30 Years Later – A Solar Hot Water System In Saanich Installed In 1979

An investment that has paid-off in a big way for one happy homeowner

The system was installed by local Victoria company, Ark Solar.

An ounce of prevention is worth far more than a pound of cure if you ask Dan Hammick, a homeowner in Saanich who is enjoying the benefits of a solar hot water system that his mother, Sharon, installed in their home 30 years ago. Because of Sharon’s forward thinking he’s living freer of BC Hydro these days – and the system has never worked better.

"It paid itself off years ago," says Dan, adding that the system has remained over time virtually maintenance free, besides the need to clean the collectors off every year. At one point they also had to replace the insulation around the piping, which was out of date and had been worn by the sun. The system was installed by Ark, in Victoria (under previous ownership) and was instigated by the available grants at the time, according to Sharon.

"There was a surge in using alternative energy but it seemed to fade (until now)," she says, from her current energy efficient home in Comox, which she built with her husband ten years ago. "Back then I was asked to monitor how much heat it was saving and at times with five people in the house we were spending one or two cents," she says. "It was phenomenally successful."

Sharon, who was a single parent in 1979 with three kids, chose to install solar hot water because it made both economic sense and because she didn't want to exploit the environment. At the time there was a damn being built and many people she knew were being displaced from their farms.

"I was aware that you can’t keep hurting the environment and have a vibrant environment at the same time. And the sun is a wonderful source of energy."

Both she and Dan Believe that solar hot water systems should be built into new construction and Sharon feels that had this been a bylaw back then, people would have a different philosophy towards the environment. Dan also thinks Canada has fallen behind the rest of the world and the U.S. in particular, where www.architecture2030.org has been established out of Santa Fe, New Mexico, by architect Edward Mazria.

"Mazria has set up the organization to have himself and others to join up with the intention that by 2030 new construction and old buildings be created and renovated as environmentally friendly buildings," says Dan, who has taken the CanSIA certification training to enter the field of solar. He explains that in the states well over 100 cities have mayors who’ve adopted mandatory regulations for builders to get a building permit for green technology.

"I’ve seen presentations about how far ahead other countries are and how important it is to do this and help subsidize solar," he adds. "The more grants the better."

As for the 30 year old solar hot water system that Sharon had the foresight to install in her Saanich home, she says it’s been more than a good investment: "It’s been a blessing."