First Nations Home EnergySave Podcast
Welcome to the First Nations Home EnergySave podcast, an initiative of the Fraser Basin Council and SES Consulting. The podcast is focused on supporting BC First Nations in their work to provide people healthy, affordable and energy efficient housing.
Join host Darla Simpson and her colleagues as they share their experience and expertise on home energy topics and practical tips that can help Housing, Asset and Energy Managers to support their communities. Through this 12-part podcast series, we explore energy-efficient technologies, energy management strategies and collaborative work with residents.
Subscribe to the series via the Apps Store, Google Play, Spotify and other podcatchers.
BROWSE THE PODCAST EPISODES
Meet the Podcast Team
Host Darla Simpson, BSc, CEM
Darla has spent her 20-year career working with communities and organizations to help them become more energy efficient by adopting new technologies and good energy habits.
Dami Dabiri, BSc, EIT
Dami is committed to finding kinder and smarter ways of sourcing and using energy. As an Engineer at SES Consulting, he provides a balanced and informed perspective on energy efficiency.
Steffen Trangeled, BSc, PEng
Steffen Trangeled, BSc, PEng – Steffen is a Senior Engineer at SES Consulting with a background in energy management, automation controls, and HVAC design. He’s led numerous upgrade projects in buildings of all sizes and brings a deep understanding for the complexity of building energy systems.
Adam Trovato
Adam began his career as an Energy Auditor and through his work has supported numerous First Nations through home assessments and energy efficiency projects. He now works as the Manager of Business Development Teams for the Sustainable Projects Group bringing a holistic perspective from practical implementation to strategic energy management.
Podcast Episodes
Episode 12: Designing Homes for Climate and Culture
Publish Date: April 26, 2021
In the final episode of this podcast series, host Darla Simpson interviews Richard Hall, Asset Manager for Nuxalk Nation, about his Residential Construction Specification Guide for the Wet West Coast. Richard discusses his “whole home” approach to designing houses for the challenges of the central coast, including persistent moisture, and also designing spaces that support cultural practices and community development.
Richard led the development of a culturally appropriate apprenticeship program for Nuxalk Nation through the Industry Training Association. This video profiles members of the Nuxalk Nation who received training to build affordable and energy-efficient homes, using the design principles of the Residential Construction Specification Guide. Take a look!
And check out the podcast. You won’t want to miss this interview! 😊
Play the episode (26:01) below, or download it using the [↓] button on the upper right of the player.
Episode 11: Choosing Energy-Efficient Lighting and Home Appliances
Publish Date: April 19, 2021
What’s the easiest way to reduce home energy costs? By choosing energy efficient home lighting and appliances! In this episode, host Darla Simpson takes the guest chair to share her tips for energy-smart purchases – and to look at home automation and smart devices that can manage home energy use, and minimize stand-by (vampire/phantom) power.
Play the episode (29:05) below, or download it using the [↓] button on the upper right of the player.
Episode 10: Saving Energy with Better Habits at Home
Publish Date: April 12, 2021
No matter how efficient home technologies become, how we use lighting and appliances can have an impact on energy bills. In this episode of the First Nations Home EnergySave podcast, we’ll talk about purchasing decisions, default heating and appliance settings, and easy day-to-day practices that First Nations housing managers and community members can embrace to cut energy costs.
Play the episode (41:14) below, or download it using the [↓] button on the upper right of the player.
Episode 9: Ventilation and Cooling – Balancing air quality, comfort & energy costs
Publish Date: April 6, 2021
Providing fresh air in a home is extremely important for health and comfort. The better air sealed our homes are, the more important it is to balance that with fresh air. In this podcast we’ll discuss how best to manage ventilation to keep energy costs low and air quality high, including some strategies for working with residents to prevent moisture and humidity issues. We’ll also talk about the increasing demand for air conditioning with hotter summers and outdoor air quality concerns.
Play the episode (43:19) below, or download it using the [↓] button on the upper right of the player.
Episode 8: Heating and Hot Water – How to Increase Comfort and Reduce Costs
Publish Date: March 29, 2021
Heating and hot water are the two biggest utility costs in a home and are important for both comfort and affordability. In this podcast we’ll review common heating and hot water system designs, how they work, and what makes a heating system energy efficient.
Play the episode (34:52) below, or download it using the [↓] button on the upper right of the player.
Episode 7: Scaling Up Your Energy Efficiency Projects
Publish Date: March 22, 2021
In this episode we’re speaking with Gilles Lesage of Total Home Solutions about the Osoyoos Indian Band’s community-wide housing retrofit program. We discuss the advantages and disadvantages of taking on a project at this scale, including equipment discounts and funding support. We also talk about key features of the project as it nears completion and what lessons have been learned in the development process.
Play the episode (25:06) below, or download it using the [↓] button on the upper right of the player.
Episode 6: Finding and Selecting Contractors
Publish Date: March 8, 2021
Quality installation is critical for energy-efficient homes, but it can be difficult to tell a great contractor from a not-so-great contractor. In this podcast we’ll walk through some strategies to help make your housing projects more successful, from being clear about what you’re asking for through evaluating quotes and proposals and when to get extra support for complex projects.
Play the episode (40:35) below, or download it using the [↓] button on the upper right of the player.
Episode 5: It’s Cold in Here! Improving comfort and reducing energy waste with building envelope upgrades
Publish Date: March 1, 2021
Cold and drafts are a big source of housing complaints, not to mention issues with mold and water damage when part of the building envelope isn’t working well. In this episode, we’ll talk about what housing managers need to know to improve energy efficiency, increase comfort and reduce utility bills through best practices in maintenance — and what to think about when it’s time to replace component of the building envelope.
Play the episode (49:08) below, or download it using the [↓] button on the upper right of the player.
Episode 4: Is It Efficient? Using Benchmarking to Prioritize Homes for Energy Upgrades.
Publish Date: February 8, 2021
Energy use in our homes is invisible. It’s very hard to look at a home and know if it’s using a lot of energy or to look across our communities and know which houses need the most help. In this podcast we’ll look at ways we can use energy billing information to prioritize energy conservation projects. We'll explore different ways of comparing between homes and some tools available to housing managers to get started.
Play the episode (42:07) below, or download it using the [↓] button on the upper right of the player.
Read our Resource: Benchmarking for Energy Management
Episode 3: Walls, Windows, Roof and Doors – What You Need to Know when Building New Homes
Publish Date: January 18, 2021
A home in Fort St. John has to deal with completely different weather conditions than a home in Cowichan Valley. This needs to be reflected in your homes building envelope — the skin between your home and the cold and rain outside. Your building envelope also plays a huge part in your home’s energy efficiency, and it's an expensive fix after a home is built. In this podcast we’ll look at the different elements of a building envelope and the efficient and not-so-efficient options in new construction.
Play the episode (42:42) below, or download it using the [↓] button on the upper right of the player.
Read our Resource: Building Envelope - New Construction
Episode 2: Making Cents of Energy Management
Publish Date: January 11, 2021
Housing budgets are always tight — and energy poverty is a concern for communities across BC. In this episode, we’ll discuss tools to look at upfront and ongoing costs to help make smart decisions when planning for home energy efficiency improvements. We’ll also look at how to calculate carbon emissions and factor in non-financial costs of housing choices.
Play the episode (22:48) below, or download it using the [↓] button on the upper right of the player.
Read our Resource: The Financial Case for Energy Management
Episode 1: Understanding Building Systems
Publish Date: January 4, 2021
Houses are complex systems. Making changes to one system can impact others. For example, improving your building envelope can impact ventilation. In this episode, we review the main building systems and how they interact to impact energy efficiency, affordability, health and resident comfort.
Play the episode (34:04) below, or download it using [↓] button on the upper right of the player.
Read our Resource: Understanding Building Systems
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