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Sustainable Development
May, 2010
Two terms one building
Many of us thought we had a pretty good idea what “green” was all about until we were thrown a curveball in the past couple of years. All of a sudden, when talking about green buildings and condominiums, planners, developers and others started using the word sustainable. “We have to make this a green and sustainable building,” were their marching orders.
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November, 2009
Saving H20 makes dollars and sense
The need to conserve water is a well-established and generally accepted reality among Canadians. It may seem more evident to some of us than others, but according to Statistics Canada the shift towards water conserving behaviours is real. More Canadian households are using water-conserving devices and report that environmental issues influence their consumption habits and purchases.
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August, 2009
Zero fees, zero emissions
A condo without fees and carbon emissions seems like a fantasy, or at the very least, fiction. But in one condominium in Milton, Ontario it will soon be a reality.
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April, 2009
Green Energy Act
Imagine the south facing façade of every condo tower filled with solar panels. Panels poised to harvest the power of the sun to provide the electricity grid with enough energy to completely offset the cost of air conditioning the entire tower. Not only is it possible, but it makes financial sense. While the time to market will be mired by the Condominium Act and supply chain development lag, there may be opportunities to take tower renewal to new platitudes of energy performance.
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April, 2009
Turning green with effort
Imagine the south facing façade of every condo tower filled with solar panels. Panels poised to harvest the power of the sun to provide the electricity grid with enough energy to completely offset the cost of air conditioning the entire tower. Not only is it possible, but it makes financial sense. While the time to market will be mired by the Condominium Act and supply chain development lag, there may be opportunities to take tower renewal to new platitudes of energy performance.
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April, 2009
Green appliances save green
It is a prosperous time to be in the business of sustainability. While the current real estate market is certainly not for the faint of heart, the condo business has benefited from sustainable building. However, developments being marketed and sold now were conceived of several years ago, in an economic and environmental climate notably different from the present. Sustainability was not a top priority when developing condominiums five years ago. Now, demand for sustainably-sourced flooring, paints without VOC and appliances with ENERGY STAR rating is standard.
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April, 2009
Greenwashed green condo
After investing the time, energy and money to build a green facility, some condo managers have made few changes as to how the buildings are cleaned. They use bleach, conventional window cleaners and floorcare products, low-filtration vacuum cleaners and traditional floor machines. This happens for a variety of reasons and it extends far beyond condominiums. At the root of the problem is the fact that many managers are still not sure what green cleaning is all about and how to incorporate it into their facilities.
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March, 2009
Greening building requirements
There continues to be an encouraging and compelling trend towards green products, green services and green buildings, even in the face of this difficult economy. Even with falling energy prices, there is a tremendous surge by consumers, corporations and government alike to finally make serious commitments to environmental issues.
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February, 2009
Green building technology
We are in the midst of a green shift. Our lives are influenced on a daily basis by green practices and technologies. Whether they are personal choices such as recycling, reducing energy consumption or transportation, our choices have an economic impact on our lives and communities. But the true impact of our choices and options has yet to develop to its full potential.
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February, 2008
LEDs lighten the load of maintenance and energy fees
It was recently announced that the Palace Pier, a Toronto condominium development overlooking the waterfront, would receive an internal renaissance that would include both the fine interior finishings and would represent the best in future technology in lighting. Close to $2 million had been budgeted for the renovations, including new ceilings, wall treatments, carpeting and state of the art LED lighting.
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August, 2008
Recycling challenges in the multi-residential sector
Why is it so challenging to recycle in the multi-residential sector? The Association of Municipal Recycling Coordinators (AMRC) and many of its member municipalities have been asking this very question for some years. We’ve looked at this from many angles – from focus groups with residents, property managers and building owners, to site visits at hundreds of buildings. Some of the major challenges are listed below, along with some simple tips for increasing resident participation in your recycling program, thereby capturing more recyclable materials.
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