CINXE.COM

<!doctype html> <html lang="en-US"> <head> <meta charset="UTF-8"> <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1"> <link rel="profile" href="https://gmpg.org/xfn/11"> <title>Owner of multi-unit residential sees green as she retrofits her building - Transforming Edmonton</title> <meta name='robots' content='max-image-preview:large' />  <meta name="robots" content="max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1"/> <link rel="canonical" href="https://transforming.edmonton.ca/owner-of-multi-unit-residential-sees-green-as-she-retrofits-her-building/" /> <meta property="og:locale" content="en_US" /> <meta property="og:type" content="article" /> <meta property="og:title" content="Owner of multi-unit residential sees green as she retrofits her building - Transforming Edmonton" /> <meta property="og:description" content="If you ever stroll through Queen Alexandra, you might notice a woman sitting in the charming front yard of her Multi-Unit Residential Building (MURB), enjoying her morning coffee with her tenants. That woman is Terry Tarrabain, and we had the pleasure of chatting with her about her experience moving into and transitioning her building to …" /> <meta property="og:url" content="https://transforming.edmonton.ca/owner-of-multi-unit-residential-sees-green-as-she-retrofits-her-building/" /> <meta property="og:site_name" content="Transforming Edmonton" /> <meta property="article:tag" content="city of edmonton" /> <meta property="article:tag" content="community" /> <meta property="article:tag" content="edmonton" /> <meta property="article:tag" content="electric vehicles" /> <meta property="article:tag" content="environment" /> <meta property="article:tag" content="gardening" /> <meta property="article:tag" content="multi-use residential buildings" /> <meta property="article:tag" content="MURB" /> <meta property="article:tag" content="savings" /> <meta property="article:tag" content="solar panels" /> <meta property="article:tag" content="solar rebate program" /> <meta property="article:section" content="Change for Climate" /> <meta property="article:published_time" content="2024-11-13T17:56:37+00:00" /> <meta property="og:image" content="https://transforming.edmonton.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Terry-MURB-Header.jpg" /> <meta property="og:image:secure_url" content="https://transforming.edmonton.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Terry-MURB-Header.jpg" /> <meta property="og:image:width" content="1200" /> <meta property="og:image:height" content="630" /> <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image" /> <meta name="twitter:description" content="If you ever stroll through Queen Alexandra, you might notice a woman sitting in the charming front yard of her Multi-Unit Residential Building (MURB), enjoying her morning coffee with her tenants. That woman is Terry Tarrabain, and we had the pleasure of chatting with her about her experience moving into and transitioning her building to […]" /> <meta name="twitter:title" content="Owner of multi-unit residential sees green as she retrofits her building - Transforming Edmonton" /> <meta name="twitter:image" content="https://transforming.edmonton.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Terry-MURB-Header.jpg" /> <script type='application/ld+json' class='yoast-schema-graph yoast-schema-graph--main'>{"@context":"https://schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https://transforming.edmonton.ca/#website","url":"https://transforming.edmonton.ca/","name":"Transforming Edmonton","inLanguage":"en-US","description":"Stories about bringing our city vision to life.","potentialAction":{"@type":"SearchAction","target":"https://transforming.edmonton.ca/?s={search_term_string}","query-input":"required name=search_term_string"}},{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https://transforming.edmonton.ca/owner-of-multi-unit-residential-sees-green-as-she-retrofits-her-building/#primaryimage","inLanguage":"en-US","url":"https://transforming.edmonton.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Terry-MURB-Header.jpg","width":1200,"height":630,"caption":"A white brick building with two balconies on the front and a frontyard filled with grey rocks, patio furniture and green plants and trees."},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://transforming.edmonton.ca/owner-of-multi-unit-residential-sees-green-as-she-retrofits-her-building/#webpage","url":"https://transforming.edmonton.ca/owner-of-multi-unit-residential-sees-green-as-she-retrofits-her-building/","name":"Owner of multi-unit residential sees green as she retrofits her building - Transforming Edmonton","isPartOf":{"@id":"https://transforming.edmonton.ca/#website"},"inLanguage":"en-US","primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https://transforming.edmonton.ca/owner-of-multi-unit-residential-sees-green-as-she-retrofits-her-building/#primaryimage"},"datePublished":"2024-11-13T17:56:37+00:00","dateModified":"2024-11-13T17:56:37+00:00","author":{"@id":"https://transforming.edmonton.ca/#/schema/person/2ce0962dd05db9bd3e8475ce3288302d"}},{"@type":["Person"],"@id":"https://transforming.edmonton.ca/#/schema/person/2ce0962dd05db9bd3e8475ce3288302d","name":"City of Edmonton","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https://transforming.edmonton.ca/#authorlogo","inLanguage":"en-US","url":"https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/3fe5a2a3745fecc9e8046f1fc5251568?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"City of Edmonton"},"sameAs":[]}]}</script>  <link rel="alternate" type="application/rss+xml" title="Transforming Edmonton » Feed" href="https://transforming.edmonton.ca/feed/" /> <link rel="alternate" type="application/rss+xml" title="Transforming Edmonton » Comments Feed" href="https://transforming.edmonton.ca/comments/feed/" />     <script type="text/javascript"> window._wpemojiSettings = {"baseUrl":"https:\/\/s.w.org\/images\/core\/emoji\/14.0.0\/72x72\/","ext":".png","svgUrl":"https:\/\/s.w.org\/images\/core\/emoji\/14.0.0\/svg\/","svgExt":".svg","source":{"concatemoji":"https:\/\/transforming.edmonton.ca\/wp-includes\/js\/wp-emoji-release.min.js?ver=6.3.5"}}; /*! This file is auto-generated */ !function(i,n){var o,s,e;function c(e){try{var t={supportTests:e,timestamp:(new Date).valueOf()};sessionStorage.setItem(o,JSON.stringify(t))}catch(e){}}function p(e,t,n){e.clearRect(0,0,e.canvas.width,e.canvas.height),e.fillText(t,0,0);var t=new Uint32Array(e.getImageData(0,0,e.canvas.width,e.canvas.height).data),r=(e.clearRect(0,0,e.canvas.width,e.canvas.height),e.fillText(n,0,0),new Uint32Array(e.getImageData(0,0,e.canvas.width,e.canvas.height).data));return t.every(function(e,t){return e===r[t]})}function u(e,t,n){switch(t){case"flag":return n(e,"\ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\u26a7\ufe0f","\ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200b\u26a7\ufe0f")?!1:!n(e,"\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf3","\ud83c\uddfa\u200b\ud83c\uddf3")&&!n(e,"\ud83c\udff4\udb40\udc67\udb40\udc62\udb40\udc65\udb40\udc6e\udb40\udc67\udb40\udc7f","\ud83c\udff4\u200b\udb40\udc67\u200b\udb40\udc62\u200b\udb40\udc65\u200b\udb40\udc6e\u200b\udb40\udc67\u200b\udb40\udc7f");case"emoji":return!n(e,"\ud83e\udef1\ud83c\udffb\u200d\ud83e\udef2\ud83c\udfff","\ud83e\udef1\ud83c\udffb\u200b\ud83e\udef2\ud83c\udfff")}return!1}function f(e,t,n){var r="undefined"!=typeof WorkerGlobalScope&&self instanceof WorkerGlobalScope?new OffscreenCanvas(300,150):i.createElement("canvas"),a=r.getContext("2d",{willReadFrequently:!0}),o=(a.textBaseline="top",a.font="600 32px Arial",{});return e.forEach(function(e){o[e]=t(a,e,n)}),o}function t(e){var t=i.createElement("script");t.src=e,t.defer=!0,i.head.appendChild(t)}"undefined"!=typeof Promise&&(o="wpEmojiSettingsSupports",s=["flag","emoji"],n.supports={everything:!0,everythingExceptFlag:!0},e=new Promise(function(e){i.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded",e,{once:!0})}),new Promise(function(t){var n=function(){try{var e=JSON.parse(sessionStorage.getItem(o));if("object"==typeof e&&"number"==typeof e.timestamp&&(new Date).valueOf()<e.timestamp+604800&&"object"==typeof e.supportTests)return e.supportTests}catch(e){}return null}();if(!n){if("undefined"!=typeof Worker&&"undefined"!=typeof OffscreenCanvas&&"undefined"!=typeof URL&&URL.createObjectURL&&"undefined"!=typeof Blob)try{var e="postMessage("+f.toString()+"("+[JSON.stringify(s),u.toString(),p.toString()].join(",")+"));",r=new Blob([e],{type:"text/javascript"}),a=new Worker(URL.createObjectURL(r),{name:"wpTestEmojiSupports"});return void(a.onmessage=function(e){c(n=e.data),a.terminate(),t(n)})}catch(e){}c(n=f(s,u,p))}t(n)}).then(function(e){for(var t in e)n.supports[t]=e[t],n.supports.everything=n.supports.everything&&n.supports[t],"flag"!==t&&(n.supports.everythingExceptFlag=n.supports.everythingExceptFlag&&n.supports[t]);n.supports.everythingExceptFlag=n.supports.everythingExceptFlag&&!n.supports.flag,n.DOMReady=!1,n.readyCallback=function(){n.DOMReady=!0}}).then(function(){return e}).then(function(){var e;n.supports.everything||(n.readyCallback(),(e=n.source||{}).concatemoji?t(e.concatemoji):e.wpemoji&&e.twemoji&&(t(e.twemoji),t(e.wpemoji)))}))}((window,document),window._wpemojiSettings); </script> <style type="text/css"> img.wp-smiley, img.emoji { display: inline !important; border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; height: 1em !important; width: 1em !important; margin: 0 0.07em !important; vertical-align: -0.1em !important; background: none !important; padding: 0 !important; } </style> <link rel='stylesheet' id='wp-block-library-css' href='https://transforming.edmonton.ca/wp-includes/css/dist/block-library/style.min.css?ver=6.3.5' type='text/css' media='all' /> <style id='classic-theme-styles-inline-css' type='text/css'> /*! This file is auto-generated */ .wp-block-button__link{color:#fff;background-color:#32373c;border-radius:9999px;box-shadow:none;text-decoration:none;padding:calc(.667em + 2px) calc(1.333em + 2px);font-size:1.125em}.wp-block-file__button{background:#32373c;color:#fff;text-decoration:none} </style> <style id='global-styles-inline-css' type='text/css'> body{--wp--preset--color--black: #000000;--wp--preset--color--cyan-bluish-gray: #abb8c3;--wp--preset--color--white: #ffffff;--wp--preset--color--pale-pink: #f78da7;--wp--preset--color--vivid-red: #cf2e2e;--wp--preset--color--luminous-vivid-orange: #ff6900;--wp--preset--color--luminous-vivid-amber: #fcb900;--wp--preset--color--light-green-cyan: #7bdcb5;--wp--preset--color--vivid-green-cyan: #00d084;--wp--preset--color--pale-cyan-blue: #8ed1fc;--wp--preset--color--vivid-cyan-blue: #0693e3;--wp--preset--color--vivid-purple: #9b51e0;--wp--preset--gradient--vivid-cyan-blue-to-vivid-purple: linear-gradient(135deg,rgba(6,147,227,1) 0%,rgb(155,81,224) 100%);--wp--preset--gradient--light-green-cyan-to-vivid-green-cyan: linear-gradient(135deg,rgb(122,220,180) 0%,rgb(0,208,130) 100%);--wp--preset--gradient--luminous-vivid-amber-to-luminous-vivid-orange: linear-gradient(135deg,rgba(252,185,0,1) 0%,rgba(255,105,0,1) 100%);--wp--preset--gradient--luminous-vivid-orange-to-vivid-red: linear-gradient(135deg,rgba(255,105,0,1) 0%,rgb(207,46,46) 100%);--wp--preset--gradient--very-light-gray-to-cyan-bluish-gray: linear-gradient(135deg,rgb(238,238,238) 0%,rgb(169,184,195) 100%);--wp--preset--gradient--cool-to-warm-spectrum: linear-gradient(135deg,rgb(74,234,220) 0%,rgb(151,120,209) 20%,rgb(207,42,186) 40%,rgb(238,44,130) 60%,rgb(251,105,98) 80%,rgb(254,248,76) 100%);--wp--preset--gradient--blush-light-purple: linear-gradient(135deg,rgb(255,206,236) 0%,rgb(152,150,240) 100%);--wp--preset--gradient--blush-bordeaux: linear-gradient(135deg,rgb(254,205,165) 0%,rgb(254,45,45) 50%,rgb(107,0,62) 100%);--wp--preset--gradient--luminous-dusk: linear-gradient(135deg,rgb(255,203,112) 0%,rgb(199,81,192) 50%,rgb(65,88,208) 100%);--wp--preset--gradient--pale-ocean: linear-gradient(135deg,rgb(255,245,203) 0%,rgb(182,227,212) 50%,rgb(51,167,181) 100%);--wp--preset--gradient--electric-grass: linear-gradient(135deg,rgb(202,248,128) 0%,rgb(113,206,126) 100%);--wp--preset--gradient--midnight: linear-gradient(135deg,rgb(2,3,129) 0%,rgb(40,116,252) 100%);--wp--preset--font-size--small: 13px;--wp--preset--font-size--medium: 20px;--wp--preset--font-size--large: 36px;--wp--preset--font-size--x-large: 42px;--wp--preset--spacing--20: 0.44rem;--wp--preset--spacing--30: 0.67rem;--wp--preset--spacing--40: 1rem;--wp--preset--spacing--50: 1.5rem;--wp--preset--spacing--60: 2.25rem;--wp--preset--spacing--70: 3.38rem;--wp--preset--spacing--80: 5.06rem;--wp--preset--shadow--natural: 6px 6px 9px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2);--wp--preset--shadow--deep: 12px 12px 50px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.4);--wp--preset--shadow--sharp: 6px 6px 0px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2);--wp--preset--shadow--outlined: 6px 6px 0px -3px rgba(255, 255, 255, 1), 6px 6px rgba(0, 0, 0, 1);--wp--preset--shadow--crisp: 6px 6px 0px rgba(0, 0, 0, 1);}:where(.is-layout-flex){gap: 0.5em;}:where(.is-layout-grid){gap: 0.5em;}body .is-layout-flow > .alignleft{float: left;margin-inline-start: 0;margin-inline-end: 2em;}body .is-layout-flow > .alignright{float: right;margin-inline-start: 2em;margin-inline-end: 0;}body .is-layout-flow > .aligncenter{margin-left: auto !important;margin-right: auto !important;}body .is-layout-constrained > .alignleft{float: left;margin-inline-start: 0;margin-inline-end: 2em;}body .is-layout-constrained > .alignright{float: right;margin-inline-start: 2em;margin-inline-end: 0;}body .is-layout-constrained > .aligncenter{margin-left: auto !important;margin-right: auto !important;}body .is-layout-constrained > :where(:not(.alignleft):not(.alignright):not(.alignfull)){max-width: var(--wp--style--global--content-size);margin-left: auto !important;margin-right: auto !important;}body .is-layout-constrained > .alignwide{max-width: var(--wp--style--global--wide-size);}body .is-layout-flex{display: flex;}body .is-layout-flex{flex-wrap: wrap;align-items: center;}body .is-layout-flex > *{margin: 0;}body .is-layout-grid{display: grid;}body .is-layout-grid > *{margin: 0;}:where(.wp-block-columns.is-layout-flex){gap: 2em;}:where(.wp-block-columns.is-layout-grid){gap: 2em;}:where(.wp-block-post-template.is-layout-flex){gap: 1.25em;}:where(.wp-block-post-template.is-layout-grid){gap: 1.25em;}.has-black-color{color: var(--wp--preset--color--black) !important;}.has-cyan-bluish-gray-color{color: var(--wp--preset--color--cyan-bluish-gray) !important;}.has-white-color{color: var(--wp--preset--color--white) !important;}.has-pale-pink-color{color: var(--wp--preset--color--pale-pink) !important;}.has-vivid-red-color{color: var(--wp--preset--color--vivid-red) !important;}.has-luminous-vivid-orange-color{color: var(--wp--preset--color--luminous-vivid-orange) !important;}.has-luminous-vivid-amber-color{color: var(--wp--preset--color--luminous-vivid-amber) !important;}.has-light-green-cyan-color{color: var(--wp--preset--color--light-green-cyan) !important;}.has-vivid-green-cyan-color{color: var(--wp--preset--color--vivid-green-cyan) !important;}.has-pale-cyan-blue-color{color: var(--wp--preset--color--pale-cyan-blue) !important;}.has-vivid-cyan-blue-color{color: var(--wp--preset--color--vivid-cyan-blue) !important;}.has-vivid-purple-color{color: var(--wp--preset--color--vivid-purple) !important;}.has-black-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--black) !important;}.has-cyan-bluish-gray-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--cyan-bluish-gray) !important;}.has-white-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--white) !important;}.has-pale-pink-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--pale-pink) !important;}.has-vivid-red-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--vivid-red) !important;}.has-luminous-vivid-orange-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--luminous-vivid-orange) !important;}.has-luminous-vivid-amber-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--luminous-vivid-amber) !important;}.has-light-green-cyan-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--light-green-cyan) !important;}.has-vivid-green-cyan-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--vivid-green-cyan) !important;}.has-pale-cyan-blue-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--pale-cyan-blue) !important;}.has-vivid-cyan-blue-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--vivid-cyan-blue) !important;}.has-vivid-purple-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--vivid-purple) !important;}.has-black-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--black) !important;}.has-cyan-bluish-gray-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--cyan-bluish-gray) !important;}.has-white-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--white) !important;}.has-pale-pink-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--pale-pink) !important;}.has-vivid-red-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--vivid-red) !important;}.has-luminous-vivid-orange-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--luminous-vivid-orange) !important;}.has-luminous-vivid-amber-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--luminous-vivid-amber) !important;}.has-light-green-cyan-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--light-green-cyan) !important;}.has-vivid-green-cyan-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--vivid-green-cyan) !important;}.has-pale-cyan-blue-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--pale-cyan-blue) !important;}.has-vivid-cyan-blue-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--vivid-cyan-blue) !important;}.has-vivid-purple-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--vivid-purple) !important;}.has-vivid-cyan-blue-to-vivid-purple-gradient-background{background: var(--wp--preset--gradient--vivid-cyan-blue-to-vivid-purple) !important;}.has-light-green-cyan-to-vivid-green-cyan-gradient-background{background: var(--wp--preset--gradient--light-green-cyan-to-vivid-green-cyan) !important;}.has-luminous-vivid-amber-to-luminous-vivid-orange-gradient-background{background: var(--wp--preset--gradient--luminous-vivid-amber-to-luminous-vivid-orange) !important;}.has-luminous-vivid-orange-to-vivid-red-gradient-background{background: var(--wp--preset--gradient--luminous-vivid-orange-to-vivid-red) !important;}.has-very-light-gray-to-cyan-bluish-gray-gradient-background{background: var(--wp--preset--gradient--very-light-gray-to-cyan-bluish-gray) !important;}.has-cool-to-warm-spectrum-gradient-background{background: var(--wp--preset--gradient--cool-to-warm-spectrum) !important;}.has-blush-light-purple-gradient-background{background: var(--wp--preset--gradient--blush-light-purple) !important;}.has-blush-bordeaux-gradient-background{background: var(--wp--preset--gradient--blush-bordeaux) !important;}.has-luminous-dusk-gradient-background{background: var(--wp--preset--gradient--luminous-dusk) !important;}.has-pale-ocean-gradient-background{background: var(--wp--preset--gradient--pale-ocean) !important;}.has-electric-grass-gradient-background{background: var(--wp--preset--gradient--electric-grass) !important;}.has-midnight-gradient-background{background: var(--wp--preset--gradient--midnight) !important;}.has-small-font-size{font-size: var(--wp--preset--font-size--small) !important;}.has-medium-font-size{font-size: var(--wp--preset--font-size--medium) !important;}.has-large-font-size{font-size: var(--wp--preset--font-size--large) !important;}.has-x-large-font-size{font-size: var(--wp--preset--font-size--x-large) !important;} .wp-block-navigation a:where(:not(.wp-element-button)){color: inherit;} :where(.wp-block-post-template.is-layout-flex){gap: 1.25em;}:where(.wp-block-post-template.is-layout-grid){gap: 1.25em;} :where(.wp-block-columns.is-layout-flex){gap: 2em;}:where(.wp-block-columns.is-layout-grid){gap: 2em;} .wp-block-pullquote{font-size: 1.5em;line-height: 1.6;} </style> <link rel='stylesheet' id='secondline-psb-subscribe-button-styles-css' href='https://transforming.edmonton.ca/wp-content/plugins/podcast-subscribe-buttons/assets/css/secondline-psb-styles.css?ver=6.3.5' type='text/css' media='all' /> <link rel='stylesheet' id='the_bridge-style-css' href='https://transforming.edmonton.ca/wp-content/themes/the_bridge/style.css?ver=6.3.5' type='text/css' media='all' /> <script type='text/javascript' src='https://transforming.edmonton.ca/wp-includes/js/jquery/jquery.min.js?ver=3.7.0' id='jquery-core-js'></script> <script type='text/javascript' src='https://transforming.edmonton.ca/wp-includes/js/jquery/jquery-migrate.min.js?ver=3.4.1' id='jquery-migrate-js'></script> <link rel="https://api.w.org/" href="https://transforming.edmonton.ca/wp-json/" /><link rel="alternate" type="application/json" href="https://transforming.edmonton.ca/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/27809" /><link rel="EditURI" type="application/rsd+xml" title="RSD" href="https://transforming.edmonton.ca/xmlrpc.php?rsd" /> <meta name="generator" content="WordPress 6.3.5" /> <link rel='shortlink' href='https://transforming.edmonton.ca/?p=27809' /> <link rel="alternate" type="application/json+oembed" href="https://transforming.edmonton.ca/wp-json/oembed/1.0/embed?url=https%3A%2F%2Ftransforming.edmonton.ca%2Fowner-of-multi-unit-residential-sees-green-as-she-retrofits-her-building%2F" /> <link rel="alternate" type="text/xml+oembed" href="https://transforming.edmonton.ca/wp-json/oembed/1.0/embed?url=https%3A%2F%2Ftransforming.edmonton.ca%2Fowner-of-multi-unit-residential-sees-green-as-she-retrofits-her-building%2F&format=xml" /> <link rel="stylesheet" href="https://use.typekit.net/wls2zmi.css"><link rel="icon" href="https://transforming.edmonton.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/cropped-edm-logo-blue-m-150x150.png" sizes="32x32" /> <link rel="icon" href="https://transforming.edmonton.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/cropped-edm-logo-blue-m-300x300.png" sizes="192x192" /> <link rel="apple-touch-icon" href="https://transforming.edmonton.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/cropped-edm-logo-blue-m-300x300.png" /> <meta name="msapplication-TileImage" content="https://transforming.edmonton.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/cropped-edm-logo-blue-m-300x300.png" /> <style type="text/css" id="wp-custom-css"> #podcast-subscribe-button-23154{ max-width: 580px; margin: 1rem auto;} .podcast-image, [id^="buzzsprout-player"] { max-width: 580px!important; margin: 1rem auto!important; } .entry-content h2, .entry-content h4 {margin-top: 1.5em!important;} </style>  <script async src="https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtag/js?id=G-ST2DKFGEFZ"></script> <script> window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; function gtag(){dataLayer.push(arguments);} gtag('js', new Date()); gtag('config', 'G-ST2DKFGEFZ'); </script> </head> <body class="post-template-default single single-post postid-27809 single-format-standard wp-custom-logo no-sidebar"> <div id="page" class="site"> <a class="skip-link screen-reader-text" href="#content">Skip to content</a> <header id="masthead" class="site-header"> <div class="site-branding--banner"> <div id="site-banner" class="site-banner"> <div class="site--banner-img" style="background-image: url(https://transforming.edmonton.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/22-03-70-TE-masthead-1440x550-06-JUNE-r00.jpg);"></div> <div class="site__wordmark"> <div class="container"> <img src="https://transforming.edmonton.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/TRN-wordmark.png" alt="Transforming Edmonton" > </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="site__mobile-menu" id="site__mobile-menu"> <div class="site-branding--wrapper"> <div class="progress-bar"></div> <div class="container"> <div class="site-branding"> <a href="https://transforming.edmonton.ca/" class="custom-logo-link" rel="home"><img width="196" height="196" src="https://transforming.edmonton.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/edm-logo-blue-m-200.png" class="custom-logo" alt="City of Edmonton" decoding="async" srcset="https://transforming.edmonton.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/edm-logo-blue-m-200.png 196w, https://transforming.edmonton.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/edm-logo-blue-m-200-150x150.png 150w" sizes="(max-width: 196px) 100vw, 196px" /></a> <p class="site-title screen-reader-text"><a href="https://transforming.edmonton.ca/" rel="home">Transforming Edmonton</a></p> <p class="site-description screen-reader-text">Stories about bringing our city vision to life.</p> </div> <button class="hamburger hamburger--stand menu-toggle" aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="primary-menu" type="button">Menu <span class="hamburger-box"> <span class="hamburger-inner"></span> </span> </button> <div class="mobile-menu-wrap search__wrapper-wrap"> <div class="desktop-only search-form-trigger"></div> <form role="search" method="get" class="search-form" action="https://transforming.edmonton.ca/"> <label> <span class="screen-reader-text">Search for:</span> </label> <input type="search" class="search-field" placeholder="Search..." value="" name="s" /> <input type="submit" class="search-submit" value="Search"></input> </form> <nav id="utility-navigation" class="utility-navigation" aria-label="Utility menu"> </nav> <nav id="site-navigation" class="main-navigation mobile-only" aria-label="Main menu"> <div class="container"> <h5>Filter posts by topic</h5> <div class="menu-main-menu-container"><ul id="primary-menu" class="menu nav-menu primary-menu"><li id="menu-item-5005" class="menu-item menu-item-type-taxonomy menu-item-object-category menu-item-5005"><a href="https://transforming.edmonton.ca/category/community/">Community</a></li> <li id="menu-item-5055" class="menu-item menu-item-type-taxonomy menu-item-object-category menu-item-5055"><a href="https://transforming.edmonton.ca/category/urban-network/">Urban network</a></li> <li id="menu-item-5013" class="menu-item menu-item-type-taxonomy menu-item-object-category menu-item-5013"><a href="https://transforming.edmonton.ca/category/economy/">Economy</a></li> <li id="menu-item-26311" class="menu-item menu-item-type-taxonomy menu-item-object-category current-post-ancestor current-menu-parent current-post-parent menu-item-26311"><a href="https://transforming.edmonton.ca/category/change-for-climate/">Change for Climate</a></li> <li id="menu-item-23280" class="menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-23280"><a href="https://transforming.edmonton.ca/msp/">Making Space Podcast</a></li> <li id="menu-item-26320" class="menu-item menu-item-type-taxonomy menu-item-object-category menu-item-26320"><a href="https://transforming.edmonton.ca/category/our-stories/">Our stories</a></li> <li id="menu-item-27415" class="menu-item menu-item-type-taxonomy menu-item-object-category menu-item-27415"><a href="https://transforming.edmonton.ca/category/meet-me-downtown/">#MeetMeDowntown</a></li> </ul></div> </div> </nav> </div> </div> </div> <nav id="site-navigation" class="main-navigation desktop-only" aria-label="Main menu"> <div class="container"> <div class="menu-main-menu-container"><ul id="primary-menu" class="menu nav-menu primary-menu"><li class="menu-item menu-item-type-taxonomy menu-item-object-category menu-item-5005"><a href="https://transforming.edmonton.ca/category/community/">Community</a></li> <li class="menu-item menu-item-type-taxonomy menu-item-object-category menu-item-5055"><a href="https://transforming.edmonton.ca/category/urban-network/">Urban network</a></li> <li class="menu-item menu-item-type-taxonomy menu-item-object-category menu-item-5013"><a href="https://transforming.edmonton.ca/category/economy/">Economy</a></li> <li class="menu-item menu-item-type-taxonomy menu-item-object-category current-post-ancestor current-menu-parent current-post-parent menu-item-26311"><a href="https://transforming.edmonton.ca/category/change-for-climate/">Change for Climate</a></li> <li class="menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-23280"><a href="https://transforming.edmonton.ca/msp/">Making Space Podcast</a></li> <li class="menu-item menu-item-type-taxonomy menu-item-object-category menu-item-26320"><a href="https://transforming.edmonton.ca/category/our-stories/">Our stories</a></li> <li class="menu-item menu-item-type-taxonomy menu-item-object-category menu-item-27415"><a href="https://transforming.edmonton.ca/category/meet-me-downtown/">#MeetMeDowntown</a></li> </ul></div> </div> </nav> </div> </header> <div id="content" class="site-content"> <div id="primary" class="content-area"> <main id="main" class="site-main"> <div class="container"> <article id="post-27809" class="content__single-post post-27809 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-change-for-climate tag-city-of-edmonton tag-community tag-edmonton tag-electric-vehicles tag-environment tag-gardening tag-multi-use-residential-buildings tag-murb tag-savings tag-solar-panels tag-solar-rebate-program"> <div id="single__banner" class="single__banner"> <div class="single__banner-img" style="background: url(https://transforming.edmonton.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Terry-MURB-Header.jpg) center center no-repeat; background-size: cover;"></div> </div> <header class="content__single-entry entry-header content__single-thumb"> <h1 class="entry-title">Owner of multi-unit residential sees green as she retrofits her building</h1> <div class="content__entry-meta"> <span class="byline"> by <span class="author vcard">City of Edmonton</span></span> | <span class="posted-on">Posted on <time class="entry-date published updated" datetime="2024-11-13T10:56:37-07:00">November 13, 2024</time></span> </div> </header> <div class="entry-content"> <p>If you ever stroll through Queen Alexandra, you might notice a woman sitting in the charming front yard of her Multi-Unit Residential Building (MURB), enjoying her morning coffee with her tenants. That woman is Terry Tarrabain, and we had the pleasure of chatting with her about her experience moving into and transitioning her building to solar energy.</p> <p>On a pleasant afternoon, Tarrabain graciously introduced us to her newly retrofitted home, inviting us to sit with her outside in the beautiful front yard where bees and birds flitted around her artistic water fountain.</p> <p>“When my husband and I first purchased this property, it was nothing like this,” she said, gesturing to the upgraded features—the fresh wall paint, the new furniture, the windows and the backyard.</p> <p>“One of our tenants loves gardening, so we set up two garden plots for her and the others,” Tarrabain explained. “And since my husband and I don’t drive much, [and] being outdoorsy people, we decided to turn our garage into a lovely space for hosting outdoor gatherings.”</p> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img decoding="async" fetchpriority="high" width="1024" height="538" src="https://transforming.edmonton.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Terry-MURB-BackyardGarden-1024x538.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-27811" style="width:575px" srcset="https://transforming.edmonton.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Terry-MURB-BackyardGarden-1024x538.jpg 1024w, https://transforming.edmonton.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Terry-MURB-BackyardGarden-300x158.jpg 300w, https://transforming.edmonton.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Terry-MURB-BackyardGarden-768x403.jpg 768w, https://transforming.edmonton.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Terry-MURB-BackyardGarden-640x336.jpg 640w, https://transforming.edmonton.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Terry-MURB-BackyardGarden.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption"><em><em>Raised garden beds and sheds in the backyard.</em></em></figcaption></figure></div> <p>Having purchased the land from an elderly person who insisted on keeping the property as a MURB, Tarrabain said one of their biggest motivations to move into such a building was its prime location and the ability to live close to people they care about. “This place is within walking distance to everything,” she said. “I live with my husband, my children, some of our lifelong friends, and we barely have to drive for our daily needs.”</p> <p>Tarrabain never considered herself an environmentalist. Her decisions were always guided by practicality and financial sense rather than a desire to save the planet. But as she embarked on her retrofitting journey, she found herself exploring options that, surprisingly, aligned with a greener lifestyle.</p> <p>It all started when Tarrabain began considering the possibility of switching to solar. At first, the idea of installing solar panels seemed like an expensive and unnecessary investment. But when she realized she could recoup a significant portion of the cost through rebates from the City of Edmonton’s Solar Rebate Program, the numbers began to make sense. “Without the solar rebate program, I would have thought twice about this decision,” Tarrabain admitted. “It is a big decision to make.”</p> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img decoding="async" width="1024" height="538" src="https://transforming.edmonton.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Terry-MURB-BackyardPatio-1024x538.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-27813" style="width:575px" srcset="https://transforming.edmonton.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Terry-MURB-BackyardPatio-1024x538.jpg 1024w, https://transforming.edmonton.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Terry-MURB-BackyardPatio-300x158.jpg 300w, https://transforming.edmonton.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Terry-MURB-BackyardPatio-768x403.jpg 768w, https://transforming.edmonton.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Terry-MURB-BackyardPatio-640x336.jpg 640w, https://transforming.edmonton.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Terry-MURB-BackyardPatio.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption"><em><em>Terry Tarrabain’s backyard patio.</em></em></figcaption></figure></div> <p>The process was straightforward. Tarrabain had the panels installed on the roof of her building; it was a smooth transition with no resistance from the tenants. In fact, they were enthusiastic about the idea, especially when she explained that their utilities would now be included in the rent. For them, it was a win-win situation—no more fluctuating utility bills, and they were contributing to a more sustainable living environment without any extra effort.</p> <p>Tarrabain didn’t make these changes out of a deep concern for the environment, but she couldn’t help noticing the positive impact her choices were having. The building’s energy consumption dropped significantly, and the tenants were thrilled with the consistent utility costs. Even the water fountains she had installed as part of the building’s retrofitting—originally intended to enhance the property’s appeal—were becoming small havens for animals seeking water on hot, sunny days, contributing to the local ecosystem.</p> <p>These recent changes gave Tarrabain a sense of accomplishment, and it wasn’t long before she started contemplating her next move: investing in an electric vehicle (EV).</p> <p>“I’m doing this as a long-term investment,” she reflected. “My children will be around to benefit from the investments I’m making today. It’s not just about the immediate return—it’s about what these changes will mean in the years to come.”</p> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img decoding="async" width="1024" height="538" src="https://transforming.edmonton.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Terry-MURB-BackyardGardenAndRainBarrel-1024x538.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-27812" style="width:575px" srcset="https://transforming.edmonton.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Terry-MURB-BackyardGardenAndRainBarrel-1024x538.jpg 1024w, https://transforming.edmonton.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Terry-MURB-BackyardGardenAndRainBarrel-300x158.jpg 300w, https://transforming.edmonton.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Terry-MURB-BackyardGardenAndRainBarrel-768x403.jpg 768w, https://transforming.edmonton.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Terry-MURB-BackyardGardenAndRainBarrel-640x336.jpg 640w, https://transforming.edmonton.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Terry-MURB-BackyardGardenAndRainBarrel.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption"><em>Left: raised garden beds. Right: rain barrel.</em></figcaption></figure></div> <p>As Tarrabain mulled over the decision, her motivations were evolving. While still heavily driven by the financial incentives, she was increasingly aware of the legacy she was building—not just for herself, but for her children and the community around her.</p> <p>Whether or not the environment was at the top of her list of values, Tarrabain saw the undeniable logic in making greener choices. The solar panels, the energy-efficient retrofitting, and now the potential EV purchase—they all made financial sense, but they also contributed to a more convenient and sustainable future.</p> <p>Tarrabain had stumbled into the world of eco-friendly living not by passion, but by pragmatism. And in a world where resources are finite and costs are rising, it seemed only rational to switch to greener energy.</p> <p>The <a href="https://homes.changeforclimate.ca/solar-rebate-program/">solar rebate for MURBs</a> opened July 2 and runs until December.</p> <p><em><strong>Editor’s note</strong>: the pic at the top of the post shows Terry Tarrabain’s multi-unit residential building (MURB).</em></p> </div> </article> </div> <nav id="content__social-icons" class="content__social-icons">  <ul class="content__share-list"> <li class="desktop-only desktop-only__large">Share</li> <li class="content__share-list-item twitter"> <a class="content__share-list-item-link" href="https://twitter.com/share?url=https://transforming.edmonton.ca/owner-of-multi-unit-residential-sees-green-as-she-retrofits-her-building/;text=Owner of multi-unit residential sees green as she retrofits her building;tags=TransformingEdmonton" target="_blank" alt="Share page on Twitter"> <svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="50" height="50" viewBox="0 0 50 50"> <path fill="#585858" fill-rule="nonzero" d="M25 0C11.195 0 0 11.195 0 25s11.195 25 25 25 25-11.195 25-25S38.805 0 25 0zm11.415 19.492c.01.246.016.494.016.742 0 7.582-5.772 16.326-16.326 16.326-3.241 0-6.257-.95-8.796-2.577.449.053.906.08 1.369.08 2.688 0 5.163-.918 7.127-2.457a5.745 5.745 0 0 1-5.361-3.986 5.711 5.711 0 0 0 2.592-.098 5.74 5.74 0 0 1-4.604-5.625v-.073c.774.43 1.658.688 2.6.717a5.733 5.733 0 0 1-2.554-4.776c0-1.051.284-2.036.777-2.884a16.292 16.292 0 0 0 11.828 5.995 5.74 5.74 0 0 1 9.778-5.233 11.51 11.51 0 0 0 3.644-1.392 5.76 5.76 0 0 1-2.523 3.173 11.444 11.444 0 0 0 3.295-.903 11.661 11.661 0 0 1-2.862 2.971z"/> </svg> </a> </li> <li class="content__share-list-item facebook"> <a class="content__share-list-item-link" href="https://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https://transforming.edmonton.ca/owner-of-multi-unit-residential-sees-green-as-she-retrofits-her-building/" target="_blank" alt="Share page on Facebook"> <svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="50" height="50" viewBox="0 0 50 50"> <g fill="none" fill-rule="nonzero"> <path fill="#000" d="M29 49.944zM29.15 48.969c-.1.022-.2.042-.3.062.1-.02.2-.04.3-.062zM27 49.957zM28.176 49.974zM30.132 48.967zM31.106 48.965l-.212.07.212-.07zM31.116 48.964l-.232.072c.077-.023.155-.047.232-.072zM30.123 48.967c-.081.023-.164.044-.246.066.082-.022.165-.043.246-.066zM27 49.982z"/> <path fill="#585858" d="M50 25C50 11.195 38.805 0 25 0S0 11.195 0 25s11.195 25 25 25c.147 0 .293-.003.44-.006V30.533h-5.372v-6.26h5.371v-4.606c0-5.342 3.262-8.25 8.027-8.25 2.282 0 4.243.17 4.815.246v5.584h-3.286c-2.592 0-3.094 1.232-3.094 3.04v3.986H38.1l-.808 6.26H31.9v18.501C42.35 46.038 50 36.411 50 25z"/> <path fill="#000" d="M26 49.977zM26 49.994z"/> </g> </svg> </a> </li> <li class="content__share-list-item linkedin"> <a class="content__share-list-item-link--linkedin" href="https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https://transforming.edmonton.ca/owner-of-multi-unit-residential-sees-green-as-she-retrofits-her-building/" target="_blank" alt="Share page on Linkedin"> <svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="50" height="50" viewBox="0 0 50 50"> <path fill="#585858" fill-rule="nonzero" d="M25 0C11.195 0 0 11.195 0 25s11.195 25 25 25 25-11.195 25-25S38.805 0 25 0zm-7.265 37.793h-6.088V19.475h6.088v18.318zm-3.044-20.82h-.04c-2.043 0-3.364-1.406-3.364-3.163 0-1.798 1.362-3.165 3.445-3.165 2.082 0 3.364 1.367 3.404 3.165 0 1.757-1.322 3.164-3.445 3.164zm24.999 20.82h-6.088v-9.8c0-2.462-.882-4.142-3.085-4.142-1.682 0-2.683 1.133-3.124 2.227-.16.391-.2.938-.2 1.485v10.23h-6.088s.08-16.6 0-18.318h6.088v2.594c.81-1.248 2.257-3.024 5.487-3.024 4.006 0 7.01 2.618 7.01 8.245v10.503z"/> </svg> </a> </li> </ul>  </nav> </main> </div> <section class="content__related-posts"> <div class="content__related-posts-wrapper"> <div class="container"> <div class="entry-content"> <h6>Read more posts on this topic</h6> <ul clss="content__related-post-content"> <li> <a href="https://transforming.edmonton.ca/a-simple-plan-to-add-a-bedroom-turns-into-a-net-zero-home-renovation/">A simple plan to add a bedroom turns into a net-zero home renovation</a> <div class="content__entry-meta"> October 21, 2024 </div> </li> <li> <a href="https://transforming.edmonton.ca/edmonton-family-grows-a-love-for-nature-and-climate-action/">Edmonton family grows a love for nature … and climate action</a> <div class="content__entry-meta"> August 19, 2024 </div> </li> </ul> <a href="https://transforming.edmonton.ca/category/change-for-climate/" class="button" title="Change for Climate">See more posts</a> </div> </div> </div> </section> <script> // scrollProgress.js init window.addEventListener('load', function() { setTimeout(function() { var progressBar = document.querySelector('.progress-bar'); function onProgress(x, y) { progressBar.style.width = y * 100 + '%'; } self.progressObserver = new ScrollProgress(onProgress); }, 100) }); </script> </div> <footer id="colophon" class="site__footer"> <div class="container"> <header class="footer__content"> <div class="footer_logo"> <a href="https://transforming.edmonton.ca/" rel="home">Transforming Edmonton <img src="https://transforming.edmonton.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/edm-logo-black-s.jpg" alt="Transforming Edmonton" > </a> </div> <nav class="footer-navigation" aria-label="Footer Menu"> <div class="menu-footer-menu-container"><ul id="footer-menu" class="footer-menu"><li id="menu-item-5793" class="menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-5793"><a href="https://transforming.edmonton.ca/contact/">Contact</a></li> <li id="menu-item-24016" class="menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-24016"><a href="https://transforming.edmonton.ca/about-transforming-edmonton-2/">About</a></li> </ul></div> </nav> </header> <div class="footer__info"> © 2024 <a href='https://cityofedmonton.ca'>City of Edmonton</a>. All rights reserved. </div> </div> </footer> </div> <script type='text/javascript' src='https://transforming.edmonton.ca/wp-content/plugins/podcast-subscribe-buttons/assets/js/modal.min.js?ver=1.0.0' id='secondline_psb_button_modal_script-js'></script> <script type='text/javascript' src='https://transforming.edmonton.ca/wp-content/themes/the_bridge/app.js?ver=null' id='the_bridge-styles-js'></script> <script type='text/javascript' src='https://transforming.edmonton.ca/wp-content/themes/the_bridge/js/navigation.js?ver=20151215' id='the_bridge-navigation-js'></script> <script type='text/javascript' src='https://transforming.edmonton.ca/wp-content/themes/the_bridge/js/skip-link-focus-fix.js?ver=20151215' id='the_bridge-skip-link-focus-fix-js'></script> <script type='text/javascript' src='https://transforming.edmonton.ca/wp-content/themes/the_bridge/js/scrollProgress.js?ver=20191215' id='the_bridge-scrollProgress-js'></script> </body> </html>