GUELPH – They can’t solve all the world’s problems, but through a new partnership, Habitat for Humanity Guelph Wellington and the Rotary Club of Guelph are taking on affordable housing and climate change.
Habitat for Humanity has two local projects in the works: a 32-unit stacked townhouse complex in Fergus and a 66-unit apartment complex in Guelph.
On Oct. 13, the two groups announced the Guelph build will be fitted with solar panels and other forms of solar energy, estimated to produce 415,000 kW hrs/year onto the power grid in Guelph, and represent an annual cost savings of $65,000 across the whole building.
Rotarian Carolyn Weatherson joined the Environmental Sustainability Rotary Action Group (ESRAG) and its renewable energy taskforce and has immersed herself in the benefits, the costs and cost recovery of renewable energy sources.
This group, with members from Canadian and American Rotary clubs, hopes to partner with Habitat for Humanity chapters to put solar panels on the homes it builds.
Weatherson took that work a step further and wrote a manual for how this could happen in Canada. She researched the benefits of solar, possible partnerships, and all government grants available across the country.
And then she took the manual to Habitat for Humanity Guelph Wellington officials, who were thrilled to explore how to get solar panels on the Guelph project.
“This was new to us and another opportunity to help our families,” Habitat’s director of community engagement and development Ryan Deska told Rotarians at their Oct. 13 luncheon.
Kiwi Newton is taking on the design and build of the Guelph project and Cam Krajcik, vice president of design and engineering, said the company has set “aggressive energy targets.
“Sixty per cent (of the building’s energy) will be solar,” he said.
Guelph MPP Mike Schreiner, who is also leader of the provincial Green Party and an honorary Rotarian, had high praise for the project.
“It will be transformative; an example of what’s possible,” for other Habitat builds, he said.
“We have a housing affordability crisis and climate crisis. This addresses both,” he added.
“Low-income families are often excluded in climate benefit actions as they are too expensive… This project promotes social justice, home ownership and climate change. It’s an investment that’s worth making.”
Deska said it will cost $750,000 for the full system at the Guelph build and he’s hopeful grants and partnerships will bring that down to a “manageable” cost.
He’ll be launching a fundraising campaign focused on solar power in the coming weeks.
It will be a first for Habitat in Canada, Deska said, and hopefully will inspire other chapters to follow suit.
“We are excited by the prospect of building out this project in Guelph, and to support and inspire other projects like this across Canada,” added Weatherson.
“Not only are we going to accomplish significant green energy production and cost savings for families, but we will have a great opportunity to share with our community the opportunities available to take local action on climate solutions.”
