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Sustainable development
New poll shows 7 out of 10 Ontarians support standardized home energy labelling
The polling found a strong majority of Ontarians support standardized energy efficiency labelling of homes. Seventy per cent of respondents said they supported standardized home energy labelling.
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Burlington Condo Goes Geothermal
A newly construction 260-ton geothermal system will provide Strata Condominiums with 100 per cent of its heating and cooling requirements, further emphasizing the buildings ‘green’ focus. Ameresco Canada, Inc., a company that specializes in energy efficiency and renewable energy, recently completed construction on the geothermal system. The system is anticipated to save 430,000 kg of CO2 emissions per year, roughly the equivalent of taking 98 cars off the road.
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High Performance Building approach to condo developments
Canadians have more than price, location and amenities on their minds when shopping for a new or existing condominium. The vast majority also want to live in a building that is environmentally friendly and energy-efficient.
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Retrofit project forestalls $1.6-million window replacement in Brampton building
After 25 years, the Ritz Towers in Brampton required major overhauls of several key building systems and components, including water pipes, boilers and elevators.
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Top ten American green building trends for 2011
Earth Advantage Institute, a leading nonprofit green building resource and research organization that has certified more than 11 thousand sustainable homes, today announced its annual selection of top ten green building trends to watch for over the next 12 months.
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Reaching new heights in green building
Tall buildings have become a fixture on the urban landscape, thanks to the increasing population of cities and corresponding increases in density. The multiple benefits of building tall include the ability to create communities of environmentally sustainable buildings where residents thrive, and that process begins with education and promoting sustainable projects to our clients and to cities.
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Harmonizing urban centres with smart design
Every infill site is different and each poses unique business and design challenges. Sites are generally chosen based on available frontages, views and location more than other criteria.
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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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