Investing in the long term.(HOMES GOING GREEN)

In the era of 'reduce, reuse, recycle.' Doug Goertzen's company helps to extend the life of existing houses.

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"The economic recession has been a big eye-opener," he says. "People are looking at what they have and asking how they can make it better, last longer and improve the value."

Pacific Home Products is a Saskatoon-based company that retails high-efficiency windows and doors. The company is also a general contractor specializing in renovations and home additions such as solariums and atriums.

"In the next 10 to 15 years, we're going to see more people looking at new technologies like solar," he says. "It's getting more affordable and people are becoming more interested in investing in their home for the long term."

Investing in the long term is why Goertzen's customers want to improve their home energy efficiencies. According to Natural Resources Canada, windows can account for up to 25 per cent of total heat loss from your home. Goertzen agrees. "Windows make a huge difference to insulating value. There's several ways--the number of panes of glass, and the material in the glass, and the quality of the seal around the window."

The technology of window design has become increasingly more efficient in recent years, beginning with adding new panes that provide greater insulation against heat loss. Some new windows now also come with low emissivity coatings (low-e) that reflect heat and help homes regulate temperature from season to season. When krypton gas or argon is added between coated panes, the window becomes even more energy efficient. One of the newest developments is spectrally selective coatings for windows. Low-e glass can be enhanced with these coatings that block selected rays from entering the window, reducing heat loss and also protecting materials inside the home from sun bleaching.

Goertzen is careful to use quality products and suppliers like Pella, a manufacturer that produces top-rated energy efficient doors and windows and that has been recognized for its environmentally responsible manufacturing processes.

"I choose products and employees just as my customers would--with a view to quality and effectiveness," Goertzen says. "You have to be able to see your customer at the mall and be proud of the work you've done. I think because of this [philosophy], we have a very loyal customer base."

Pacific Home Products has been in business for over 23 years in Saskatoon, beginning in the renovation business and later expanding into retail. "I started out with a half-ton and a saw," Goertzen remembers. "I don't think there's much I haven't done. We've been through many challenges--there were some years where we only worked a few months and wondered how to keep going. But we stuck it out and we're still here."

The company has more than 'stuck it out,' with seven employees now, some of whom have been with Pacific between 10 and 20 years. As well, Pacific is investing in two of its employees who are completing their trade school training. "We take our trade seriously," he says, explaining that he has chosen to take on employees rather than use sub-contractors.

Over the years, Goertzen has been approached by other investors to expand his business in other ways, but it has not been a priority. "At the end of the day, keeping the business at a manageable size, being able to relate to customers in a meaningful way--that's more important to me than getting bigger to just to be bigger."

It is similar to his view on housing these days. "I think it's a positive for the environment to fix up what we've got and improve efficiencies as opposed to building new all the time." Obviously, he says, there are times when you need to start fresh, but "we can't keep building infrastructure without improving what we've got."

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