Recent Articles
Climate change to limit Olympic city selection
Climate change to limit Olympic city selection
Rising temperatures and humidity caused by climate change will make it increasingly difficult to find cities eligible to host the Olympics Summer Games, according to a new study encompassing the broader implications of climate change on the Olympics.
Meet one REIT that’s going solar
Meet Prologis, a real estate investment trust with $65 billion in assets under management and a market capitalization of $28 billion. The company controls 149 megawatts of solar generating capacity atop its global portfolio of warehouses and industrial facilities.
Record number of cities measuring environmental data
A record number of cities are now measuring and disclosing environmental data on an annual basis in order to manage emissions, build resilience, and protect themselves from the growing impacts of climate change. Five hundred and thirty-three cities globally representing 621 million citizens reported the actions they’re taking on climate to the non-profit CDP this year, a rise of 70 per cent from 2015.
How a digital plan can benefit commercial properties
From landowners to urban residents, all stakeholders would benefit from bringing digital, collaborative and transformational elements together in the traditional real estate value chain.
New transportation tech creating smarter cities
Columbus, Ohio, is a mid-size city known primarily as the home of Ohio State University, not as a hub of cutting edge technology for public transportation. But that is exactly what this city of 790,000 people plans to be.
The truth behind net zero energy buildings
Buildings account for around 40 per cent of total energy consumption, and consequently around 40% of carbon emissions. So as we strive to reduce our carbon emissions you would expect ‘net zero energy buildings’ (Net ZEB) to offer a significant step in reaching our objectives. Unfortunately, things are not as simple as that.
Shifting buildings to zero-energy a challenge
With buildings accounting for nearly 40 percent of the nation’s energy consumption, they serve as a substantial part of our energy challenge, as well as a potential solution — and a key sector on the path to a zero-energy society.
Yale declares sustainability “mega-trend” of the century
This September 21-23, Yale will host the first Yale Sustainability Leadership Forum, bringing together perspectives from the United States and across the world, from business, government, NGOs, and academia, to examine the concept of sustainability.
First-of-its-kind waste facility slated for Nova Scotia
Chester has officially sealed a deal that will “revolutionize” waste management by making the need to bury garbage at its local landfill a thing of the past.
New waste and materials tracking feature unveiled
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has unveiled a waste and materials tracking feature in its Energy Star Portfolio Manager, which is a free benchmarking and tracking tool for commercial building owners and managers
UPEI opens new Sustainable Design Engineering School building
The new building for the School of Sustainable Design Engineering at the University of Prince Edward Island has been officially opened. The 76,000 square-foot- building, which cost of $26 million, will house students and faculty of the program.
Ground zero for climate change effects | |
There are icebergs to port, icebergs to starboard, and a parade of icebergs jammed at the opening as we come down from the massive Sermeq Kujalleq, or Jakobshavn Glacier. Only a fifth of the iceberg is above the water, and they come in all shapes and sizes. | |
Vancouver Sun, August 15, 2016 |
The next building materials may imitate nature
Why can’t our buildings get all their energy from the sun and water from the sky, provide habitat for birds and animals, and, when their life cycles are over, be broken apart to supply future buildings with growth materials? This is the general idea of biomimicry: If nature has had 3.8 billion years to develop the best possible designs for various ecosystems, why are we not copying them?
Solar roofs already a reality
The solar roof exists now, and notwithstanding Elon Musk’s claim, it looks pretty good. It’s from SunTegra, and comes in two varieties: one that integrates with asphalt roof shingles, and one with tile roofs.
How GM saves money with captured rain water
On its company blog, GM describes the GM Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly project, two years in the making, and says it will save the plant nearly $2 million annually. It will also save water: the plant will reuse captured rainwater for manufacturing processes throughout the four-million-square-foot facility.
Why hospitals are becoming more energy efficient
New Hampshire takes its healthcare seriously. It also wants its facilities to operate in an energy efficient manner. Energy efficiency always is a secondary concern behind the progress and success of the business being run by the facility. In healthcare, that situation is even more extreme because of a hospital’s life and death mission.
Sustainable Biz is on Twitter | |
SustainableBiz.ca opened February 2016 to provide news, information and commentary about environmental, social and governance issues as it pertains to sustainability. | |
Follow BizSustainably, the most comprehensive news feed on Twitter for Canadian business concerned about sustainability. |
Green Building Rating Systems
Energy efficiency criteria meant to bolster investor confidence
The newly formed Investor Confidence Project (ICP) is attempting to provide a definitive set of criteria for energy efficiency projects. Created by the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), ICP aims to provide confidence in investments for energy efficiency upgrades, a needed service the organization says will help spur more such projects.
Building Design + Construction
New sustainability platform enters Hong Kong market
In Australia and New Zealand, the National Australian Built Environment Rating System (NABERS) has helped lead the charge towards more efficient building operation and performance, creating a benchmark that enables property owners, facility operators, managers and designers to monitor and manage the energy performance of an asset.
Green building awards
Ingersoll Rand tops eco-leader list
Ingersoll Rand (NYSE:IR), a world leader in creating comfortable, sustainable and efficient environments, is recognized on Green Builder Magazine’s annual list of Eco-Leaders for a second consecutive year.
Bold Awards nominations for sustainability are underway
Real estate professionals are continuously striving to create the “workplace of tomorrow” by raising efficiency, sustainability, and comfort standards. Their efforts will be celebrated with the 2nd Annual BOLD Awards, that recognizes Building Optimizers, Leaders, and Disruptors who are transforming the way real estate management professionals use technology in the built environment. Nominations are now being accepted through September 2, 2016.
New eco-innovation award launched
In the spirit of innovation and value creation, KKR, a leading global investment firm, today announced the launch of the Eco-Innovation Award for KKR portfolio companies as part of the Firm’s Green Solutions Platform (GSP), a global effort to identify, support, and highlight environmental initiatives at KKR portfolio companies across three areas: eco-efficiency, eco-innovation, and/or eco-solutions.
Conservation champions honoured
Veridian Connections is proud to recognize some of its business customers for achieving outstanding electricity conservation results in 2015. These “Conservation Champions” were leading participants in the utility’s energy efficiency and demand management programs that provide valuable financial incentives and reduce operating costs.
Commercial Green Buildings
A new refrigerant cuts grocery store emissions
Festival Foods, one of the largest independent grocery store chains in the US Midwest, is the first supermarket chain to build a new store with refrigeration equipment designed to run Honeywell’s reduced-global-warming refrigerant, Solstice N40 (R-448A).
Residential Green Buildings
“Vapour open” technique adds superior insulation to homes
We have Roombas, iPhones to control lighting, thermostats and blinds, and prepackaged food that takes seconds to reach the table. Life is good, no? But we still throw tons of heat or chilled air against the interior walls of our houses because they’re so poorly designed. In other words, we don’t have futuristic insulation.
Corporate Sustainability
Green office program helps reduce university’s carbon footprint
Reducing Penn’s carbon footprint has been a part of the University’s commitment to sustainability since the launch of the Climate Action Plan in 2009. Campus buildings constitute some of the University’s largest producers of carbon, causing more than three-quarters of Penn’s emissions. To reduce carbon emissions in buildings on campus, the Green Campus Partnership, located within Facilities & Real Estate Services, created the Green Office Program.
Transit, bikes and transportation
Vancouver recruiting drivers for air emission study
Metro Vancouver is recruiting 200 drivers for a seven-week driving study to reduce fuel consumption, save money and cut air emissions. The Metro Vancouver Smart Drive Challenge aims to get drivers to use 15 per cent less fuel through efficient driving techniques.
Sustainable Biz News
Sweden’s ICA Gruppen cuts GHG emissions
ICA Gruppen (STO:ICA) today presented its sustainability report for the first quarter of 2016. The report addresses important issues and initiatives regarding the environment, quality, ethical trade, health and community engagement.
Industry Events
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Zero Carbon Building Standards Interactive Workshop
Dec 10 2024
to Dec 12 2025
Online -
FCM’s Sustainable Communities Conference 2025
Feb 10 2025
to Feb 13 2025
Fredericton, NB -
GlobeXchange
Feb 11 2025
to Feb 14 2025
Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel -
BuildGreen Atlantic 2025
Apr 28 2025
to Apr 29 2025
Halifax, NS -
Building Lasting Change
Jun 18 2025
to Jun 20 2025
Vancouver, BC