Environmental advocacy group Architecture 2030 has released Achieving Zero, a ‘how-to’ framework and a set of tools to enable cities and sub-national governments (state, provincial, and regional) to reach emissions reduction targets in the building sector.
The Ken Soble Tower Transformation project by ERA Architects will rehabilitate a post-war apartment in Hamilton to Passive House standards. It also aims to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 94 per cent and lay the groundwork for industry-wide, ultra-low energy retrofits across the country.
The Arthur Meighen Building in Toronto has been selected by the federal government as a pilot project by the Canada Green Building Council’s (CaGBC’s) zero carbon building initiative. The Dialog-led project will achieve its sustainability targets with geothermal heating and cooling systems and photovoltaic (PV) panels.
While it is widely agreed sustainability is a good thing, it is not always clear what courses of action are appropriate. Assessment of alternatives is often difficult, particularly in the building industry where outcomes may not be known for decades, and where multiple sources of uncertainty usually exist.
Government institutions are increasingly recognizing the role the Passive House standard can play in effectively reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and are beginning to introduce it into their requirements and codes for all types of new buildings. British Columbia is leading the way.
The City of Mississauga, Ont., recently installed solar panels as part of a pilot program to heat the Lions Club of Credit Valley Outdoor Pool. This is the first City outdoor pool to be heated with solar panels with the goal of saving energy and reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
Rising property values in Vancouver have resulted in the demolition of an unprecedented number of single-family homes in recent years, many of which were replaced with the same type of structure. Despite the better energy performance of the new homes, this cycle is likely to increase overall greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, according to an analysis from researchers at the University of British Columbia (UBC) and a British Columbia-based data analytics firm.
Canada Green Building Council (CaGBC) has released its list of the top five green building trends for 2018. The organization expressed an optimistic view as to how it believes the build industry will perform this year.
The Home Energy Conservation program allows homeowners in Ontario to earn up to $5000—up from $1600 last year—for installing energy-efficient upgrades and helping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHG).
Last week, Jim Carr, Canada’s natural resources minister, announced a $182-million investment to increase energy efficiency and address climate change by improving how homes and buildings are designed, renovated, and constructed. The federal government is working with provinces, territories, and industry on energy code development, data sharing, research and development, and market transformation strategies for the building sector.
