RMI, BGIS, QuadReal explore retrofits at BLC

BIZ  Energy, Real Estate  •  National

Decarbonizing a mid-to-large size property portfolio requires a detailed roadmap that will provide the most bang for the retrofit buck, expert panelists told attendees at the Canada Green Building Council’s recent Building Lasting Change conference.

CIB, Trane Technologies explore CRE retrofits at BLC

BIZ  Energy, Real Estate, Finance  •  National

Representatives of the Canada Infrastructure Bank (CIB) and Trane Technologies explored new programs required for building retrofits to reduce emissions from real estate properties, during the Canada Green Building Council’s Building Lasting Change (BLC) virtual event.

Companies pledge to reach net zero by 2030

Energy  •  Globe and Mail

When the water heating system of Arthur Erickson Place, a 26-storey office tower at 1075 West Georgia St. in Vancouver, was due for replacement, it gave commercial real estate services firm Colliers an opportunity to make the 1986 building much more sustainable.

The business of buildings: getting to net-zero

Real Estate  •  GreenBiz

The COVID-19 pandemic reset the business of commercial real estate, with repercussions still coming into focus. Tens of millions of U.S. professionals stopped commuting to work in spring of 2020, labouring from home for months or longer.

Canada joins 100+ nations to end deforestation by 2030

Finance  •  Globe and Mail  •  CBC  •  CP24

World leaders at the COP26 climate summit have agreed to halt and reverse deforestation by 2030. More than 100 leaders have signed the deal, which includes a pledge of US$19.2-billion in public and private funding to help developing nations restore degraded land.

World leaders should forget consensus at COP26

Energy  •  Corporate Knights  •  Financial Post  •  Globe and Mail

In the race to net-zero, the next few decades will be difficult. With competing interests, values and needs, getting everyone on the same page could be impossible. Transitioning to a low-carbon economy also raises several ethical quandaries.

Sponsored by Skyline Group of Companies Sustainable rental housing: how this developer is building it

Summer 2021 saw the kick-off of development for a new 236-suite apartment complex in Gravenhurst, Ontario. The town’s vacancy rate is only 0.4%, indicating the crucial need for new rental stock, which this single development is increasing by 38%. SkyDev,

Canadian investors call for climate accountability

Finance  •  BusinessWire  •  Globe and Mail

Thirty-six institutional investors managing $5.5 trillion in assets have signed a Canadian Investor Statement on Climate Change. The Statement, including signatures from five of Canada’s largest banks and the Ontario Pension Board, calls on companies to act on material climate risks.

Intelligent City uses robots to build mass timber houses

Real Estate  •  Treehugger  •  Intelligent City Announcement

Intelligent City describes itself as “leaders in innovative urban housing solutions.” The company recently had a splashy opening of its factory with robots that can slice and dice panels made of cross-laminated timber (CLT).

Sustainable Tim Hortons proposed for Regina

Real Estate  •  CTV News

Designs for a Tim Hortons restaurant in Regina look to incorporate sustainable technologies, in a first-of-its kind project for the company. The local Tim Hortons ownership group hopes the design would be the “most sustainable Tim Hortons in Canada.”

Moving beyond embodied carbon when building

Real Estate  •  Treehugger  •  Passive House UK

The Association for Environment Conscious Building (AECB) is “a network of individuals and companies with a common aim of promoting sustainable building.” Its CEO is designer and builder Andy Simmonds, who recently wrote an article with Irish journalist Lenny Antonelli.

Putting tenant wellness first

Real Estate  •  REMI Network  •  Canada Newswire

Building management priorities have evolved since the pandemic. As Canadians continue to return to office buildings, workers, tenants and residents want to know their health and wellness is a primary focus for real estate landlords and facility managers.

Sustainable debt makes corporations climate leaders

Energy, Real Estate  •  BNN Bloomberg

Imagine if you could get a lower mortgage rate every time you made some effort — perhaps by swapping out your incandescent light bulbs for LEDs or putting solar panels on your roof — to lower the carbon footprint of your home.

How banks can accelerate net-zero commitments

Finance  •  GreenBiz

While there is no standard definition for net-zero finance, we know enough for banks to start pursuing these commitments in a meaningful way. Climate action requires major investments, while financial flows must shift away from climate-harmful activities.

AIMCo Realty announces green financing framework

Real Estate, Finance  •  Cision

AIMCo Realty Investors announced its Green Financing Framework in support of its commitment to ESG and sustainability principles. AIMCo will allocate net proceeds from the issuance of green bonds, green loans or other financial instruments to finance eligible green projects.

Dream Group aims to reach net zero by 2050

Energy, Real Estate  •  Cision

Dream Unlimited Corp., Dream Office REIT, Dream Impact Trust and Dream Industrial REIT announced their formal participation in the Net Zero Asset Managers initiative. The Dream group is committed to achieving net zero GHG emissions by 2050 or sooner.

Springbank reservoir to protect Calgary from floods

Real Estate  •  CBC

The Alberta government has secured enough land to construct a reservoir needed to protect Calgary and surrounding communities from disastrous floods like the one that killed five people and caused billions of dollars in damages in 2013.

Meet 6 Canadians advocating for the planet

ESG, Social  •  Globe and Mail

From heat waves to floods and storms, the effects of climate change and the coverage around it can feel overwhelming. That hasn’t stopped these Canadians from making strides toward a sustainable future. We are sharing their stories ahead of COP26.

Students urge Canada’s universities to ditch fossil fuels

Energy  •  Macleans

Across Canada, the student divestment effort has been ramping up, spurred by inspired organizers at post-secondary institutions from coast to coast. Samuel Taylor, a lead organizer with Climate Action Carleton, describes it as a “snowball effect”.

B.C. Centre for Innovation and Clean Energy established

Energy, Real Estate  •  Cision

The British Columbia Centre for Innovation and Clean Energy (CICE) was founded by the Government of British Columbia, Government of Canada and Shell Canada. It joins innovators, industry, governments and academics to accelerate the commercialization of B.C.-based clean energy technologies.