. Nancy came to read and discuss her book to a class of 4th graders at Swift School in Chicago and kept them spellbound for two hours.
John Ho’s List
We met John in May 2019. He’s a Community Energy Specialist in the Department of Engineering and Public Works for the City of Victoria. He’s a grad of U Vic where he studied with Cam Owens - a professor of Geography with a specialty in sustainable cities. John’s been a great help to us as we navigate the renovation.
Drawdown - https://www.drawdown.org/the-book
This Changes Everything - Naomi Klein https://thischangeseverything.org/book/
GreenSense for the Home: Rating the Real Payoff from 50 Green - https://www.amazon.ca/GreenSense-Home-Rating-Payoff-Projects/dp/B005GNL80C (might be a bit outdated and very US-focused but good info)
https://victoriaplacemaking.ca/little-free-libraries/ We have lost count of how many great books we have found in these little free libraries - and one of the kind advocates has made sure our book box will be added to the placemaking map. We try to stock ours with information on rebates for reducing your carbon footprint and on energy saving tactics.