The house that Ruth built

Ruth Rempel stands in front of her new energy-efficient, environmentally friendly house. The project has made an impression on her students. They see that faith is about everyday kind of choices, she says, not just going to church.

For Ruth Rempel, it isn’t enough to teach about living responsibly and caring about needy people. She wants to live it too.

“I want to live in a way that is consistent with what I teach and believe,” says Rempel, who teaches International Development Studies at Menno Simons College, Canadian Mennonite University’s downtown campus at the University of Winnipeg.

For Rempel, this means living within walking distance of work and church. It also means building one of Winnipeg’s most energy-efficient and environmentally friendly houses.

The 1,500 square foot house is located on a formerly vacant lot in the West Broadway section of the city’s downtown area. The goal of the house – an experimental project supported by the city, province, federal government, and local development corporation – is to show that it’s possible to build affordable, energy-efficient housing.

“We want to give builders some ideas,” she says. It’s also “part of an effort to show that energy-efficient housing isn’t only for the well-to-do.”

Rempel is seeking to lower her heating bills by not having a furnace. This may seem crazy in an often cold place like Winnipeg, but Rempel stayed warm this winter by using an electrically powered radiant heating system that pumps hot water through coils underneath a ceramic tile floor. The open-concept design uses convection to allow the heat to flow throughout the house, and lots of energy-efficient triple-pane windows let in the warmth of the sunlight.

In summer, the process is reversed; the floor stays cool and windows beneath the roofline allow the hot air to escape at night. She doesn’t need an air conditioner. “It’s like the house is breathing,” she says.

As well, the house has cellulose insulation. “It’s basically recycled shredded paper,” says Rempel. “If it’s installed correctly, it’s a far better insulator than fiberglass.”

Overall, from August 2005 to April 2006, Rempel’s electric bill averaged $120–130 a month for all uses.

Other environmentally friendly devices include a low-flush toilet that uses rainwater in summer, collected in a cistern near the bathroom. In winter, the toilet is connected to the city’s water supply. Rempel has installed an energy-efficient stove, fridge, and dishwasher.

To keep the air in her house as clean as possible, Rempel uses tiles and wood for flooring. She also uses steel-framed cupboards and cabinets made from strawboard. “Many cupboards are made of materials that give off harmful gases,” she says.

Besides building a house that shows concern for the environment, Rempel used local manufacturers and products as much as possible. “That’s been an important principle for me,” she says. “I want to help create employment for local people.”

For Rempel, all these things add up to a practical way of showing her faith. “I like the idea of living with a smaller ecological footprint, and contributing to urban revitalization,” she says. The project has made an impression on her students. They see that faith is about everyday kind of choices, she says, not just going to church.

The results of these choices can also be aesthetically pleasing. “Living in a way that shows concern for the environment isn’t the equivalent of eating oatmeal with nothing on it,” Rempel says. “Living simply doesn’t mean you have to live ugly.”

John Longhurst is director of communications and marketing for Canadian Mennonite University. This article is a CMU release.