New Ideas and Practical Solutions for Green Building: National GreenBuilding Conference

Screenshot: National GreenBuilding Conference
Metro Toronto Convention Centre, December 1-3, 2010
Credit: nationalgreenbuildingexpo.com

As we brought out in our article about the upcoming HomeBuilder & Renovator Expo 2010, the National Green Building Conference is one of the magnetic poles which attracts our attention with new cost saving ideas for green building and practical green residential building solutions.

National Green Building Conference: New and Green Products & Services Recognition, a conference dedicated to the whole building process from a green perspective.

Here is detailed information for some seminars focusing on design, economies, technologies, project delivery models, and products that lead to energy efficient, green houses that minimize their impact on the environment.

Date: Dec 1, 2010
2:30 PM - 4:00 PM
Lessons Learned in Green Residential Building & Renovation
W123
Speakers: Shervin Akhavi, Senior Program Manager, GreenSaver
John Godden, President, Clearsphere Inc.
Jamie Shipley, Senior Research Consultant, Canada Mortgage & Housing Corporation

Description: The speakers will discuss the lessons learned from two alternative building philosophies, CMHC EQuilibrium sustainable housing demonstration and the Passive House.
The CMHC EQuilibrium™ Sustainable Housing Demonstration initiative is a national showcase for sustainable housing design and building solutions across Canada. Talented and visionary teams selected through a national competition are literally opening the doors to the next generation of clean and green Canadian housing – healthy, super energy efficient, very low environmental impact, with integrated on-site renewable energy systems to achieve net-zero energy use on an annual basis.
A Passive House is a building in which a comfortable interior climate is maintained without a conventional heating system. The house heats and cools itself for most of the year, hence "passive". The cost savings from eliminating a full-fledged heating and distribution system is used to fund the supper-insulation of the building envelope. Any remaining heat demand during extreme cold and cloudy days (~20 to 30 days/year) is provided by an extremely small source comparable to a hairdryer. The result is a house that saves up to 90% of space heating and cooling costs. There are over 10,000 Passive Houses built in Europe and North America.


Date: Dec 1, 2010
2:30 PM - 4:00 PM
Renovation Options for Energy Efficient Housing Projects
W124
Speakers: Christopher Timusk, Professor, Centre for Construction & Engineering Technologies, George Brown College

Description: Existing buildings are responsible for over 40% of the world’s total primary energy consumption, and much of the housing stock of our larger cities consists of old buildings and are our least energy efficient buildings.
The retrofit of these vintage homes is not altogether straight forward if we wish to make them energy efficient, comfortable and have them last for another 100 years.
Before tackling the retrofit of an older house, you should have an understanding of the building's structure, materials, and the governing building science principles, as well as some patience, which will be discussed in this presentation.

Date: Dec 2, 2010
9:00 AM - 10:15 AM
New & Green Product for Residential Construction
T120
Speakers: Paul Caverly, Principal, Myhaven GreenVision Homes Ltd.
John Godden, President, Clearsphere Inc.

Description: Existing economic climate and increasing focus on efficiency and sustainability has forced the construction industry and materials manufacturers to develop products and systems that respond to expectations and requirements.
Learn about the latest innovations, trends, systems, and techniques that can make your projects more appealing to your customers, and affect your bottom line. A virtual house tour reviewing new products for the building envelope, HVAC systems, water efficiency, materials for finishes and renewable techniques.

Date: Dec 2, 2010
9:00 AM - 10:15 AM
An Energy Retrofit of Your Building Is Your Best Investment: The ROI Beats the Stock Market
T300
Speakers: Kevin Day, Project Manager, Business Development, Halsall Associates Limited
Rob Detta Colli, TowerWise Conservation Incentives Advisor, Greater Toronto Apartment Association
Tim Stoate, Associate Director of Mandate Related Finance, Toronto Atmospheric Fund

Description: There are not many investments that you can make that give you the returns. That can come from an energy retrofit of your buildings.
Let Kevin Day from Halsall, and Tim Stoate from Toronto Atmospheric Fund and Rob Detta Colli from Tower Wise walk you through the process step by step to maximize your return.
Kevin will discuss building renewal options, Rob will present an overview of various incentives and rebate opportunities, and Tim will describe the financial benefits.
All three presenters have long-standing experience helping building owners and managers achieve returns on their building renewal investments.

Date: Dec 2, 2010
1:00 PM - 2:15 PM
When Does a Green Roof Make Sense? What Have We Learned About Green, White, and High-Performance Roofs?
OAA Accredited Continuing Education Sessions
T115
Speakers: Peter Kalinger, Technical Director, Canadian Roofing Contractors Association

Description: The use of white roofs (also known as reflective roofs), green roofs (also known as garden roofs) and high performance roofs has increased significantly in Canada.
It has been extensively discussed due to marketing, governmental policies, and the presumed role of these types of roofs in providing energy savings and reducing the urban heat island effect. Many of these attributes are associated with the colour of the roof’s surface (e.g., white, green or black) and are all linked in some way to sustainability or sustainable development.
This presentation will cover the definition of sustainable roofing as we know it in today’s market (preserve the environment, conserve energy and extend the service life) and examine what we have learned over the past few years as an industry in terms of best practices with green, white, and high performance roofs.
This session has been approved for 1.25 CORE learning hours under OAA.

Date: Dec 2, 2010
1:00 PM - 2:15 PM
Future-Proofing Your Building
T305
Speakers: David House, Principal, earthdevelopment
David Jansen, Partner, Adamson Associates Architects
Mark Johnson, Principal, earthdevelopment
Alex Lukachko, General Manager, Building Science Corporation

Description: The myth of the green building premium is over. Sustainable buildings can now be delivered with less capital outlay and lower operating costs, resulting in lower gross rents and higher investment yields.
Gain an insider's perspective on how to make green buildings competitive and stand up to the demands of the institutional investors, tenants and market forces.
Join a world-class panel representing the architecture, development, and building technology communities and learn how to model a superior pro forma that captures the benefits of short and long-term financial results.
Topics will include the basic physics of building performance (The Perfect Wall), the future of gross leases, and the impact of energy costs on the real estate industry. Walk through a proven decision-making process that Old Money knows will mitigate risk and deliver results to all stakeholders.

links:
Going Green in the City: Building and Renovating with "Being Green" in Mind:
Part 1 - Eco-Friendly Home Improvements
Part 2 - Going Green Is Becoming Mainstream
Part 3 - Living Rooftops - An Environmental Alternative for "Green" Building
by Lonya Miller