Kemp's custom-built house employs solar panels, a wind turbine and propane to sustain his lifestyle -- it's environmentally sound and saves him loads of money.
Urban dwellers, however, can immediately put money back in their pockets by replacing all their incandescent lightbulbs with CFLs.
They use four and half times less energy, last 10 times longer and will pay for themselves within a year," adds Kemp, author of $mart Power: An Urban Guide To Renewable Energy and Efficiency.
He also suggests conducting an EnerGuide for Houses audit that will demonstrate how money seeps out the cracks and crevices of your home.
Get an evaluation
Barbara Mullally Pauly agrees. The chief of housing programs at Natural Resources Canada says an evaluation could save you hundreds in energy costs every year, and you could qualify for a federal grant to offset the costs.
"One of the barriers homeowners face is knowing where to begin," says Mullally Pauly.
An impartial third party conducts the evaluation and outlines how and where the house uses and loses energy, and costs between $150 and $175.
The homeowner will see which areas are the most cost-effective ways to become energy efficient and has 18 months to complete the job before being re-evaluated.
"The grant is based on the measured improvement of energy performance between the first and second evaluation," explains Mullally Pauly.
"Currently, homowners in Ontario are receiving an average of $799.
"If they're planning a basement renovation, however, they could realize a much larger grant.
"Once the work is complete, homeowners will be saving as much as 27% on their current heating bills," she adds.
