Another innovation that we offer our clients is known as the rain barrel. These barrels, are simple in design and easy to install, and used to collect and store rain water runoff, typically from rooftops via rain gutters. The devices are especially popular in Vancouver due to the large amount of seasonal rainfall. As well, rain barrels are particularly useful for larger gardens and lawns in areas such as West Vancouver; especially during the dry summer seasons, where shortage of water is apparent and water use is restricted to a minimum.
The rain barrels are often created from inexpensive recycled materials such as food storage and transport barrels or, in some cases, whiskey and wine aging barrels. The system is used for collecting and maintaining harvested rain water. Specifically, rainwater tanks are installed to make use of rain water for later use, in efforts to reduce water consumption for economic and environmental reasons, while aiding in self-sustainability. The stored water may be used for a variety of reasons such as watering gardens and lawns, agriculture, flushing toilets, in washing machines, washing cars and also for drinking, but only if the water is adequately filtered. Low maintenance is required for the rain barrels which include checking roofs and rain gutters for debris, maintain screens around the tank, and occasionally removing sediment by draining and cleaning the tank of algae and other contaminants.
Fluorescent Lighting
The compact fluorescent lighting system is one of our more popular features that we offer our clients, particularly in larger West Vancouver homes where lighting becomes more costly. The fluorescent bulb works as a gas-discharge lamp that uses electricity to excite mercury vapour. A fluorescent lamp converts electrical power into useful light more efficiently than an incandescent lamp. While larger fluorescent lamps have been mostly used in commercial buildings, the more compact version is now available in the same sizes as incandescent bulbs and of course used as an energy-saving alternative in homes that we build.
The benefits of using fluorescent lighting are numerous. One example is the longevity of its life-cycle, typically lasting 10-20 times longer than its incandescent equivalent. Another example is the amount of heat giving off during use. Fluorescent bulbs emit about two-thirds to three-quarters less heat than regular incandescent bulbs, which greatly reduces the size, cost, and energy consumption of air-conditioning equipment. A final example, of course, is the amount energy used to power the fluorescent bulb. Although the start-up requires a bit of energy, after the light has been activated, the electrical power required to maintain the light is very low, resulting in lower energy consumption and higher energy savings.
Electrical power equivalents for differing lamps
Compact Fluorescent (W)
Incandescent (W)
Luminous (lumens)
9 - 13
40
450
13 - 15
60
800
18 - 25
75
1,100
23 - 30
100
1,600
30 - 52
150
2,600
Low-Voc Paints
Odezna Homes truly care about you and your family's well-being. During construction of your dream home, we would like to inform you that all walls and surfaces requiring paint and finishes will be done with low-VOC paints. We also use low-VOC adhesives to attach all carpeting to the surface of the floors.
Did you know that indoor air is three times more polluted than outdoor air? The US Environmental Protection Agency has rated paint among its top 5 hazards to human health. Paints and finishes are among the leading causes, generally releasing low level toxic emissions into the air for years after application. Indoor studies have shown that the level of volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, present while paint is drying can be in upwards of a 1,000 times higher than levels outdoors. VOCs, which can include formaldehyde, have been linked with respiratory condition; skin and eye irritation; headaches; nausea; muscle weakness; and more serious ailments like liver disease and lung cancer. Children, seniors and those with weaker immune systems are particularly vulnerable to the vapours released by paint. Until recently, VOCs were essential to the performance of the paint. However growing concerns and new environmental regulations have resulted in the development of low-VOC paints and finishes.
Most paint manufacturers now produce low-VOC paints. They are safe because they do not contain petroleum products, and they emit few, if any, of the VOCs. Low-VOCs are also durable, cost-effective and less harmful to humans and the environment. These low-VOC paints are primarily made from natural and renewable resources such as citrus oil, lime, clay, linseed oil, and even powdered casein. Furthermore, because most low-VOC paints are positioned as premium products in the market, they offer the same high performance as their conventional counterparts, just without the harmful chemicals.
