"At least when we talk about energy audits in the future I'll know what they're all about," said Ward 3 Councillor David Pickles.

The audit is part of the federal government's ecoENERGY retrofit grant program, and the Province will match the federal amount. The average grant is expected to be more than $1,000 from each government, and should yield about a 25 per cent reduction in energy use and costs. Durham Sustain Ability is working with the Windfall Ecology Centre to deliver audits to residents across Durham.

David Drodge, a certified energy advisor with Windfall, went room to room to determine where the Pickles family could make changes to improve the energy efficiency of its home. Mr. Drodge measured the exterior of the house to properly determine its energy consumption, and also counted the windows and took photographs. He then checked the insulation throughout the home and used devices such as a blower door test to detect sources of heat and energy loss. The blower shows exactly where air escapes from the home.

Before the audit began, Coun. Pickles thought his furnace would be the greatest energy consumer, since it's about 20 years old. On inspection, Mr. Drodge found the furnace iss only 75 per cent in annual fuel utilization efficiency (AFUE), and noted high-efficiency furnaces are now as high as 96 per cent.

"Based on what I've seen, this is probably going to be your biggest potential for energy savings," he told Coun. Pickles.

And he was right. Mr. Drodge put his findings into a software system the next day and Windfall's program manager, Jen Atkinson, was able to give the results. She said Mr. Drodge found the Pickles family could decrease its energy consumption by about 25 per cent. The three biggest ways to do this are: getting a high-efficiency furnace; adding more insulation in the basement walls; and improving air tightness through draft-proofing.

"If he completes them all he can save 2.4 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions per year," Ms. Atkinson said.

Coun. Pickles has taken other small steps to improve his household's energy consumption. For example, he uses LED tube lights at Christmas with a timer, and as his regular light bulbs burn out he replaces them with energy-efficient ones. Coun. Pickles got the Peaksaver program installed about a year ago, which Veridian customers can get if they have an electric water heater or air conditioner. The installed thermometer will reduce air conditioning electricity use during peak hours, usually between noon and 6 p.m. on weekdays, and it's free.

The audit costs $325, and the Province will refund $150. To book an audit or for more information call 905-427-0061 or e-mail info@sustain-ability.ca. For Peaksaver information call 1-866-323-0206.