Topic
Green Technology
Distribution efficiency: An often overlooked benefit of hydronics
August 24, 2017 by HPAC MagazineDuring the 35+ years that I have been involved in the North American hydronics industry there have been significant improvements in the thermal efficiency of hydronic heat sources. The 1960s vintage ranch house that I grew up in is a…
Passive House eclipses BC Building Code in Ice Box Challenge
August 21, 2017After 18 days in the sun, the Passive House structure retains 639 kg of ice compared with the BC code-built house which retained 407-kg. Launched on July 27, Vancouver residents and visitors were invited to learn about the Passive House Standard—the energy-efficient…
Alberta the latest province to offer solar panel installation rebates
August 11, 2017Net Metering programs and rebates for solar PV array installations are now available in almost every province in Canada. Albertans are the latest to have their day in the sun. The province joined the cross-country movement when it recently announced…
Three HVAC/R companies to receive BLOOM grants
July 31, 2017BLOOM has announced that grant funding has been approved to support the completion of seven clean technology demonstration projects. The projects are diverse and represent key sectors of Ontario’s economy. The funding for the projects is being provided by the…
Google, Dandelion Geothermal, and the Thermal Energy IoT
July 18, 2017This focused write up is based on an article originally published on LinkedIn about the recent spin-off of “Dandelion“ from X, the innovation engine of Alphabet (parent of Google). Reprinted with permission. BY JAY EGG Validation comes in many different ways. Presently,…
Regina-based developer brings first Built Green community to Saskatchewan
July 10, 2017The Autumn Ridge Estates subdivision north of Regina, SK, has launched the sale of 42 lots, with the provision that the homes built in the community be certified through Built Green Canada. When it is completed it will be the…
Manitoba racks up 100 LEED certified projects
July 7, 2017The Canada Green Building Council (CaGBC) and the CaGBC Manitoba Chapter have announced that Manitoba has reached its 100th LEED certified project. Totaling 601,753 sq. m. of space, these 100 LEED certifications represent Manitoba’s greenest and most sustainable buildings, with…
Edmonton hockey arena raises the bar for sports facilities
June 22, 2017Rogers Place will soon have the honour of being the first NHL venue in Canada to be LEED Silver certified. The 93,000-m2 arena is part of a new 25-acre mixed-use development site in Edmonton, AB and officially opened in September…
Projects from across Canada participate in CaGBC pilot
June 16, 2017The Canada Green Building Council (CaGBC) has announced that 16 of Canada’s most innovative projects have been chosen to participate in a two-year pilot of CaGBC’s Zero Carbon Building Standard. The Standard, which assesses the carbon performance of commercial, institutional,…
Green building gets a push with new partnership
June 2, 2017Canada Green Building Council (CaGBC) and Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI) have signed an agreement in principle to form a Canadian joint venture called Green Business Certification Inc. Canada (GBCI Canada), with final terms expected to be agreed upon this…
Alberta program offers rebates on high-efficiency equipment
May 29, 2017Efficiency Alberta is launching an energy efficiency program that provides incentives to businesses that choose high-efficiency products. The Business, Non-Profit and Institutional Energy Savings Program is designed to encourage organizations to replace old, inefficient equipment to help reduce GHG emissions.…
A lesson in sustainability
May 12, 2017 by Shawn SinnieClass is back in session and the teachers have a little more help this year. The renovated Steinbach Regional Secondary School in Steinbach, MB, is assisting the faculty with a great lesson for the students on the environment and the…
A positive vibe at MCEE with more exhibitors and higher attendance
May 12, 2017The aisles were packed again for the 2017 edition of MCEE trade show and conference for the plumbing, hydronics, HVAC/R, electrical and lighting industries. The sold out trade show took place in Montreal on April 26 and 27. At 6,286,…
Mitsubishi Electric Sales joins low carbon effort
May 1, 2017EllisDon has announced that Mitsubishi Electric Sales Canada has become the latest partner to join its Carbon Impact Initiative. “EllisDon is thrilled to have Mitsubishi Electric Sales Canada join the Carbon Impact Initiative,” says Andrew Bowerbank, global director of sustainable…
Wolseley ONE sees large turnout, addresses regulatory issues
April 4, 2017There was a large turnout on the show floor for Wolseley Canada’s second Wolseley ONE Tradeshow March 29 at the Mississauga Convention Centre. Attendees networked while perusing over 70 plumbing and HVAC/R vendor displays for information and industry trends. A…
Danfoss publishes report on high-performance building and the path to a sustainable building-energy equation
March 22, 2017Danfoss has published a report on making the buildings-energy equation sustainable. The report, which was developed with Dr. James Freihaut, a professor of architectural engineering at The Pennsylvania State University, traces the path of high-performance buildings in the pursuit of…
High-Performance Building Lab offers hands-on opportunities
January 24, 2017“Our new High-Performance Building lab is a hub for formal and informal hands-on learning and training for students, industry and others interested in efficient building envelopes,” said Andrea Linsky, program head in the Centre for Energy Systems Applications at British…
Hospitals get on board with the Green Hospital Scorecard
January 11, 2017The Green Hospital Scorecard (GHS) is the only environmental and sustainability benchmarking tool of its kind in Canada, providing a snapshot of a hospital’s performance in energy and water conservation, waste management and recycling, corporate commitment, and pollution prevention. In…
Canada’s Green Building Product of the Year open for entries
January 5, 2017The Canada Green Building Council (CaGBC) has announced the opening of the competition for the 2017 CaGBC Green Building Product of the Year Award. CaGBC initiated the Product of the Year award in 2015 to promote the development of sustainable…
How important is energy efficiency in industrial and buildings sectors?
January 4, 2017The Office of Energy Efficiency (OEE) is undertaking Public Opinion Research to measure, through quantitative means, the importance of energy efficiency in the industrial and buildings sectors (including public, commercial and institutional sub-sectors) and energy efficiency brand recognition (ENERGY STAR,…
CaGBC to launch a Zero Carbon Building Standard next Spring
November 18, 2016The Canada Green Building Council (CaGBC) released a Zero Carbon Buildings Framework on November 2, 2016 for the assessment of highly energy efficient buildings that minimize greenhouse gas emissions. The Framework is the first stage of a broader CaGBC Zero…
Public input sought for changes to Green Building Standard
November 16, 2016Changes to the commissioning requirements in Standard 189.1 that would increase its ability to support achieving high performance green buildings are open for public input. Standard 189.1 is published by ASHRAE, the Illuminating Engineering Society (IES), the U.S. Green Building Council…
Partner with NRCan in High-Performance Building Challenge
November 15, 2016UPDATED November 24, 2016 Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) plans to launch a National High-Performance Building Challenge to help bring the Canadian building market closer to a net-zero energy performance ideal. According to Ian Meredith, program development manager-buildings and industry division,…
Innovative products in the spotlight at CIPHEX West
November 5, 2016Winners of the New Product Competition at CIPHEX West are: Sunrise Tradex Corporation, The Mini: Movable Split Air Conditioner, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration; Viessmann Manufacuring Company, Vitosol FM, Alternative Energy (Solar, Geothermal, etc.): tekmar Control Systems (A Watts Brand), WiFi…
Show Preview: Construct Canada 2016
October 26, 2016 by Doug PicklykThe 28th annual Construct Canada show, the country’s largest building, design and construction event, will run Wednesday, November 30 through Friday, December 2 in downtown Toronto at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, located at the base of the CN Tower.…
Noble draws a crowd
October 21, 2016It was standing room only for the basic furnace performance testing seminar, one of five complimentary educational sessions held during Noble’s 2016 BIG Tuesday Heating Show held on October 4 between 4 p.m. and 9 p.m. just north of Toronto…
Solar thermal runs hot and cold
October 17, 2016 by Robert WatersHaving been involved with the solar water heating (SWH) industry since the early 1980s, I can tell you that it has faced many challenges. A look at its history in Canada reveals that SWH has been on a roller coaster…
IAQ and thermal comfort among top three building features
September 29, 2016A Canada Green Building Council (CaGBC) and Dodge Data & Analytics report released recently titled Healthier Buildings in Canada 2016: Transforming Building Design and Construction revealed new information about the factors influencing Canada’s building owners, architects, designers, contractors and public…
Trends that mean good news for the hydronic industry
August 31, 2016 by Steve GoldieWhen I sat down to write this article, my intention was to take a look at some of the most common issues in residential hydronic installations and examine the remedies. In the interest of not being repetitive I did a…
Canada holds its own in energy efficiency rankings
August 21, 2016Germany continues to lead the world in energy efficiency, followed by Italy and Japan (tied for second place), France, and the United Kingdom (not reflecting energy-related government changes in 2016), according to the 2016 International Energy Efficiency Scorecard published by…