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QuadReal heralded for sustainability at Fitwel awards

2 years ago

QuadReal Property Group has been awarded the Industry Thought Leadership award for its commitment to driving research on the impact of buildings on human health and wellness.

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Canada has announced plans to issue $5 billion in sustainable debt to fund everything from planting trees to building carbon capture facilities. The country is already positioned to cut emissions by about 36 per cent below 2005 levels by 2030.

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Germany has allocated more than 200 billions euros to fund industrial transformation between now and 2026, including climate protection, hydrogen technology and expansion of the EV charging network. The move comes as Germany looks to cut ties to Russian gas.

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Gender parity on the production line is being seen in Canada, where women make up only about 23 per cent of auto assembly jobs. The automaker has made a concerted effort to hire women, including at one plant in Oshawa.

Social Purpose Real Estate Financing

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With International Women’s Day celebrations taking off today, a curated list of the most badass women to take the helm on climate change issues has been released. Twenty-five women top the list — from executives to asset managers.

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Women still face barriers regarding pay and career imbalances, a new report from RBC Economics. While the report suggests that more needs to be done, women in Canada have more than regained the jobs they lost early in the pandemic.

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RBC has responded to criticism against its sustainable finance strategy from shareholder activist groups. The shareholder vote, planned on April 7, 2022, will see RBC face scrutiny for investments the bank has made in fossil fuels.

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American International Group Inc. (AIG) has announced a sustainability plan to reach net-zero, greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) across its underwriting and investments portfolios by 2050. They also committed to 100 per cent renewable energy for its operations by 2030.

Sustainable Biz Canada

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Vancity has announced a new construction financing program to encourage the development of green buildings through preferential lending terms. Buildings that don’t require fossil fuels for heating or cooking will be eligible, and an information session is planned March 9.

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The City of Ottawa is calling for tougher green standards on all new subdivisions and larger developments. As they look to reduce GHG emissions and achieve net-zero by 2050, officials are looking at the best ways to tackle the issue.

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Construction has finally begun on what could become New York City’s neighbourhood to reach net-zero carbon emissions. Built along 116 acres of vacant oceanfront land, the $1 billion project in Queens could be a proving ground for progressive climate policies.

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On-site energy will double in the US and renewables will grow faster than any other form of energy through 2050. This, according to the most recent Annual Energy Outlook (AEO) by the US Energy Information Administration (EIA).

Anchor Corp

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Ontario is running out of landfill space. According to the Ontario Waste Management Association (OWMA), an industry lobby group that tracks available capacity, the remaining space will be exhausted by 2036.

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An Ontario government plan to use chemicals and heat to break down non-recyclable plastic waste and convert it into fuel and other products has been met with criticism by environmental groups who say the measures are dangerous and “magical thinking.”

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Well owners in B.C. are now illegally drawing water, following a deadline for existing non-domestic groundwater users to secure historic water rights passed March 1. B.C. was the last jurisdiction in North America to regulate groundwater use in 2016.

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A decades-old policy that protected parts of the Rockies from coal development will stay in place, according to government officials in Alberta. Restrictions will remain in place until the province updates its framework around how it manages its land.

Energy Profiles

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Climate finance for developing countries has fallen short, leaving many banks with funds that haven’t been distributed, according to a UN report. Experts believe it’s time to conduct more research to assess the impact of international climate finance.

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Approximately 30 per cent of green aluminum is made in Russia. It is being replaced with dirty coal-fired aluminum, causing aluminum prices to have spiked to their highest prices ever, and shipments from China have also increased.

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The federal government is reviewing its Output-Based Pricing System (OBPS) as part of an update it must make to its climate plan by the end of March, as it looks to reduce emissions by 40 per cent to 45 per cent by 2030 from 2005 levels and achieve net-zero by 2050.

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Divesting from companies and countries that are serial human rights violators is top of mind for many investors, according to pension execs, as most funds failed to see the risks that a Russian invasion of Ukraine could pose to their portfolios

Industry Events