Empower yourself with the knowledge to make smarter energy decisions at home. This section is designed to help residents of all experience levels better understand energy efficiency, home upgrades, and sustainability.   

How-To Guides & Practical Resources

1. How to Read Your Utility Bill
Click here to see break down your electricity or gas bill to spot usage trends, fees, and opportunities to save.

2. How to Choose the Right Energy-Efficient Appliance
The ENERGY STAR symbol is a highly recognized consumer icon in the Canadian marketplace. It instantly identifies products that have been certified as energy efficient. When you’re shopping, Look for Energy Star symbol. Click here to Find ENERGY STAR most efficient 2025 products.

3. Energy-saving tips and how-to videos       
Small no cost, low cost changes at home can lower your energy use and save you money. Explore Fortis BC tips and videos here.

4.  DIY Efficiency Upgrades
Click here to learn and make small changes that add up.

1. Building Science Terms

• Air Tightness 
  Measures how much air leaks into or out of your home. A tight home keeps warm or cool air inside, saving energy and improving comfort. (measured in Air changes per hour (ACH))

• Insulation
  Materials like foam, fiberglass, or cellulose that slow heat transfer through walls, ceilings, and floors to keep your home cozy. It is measured by its R-value, which indicates how well it resists heat flow—the higher the R-value, the better the insulation.

• Thermal Bridging
  When heat escapes through parts of the building (like metal beams or wood studs) that conduct heat more easily than insulated areas.

• Vapor Barrier / Vapor Retarder
  A layer (usually plastic or foil) that prevents moisture from passing through walls and causing mold or rot.

• Heat Loss
  The amount of heat escaping from your home through walls, roof, windows, or drafts.

• R-Value
  A measure of insulation’s ability to resist heat flow. Higher R-value means better insulation.

• U-Value
  Measures how well a building component (like a window or wall) conducts heat. lower U-value means better insulation.

• Passive House
  A building standard focused on ultra-low energy use by combining airtightness, insulation, and smart design.

2. Home Retrofit & Upgrade Terms

• EnerGuide Rating
  A score from 0 to 100 that rates your home's energy efficiency based on a EnerGuide energy evaluation performed by Energy Advisor.

• Energy Advisor (EA)
  A trained expert who inspects your home and recommends energy-saving upgrades and evaluates your home’s energy score.

• Retrofit
  Upgrades or changes made to an existing home to improve energy efficiency, such as adding insulation or installing a efficient mechanical systems.

• Heat Pump
  A device that moves heat from outside to inside your home (or vice versa) using electricity—very efficient for heating and cooling.

• Smart Thermostat
  A programmable thermostat that can learn your schedule and save energy by adjusting temperatures automatically.

• Energy Star®
  A label that means products or homes meet high energy efficiency standards. Look for this symbol when purchasing appliances.

• Demand Response
  Programs that reward you for lowering electricity use during peak times. For example, running your washing machine during off-peak hours helps reduce strain on the power grid and can lower your energy bills.

• Air Sealing
  The process of closing leaks and gaps to prevent air escaping your home. For example, just a small 1/8-inch gap around a door can waste as much energy as leaving a window open, potentially costing you up to $50-$100 per year in heating or cooling losses.

• Ventilation System
  Devices like HRVs (Heat Recovery Ventilators) that bring in fresh air without wasting heat.

• Net-Zero Energy Home
  A home that produces as much energy as it uses over a year, often by combining efficient design and renewable energy.

3. Mechanical Terms & Efficiency Ratings

• COP (Coefficient of Performance)
  How many units of heat you get out for every unit of electricity you put in. For example,COP 3 = 3 times heat for every 1x power.

• HSPF (Heating Seasonal Performance Factor)
  Seasonal rating of heat pump heating efficiency — the higher, the better.

• SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio)
  Seasonal rating of cooling efficiency for heat pumps or air conditioners. Higher = better.

• EER (Energy Efficiency Ratio)
  Instantaneous cooling efficiency rating under specific conditions. Higher = better.

• AFUE (Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency)
  The percentage of fuel converted into heat by a furnace over a year. AFUE Measures how well your furnace uses fuel. 90% AFUE = 90% of fuel becomes heat.

• SHGC (Solar Heat Gain Coefficient)
  How much solar heat passes through your windows. Lower = cooler in summer.

• MERV Rating
  Rating of air filter efficiency (1–16), higher means better at filtering particles.

• BTU (British Thermal Unit)
  The amount of heat needed to raise one pound of water by one degree Fahrenheit.

• CFM (Cubic Feet per Minute)
  The volume of air moved by ventilation or HVAC systems.

• Heat Recovery Ventilator (HRV)
  A system that exchanges stale indoor air with fresh outdoor air while capturing heat from the outgoing air.

4. Energy Units & Power

• Watt (W)
  A unit of power, measuring how fast energy is used or produced.

• Kilowatt (kW)
  1,000 watts — typical unit to measure electricity capacity or power.

• Kilowatt-hour (kWh)
  Energy consumed when 1 kW runs for 1 hour; what you pay for on your electricity bill.

• Gigajoule (GJ)
  A unit of energy often used for natural gas billing. 1 GJ ≈ 278 kWh.

• Megajoule (MJ)
  One million joules; used in energy calculations.

• Voltage (V)
  Electrical pressure pushing current through wires.

• Ampere (A)
  The flow rate of electric current.

• Phantom Load / Power
  Energy used by electronics that are plugged in but not on (e.g., TVs, chargers). Unplug to save

5. Clean Energy & Environmental Terms

• Renewable Natural Gas (RNG)
  Gas produced from organic waste that replaces fossil natural gas and reduces carbon emissions.

• Greenhouse Gases (GHG)
  Gases like carbon dioxide and methane that trap heat in the atmosphere causing climate change.

• Carbon Footprint
  Total greenhouse gas emissions caused by an individual, home, or activity.

• Net Metering
  A system where you get credit for extra solar electricity you send back to the grid.

• Biomass Energy
  Energy made by burning organic materials like wood pellets or agricultural waste.

• Solar PV (Photovoltaic) Panels
  Devices that convert sunlight directly into electricity.

• Energy Efficiency
  Using less energy to do the same job.

• Demand-Side Management (DSM)
  Programs that encourage consumers to reduce or shift electricity use.

• Climate Adaptation
  

  Initiatives and measures to reduce the vulnerability of natural and human systems against actual or expected climate change impacts