The green spot in Windermere

Cam Gillies, a man concerned about the impacts of humans on the environment, is making a difference with his home renovation

Cam Gillies stands in front of his dream green home in Windermere. — Renee Franken photo

There’s sexy and sleek, expensive, high-end green technology—and then there’s a practical, rational, less expensive approach. These are different means to the same end.

Cam Gillies in Windermere is a cheerleader—or maybe better, a green guru—as he goes about renovating his nearly 100-year-old three-bedroom home. The family home is a co-operatively renovated green home with Collective Carpentry and Greenman Sustainable Solutions. The renovation demonstrates and incorporates building techniques and ideals for a lower carbon footprint and for using sustainable energy sources. 

The basics of green

There are three basic elements that make the project green. Construction is being done with 12-inch-thick walls filled with a spray insulation and triple-pane windows are being installed; making sure the building is well sealed is another important step to ensure energy efficiency. Add to that a solar water-heating unit, reusable grey-water and rainwater collection systems, and a geo-solar system that pumps hot summer air into the ground to be used during the winter. These combine to create an energy-efficient, cost-effective, low-carbon footprint recipe for generations to come.

The increase in costs for building this way is between one and two per cent; yet the super-insulated walls and triple-pane windows will reduce the cost of energy consumption by 50 per cent. Add in the other technologies and the amount rises five to six per cent.

“(It's a) small, marginal increase in cost and huge benefit in terms of operating costs,” said Gillies. “It also creates a healthy indoor air environment.”

Spreading the green message

Gillies is a biologist and runs a birdwatching tour company; he feels there is a much larger climate-change and environmental message to his construction methodology. There are many new green products on the market and Gillies—through research and advice, including taking on the general contractor role for his own project—has a realistic and prioritized approach.

“I went into this whole building process with a real strong concern about the impacts of humans on the climate and climate change that are driven really by our energy consumption,” said Gillies.

Gillies continues to offer advice to those who seek him out, and he is happy to share the lessons he has learned through building green.

“I am excited to see other people doing it,” Gillies said.