About
The University of Waterloo is proud to be a partner of Reep Green Solutions, an environmental, non-profit organization empowering our community towards sustainable homes, healthy yards and low-impact lifestyles. Reep provides the services, tools, and programs people need to use energy and water wisely.
Reep Green Solutions was founded in 1999 as a joint initiative of the University of Waterloo’s Faculty of Environment and the Elora Environment Centre. The name originally stood for Residential Energy Efficiency Program and was stylized as REEP. Since inception, their programming has expanded to focus on areas beyond residential energy efficiency. The project’s goal of matching academic research with practical action in the community continues today. Reep Green Solutions was incorporated in late 2005 and joined Green Communities Canada, a national association of environmental community groups.
In 2019, Reep Green Solutions celebrated the 20th anniversary of empowering the community with the practical tools, knowledge and capacity for action to make sustainable living the norm. From 1999 to 2019, Reep participants reduced 27,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions through their home renovations. Fourteen thousand workshop attendees learned about topics like managing rainwater on their property, renewable energy, or living a zero-waste lifestyle.
All of Reep’s programs help people live more sustainably through energy efficiency, water conservation, waste reduction and cultivating healthy yards across Waterloo Region and beyond. The Reep House for Sustainable Living demonstrates energy, water and stormwater stewardship in a renovated LEED Platinum 110-year-old home in Kitchener. Our sustainable renovations reduced the energy consumption by 86% and the greenhouse gas emissions to less than half, with more recent additions reducing the carbon further to near zero. Workshops, tours, meetings and events draw people into the Reep House to see what is possible in their own homes.
Programs and services
Sustainable Homes
- EnerGuide Home Energy Audits: In-depth evaluation of energy usage, including analysis of the building envelope, ventilation and heating/cooling systems. Participants receive a list of steps they can take to make their home more sustainable.
- WET Home Water Review: This free review will assess how efficient your home’s fixtures are and highlight areas to make your home use less water.
Healthy Yards & Neighbourhoods
- Backyard Tree Planting: In collaboration with the cities of Cambridge, Kitchener, Waterloo and Guelph, we offer in-person consultations and subsidized trees for homeowners.
- Rain Smart Neighbourhoods: We offer online and in-person advice to help people install rain smart features like rain gardens, infiltration galleries and rain barrels.
- Rain Garden Coach (Guelph): In collaboration with the city of Guelph, we offer in-person coaching to help people build rain gardens.
- Depave Paradise: We work with community groups to help them remove pavement and put in gardens.
- Bloom{in} Box: Our annual spring native plant sale allows people to purchase plants for full sun, part sun and shade.
- Fall Shrub Sale: Shrubs add structure and character to gardens. Our fall sale, usually in October, allows people to purchase native shrubs for their gardens.
Reduce Your Impact
- ClimateActionWR:Together with Sustainable Waterloo Region, we co-lead ClimateActionWR which is responsible for TransformWR, the climate mitigation plan adopted by all 8 municipalities in Waterloo Region.
- Project Neutral: This online calculator allows people to determine their carbon footprint and find ways to reduce it.
- Zero Waste Challenge: Our annual event challenges people to fit all their waste generated over 30 days into a mason jar. Participants can also sign up for a 7-day challenge.
Contact Reep
519-744-7799