WELL and BREEAM standards partnering on certification

WELL and BREEAM standards partnering on certification

The International WELL Building Institute and BRE announced this week their plans to collaborate on the WELL and BREEAM standards to determine similarities between the two. The two organizations said that identifying areas of crossover between the two standards and then accepting them in their respective certification processes would save customers time and money.

Construction Dive – PR Newswire – BREEAM Video

New technology helps benchmark building performance

A new technology company, Arc Skoru Inc., officially launched today by Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI). This new venture will be the host for a state-of-the-art digital platform available at arcskoru.com. Arc allows any project — whether a single building, a community or an entire city — to measure improvements and benchmark against itself and projects around it.

U.S. Green Building Council

Skyline REIT engages Wyse for metering

In late November Skyline REIT announced that it planned to use Wyse Meter Solutions Inc.’s SyNERGY utility expense management program in 345 of its multi-residential and commercial buildings. That means that Wyse will take over the auditing, analyzing, reporting and benchmarking of Skyline’s multi-million dollar utility expenses.

Sustainable Biz Canada

B.C. utility concerned over Vancouver green plan’s impact

FortisBC is protesting green building plans that would reduce energy consumption in Vancouver and cut into its customer base, say city staff. The municipality is trying to phase out the use of fossil-fuel-derived natural gas (and other non-renewable fuels) in the city by 2050 and bring in more biomethane.

Canada.com

Canadian campuses are greening their rooftops

Rooftop gardens are having a moment at Canada’s universities. The eco-benefits of green roofs cycling storm water away from the sewage system, combined with the health and social benefits of growing fresh food for consumption right on campus, make the concept a win-win.

Maclean’s

Major sustainable mixed-use project slated for Montreal

Cogir Real Estate and the Fonds immobilier de solidarité FTQ are constructing a major project in the heart of downtown Montreal. Defined by its innovative, mixed-use style, this new $200-plus million project will be called HUMANITI and is aiming for LEED certification.

Canada Newswire – Property Biz Canada

Proment continues its green ways with newest building

For Quebec’s Proment Corporation, its newly announced 36-storey condo development, EVOLO X, will be the latest green building in its seven year build-out of the Pointe-Nord ecological neighbourhood on Nun’s Island, minutes from downtown Montreal.

Sustainable Biz Canada

	Google going 100 per cent green
	Sometime within the next 12 months, internet search and cloud services giant Google will be buying enough clean power on an ongoing basis to account for the electricity needs of both its 13 data centers (so far) and offices in more than 150 cities around the world.
	Green Biz, December 6, 2016

 

Electric vehicle chargers coming to Canadian Tire

Electric vehicle charging stations are being added to 25 Canadian Tire Gas+ locations across Ontario. AddEnergie Technologies says the stations, which starting rolling out early next year, join the 2,500 stations along its FLO Canadian charging network.

Financial Post

From brownfields to green energy

What are the advantages of siting renewable energy on brownfields that corporations own?  “Unlocking the Clean Energy Value of Dormant Corporate Properties,” highlights the potential financial and environmental benefits of repurposing old industrial and manufacturing properties as locations for corporations to generate renewable energy.

Clean Energy Finance Forum

An eco-asset inventory can boost the value of land

Starting in the 1990s energy companies began unloading raw, undeveloped land they owned but no longer needed  Most companies either donated the unneeded land for preservation or recreation purposes — a seemingly smart public relations move — or sold the property at conventional land prices. The shrewd companies, however, gave thought to the land’s ecological value.

Green Biz

Decommission diverted waste, helped building win LEED designation

Before Ontario College of Teachers relocated to a newly acquired building in downtown Toronto, it took stock of all existing furniture, fixtures and case goods to see what could be repurposed. The transition from leased office space put an emphasis on reusing, recycling and repurposing building materials instead of an outright demolition and sending contents directly to landfill.

Globe and Mail

Solar roads to get tested in Calgary

A French company is negotiating plans to test its rugged solar-panels on road surfaces in Calgary. The process is part of a bigger plan to test the installations on four continents in 2017 with the U.S. state of Georgia being next after Calgary. Other continents include Africa, Japan and throughout the European Union.

PV Buzz

Numerous gigafactories to be built in Europe

When it comes to gigafactories, Tesla is no longer alone. At least five gigafactories are now slated for the continent. Tesla itself is planning a European gigafactory in the wake of the Grohmann acquisition. The facility will be used to build batteries and cars.  

Green Tech Media

Alberta makes major investment in public transit

Alberta and Canada jointly announced announced $270.3 million for 52 new projects across Alberta through the Public Transit Infrastructure Fund (PTIF). The federal government is providing up to 50 per cent of funding – just over $132.9 million – while the province is investing more than $79.4 million through Alberta’s Green Transit Incentives Program (GreenTRIP). 

Marketwired

Calgary company develops greener concrete and asphalt

A Calgary startup has figured out a way to capture carbon dioxide gas inside concrete, asphalt and plastic. By doing so, Carbon Upcycling Technologies says it’s also making those materials stronger. The startup has been awarded $550,000 in grants from the Alberta government and Shell Canada to further research and test the green technology.

CBC News

	Canada, China collaborate on clean tech centre
	The new Canada-China Technology Transfer Institute was unveiled in early December. This new technology facility will be built jointly by Ontario-based Canada CleanTech Capital (China) Inc. and Foshan University.
	Canada Newswire, December 5, 2016

 

Products, Technology and Design

Net zero energy military base planned for U.S.

The Marine Corps plans to make its logistics base in Albany, Ga., the nation’s first net zero energy military base. The project will reduce energy use, increase energy security, and meet energy demands from renewable sources.

Building Design + Construction

	Sustainable Biz advertising opportunity!
	Sustainable Biz Canada (SBC) launched in 2016 and already has thousands of page views available for advertisers. Website exposure on RENX.ca, ads in the Green Real Estate Newsletter, writing services and more.
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Green Building Rating Systems

Microsoft achieves zero waste at headquarters

Tech giant Microsoft has achieved Zero Waste Facility Certification at the gold level at its global headquarters in Redmond, Wash., where more than 44,000 employees work in 125 buildings, the Green Building Council Inc. announced. Through the certification, Microsoft is diverting 90 per cent of its waste from its headquarters from landfills and incineration, officials said.

Proud Green Building

Municipal Policy and Urban Issues

Cities must lead on climate change, report contends

The world’s cities must invest around $375 billion in climate action and low carbon infrastructure over the next four years in order to avoid catastrophic global climate change, the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group has warned. 

Green Biz

Here are the cities fighting climate change

Eleven cities received global recognition for their climate change efforts Dec. 1 at the fourth annual C40 Cities Awards in Mexico City. It was widely acknowledged that cities increasingly will need to shoulder the burden of both mitigating the causes of climate change and adapting to its impacts in this uncertain era.

Green Biz

Commercial real estate

Ontario mine switches to electric power

The first fully electrical mine is set to open late next year, 20 kilometres east of Chapleau, Ontario. Goldcorp is building the Borden Mine to run on electrically charged batteries. Most scoops, trucks and drills used underground in mines are powered with diesel fuel.

CBC News

Commercial Green Buildings

New FBI headquarters will be built around energy efficiency

Energy efficiency is expected to be at the center of planning and construction of the replacement building for the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) headquarters. The site of the new facility has not yet been chosen.

Energy Manager Today

Residential Real Estate

Tiny home owners lobby for change in Canada

A growing number of tiny-house advocates in Canada are gearing up to challenge zoning bylaws and building codes to acknowledge their tiny properties. And change could be imminent as amendments which acknowledge and accommodate micro-dwellings in the States look set to be accepted by the International Residential Building Code (IRC) before the year’s out.

The Globe and Mail

Residential Green Buildings

SolarCity launching residential business in Florida

SolarCity announced Thursday morning that it’s expanding operations into Florida, “something we’ve wanted to announce for a long time,” a company blog post read. The decision to launch a residential solar business in the state comes after voters shot down an amendment that would have allowed utilities to put policy restrictions on the Florida solar market.

Green Tech Media

Municipal Policy and Urban Issues

Four cities set to ban diesel vehicles

Smog-filled cityscapes have become a common scene around the world, a problem that some metropolises have battled for decades. On Friday, four mayors from major cities – Paris, Mexico City, Madrid and Athens – decided to take a drastic action: They want to eliminate all diesel vehicles from their roads by 2025.

Christian Science Monitor

	Sustainable Biz followers on Twitter
	Follower The Buildings Performance Institute EU is a Brussels based think-tank delivering policy analysis, advice and implementation support for buildings energy performance.
	Follow BizSustainably, the most comprehensive news feed on Twitter for Canadian business concerned about sustainability.

 

Transit, bikes and transportation

Get your (green) kicks on Route 66

Route 66, a highway made famous for attracting gas-guzzling Chevrolet Bel Airs travelling from Chicago to Los Angeles, is turning green. The Mother Road is seeing a growing number of electric car charging stations along the 2,500-mile path, and some states are pushing for solar panels and electric buses.

Canada.com

Public Transit

Halifax looking at electric bus service

Halifax Transit wants to study bringing electric buses to the city.  In a tender put out last week, Halifax Transit said it is partnering with Nova Scotia Power to study various types of electric bus technology and where it could be most effective. 

CBC News

Water Management

Technology creates new demands for water operators

In generations past, most water operators gained employment straight out of high school; however, these days, operators are required to have a strong foundation in science, engineering, and technology. Within a 10-year timeframe water management has been transformed with new technologies coming online for monitoring, treatment, and distribution.

Water Canada

Waste Management

New standards help firms manage waste

Companies are increasingly realizing the environmental and economic benefits of effective waste management — fewer methane emissions from landfills, reduced waste hauling costs and new revenue streams from reuse and recycling among them. Several new tools aim to help companies and other organizations achieve these goals and receive recognition for their work.

Environmental Leader

Recycling company transforms business’s waste streams

Noble Environmental Technologies says its technology is helping customers recycle their waste streams into new building materials for reuse. And it says it can partner with just about any business to help it close the loop while reduce its manufacturing costs and waste produced.

Environmental Leader