Resources for apartments, condos, and other multi-unit residential buildings

General

Eco-Action Teams
This website allows you to team up with other tenants in your building, measure your combined ecological impacts, identify and commit to taking specific actions, and calculate the amount of water, waste, greenhouse gas emissions, and money you will save by taking those actions. Teams can compare their progress online with other teams from across the country! (a project of Earth Day Canada)

Sustainability at Home: A Toolkit for Your Co-op
This comprehensive website offers educational information, tips on co-op greening, and an online forum where co-op housing members can share their experiences making their co-ops more sustainable. Much of this information would also be useful for condominiums. From the Cooperative Housing Federation of Canada.

Building energy consumption

EnviroCentre
Ottawa's leading source for energy conservation services and programs, including:
- Building energy audits and electricity audits
- A home weatherization program for low-income households, and home draft-sealing services
- The EnviroBoutique, which sells water-efficient fixtures, hot water tank insulators, fireplace draft stoppers, and other hard-to-find energy-efficiency products.

PeakSaver
Allows Hydro Ottawa customers with central air conditioning units to alter electricity consumption to reduce the load on power plants during hours of peak consumption. Includes free installation of a programmable thermostat.

Renewable energy equipment suppliers
List of local suppliers of renewable energy equipment, such as solar electric panels.

Green power costs and benefits calculator
See exactly how much air pollution your building can prevent by supplementing its power supply with one or more blocks of green power, as well as the cost impact. (Ontario Clean Air Alliance)

The Ecology of Ottawa: Heat: What you can do
Reviews actions you can take to reduce the negative eco-impacts of heating your building.

Water

Water conservation tips
From Environment Canada.

Waste and recycling

Get rid of used cell phones, print cartridges, and other equipment that is no longer functioning by taking it back to local retailers listed in the City of Ottawa's Take it Back!  directory or Stewardship Ontario's "Do What You Can" website.