In the final episode of this series, host Darla Simpson interviews Richard Hall of the Nuxalk Nation about a guide he developed: the Residential Construction Specification Guide for the Wet West Coast. We’ll discuss his whole home approach to address not only persistent moisture issues on the central coast, but to design homes that include spaces for cultural practices, support community development and keep energy costs low.

For more on a related project, check out this video developed by the Industry Training Association. It tells the story of an apprenticeship program Richard was also involved in, training members of the Nuxalk Nation to build affordable and energy efficient homes using the Residential Construction Specification Guide.

Energy efficient lighting and appliances are the easiest way to reduce energy costs in our homes. In this episode host Darla Simpson takes the guest chair to share what you need to know to make smart decisions around lighting and home appliances. We’ll also touch on the topic of home automation and smart home devices to manage energy use, especially stand-by power.

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 one-time actions, 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.