Richard Marshall, MEB, P.Eng.

Investing in key public infrastructure can catalyze private-sector investment. Read how the Valley Line LRT is influencing the built environment in the Edmonton Journal, featuring our member, Maclab Development Group. Read: https://lnkd.in/g_gxQEzb

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The release of the Canada Green Buildings Strategy (CGBS) is a much-needed step along the pathway to net zero for Canada’s building sector. It includes clear, achievable policies that make good economic sense, including: • phasing out home heating oil in new construction  • working towards replacing new air conditioner sales with heat pumps (as we recommended last year in The Cool Way to Heat Homes)  • modernizing the Energy Efficiency Act, originally adopted back in 1992  • a continued commitment to decarbonizing federal investments in public infrastructure assets These policies will create much-needed momentum towards Canada’s decarbonization goals. The next—and more difficult—step will be addressing areas where the economics are more complex. Reaching our decarbonization goals can’t come at the cost of energy affordability, and Canada’s local and provincial governments need to work alongside the federal government to promote policies enable an efficient, effective transition. Read our full statement at the link below, and view the CGBS here: https://lnkd.in/ef2tA8xX #buildings #buildingefficiency #netzero #canadagreenbuildingstrategy #

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Join the BKC Building Science team on August 15th from 1 PM - 2:30 PM ET as they present details on the NBC 2025 Proposes New, Tiered CARBON EMISSIONS Regulations for Homes and Buildings: What Does This Mean for New Canadian Homes? A group of industry experts join host Mark Rosen—including Alexis Minniti from BKC and Brett Cass from CHBA—to evaluate the detailed impact on a single detached and multi-family product type. Learn how technologies and construction practices can enable developers, builders, and designers to meet the various carbon emission reduction tiers. Register to attend: https://bit.ly/3XNZUA9 #Webinar #WebinarSeries #NewWebinar #JulyWebinars #HighPerformanceBuildings #CanadianHomeBuilders #Construction #BuildingCode #ConstructionBestPractices #NetZero #NetZeroEnergy #SustainableBuilding #HomeBuilding #HomeBuilders #Efficiency #EnergyEfficiency #BuildingScience #BuildingHomes #BuildingCode

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🌱 Attention Toronto Building Owners: The City of Toronto’s Energy and Water Reporting deadline has been extended. Track and reduce your building's energy consumption and GHG emissions while being compliant with reporting. If you own buildings over 50,000 square feet, the 2024 reporting deadline is October 31. Buildings over 10,000 square feet will begin reporting in 2025. By benchmarking energy and water use, you'll discover ways to cut costs, improve efficiency, and contribute to the city’s Net Zero goals. Knowledge is power and money in your pocket! Need help? Let us know. #Sustainability #EnergyEfficiency #Toronto

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The Government of Canada will re-open both streams of the Green and Inclusive Community Buildings Program on August 1 with an application deadline of October 16, 2024. The Small and Medium Retrofit Stream (deadline Oct 16) funds changes to an existing building/asset that seek to renovate, upgrade, or repair aspects of the building/asset in a manner that improves environmental outcomes. Retrofits must be to a facility that is fully accessible to the public and that will provide non-commercial services to the community. These projects range in cost from $100,000 to $2,999,999. The Large Retrofits and New Build Stream (deadline Oct 16) must be of a building/asset that is open and fully accessible to the public and that will provide non-commercial services to the community. These projects range in cost from $3,000,000 to $25,000,000. If you need support in completing an application for either stream, please reach out to our Grants Lead Klay Dyer at [email protected]

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Did you know that multi-unit residential buildings (MURBs) in Toronto are responsible for emitting about 2.6 millimetric tons of eCO2 annually? That is a startling sum, primarily owing to energy usage from space heating. At Templit, we're determined to alter that. Our creative solutions are intended to reduce energy consumption in MURBs, thereby combating climate change and saving you money. Let's work together to create a greener, more sustainable future. #EnergyEfficient #ClimateAction #SustainableLiving"

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Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada | Innovation, Sciences et Développement économique Canada has launched a consultation for ideas “on accelerating innovation and productivity in Canada's homebuilding industry.” The consultation will work with stakeholders from the construction sector, plus academics, community leaders and the public, through themed roundtables to develop new ideas on how to address Canada’s persistent housing issues. https://lnkd.in/gPg-cDz6

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🏢 🌱 Canada’s built environment got a big boost in sustainability! Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) has selected Sustainable Buildings Canada to lead two major initiatives in #NewConstruction and existing #AffordableHousing. The Codes Acceleration Project will support the adoption of high-performance sustainable national building codes through a series of workshops that combine the latest in design and technology, and regional considerations. The EnergySPRING program will help drive deep #retrofits within Ontario's Social Housing and Indigenous communities, cutting emissions and improving housing quality while tackling electrification, affordability, and extreme weather by raising workforce capacity. "Both projects will enable true market transformation towards sustainable and resilient homes in Canada," says Michael Singleton, SBC's Executive Director. We love to see it! 👏 https://lnkd.in/gRtb7BdH #Electrification #Affordability #EnergyEfficiency #Housing #BuildingCode

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A commercial site in an industrial area in South Etobicoke could be transformed into a new nine-tower community. https://lnkd.in/eDcsaG-B #Toronto #development #housing #urbanplanning

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SBC is excited to announce that we will be delivering a series of integrated design workshops for Codes Officials which are intended to demonstrate how to achieve the various tiers of energy performance of the new national building code(s). Focusing on high performance solutions, the workshops will include the highlights of the new Codes, local subject matter expert led presentations, collaborative solutions development, and energy modelling. Attendees will learn how to combine design and technology solutions in a manner that meets the energy performance requirements for each tier. Intrinsic in this activity is the application of “real-world” solutions, including costing estimates and the reference to case studies and related research. Learn more and signup here 👇

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“The release of Canada’s first Green Buildings Strategy is great news for the construction industry and a long-awaited next step in building sustainably.” - Rodrigue Gilbert The federal government’s recently released strategy is aimed at improving energy efficiency in homes and buildings across the country. The plan has three stated aims: • Accelerating retrofits of existing buildings. • Building energy-efficient, climate-resilient and affordable buildings from the start. • Seizing the economic opportunities associated with more efficient and lower-carbon building materials and technologies. The industry is keen to work with all levels of government and stakeholders to meet these mutually beneficial objectives. This is a crucial step towards meeting Canada's net-zero by 2050 targets. Read more here: https://ow.ly/qHcv50SNC8H #NetZero #ClimateChange #Construction #EnergyEfficiency

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New standardized housing designs promise faster development, but infrastructure challenges loom. The Government of British Columbia’s release of free standardized designs for small-scale, multi-unit housing is a key move to address BC’s housing shortage. These designs, including duplexes, triplexes, and townhouses, are intended to streamline planning, cut costs, and speed up construction. “The availability of these designs for free and online is an exciting opportunity for developers and homeowners alike, but we must not overlook the practical challenges associated with their implementation,” said Jasroop Gosal, Interim Spokesperson and Policy & Research Manager at the Surrey Board of Trade. “Before these homes can be built, we need to ensure that the necessary infrastructure, particularly in terms of electricity and other utilities, is in place. Otherwise, we risk facing additional costs and delays that could undermine the benefits of this initiative.” Developers and homeowners may find themselves needing to invest in additional services, such as electricity upgrades, to make these projects feasible. This could particularly impact those in areas where the existing infrastructure is already strained or inadequate to support increased housing density. The Provincial Government’s effort to reduce red tape and promote faster housing construction is commendable, and the Homes for People action plan is a step in the right direction. However, the success of this initiative will depend on careful consideration of the broader implications, including the need for sufficient infrastructure to support new developments. Read the Provincial Government’s release here: https://ow.ly/yWMS50TfR7W

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🏙️🕒 Across Ontario, development approval timelines are increasing, with Toronto experiencing over 30 months for planning approvals. The process includes municipal plan amendments, zoning changes, and more, posing challenges for new housing projects. We need to #SayYes to more and faster housing! #UrbanPlanning #HousingDevelopments Learn more: https://lnkd.in/gPr3pr5

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It's summertime, and the listening is easy. Put Architects' Claims Stories podcast on your playlist and catch up on Seasons 1 & 2 now. Season 3 is dropping this September! #podcast #riskmanagement #professionalliability #architects #architecture Ontario Association of Architects

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📢 #Webinar spotlight: This Wednesday, December 4, the City of Vancouver’s Green and Resilient Buildings Branch is hosting a webinar to share insights from the first year of its energy and carbon reporting program. The webinar will introduce two new tools: the Energize Vancouver Reporting Map🗺️ and the Building Performance Scorecard📊. It will also outline next steps for the large existing buildings #regulation. Starting in 2025, reporting requirements will expand to include some larger apartment and condo buildings, as well as hotels. This session is a great opportunity for building owners, property managers, and consultants working with large commercial and residential buildings in Vancouver. 🗓 When: Wednesday, December 4, at 10:00 am 💻 Where: Online register here to join: https://lnkd.in/dNaQK7UY

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🏡 BC’s provincial election: where each party stands on housing & infrastructure 🏗️ With the election just weeks away, we've broken down the housing and infrastructure proposals from the NDP, Conservatives, and Greens—all with bold ideas to address BC’s ongoing housing crisis and construction challenges. Our latest article dives deep into each party’s platform, covering: 🏠 Housing affordability and availability 📈 Streamlined regulations for construction 💰 Major infrastructure investments Want to understand how each party plans to tackle these critical issues? Read the full breakdown: https://lnkd.in/gWNH_KmP BC NDP | Conservative Party of British Columbia | Green Party of British Columbia

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The 2024 Ontario Building Code Learn about the new Ontario Building Code and when it will come into effect Jan 1, 2025 https://lnkd.in/gHqVJErF #OntarioBuildingCode #BuildingCode

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Canada’s built environment is evolving with mass timber retrofits. Explore the potential and challenges of this sustainable approach in a new special issue of the Canadian Journal of Civil Engineering: https://ow.ly/wcfZ50Tes9j

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Betsy Agar, director of the Buildings program at the Pembina Institute, made this statement following the release of the Canada Green Buildings Strategy today: "Today’s launch of Canada's Green Buildings Strategy is an important step for achieving affordable, reliable, climate-safe homes. Over the past several years, the Pembina Institute has worked closely with all orders of government and across sectors to ensure the right policies and regulations are in place to best support the Canadian building sector to meet their climate targets. We applaud the federal government’s commitments to demonstrate leadership in energy efficient and low carbon buildings while starting to flesh out the tools needed for all homes to be climate-safe and affordable. Deep retrofits are the only climate actions that ensure Canadian homes are resilient, climate-safe, and affordable to heat and cool. Supporting energy efficiency and the adoption of highly efficient heating systems will help everyday Canadians and utilities save money.  Households win as they spend less on bills and on maintaining separate heating and cooling systems, and can reduce utility connection costs if they fully electrify. Utilities win as they save on system expansion costs through demand side management, investing in energy efficiency, demand response and demand flexibility. At the same time, building right the first time saves money and avoids retrofitting down the line. This includes using materials and components that are low in embodied carbon, or even better that sequester carbon. We have a once in a lifetime opportunity to make sure Canadians have homes that are ready for our changing climate.  And it’s time to get to work.  Building decarbonization creates good, long-term jobs distributed throughout every region of Canada. The CGBS Inventories the important policy and regulatory work and investment happening at the federal level across departments. The regulatory and funding actions, such as advancing codes and standards while investing in equipment like heat pumps, bundled into the CGBS are a start to what is needed to stimulate market transformation for both new construction and retrofits.   We look forward to continued budgetary supports and regulatory actions such as modernization of Energy Efficiency Act and incorporation of resilience measures in codes. And we will continue to work with government on setting housing adaptation targets and a system of accountability, which remains a gap in the National Adaptation Strategy (NAS). Decarbonizing and adapting Canadian homes and buildings for a changing climate will require a multi-sectoral effort in every community, urban, rural or remote. Our hope is that Canada’s Green Buildings Strategy opens the dialogue with other orders of government on strategies to ensure every Canadian can live in a home that is healthy, safe, climate-resilient and affordable to heat and cool." Learn more ⬇️ https://lnkd.in/gwEv88ba

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