When Madeleine and David bought their Peterborough home, they saw more than a fixer-upper. They saw potential—a small house on a beautiful lot, with room for a garden and space to build the kind of future they believed in: sustainable, resilient, and electric.
Sustainability has always been part of their story. In Toronto, they run Birds & Beans Coffee Roasters, a business built on environmental ethics and biodiversity protection. So when it came to their home, every decision was made with intention.
“We really took our time,” Madeleine says. “First insulation and windows. Then we removed the gas furnace and switched to a heat pump. Once we were fully electric, we started looking at solar.”
With retirement on the horizon, they wanted energy stability. “We’re down to one utility bill, no fixed charges, and we were able to do the whole solar project with the Greener Homes Loan,” Madeleine explains. “It basically covered our system. We just paid the GST.”
Madeleine first connected with Generation Solar through a Powerwall inquiry. “They put me onto JP and I thought—Peterborough? Are you serious?” she laughs. “Then I met him. Thirty years of experience. Why would I keep looking?”
Throughout the process, Madeleine says the Generation Solar team was responsive and respectful. “They really listened and worked with us collaboratively. We knew what we wanted, and they helped us make it happen.”
Now fully electric and solar-powered, the couple is enjoying the benefits—and the data. “That kind of information is powerful,” says Madeleine.
Her advice for others? “Understand your bill. Look at your energy use. And take advantage of the loan—it changes everything.”
But she’s quick to add: it’s not just about numbers.
“For us, this is values-based. We don’t need a big house. We want a life that feels rich—not in things, but in meaning.”
Today, their yard is filled with native plants, birds, and even fireflies—something Madeleine hadn’t seen in years.
“That’s what we’re investing in,” she says. “Not just solar—but biodiversity. A future that makes sense.”