Seniors Residence in Former Coal-Mining Hub to be Powered By Renewables

For a century, coal was king in the town of Glace Bay, Nova Scotia. At one time, it had the largest underground coal mining operation in the world, but the last working mine was closed in 2001. In October, when the Newaberdeen Gardens Townhouse complex opens, two former mines will be put to good use -- their water will be used as a source of geothermal energy to power in-floor heating.

Developers Luciano Lisi and Christine Kavanagh say the residences will be completely self-sufficient. In addition to using geothermal energy, they will be powered by a 50-kilowatt wind turbine and solar panels.

Through Nova Scotia’s net metering system, the development will be able to sell any additional energy it produces back to the grid - and it will also have access to the grid’s power if necessary.

The federal government provided a loan of $445,000 to build Newaberdeen Gardens, the rest of the $2 million cost has been covered by a traditional mortgage.

Each of the 16 units is 850 square feet, and designed to look like the traditional houses built for miners at the turn of the 20th Century. The rent will include heat and lights and is expected to be “marginally below current rental levels in the area, with the goal of keeping energy use and cost at its lowest possible level,”