Author Archives: Bill Hutchison

Will Your Next Roof be a “Green Roof”

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So what is a “Green Roof” to begin with?

Example of a Green RoofWikipedia defines a green roof as “a roof of a building which is partially or completely covered with plants. It may be a tended roof garden or a more self-maintaining ecology like a living wall or breathing wall. An earth structure often has such a roof, as plants simply grow naturally over it, making a hill that is from some angles indistinguishable from a natural one.”

Green Roofs claim to deliver cost savings as they provide greater material lifespan (up to twice as long) and savings on heating and cooling costs because of the insulation that it provides. Green Roofs also claim to provide sound insulating benefits. (for a full list of personal and public benefits can be read at About Green Roofs)

Green roofs from what I have read today seem to be most common in Europe, are slowly making headway in North America, and green roofs are looking to be a viable option here in Australia. Green roofs are not limited by the climate that you are in, as I initially thought, but they can be built in pretty much any climate using native plant life. This means that even here in Queensland and Townsville there is the possibility of building using a green roof. There is a good article about green roofs in Australia at On Line Opinion – A roofing answer to climate change.

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Condo Conversions in Calgary

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There has been a bit of controversy about apartments in Calgary being converted to condos. The controversy comes with the eviction of tenants from lower cost rental units to make way for the conversions. Typically tenants are supposed to be given a 6-month eviction notice for a condo conversion, however some landlords are getting around this with what they are calling Economic Evictions (which I will write more about later).

In a city where there has been virtually zero rental units built for almost a decade these types of conversions from apartments to condos are having a very negative effect on the lower to middle range of the rental market. With a rental vacancy rate around 1% the condo conversions, combined with the lack of affordable housing and new rental units being constructed, is making Calgary a very inhospitable place for lower income singles and families.

Although Townsville is not experiencing anything like this at the moment, I wonder if there are similar things happening in larger Australian cities where the market for condos and apartments is tighter?

Affordable Housing in Calgary

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One of the big topics of conversation here in Calgary since we have been visiting has been the cost of housing. Since we were here last in 2003 house prices have easily doubled, they have increased 46% in 2006 alone! The median house price in Calgary is about $450,000, and the median condo price in Calgary is over $310,000.

This is proving to be a huge challenge for a lot of people in the city. Many service professions, like teachers and social workers, are finding the increased cost of living to be extremely challenging. My sister, who has a university degree in social work and is currently working at a group home, has found that she can not afford to purchase a house, or even a condo in Calgary on her salary.

This situation is not only evident for those wishing to purchase a home, but it’s also the case for people wanting to rent. Calgary has a unique situation now where people in lower paying jobs are being forced to live in their cars on in shelters.

So what are some solutions being presented?
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Queensland Owner Builder Course

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In trying to get our renovation project off the ground more, and open up more options for getting the work down I did a Queensland Owner Builder Course.

The idea behind the owner builder course is to allow people who are not licensed building Trade Contractors to build their own homes and perform renovations, extensions, etc. on land that they own. A Owner Builder Permit is required for work where the total value would exceed $11,000 (including GST and labour) if performed by a licensed building Trade Contractor. With the Permit the owner builder is allowed to do all the building work, except for plumbing and electrical tasks.

The course can be delivered in many different ways, including classroom delivery or by correspondence. Because of my workload and family commitments, and the fact that I couldn’t find it being offered in Townsville, I took the course by correspondence with The Peach Institute. I probably could have completed the entire course in a weekend If I had sat down for an entire weekend to do it, but instead I spread it out over a few evenings in the span of a month and completed it.
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