Last week, our client Metro Vancouver closed a deal with Lonsdale Energy Corporation (LEC) to sell low-carbon heat to LEC. LEC is a district heating system in the City of North Vancouver which provides heat service to buildings in the Lower and Central Lonsdale areas. The heat source for this … Read More
Low-Carbon Building Codes – Local vs Global Optima
Local Optima v Global Optima City building has moved from debates about whether to act to stem the rise of carbon emissions, to how best to act. As we laid out in our introductory post to this series, building codes and green building standards are some of the few climate action tools … Read More
Low-Carbon Building Codes Introduction
Low-Carbon Building Codes, Policies, and Standards: Panacea or Problematic? When most people think of cities, they immediately think of buildings. No surprise – they are the most obvious feature of a city. And buildings – particularly new buildings – are the focus of most city policies related to … Read More
Forecasting Carbon Prices for Long-term Investments – Metro Vancouver’s New Policy
In July, the Metro Vancouver Regional District board passed a new policy to value GHG emission reductions at $150/ tonne (constant, nominal) CO2e in the evaluation of capital projects. This price is inclusive of externally imposed carbon prices, i.e. B.C.’s existing $30/ tonne carbon tax. Metro … Read More
Naka Incinerator – Hiroshima, Japan
I recently took a personal trip to Japan with my family, and in addition to the sightseeing of ancient temples and shrines, thoughtful museums, and hyper-modern cityscapes, I took a tour of the 'Naka Garbage Incinerator' (aka. waste to energy facility, or WTE). The Naka Incinerator is located in … Read More
District Energy + Water Academy Report Release
The first ever District Energy and Water Academy drew attendants from near and far, reaching across the globe from Vancouver as far as Auckland, New Zealand. Our program took participants beyond the building-scale, with practical and proven strategies for feasibility, financing, policy, and … Read More
Powering a Low Carbon City with Local Resources
Population growth in urban areas can lead to prosperity, but the city has to keep up with this growth to avoid being choked. By 2041, Southern Ontario is expecting the population to grow from 9 million to 13.5 million. On October 6th & 7th, CityAge: Build the Future will be taking a look at … Read More
Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat in Toronto
The mechanical, electrical and plumbing (MEP) systems embedded in urban developments offer an increasing number of opportunities while becoming more complex. On October 4th, The Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH) is hosting a dialogue in Toronto to discuss new technologies and … Read More
District Energy + Water Academy
Communities across North America have an enormous opportunity to benefit from neighbourhood-scale water and energy systems. Goals like reducing carbon emissions, improving energy efficiency, maximizing waste re-use, increasing resiliency, simplifying operation and maintenance, and decreasing cost … Read More
In Conflict or in Concert: Green Building Policy and District Energy
As cities strive to achieve low carbon outcomes for buildings, one of the major tools at their disposal is a green building policy, such as requiring certification with LEED or other standards. In dense areas, with the right development patterns, cities may also have the opportunity to develop or … Read More