Cabinet looked into putting energy labels on houses, according to records..According to Blacklock’s Reporter, the Privy Council asked homebuyers if they would like EnerGuide labels on residences, especially since fuel is expensive..“Many viewed saving on energy costs as a top priority and felt that this was especially important given the perceived rising cost of living and high rate of inflation at present,” said a Privy Council report Continuous Qualitative Data Collection of Canadians’ Views. .“While most indicated they had a basic understanding of their home’s energy use, few felt they possessed comprehensive knowledge on this subject.”.The government paid The Strategic Counsel $2.4 million to ask people if they wanted to know if the EnerGuide labels seen on appliances such as fridges should also be on houses..“A few mentioned already having these labels on appliances in their homes such as their water heater, freezer and washer and dryer,” said Canadians’ Views..“Participants were asked if it would be important for them to see the EnerGuide label when deciding to purchase a home,” wrote researchers. .“While several believed this to be important, few felt it would be a critical factor in their purchasing decision, believing they could always make energy efficiency upgrades in the future.”.“Asked what types of information they would be interested in receiving regarding their home’s energy usage, participants mentioned areas such as greater transparency as to how costs are calculated, the average energy use for similar-sized homes in their respective communities and a cost-benefit analysis regarding the different types of home energy renovation projects,” said Canadians’ Views..The 1992 Energy Efficiency Act mandated that appliance manufacturers paste an EnerGuide label on all major appliances sold or leased in Canada. The Act never applied to buildings..In 2013 hearings, the Commons Government Operations committee was told that commercial buildings should have mandatory EnerGuide labels..“Canada is lagging behind other countries in energy efficiency,” testified Laverne Dalgleish, Canadian advisor to the International Organization of Standardization..“A lot of European Union countries are now required to have a plaque in the lobby listing energy consumption. Building owners are conscious of this.”.“It’s not easy and we find easier things to do,” said Dalgleish. .“It is easier to talk about changing a 60-watt bulb to fluorescents.”.A 2017 study by the department of Natural Resources found fewer than half of Canadians were aware of EnerGuide ratings on appliances. .The Energy Star and EnerGuide Labelling Awareness Survey found a quarter paid no attention to energy consumption data when buying an appliance.
