December 9, 2005

The Alberta Ecotrust Ecohome has recently been listed for sale on the Multiple Listing Service! Interested parties can learn how to buy this home by visiting Alberta Ecotrust's website at www.albertaecotrust.com/ecohome. Possession of the home will be February 2006.

Over 1000 Calgarians have visited the Ecohome since it opened in late
September. Interest in the home has been so great that the public demonstration phase and FREE Workshop series will be extended into January 2006. Our realtor predicts the home will sell quickly as Calgarians who have visited the Ecohome like what they see. Energy efficiency, water conservation and improved indoor air quality are just some of the benefits that the home provides – helping its eventual owners to live a healthier, more sustainable lifestyle and save money over the life of the home.

“The lucky Ecohome buyer will see that this home is more than a great
investment for their family, it is a great investment for our environment as well,”
says executive director Pat Letizia. “This is a practical home for anyone
interested in saving money and resources.” Thanks to the generous support of
Founding Sponsor Alberta Real Estate Foundation and many others during the
Ecohome project, proceeds from the sale of the Ecohome will support the future sustainability of Alberta Ecotrust community programs.

This landmark collaborative project spearheaded by Alberta Ecotrust in
cooperation with SAIT Polytechnic and Jayman Master BUILT™ has created a model for homes that is attractive, affordable and sustainable. The Ecohome achieves an EnerGuide for New Homes rating of 85, one of the most energy efficient conventionally built homes in the province, and exceeds the requirements for both R2000 and Built Green™ Alberta Gold. And the cost for the energy efficient upgrades? Only about 5% more than the original home model.

Compared to the original Kennedy model home the Ecohome was based on, the Ecohome uses 60% less natural gas and reduces greenhouse gas emissions by 5 tonnes each year. In addition, through better material selection, on-site
recycling and careful design, the home also helps to reduce water use, improve indoor air quality, reduce maintenance and yield a smaller total ecological footprint for the home. Complete details of the home can found by touring the Ecohome (open weekends from 11am – 4 pm January 7 through to January 29, 2006) or by viewing the Ecohome website (www.albertaecotrust.com/ecohome).

Visitors to the home can undertake a self-guided tour, participate in free
workshops and talk with the open house host volunteers that are from education partner organizations including Clean Calgary Association, Climate Change Central, Sierra Club Chinook Group and City of Calgary Waterworks and Wastewater. You never know what you might learn as many interesting and diverse conversations arise between visitors in the Ecohome kitchen every Saturday and Sunday.

“The diversity of visitors and level of conversation in the Ecohome is amazing,”
says Stuart Peters of Alberta Ecotrust, who coordinates the outreach phase of
the Ecohome project. “We get everyone – architects, builders, developers,
professional renovators, and real estate agents as well as people from the
community who are building, thinking of renovating or are just interested in the
environment and sustainability. The mix provides for some great conversations
about everything from the small details of home construction to the big picture of how our homes play an important role in our work for a sustainable future.”

The ability of the Ecohome project to engage people from all backgrounds,
including the real estate industry, distinguishes it from other building projects in
the area. Additional funding provided by the Alberta Real Estate Foundation has been used by EnerVision Alberta to develop a series of professional
development workshops for Real Estate Agents. The “Selling Green” seminars
will be held in January at the Ecohome.

“Helping real estate agents develop their expertise in the benefits of green and
energy efficient homes will help create a stronger market for more sustainable
homes,” adds Peters. “It’s a critical role that helps builders and buyers realize the paybacks for the extra time and dollars they invest to make home design,
construction and finishing healthier and more sustainable.”

In addition to the Selling Green workshops, other free workshops scheduled for the Ecohome in December and January include; Building Green (for Builders and general homeowners), Natural Landscaping, Waste Management, Urban Sustainability and Water Conservation. All workshops are open to the public.

Workshops times and registration details can be found by visiting the Ecohome website or contacting Alberta Ecotrust in Calgary at 209-2245.