Number Six is going green. Tricia Helfer, acting sensation and Cylon from Battlestar Galactica, the acclaimed Sci-Fi TV drama series, has left that distant part of the universe and come back to earth, back to her grassroots in beautiful western Canada. A native of Alberta, the star has revealed that she plans to ‘go green’ by building an ‘off-the-grid’ retreat. We reached her online at her home in Los Angeles and asked her a few questions regarding her ambition to build a green home and live in a sustainable manner.
Questions & Answers:
What inspired you to build a green home?
Helfer: Well, we are a ways off of actually building it yet. I’ve been talking about it for almost two years and have gotten some flak for it not being built yet, but we don’t mind taking our time. It’s a vacation home so there is no rush and we want to make sure we do it right. A few years ago we underwent a massive renovation on our home in L.A and, although we are very happy with most of the house, we were shocked at how “ungreen” we did it. We assumed that all the options would be readily out there or offered to us by all the people involved in the build, but not one green technology was. My husband and I were both working insane hours at our jobs and I was most of the time in Vancouver filming Battlestar Galactica, so we didn’t take enough attention. I was so overwhelmed with trying to pick everything out while on weekend trips back to L.A that, to be honest, I ended up on ulcer and anxiety medicine.
Renovating is incredibly hard, especially when you don’t have an interior designer and have an architect that left a lot to be desired. After we moved back in, we realized we were so incredibly ignorant not to include even the basic green technologies. We have since put in solar panels for the pool and are currently revamping the yard to be more desert landscape, like the area should be, instead of tropical. Hence, when we started on the Alberta project we made a decision to try to be the opposite and see how green we could go. Initially, we wanted to go prefab but couldn’t find anything in Canada that had the modern architecture that we were looking for. We then hired an architect and began the back and forth process of designing the house from scratch. Then, as life usually presents itself, just as we were about to sign off and go to blueprints, my husband discovered a prefab company out of Toronto, Mafco House, that was exactly what we were looking for. We are now in the back and forth process with Mafco but nearing the end.
What part will you play in the planning/design of the home?
Helfer: After our L.A experience, I told my husband that we had to divide and conquer, so to speak, and that he should do more of the structure and green technologies, and I would do the interior. Obviously, we both pay attention to all, but I am much less informed on “green” than he is at this point. Until I have the final design of the house, I’m not going to start doing the interior. My husband has been working closely with green consultants in Alberta who are overseeing the project. We just also came across a company that deals with interior green design that I will probably be working closely with when we get to that phase. We have final decisions but we are not kidding ourselves and pretending that we are experts in this field.
What advice do you have for people aspiring to go green?
Helfer: I’d say start reading. There is so much out there but so little utilized in the day to day life. It’s shocking, actually, how much more could be easily done. I am certainly the lazy partner of this build, but my husband has done a massive amount of reading and educating himself. Really, I’d say to start small and build from there. It is overwhelming to try to all of a sudden be green, but if you start small, you can build from there. Every little bit makes a difference if everyone starts.
Do you think it’s feasible for the average person to build an off the grid home?
Helfer: Honestly, at this point, no. It is definitely more expensive upfront which is a huge road block. It would save money overtime but the majority of the population doesn’t have that extra money upfront. I wish I had a different answer to this question but from what I’m experiencing right now with trying to budget for the house, it is more expensive than building traditionally. Hopefully that will change soon, or the notion of the bigger picture and the long haul will make more people take the plunge and put a little more money in the beginning in order to save later. It would be nice if it was only environmental concerns and I’m sure everyone would build green, but unfortunately it’s a cost concern too, and right now it’s more expensive.
Did your childhood growing up in Alberta contribute to your desire to live in a sustainable way?
Helfer: The idea of building on my beloved farm land in Alberta was absolutely a factor in trying to do it in a sustainable way. I don’t see how you can stare at the beautiful, natural landscape and not think about also trying to preserve it. Or it might be because I have now lived in some of the most populated and congested cities in the world, that I realize the toll our society is taking on the planet much more so than when I was a child living in the vast openness.
What will be your favorite green feature of your new home?
Helfer: Since it’s not even close to being built yet, I can’t really answer. Although, what I’m imaging will be my favorite, is to hopefully have enough heat in the winter from passive solar that I don’t have to get out of bed to very cold temperatures and then build a fire in the masonry heater and shiver until the house finally warms up. If passive solar works as well as my husband is convinced it will, then I’ll be a happy camper.
Helfer joins a host of other celebrities with eco-homes, or plans to construct one. Though her green home is still a work-in-progress, the esteemed Canadian-born star is giving back some of that regard and admiration to the planet we all share by building a home that respects the land.
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Interesting read!
I’m a huge BG fan and I had no idea that Cylon was from Alberta!
I’m looking forward to seeing the upcoming Battlestar Galactica prequel called The Plan. BSG was such a fantastic series.
- Clinton