Consumer Education
Consumer education involves empowering individuals with the knowledge and skills necessary to make informed decisions about real estate and their role as a homeowner, condo owner, landlord, tenant, or rural property owner.
ResourceSmart Home Series: Part 3 - Solar 101
St. Albert’s Ron Kube had never known anyone with a solar-powered home. Then, in 2014, he read a story in the paper about a household that installed a solar array.
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The Alberta Solution to Reducing Radon Exposure in Homes
Radon gas is a radioactive but invisible danger that poses serious lung cancer risks if homes contain high levels inhaled over the long term. Our scientists recently published a landmark study indicating that a shocking 1 in 8 Southern Alberta homes exceed Health Canada’s maximum acceptable radon guideline. Surprisingly, we also found that newer homes had significantly higher radon compared to older properties. The gold standard for a radon test takes 90+ days, which is not feasible during the < 1 week typically seen in a real estate transaction involving a home inspection. So how can buyers and sellers accurately determine if a house is ‘radon safe’? We will determine whether short term radon tests can be used to inform home radon levels with sufficient accuracy to ‘stand up in court’.
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Youth Water and Climate Change Summits
Two separate two-day youth summits programs: S3 – a regional program in Wood Buffalo related to sustainable living in the North targeting and junior high and high school students in Fort McMurray and surrounding areas. Navigate Youth Water Summit – a province-wide water and climate education and action summit aimed at student leaders from 20 Alberta high schools. An important focus for both programs be household/home/school water and energy efficiency – this will include tours of ‘NetZero’ housing, discussions of energy efficiency best practices. For the Wood Buffalo (S3) program we will also feature energy efficiency home (re)building post-2016 fires.
ResourceEvict Radon
Canada contains many radon gas-generating regions and, because we have constructed population centres across all of them, radon is the primary cause of lung cancer in 10,000- 40,000 Canadians per decade. We have conducted detailed radon gas analysis of 11,000+ homes spread across Alberta and Saskatchewan, finding that 1 in 6 contain hazardous amounts of radon with newer homes in many regions (but not all) having much higher total radon. We have revealed an unknown “X factor” within environmental design practice across regions that is a major contributor to radon exposure, and our goal now is to understand this and develop solutions to protect the population. We aim to (i) identify modifiable behaviors and environmental design practices influencing chronic radon exposure in our changing world and (ii) define engineering and community intervention solutions applicable within the Canadian context to eliminate radon as a source of cancer in the future.
NewsUtilities Consumer Advocate (UCA) has launched its redesigned website
Service Alberta through the Utilities Consumer Advocate (UCA) has launched its redesigned website.
NewsReal Estate Council of Alberta Partners with University of Alberta School of Business to Raise the Bar in Commercial Real Estate Education
Calgary, Alberta – Commercial real estate education in Alberta will take an enormous step forward with a new partnership between the Real Estate Council of Alberta (RECA) and the University of Alberta.
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E3/C3 Project
An experiential energy efficiency and climate change education and action program for Edmonton, Calgary and surrounding areas junior high and high school students. Two parallel learning experiences – Edmonton Energy Efficiency (E3) and Calgary Climate Change (C3) – will provide students real-world insight into energy conservation in their lives at school and home today and into the future.
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The Alberta Landowner’s Guide to Oil and Gas Development - Phase Two
In light of the significant changes to operations and regulations that impact landowners, and the expansion of oil and gas operations since the last Landowner’s Guide was released, there is strong demand from landowners, municipalities, governments and real estate professionals for the tools to approach development issues knowledgeably. The Pembina Institute is uniquely positioned to deliver this tool in the form of the updated Landowner’s Guide.
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Tenant Education and Certification Pilot Project
This pilot project will provide hard to house tenants with the knowledge, tools and support that they need in order to be successful renters. The project will incorporate development of workshop curriculum, education sessions, appropriate community referrals, security deposit assistance and ongoing support to assist the tenant in stabilizing their housing situation.
ResourceGetting It Right: A More Energy Efficient Alberta
Through the Climate Leadership Plan, the Government of Alberta is taking steps to address the challenge of climate change. Getting it Right: A More Energy Efficient Alberta deals with one aspect of the government’s plan: the creation of Energy Efficiency Alberta, a not-for-profit Crown Agency that will support energy-efficient programs and services for homes and businesses.
ResourceTenant Education Project
Camrose Open Door Association is a regional non-profit organization that offers support services and hope to youth in need between the ages of 11-24.
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Planning for a Sustainable Economic Future in Pincher Creek
This project will establish a factual basis for understanding potential economic and social/community impacts that may occur with closure of the Waterton Complex, and to use that foundation to inform and facilitate dialogue with and action by the affected communities regarding transition to a sustainable economy.