by ANNE-MARIE REYNAUD

When Victoriaville Mayor Roger Richard had to make a big environmental decision in late October, it wasn't hard.

"Back in July, I had made it clear that if the result wasn't up to our expectations, I wouldn't hesitate to get the house bulldozed," he says. "But the project worked and the house is not like anything we expected - it's a success."

The house in question is made almost exclusively out of cast-off materials, most of which would have probably spent the rest of their days in scrap yards or in dumps. It's the outcome of a challenge five people took up in July: to build a house with used materials in 13 weeks with a budget that didn't exceed $15,000.

This idea originated from film director Marc St-Onge, who wanted to make a documentary series called Les Artisans du rebut global, now airing on Télé-Québec. Each of the 13 episodes deals with a different phase of the construction. This week addresses insulation.

"The goal with this project is to raise awareness about our consumption habits," he explains. "The challenge was: is it possible for five ordinary people who have never built a house to do so while really losing the reflex of buying everything new?"

The town of Victoriaville agreed to let the project take place on Mont-Arthabaska. The deal was that if the house didn't turn out to be aesthetically pleasing and functional, the municipality would tear it down. They provided the cement foundation for the house in mid-July, and the construction started right away.

The crew got the wooden beams from an old Cookshire barn for $1,600 (the usual cost would be around $6,400), and the rest of the wood used for the walls came from big crates that were bought for $1,000 in a scrap yard.

"Of course, it's going to take longer to build a house with used materials," says Karine Lanois-Brien, one of the artisans who prefers to be known simply as "K." "You have to find them and be flexible about the way you make your construction plans. But I think it's still a concrete alternative for anyone who is willing."

The architecture of the rectangular house should allow energy savings of up to 60 per cent, thanks to passive solar energy (maximized by a slate wall) and a geothermal system. The walls are insulated with cellulose made from recycled (and treated) newspapers donated by Victoriaville inhabitants, and old movie posters help insulate the roof. Other examples of ingenuity are everywhere: piano legs for the mezzanine railing, doors as wall panels, a small roof garden and a glass-covered door for a table.

"I am convinced this whole project will at least raise awareness as well as inspire and motivate people to think before they buy or throw stuff out," says Richard.

For 28-year-old K, this whole project was about trying to lead a more sustainable way of life. "It's about what I can do here and now in my life to be more responsible with regards to the environment, among other things," she says.

Les Artisans du rebut global, Episode 8 (out of 13), will air Thursday, November 18 at 7 p.m. on Télé-Québec, and again Friday at 2:30 p.m., Saturday at 8:30 p.m. and Monday at 11 p.m.