With 88 buildings greater than 200 m (656 ft) completed last year, the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH) sees an ongoing trend in an annual increase in building completion.

In 2011, 17 new buildings were added to the list of the world’s 100 tallest buildings. For the first time, the number of office buildings has decreased to the 50 per cent mark, while mixed-use buildings continue to rise, increasing from 23 to 31.

Lafarge’s commitment and contributions to wildlife habitat enhancement in southern Manitoba have earned the company international recognition by the Wildlife Habitat Council (WHC).

Most of the company’s 5.2-ha (1300-acre) Stonewall Aggregates’ surrounding property is farmed or mined for limestone.

Interior Designers of Canada (IDC) and Architecture Canada/Royal Architectural Institute of Canada (RAIC) are joining forces to present this year’s IIDEX/NeoCon Canada exposition and conference.

“This collaboration is a historic move for both organizations, but it also represents a natural evolution in the relationship between the architecture and interior design professions whose practitioners collaborate on a daily basis,” said Donna Assaly, IDC president.

Canadians use almost one-third of the country’s energy for heating and cooling buildings and homes. To help cut this number in half, North American Insulation Manufacturers Association (NAIMA) Canada has released its energy conservation predications for 2012.

A Nova Scotia and a Toronto building have won awards from the American Institute of Architects (AIA).

Representing excellence in architecture, interior architecture, and urban design, more than 700 submissions from around the world entered the 2012 Institute Honour Awards.

A sports arena, a bridge, and a theatre were among the winning projects in the 2011 Canadian Consulting Engineering Awards.

Presented by the Association of Consulting Engineering Companies (ACEC) and Canadian Consulting Engineer, the awards have been held annually for 43 years.

To keep up with the industry’s growing commitment to sustainable and performance-based design, the Exterior Insulation Finish Systems (EIFS) Council of Canada is continuing to expand its quality assurance (QA) program across the country.

The first system of its kind for any cladding in North America, the EIFS Quality Assurance Program Inc. (EQI) will help certified and licensed EIFS professionals transform the industry through design, material manufacturing, assembly, and in-place performance.

International design firm NORR has appointed Ottawa architect, Jonathan Hughes, as its vice-president of public buildings for its Canadian practice.

Now responsible for expanding the firm in the institutional sector, Hughes has had stints as NORR’s director of Eastern Ontario operations and manager of the Kingston, Ont., office.

At the 2011 Ontario Concrete Awards Banquet, several of the province’s top projects were honoured for innovation in both form and function.

The program, run by several of Ontario’s cement and concrete providers and trade organizations, were given to design teams comprising owners, architects, engineers, general contractors, and material suppliers.

Canadian project teams seeking certification under the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program for neighbourhood development now have a special route to follow.

Created by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), LEED for Neighbourhood Development (ND) 2009 assesses sustainable communities, awarding points for elements such as walkability and public space.