Ryan Zizzo

With a shift in focus toward sustainability and energy efficiency, governments across Canada are tackling the critical housing shortage while also addressing the climate crisis. The Federal Standard on Embodied Carbon is showing leadership in this space, working to address carbon emissions from day one – the construction of new buildings. Once operational, buildings emit up to 65% of municipal emissions when fully operational, but it’s important to recognize that a building’s emissions begin with the materials used to build it, also known as embodied carbon. At Greengate, we understand the responsibility that our generation has to create a safe, healthy and sustainable future, starting with everything from the buildings where we live and work to the energy that we consume. To learn more about this federal initiative, read the full article at: https://bit.ly/45mfGUE #EnergyEfficiency #RenewableEnergy #SustainableFuture

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Check out this video of last week's CLF Toronto | Carbon Leadership Forum presentation by Kelly Alvarez Doran, Lisa King, MA and I, presenting on our soon-to-be published Embodied Carbon Management Toolkit. We dive into three key topics: 1) Circular Construction 2) Urban Design 3) Low Carbon Procurement Our recommendations show some of the many ways to reduce embodied carbon, and can be applied by policymakers and construction project decision-makers. https://lnkd.in/gFNf6YyB

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Recently, the CAGBC | Canada Green Building Council held the first ever National Embodied Carbon Summit, inviting stakeholders from the AEC Industry, government, builders/developers, contractors, manufacturing associations, academia, and NGOs. Here, they identified gaps and barriers to embodied carbon reductions, developing solutions to meet the World Green Building Council’s target of reducing embodied carbon in new #construction by 40 per cent by 2030.

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The Climate Smart Buildings Alliance (CSBA), a joint project between EllisDon, RBC and Mattamy Homes, is launching the Responsible Buildings Pact, a cross-industry agreement aimed at increasing the use of low carbon materials in the built environment. This initiative was unveiled yesterday at the CAGBC | Canada Green Building Council's Building Lasting Change conference, with more than 20 companies committing to the Pact. The Responsible Buildings Pact is an open, voluntary, industry-wide agreement for developers, consultants, contractors, and supporters interested in working together to reduce the embodied carbon of the buildings we create. Companies joining the Pact will commit to remaining educated on lower carbon materials, establishing a process to consistently evaluate whether lower carbon materials or design strategies can be used, and publicly reporting the results of their process and evaluations on an annual basis. Learn more about the Responsible Buildings Pact: https://lnkd.in/gNgDpSxH #MattamyHomes #BuildaBetterWorld #ResponsibleBuildingsPact #ClimateSmartBuildings

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Buildings that use gas or fossil fuels for heating and hot water are the largest emitters of carbon in Toronto. In response, the City has enacted a new bylaw requiring building owners to report their energy and water use annually in view of meeting the city’s emissions performance standards.   Learn how this new bylaw will impact on you at home, at work and in the community. Register now for Webinar on April 25, 2024 from noon to 12:45 p.m, https://lnkd.in/g52yAd-q Switching to cleaner energy sources is one of the most effective ways to reduce emissions. Making the switch to cleaner energy sources will have some upfront costs but will lead to savings on your energy bills now and into the future. The city offers guidance and a range of programs and funding to help offset the initial costs. 

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"To address the combined challenges of energy affordability and climate impacts, significant support is required to retrofit existing buildings...” The Pembina Institute's recommendations for advancing BC's net-zero energy economy highlight the actions needed to secure a greener future, including climate-resilient buildings. A key recommendation expanding the use of the BC Home Energy Planner. A collaboration between the Ministry of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation and Properate, the planner uses Properate’s home energy rating technologies to improve access to virtual home energy evaluations, rebates, and upgrades. Read more: https://buff.ly/4gm4XOW #BritishColumbia | #ClimateResilience | #ClimateAction | #NetZero

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The new Canada Green Buildings Strategy aims to transform the #building sector for a net-zero future, with Efficiency Canada noting that we should reflect on how to build a stronger voice for efficient, affordable, climate-friendly #buildings.

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An important report on where we are, where we need to get and how we are going to get there with building decarbonization. We CAN reach our decarbonization goals for buildings in Canada, but it needs to start now and we need to act with conviction.

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Well done to Canadian Climate Institute / Institut climatique du Canada on its latest report , highlighting that a system-wide shift from gas to electric heat is the lowest-cost path through the clean energy transition. The report also includes that provincial government action is needed to protect reliability and avoid high costs for consumers as the energy transition accelerates. Our firm remains committed to supporting this transition and electrification via the exploration and discovery of #criticalminerals

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Embodied carbon continues to be a hot topic. Catch up on recent developments including CAGBC's first ever embodied carbon summit, the recently released #ZeroCarbon Building – Design v4 Standard, and National Research Council Canada / Conseil national de recherches Canada's new embodied carbon reporting guide: https://ow.ly/CLSv50Su7bI

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The Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat | Secrétariat du Conseil du Trésor du Canada just released a new Request for Information (RFI) on Whole Building Life Cycle Assessments (WBLCAs) for major Government of Canada building construction projects. This is a significant step towards implementing the federal government's Greening Government Strategy commitments. Key points from the RFI: - Proposing mandatory wbLCAs for major federal construction projects starting in 2025 - Targeting at least 30% embodied carbon reduction compared to a baseline or recognized benchmark. - Requiring wbLCA reports for both preliminary and final designs - Planning to publicly disclose final design wbLCA results This RFI seeks feedback from architects, engineers, LCA practitioners, and other interested parties on various aspects of implementation, including potential impacts on project schedules, budgets, and design processes. If you work in the building industry, I strongly encourage you to review the RFI and provide your input. This is a critical opportunity to shape the future of embodied carbon policy for federal projects in Canada. The deadline for responses is September 13th, 2024. Download the RFI document for full details on how to respond: https://lnkd.in/gEH9Z_6K #embodiedcarbon #federalpolicy #greenbuilding #WBLCA

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Innovative research from Keagan Rankin at University of Toronto looking at the relative embodied carbon reduction potential from various approaches such that Canada can build required housing while still meeting our climate targets. - dense communities (no more single family homes) - smarter design (no more underground construction) - smarter materials (lower carbon alternatives) - infill (no new roads and sewers, and more construction above existing buildings) It's technically possible. Politically... well that's another matter.

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New paper published: Building benchmarking and energy performance: Analysis of social and affordable housing in British Columbia, Canada Authors: Shabnam Edalatnia, Dr. Runa Das Abstract: This research assesses the energy performance of social and affordable housing by conducting quantitative analysis of 23 community housing buildings in British Columbia (BC) using ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager. The study sampled community housing buildings, tracked utility bills from 2019 to 2022, and analyzed weather-normalized energy consumption. We find that high-rise buildings in our dataset performed worse compared to other buildings in the dataset and to market housing buildings in BC. We attribute these differences to variability in building characteristics, construction methods, and mechanical systems. Results also show that average energy consumption per dwelling unit in community housing buildings is lower than the BC average, indicating that residents in social and affordable housing use less energy. This could be linked to the lack of amenities in community housing like air conditioning as well as possible efforts taken by residents to reduce utility bills by using less energy. These results demonstrate that it is important to retrofit these buildings for the sake of building and environmental performance but also, and perhaps more critically, to improve the living conditions of those who live in social and affordable housing. Limited understanding of the influence of occupant behaviour on energy performance is a study limitation warranting further study. Read more details: https://lnkd.in/gksggc-q #SocialHousing #AffordableHousing #BuildingPerformance #EnergyBenchmarking #ENERGYSTARPortfolioManager #EnergyEfficiency #MultiUnitResidentialBuilding

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The Government of Canada will re-open both streams of the Green and Inclusive Community Buildings Program on August 1 with an application deadline of October 16, 2024. The Small and Medium Retrofit Stream (deadline Oct 16) funds changes to an existing building/asset that seek to renovate, upgrade, or repair aspects of the building/asset in a manner that improves environmental outcomes. Retrofits must be to a facility that is fully accessible to the public and that will provide non-commercial services to the community. These projects range in cost from $100,000 to $2,999,999. The Large Retrofits and New Build Stream (deadline Oct 16) must be of a building/asset that is open and fully accessible to the public and that will provide non-commercial services to the community. These projects range in cost from $3,000,000 to $25,000,000. https://lnkd.in/enZ8Gt_e If AAAS members need support in applying for either stream, please contact Klay Dyer ([email protected]) as soon as possible. Alberta Counsel #FundingFriday

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The future of Canada’s cities lies not just in the skylines they shape but in the very materials from which they are built. In our quest for sustainable development, one sector presents both a formidable challenge and a promising opportunity: the cement and concrete industry. Cement production alone is responsible for about seven per cent of global CO₂ emissions which is equivalent to a quarter of all industrial emissions. In Canada, with our commitment to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, transforming this “hard-to-abate” sector is not just beneficial — it’s imperative. With a substantial carbon footprint, this sector is ripe for transformation through carbon capture and utilization (CCU) technologies that result in alternative materials, presenting a critical solution for Canada’s green growth and prosperity. Madison Savilow, Carbon Upcycling Technologies #cdnpoli #greengrowth #carbonsink #cities #greencities #CCU #CCS #carbon #climatechange

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As urban landscapes evolve and housing demands increase, repurposing underutilized office buildings emerges as a sustainable solution. Our duo—Tobias Fellows (Principal, Public Buildings) and Blake Jackson (Director, Sustainability)—recently participated in the Association of Energy Engineers Canada East's final webinar of the session, “Office-to-Residential Conversions: A Whole Building Approach.” The presentation focused on the future of housing availability and opportunities for existing buildings conversions to combat the dual affordability and climate crises. The team highlighted Whole Building approaches to balance and enhance energy efficiency while reducing embodied carbon by realizing the potential and intrinsic value of existing and heritage structures for new, modern uses. For more comprehensive strategies to guide every phase of a building's lifecycle—from design, construction and operation to the building’s end-of-life considerations—connect with our team. Thanks to the AEE Canada East for including us. Watch the presentation: https://lnkd.in/gAU5q2iM #OfficeConversions #NORR #Architecture #Sustainability #EnergyEfficiency #ClimateCrisis #HousingShortage #BuildingRepurposing #BuildingLifecycle, Tobias Fellows, Blake Jackson, AIA, LEED Fellow, WELL Faculty, CPHC

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🌍 UN Global Compact Network Canada and WSP in Canada have teamed up to bring you "TNFD Essentials: A Beginner’s Guide to Nature-Related Financial Disclosures"—a comprehensive resource to help businesses embrace environmental accountability. 🌱 This guide offers: ✔ Practical tools for integrating nature into business strategies ✔ Steps for quantifying risks and setting impactful targets ✔ Insights from industry leaders to drive sustainable success 🔗 Learn more: https://lnkd.in/ekKSttip #BiodiversityForward #SustainableBusiness #EnvironmentalImpact

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Today the Canadian Climate Institute / Institut climatique du Canada released HEAT EXCHANGE, a landmark report on the ways that provinces can accelerate the shift toward net zero buildings while protecting affordability and reliability for Canadians. Highlights: - "Achieving net zero in Canada will require a significant increase in the use of electricity for building heat, and a declining use of gas, starting right away." - "As Canada’s energy transition accelerates, electricity will power more and more space heating in Canada. Heat pumps with electric resistance backup are often the most cost-optimal long term pathway—even considering the significant electricity system build-out that they require." - "...government policy should no longer treat the connection of new buildings to gas networks as a matter of course. In most contexts, and particularly for new developments, electrification should be the default, unless there is a specific local alternative such as a thermal energy network." - "...we see some uptake in the use of biomethane [RNG] and hydrogen in the buildings sector along a cost-optimal pathway to net zero, but nowhere near enough to replace the sector’s current gas consumption." - "...pushing for a bigger role for hydrogen and biomethane [RNG] risks raising overall costs, and depends more on less-certain decarbonization technologies, while doing little to mitigate the need to invest in electricity capacity expansion." - "...provinces that continue to expand their gas distribution networks could jeopardize Canada’s climate goals or raise the cost of meeting them." - "If Canada cannot rein in emissions from buildings, it risks either missing its climate targets or requiring a disproportionate effort from other sectors, raising the energy transition’s overall costs." Congratulations and mad respect to CCI staff authors Kate Harland, Sachi Gibson, Jason Dion, Nikhitha Gajudhur, and Kathleen Mifflin for this hugely important work. I'm proud to have played a modest role in its production as a external contributor alongside my exceptionally bright and wonky friends Dan Woynillowicz and Chris Bataille, among others.

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Care About Climate Change and Getting to Net Zero Emissions? Retrofiting our existing building inventory will play a critical role in reducing those emissions. Note: this story originally appeared in Renew Canada #netzero #climatechange #greenbuilding #futureofbuildings #urbanstability

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