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REALPAC’s Michael Brooks on his WGBC role

2 years ago

Michael Brooks, CEO of the Real Property Association of Canada (REALPAC), sees his role on the World Green Building Council board as a two-way street.

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A new manufacturing facility in Abbotsford will be one of Canada’s first manufacturing facilities of its kind, and it’s the latest from Abbotsford-based clean energy startup Atlas Power Technologies. The venture will launch at the end of 2022.

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Carbon ETFs and stocks have become more accessible investments for retail investors than ever before, as options are starting to open up for those without access to the American markets. Check out the best carbon Canadian ETFs of 2022.

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The B.C. government has updated the Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR) Use Regulation to allow ALR land use for intensive crop production. The changes will help increase local food supply through intensive farming or vertical farming.

Anchor Corp

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Toronto-based Neo Performance Materials Inc. has been awarded a Gold Medal for its Neo Magnequench rare earth magnetic materials manufacturing facility in Korat, Thailand. EcoVadis recognized it for its 2021 sustainability performance.

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Montreal has announced a plan to rezone 16 hectares of ecologically sensitive land in its Technoparc for conservation purposes. Mayor Valerie Plante told the press she wants to expand the nature park to 175 hectares, almost as big as Mount Royal Park.

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ProAmpac is expanding its presence in Canada following the acquisition of Belle-Pak, a packaging company that produces poly mailers for e-commerce and logistics services, packing list envelopes and custom medical and clinical bags.

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Saint Gobain has announced it will invest $32 million to upgrade equipment at its insulation plant in Chowchilla, Calif. Allowing for a 13 per cent increase in production, it will also reduce the facility’s carbon footprint by 4,000 metric tons.

Social Purpose Real Estate Financing

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The market for advanced carbon materials is expected to rise to $8.2 billion by 2026, according to a GIA study. An analysis found that the business and economic consequences caused by the pandemic are fuelling global demand for clean-tech projects.

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More than 20 electric vehicles, including at least one EV pick-up truck, will hit Canadian dealerships in 2022. With plenty of buzz around EVs, 2022 could be a watershed moment for EVs; nearly every automaker will offer one for sale.

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Ford and Volvo have joined an electric vehicle battery recycling program by Redwood Materials, which aims to recycle lithium-ion batteries for electromobility and electrical storage systems. The program will allow the automakers to recycle old EV batteries into repurposing parts.

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Canadians remain enthusiastic about electric vehicles (EVs), but several concerns are holding them back, a new poll by KPMG LLP’s Canadian unit found.  

Sustainable Biz Canada

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Is poor planning and policy to blame for climate change? One expert seems to think so. Fred Pearce says that focusing only on climate can end up absolving policymakers of their failures to climate-proof their citizens.

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A 30-year-old scientific tool used to measure methane could be underestimating the damage it’s causing to the climate if not addressed, a new study suggests.

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Building tightness testing should be a factor in determining the sizing of a building’s mechanical system. This, according to Austin Todd, founder of Evergreen Building Science Inc., who says the value of airtightness testing during building construction is growing.

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One of the biggest challenges that ocean cargo carriers face is that most of the potentially viable alternative fuels, infrastructure and technologies needed to power ships are not ready for prime-time use, says Søren Toft, CEO of the Mediterranean Shipping Co. (MSC).

Energy Profiles

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The B.C. provincial budget will earmark funds for climate change after flooding events, mudslides, and wildfires ravaged the western province in 2021. B.C. Finance Minister Selina Robinson said allocated funds will go toward recovery and prevention efforts.

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Carbon reduction targets need to go hand in hand with biodiversity goals and companies are waking up to the fact that their operations and supply chains are heavily dependent on the natural environment.

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A consortium of companies and organizations aims to dismantle years of environmental injustice that disproportionally affects generations of poor people. The work is evolving, and change is coming, and business leaders have an opportunity to get in front of it.

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Reducing how much electricity we use will be crucial in meeting our decarbonization goals, but can we electrify everything? Some experts argue that doing without might be better than having too much.

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