Tempo:
Housing by Design: Living Spaces for more information about accessible placement of switches and outlets). Three-way switches can control power from more than one location. For example, a living room light could have a switch near one entrance and one at another door leading to the kitchen or to a hallway. In houses with two or more storeys, three-way switches must be provided at the bottom and at the top of the stairway to control stairway lighting. Three-way switches are required for stairs to finished basements, but not for unfinished basements.
Smoke Alarms The National Building Code and most local building codes require early-warning, fire- and smoke-detecting devices in dwellings. Smoke alarms must be located in or near each bedroom on each storey including basements and mounted on or near the ceiling.
Building codes usually require smoke alarms to be permanently connected (hard-wired) to an electrical circuit. There must be no disconnect switch between the smoke alarm and the electrical service panel, and the circuit should not be connected to a wall outlet. Where electric power is not available, battery-powered smoke alarms may be used. These units are designed to operate for at least one year and provide a seven-day trouble signal when the battery runs down. Smoke alarms in houses are not required to be interconnected such that one alarm activates one or more others. However, smoke alarms in a house with a secondary suite are required to be wired so that the activation of any one alarm causes all alarms in both suites to sound. Only install smoke alarms that are certified by a recognized testing agency such as the Underwriters’ Laboratories of Canada.
SUSTAINABLE HOUSING INSIGHT Healthy Indoor Environment
Smoke alarms should be wired directly to the electrical panel so they always function, which renders battery replacement unnecessary. Additional smoke alarms in bedrooms can improve safety, especially when occupants are asleep.
Energy Efficiency
Select appliances that have low energy needs as determined by the EnerGuide rating, or Energy STAR label.
Maximize natural lighting from windows, skylights and light tubes to reduce the need for artificial lighting during the day. Use compact fluorescent or light-emitting diode (LED) bulbs to reduce the amount of electricity needed for lighting. Consider installing a drain water heat recovery stack on shower drain piping. Install an “all-off” master switch to turn off non-essential power when there are no occupants in the house. This can reduce phantom electrical loads from appliances and equipment that do not require continuous power.
Smoke Alarms The National Building Code and most local building codes require early-warning, fire- and smoke-detecting devices in dwellings. Smoke alarms must be located in or near each bedroom on each storey including basements and mounted on or near the ceiling.
Building codes usually require smoke alarms to be permanently connected (hard-wired) to an electrical circuit. There must be no disconnect switch between the smoke alarm and the electrical service panel, and the circuit should not be connected to a wall outlet. Where electric power is not available, battery-powered smoke alarms may be used. These units are designed to operate for at least one year and provide a seven-day trouble signal when the battery runs down. Smoke alarms in houses are not required to be interconnected such that one alarm activates one or more others. However, smoke alarms in a house with a secondary suite are required to be wired so that the activation of any one alarm causes all alarms in both suites to sound. Only install smoke alarms that are certified by a recognized testing agency such as the Underwriters’ Laboratories of Canada.
SUSTAINABLE HOUSING INSIGHT Healthy Indoor Environment
Smoke alarms should be wired directly to the electrical panel so they always function, which renders battery replacement unnecessary. Additional smoke alarms in bedrooms can improve safety, especially when occupants are asleep.
Energy Efficiency
Select appliances that have low energy needs as determined by the EnerGuide rating, or Energy STAR label.
Maximize natural lighting from windows, skylights and light tubes to reduce the need for artificial lighting during the day. Use compact fluorescent or light-emitting diode (LED) bulbs to reduce the amount of electricity needed for lighting. Consider installing a drain water heat recovery stack on shower drain piping. Install an “all-off” master switch to turn off non-essential power when there are no occupants in the house. This can reduce phantom electrical loads from appliances and equipment that do not require continuous power.
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