The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, October 12, 1994 - BS

omeldeas PSIG

~

S

Nation-wide Power Smart celebration reflects interest in “wise resource use”

VANCOUVER, - B.C.,
OCTOBER 1, 1994 -- This
October for the first time ever,
Power Smart Month will be cel-
ebrated across Canada, as utilt-
lies, environmentally conscien-
tious Canadians, retailers ‘and
manufacturers of energy-effi-
cient products promote the wise
use of energy.

The nation-wide event
reflects the growing interest of
Canadians. in using resources
wisely as well as (he phenomenal
growth of Power Smart in
Canada and abroad,

That's the view of Doug,
Davison, Chair of the Board of
Power Smart Inc., the

Vancouver-based consortium
which rocketed to prominence last
April whea Ontario Hydro and
Hydre-Québec joined the organiza-
tion, effectively creating the
world’s first national energy effi-
ciency strategy.

“Canada’s vast energy resources
are- nevertheless finite and
Canadians are becoming increas-
ingly aware that using energy
wisely is in the long term benefi-
cial economically as well as envi-
ronmentally,” he said, “Energy
efficiency equals competitiveness
in the world marketplace.
Canadian ulilities under the Power
Smart umbrella are playing their
part.”

“Duct Tane

Caulk will cuff
cold wave _

After the plastic has ‘been :

The recent bursts of cold
weather have sent blasts of drafts
flowing through our house. The
main culprits in this criminal cold
wave are the windows and the
doors.

The windows are double-hung
sash windows, with what appears
to be very ineffective aluminum
storm windows. The upper wind-
ows no longer move as they have
been painted into position. There
are gaps at the top of some of
them. What would be the best
way of draft-proofing the
windows?

The back door lo the kitchen
also is in a very sad state. To
begin with, the window for the

storm door has been fost and the -

storm door frame no longer fits
as snugly as it should.In addi-
tion, culd air pours in around the
interior. door.

Are. there any quick fixes to
my problems? And what should I
do in terms of long-term weather-
proofing?

_ Slart the rehabilitation of this

criminal cold wave by installing .

removable caulk on all mating
surfaces of the window joinery to
create a sealed unit. This type of
caulk. is designed solely for
weather stripping and can be
peeled off in the spring.

”. Wash the window surfaces to
make sure that no grease or dirt is
present to interfere with the caulk
bonding to the window.

There are two types of caulk
available for this kind of weather
stripping. One is the traditional
dark gray, ropy caulk. The other
is available’in tubes and should
be applied with a caulking gun. |

Caulk..between the interior
window frames. and the ‘sash’

stops — the wooden moldings
that hold: the -windows.in their
channels — and along the gap
where the bottom of the upper
window and the top of the lower
window meet, of at any location
where you feel a draft.
INCREASE ENERGY
EFFICIENCY ,
To increase (he energy effi-

.  elency of your windows, you also

might want to:install’ a plastic

- insulation kit. These are sheets of

plastic attached to the interior

window moldings by two-sided b
oe properly mal

- tape

applied to the tape, a hair dryer or .
heat gun usually can be. used:to

shrink the plastic and eliminate - 2
the majority of wrinkles that may —

have developed in the plastic sur-
face during installation.

Once again, wash the surfaces
to which the tape is to be applied
in order to make sure that the tape

will bond well. The tape:is

applied to all four sides of the
window frame in as straight and
level a manner as possible.

Start attaching the plastic at the
top of the window and proceed
along one side. Keep the material
as tight as possible, To attach the
plastic to the tape, simply press _
the plastic on to the adhesive sur-

face of the tape. While this job .

can be done by one person, it
helps to have someone hold the:
plastic away from the rest of the

tape and to keep the plastic as taut .

as possible.

Using the same technique, |
press the plaslic on to the tape,on
the other side of the window. and
at the bottom. .

Now use a hair dryer-or. heal

gun to shrink the plastic film, to...

further reduce any wrinkles. thal
might have occurred and remove.
any sags in the plastic.”
TEMPORARY
REPLACEMENT
The plastic treatment can-be-
used as a very temporary replace-
ment for the missing back-door .
window. Weather stripping should
be applied around the door frame
to further reduce drafts. . .
While these temporary meas-
ures can be used to reduce the -
amount of cold weather seeping
into your house, you should price
the cost of having permanent.
improvements made. If you can;t
find a replacement window for the |
back door, you might have ta get
a new storm door installed, :
As for the windows, you:

should get new exterior storm .
windows and instal] weather strip-

ping on the interior windows.

-Arguments will be made to

convince you to have the wind-
ows replaced entirely. If possible,

-you should avoid-this as they are

an ‘intrinsic part of a building’s:

‘architecture and. whenever -passi-
place -and

ble should be teft in

in. the United - States,

apt

All leading electric utilities
across Canada are participating
members of Power Smart Inc.,
which was founded in 1990 by
B.C. Hydro to promote the Power
Smart energy efficiency strategy
and programs across Canada and
internationally. ,

Power Smart is now established
the
Caribbean, the Stovak and Czech
Republic and Mexico as well as
Central America’ and other
countries.

“We plan to build on this estab-
lished recognition,” said Davison,
“and to increase markel presence
for the Power Smart name and
logo. in North America and
abroad.”

He said that today utilities and
government agencies around the
world face the challenge of keep-

ing environmental standards high -

while maintaining reasonable elec-
tricity rates and supporting eco-
nomic growth. ;

“Power Smart provides the
umbrella under which these bodies
can join together to find better
ways to meet this challenge,” he
said, *

Currently, Power Smart Inc...
has a membership of 33 electric.

and gas utilities and government
agencies. [t is equally owned by
seven Canadian utility sharehold-
ers: B.C. Hydro, Hydro-Québec,
Manitoba Hydro, Newfoundland
Power,
Ontario Hydro and TransAlta
Utilities. =

-One of Power Smart Inc.'s stic-

cess stories is. its Product.’ ~

od
gh:

~ A, One efitry per person.

“3, Eniries will be jidged on originality and how well the P

_Thessage is Communicated, Entries that da not ineet all quallticitior
7 .oF contest rules will automatically be disqualitie
_-X Entrants must be between the ages bf.5 and 8.
4. The contests open to childtan who are residents 6

Nova Scotia Power, -

. PMhpes pe
Bo fgg, ot bs 5,
iyo Pleas "by
ve Aa

RULES AND REGULATIONS.

Endersement Program which has
resulted in licensing agreements
with almost 90 manufacturers and
the certification of almost 2,000
preducts ranging from energy-

efficient showerheads to compact .

fluorescent light bulbs.

“The products ‘are tested by
impartial third-party agencies and,
if they meet our criteria of con-
tribuling to the efficient use of
energy, (hen they will be certified
and the. manufacturers can use
either the Power Smart Saves
logo or the Seal of Energy

’ Efficiency mark on their packag-

ing and in their advertising,” said
Mike Powell, Director of

: es

Oo Obes
Re suns

“sheet of paper anden
numbe mir
upp

coe - ais WDERS CAN Win tow,

IHHWIER
SMART.

Saves More Than: Mon

Marketing for Power Smart Inc.
Another of Power Smart's suc-
cess stories have been the
National Retail and Consumer
Marketing Programs. More than
4,000 Canadian retailers, repre-
senting 17 major national and

regional retail chains participated

in the 1993/94 retail promotion.
Canadian retailers such as Beaver
Lumber, Canadian Tire and
Home Hardware are participants,

Power Smart Inc. is working -

closely with. its members and

with Natural Resources Canada -

on the design afid delivery of
energy management projects and
services. The first ever National

tig, Display é
dtl}: Floor, Vancduver;

Regulators’ Roundtable on
Barriers to Energy Efficiency and
the first ever National Energy
Efficiency Standards and
Labeling Roundtable were held
recently.

“We live in a glabal economy
where the business of the envi-
ronment is increasingly: being
conducted through partnerships
of individuals and corporations
dedicated to an environmentally
sustainable economy,” ’ said
Davison.. “By linking together
key elements in the national
economy, Power Smart. Inc. is
playing. a°-vital’role.-in’ that
process.” Pose