First Nations Home EnergySave Webinars

Our 2015-2016 and 2016-2017 series of monthly peer mentorship webinars are available for replay — watch for new videos as they come online! We will also include presentations from our live workshops.

If you would like notice of upcoming webinars so you can join us live, contact  at FBC.

Protecting On-Reserve Housing: HPO's Home Warranty Program

In this webinar, BC Housing offers an overview of the Home Warranty and Licensing program: requirements, standards of coverage, insurance exclusions and warranty claims. The presentation also shows how good opportunities can emerge to enhance the energy efficiency and performance of new housing.

Find the webinar recording on YouTube.

Training in Energy Efficient Housing at Vancouver Island University

April 27, 2016 | Webinar

This webinar provides an overview of the content and structure of the energy efficiency course that will soon be offered at the Vancouver Island University. The training will be tailored towards First Nations administrative staff, elected leaders, and community members. The presenters, Nancy Hamilton, the Administrative Coordinator for Professional Development and Training, and Sylvia Olsen, the Course Instructor, discuss what participants can expect in terms of registration, course themes and the online learning format. In addition, this webinar highlights Vancouver Island University’s process in designing the course, including a description of its stakeholder engagement as well as lessons learned.

Check out the webinar recording on YouTube.

Accessing Financing for First Nations Energy-Efficient Housing

March 8, 2016 | Webinar

Financial institutions in British Columbia are working closely with First Nations to facilitate access to financing for housing construction and renovation projects. These partnerships help contribute to the economic self-sufficiency of First Nations communities. In this webinar, Stewart Anderson from Vancity Credit Union and Candace Dennis from the Bank of Montreal will speak about the process of obtaining a housing loan, key considerations for First Nations communities, and the financial services and programs of their institutions for on-reserve housing projects.

Check out the webinar recording on YouTube.

Dzawada'enuxw First Nation's Solar Hot Water Project

January 28, 2016 | Webinar

This webinar focuses on the energy-saving, money-saving steps taken by Dzawada'enuxw First Nation (DFN), a small off-grid community about 120 km northwest of Campbell River, BC. Capital Projects Manager Robin Dawson explains how DFN embraced a number of changes that included solar hot water demonstration projects – and helped to reduce the community’s dependence on diesel generators. It is a story of success and collaboration, thanks to mentorship support from George Colgate of Xeni Gwet'in First Nation, and funding from the Remote Communities Implementation program, Solar BC and DFN.

Check out the webinar recording on YouTube.

The webinar PowerPoint presentations are also available to read:

• Introduction
• DFN Solar Hot Water Project 2010-2012 (Dawson)

Saving Dollars on Energy: Increasing Energy Efficiency for First Nations Housing Workshop

January 26, 2016 | Workshop: Vancouver

This workshop featured the experiences of First Nations communities in building new energy-efficient homes, renovating existing homes and creating housing policy with best practices for energy efficiency. Workshop participants — First Nations housing managers, senior staff and elected leaders — discussed priority actions for housing energy efficiency and connected with funding agencies, community leaders, consultants and training opportunities.

The workshop was hosted by the Fraser Basin Council as part of the First Nations Home EnergySave program.

• Agenda

Presentations:

• Kwadacha Nation Pilot & Lessons Learned
  Areef Abraham
• Kwadacha Nation Pilot & Lessons Learned
  Dawn Bursey
• Skidegate Band Council Heat Pump Video (YouTube)
  Billy Yovanovich & Trent Moraes
• Kitasoo Xai'xais Energy Initiative: Reducing our Energy Demand
  Jamie Pond & Gillian Aubie-Vines
• Nuxalk First Nation
  Richard Hall
• Learning from the Ecosage Building Pilot
  Tabitha Eneas & Phil Hawkes

Exploring Funding Opportunities for First Nations Energy Efficient Housing

November 24, 2015 | Webinar

This session features Rick Sabiston (AANDC) on the New Approach for Housing Support program and Lindsay Wood (BC Ministry of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation) on the First Nations Clean Energy Business Fund. See how these two funding sources complement each other to support energy improvements in First Nations housing.

Check out the webinar recording on YouTube.

Kitasoo Energy Efficient Housing Policy and Implementation

October 28, 2015 | Webinar

Kitasoo / Xai'xais First Nation is is located in Klemtu, on the Central Coast of British Columbia. The village is powered by a small, community-owned hydro plant with diesel generator back-up. However, as the community grows, its development is limited by the capacity of the hydro plant. Reducing electricity use has the potential to allow more development and avoid additional use of diesel.

Follow Kitasoo's experience in developing an energy efficiency component for their housing policy: backdrop to this work, lessons learned to date, and plans for the future.

Presenters:
Jamie Pond, Kitasoo First Nation, Housing Manager
Gillian Aubie Vines, Pinna Sustainability, Principal

Check out the webinar recording on YouTube.

Renewing First Nations Housing: Saving Money and Energy

June 23, 2015 | Webinar

With support from BC Hydro and Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada (AANDC), Kwadacha Nation and Quality Program Services (QPS) embarked on a plan to understand how much energy use was costing the community. Together, QPS and Kwadacha implemented a project to reduce electricity use in 11 pilot homes and educate the community on how to reduce consumption.

QPS & Kwadacha helped each of the pilot households to save $2,000 annually by focusing on upgrades and homeowner actions. Use of electricity in these homes dropped, on average, by 37%.

In addition, a local "Energy Champion" worked alongside QPS and the Kwadacha community to facilitate the communication of energy-saving actions to local residents.

Kwadacha is now working to transfer the lessons learned during the pilot project to the remaining homes in the community and developing an action plan for upgrades, while also making new homes more energy efficient.

Presenters:
Areef Abraham, President and CEO, Quality Program Services
Dawn Bursey, Executive Director, Kwadacha First Nation

Here is the webinar recording on YouTube.