Author Archives: Anca Pascalau

Life & Health Sciences Building “Block D”; Earns LEED; Gold Status for Sustainable Design

The special qualities of Block D of the Life & Health Sciences Building may be imperceptible by the students and staff working in the new labs, but for those who know what is behind the walls, the building’s status is golden, at least by the standards of the leading sustainability organization in Canada.

Block D, the most recent construction project on the Trent University campus), has achieved LEED gold status from the Canada Green Building Council, a non-profit, national organization working to advance green building practices in Canada.

LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, and recognizes sustainable designs, practices and operations by offering four levels of certification (Certified, Silver, Gold and Platinum) to projects meeting LEED certification criteria.

On the surface, students, staff and faculty may notice recycling bins, bike racks and showers for cyclists as obvious environmentally-friendly aspects of the new building. Since access to low-impact transportation is a valuable criteria in the LEED requirements, having year-round bus service also gained a point for the project.

But the rest of what earned the project LEED Gold status is everything people won’t see: building materials that were extracted and manufactured within 800 km of the job site, wood used from certified managed forests, and reflective paint used on the roof.

“Trent has a reputation for being green”, says Linda Smith, one of two project managers in the Physical Resources Department, and the one who oversaw the Block D construction from start to finish.

Ms. Smith talked about every aspect of the LEED designation with enthusiasm, not missing the irony that some aspects, like the large cistern installed to collect rainwater, takes us right back to our grandmothers time.  The cistern provides non-potable, or graywater, for flushing toilets; when water levels get low, the system switches to the municipal feed.

Following LEED criteria within the day-to-day building process presented constant challenges. “Construction waste diversion was difficult to manage sometimes,” said Ms. Smith, adding that, “the general contractor had to work with sub-trades on that and did very well. Fifty per cent of waste on site was diverted to recycle, salvage, and an implemented plan.”

According to the CaGBC website, “Buildings generate about 35 per cent all of greenhouse gases, 35 per cent of landfill waste comes from construction and demolition activities, and 80 per cent of all water is consumed in and around buildings”. This is why they are commending Trent University for their commitment to sustainability.

“I would like to congratulate Trent University for certifying their Block D LEED Gold” said Thomas Mueller, president and CEO of the Canada Green Building Council. I’m pleased that the university is committed to providing healthier, more sustainable facilities for its students. Walking the talk is key in preparing future professionals to have an appreciation and  take a leadership role in sustainability.

Managing the project from start to finish, Ms. Smith had to balance the input of many stakeholders, advisors, and consultants, from staff and faculty to engineers, architects and designers.

“We had a wonderful team here and everyone worked together”, she said.

That team can be credited with finishing on time and on budget, but the best news came when Ms. Smith was notified in October 2012 that the original goal of LEED Silver accreditation had been surpassed, and that they would instead be awarded LEED Gold certification.

Construction of the approximately 50,000 square feet building was funded by a $10.8-million contribution from the federal Knowledge Infrastructure Program (KIP) and $9.9 million from the province of Ontario.

Block D of the Life and Health Sciences Building is only the second LEED Gold certified building in Peterborough. It is home to Trent University’s Department of Biology.

Ontario Moves Forward on Cycling Strategy

Ontario is looking for public input on how to encourage and improve cycling safety across the province.

A draft cycling strategy has been released for public feedback until Jan. 29, 2013. It outlines potential improvements to cycling infrastructure, public education and legislation, including:

  • Creating a provincial cycling network to connect destinations and establish recreational cycling and tourism routes.
  • Supporting municipalities in the development of local cycling networks, including making cycling infrastructure eligible for funding under the Municipal Infrastructure Strategy.
  • Running public education campaigns with cycling safety partners such as Share the Road, the Canadian Automobile Association and EnviroCentre.
  • Updating the Driver’s Handbook to include better guidelines for cycling and sharing the road with other vehicles.
  • Providing cycling safety and bike maintenance information with any new bike sold.
  • Consulting with the public, cycling groups and municipalities on possible amendments to the Highway Traffic Act to support cycling.

To review and comment: http://www.ebr.gov.on.ca/ERS-WEB-External/displaynoticecontent.do?noticeId=MTE3OTMx&statusId=MTc2NTA4&language=en

Greening your Business through Energy Conservation

This morning a number of local businesses were brought together by a joint initiative between the Peterborough Business Advisory Centre and Sustainable Peterborough.  The group gathered at the GPA EDC to hear David Whitehouse, Director Corporate & Customer Services/Conservation Officer of Peterborough Utilities and Alex Mortlock from Green Business Peterborough speak about a number of cost saving programs and incentives for small businesses.

Whitehouse spoke to the group on the Small Business Lighting, Retrofit and Peaksaver plus programs.

The Small Business Lighting program provides qualifying businesses up to $1,000 worth of energy efficient lighting and equipment upgrades as well as access to further incentives.  PDI supplies, installs, cleans up and recycles – making it easier for the business owner.  For more information on eligibility visit the saveONenergy website.

The Retrofit program addresses the capital costs associated with investing and participating in a retrofit program. With the Retrofit program businesses can instal energy efficient measures and earn up to 50% of their project costs.  There are a number of financial incentives available to businesses who replace existing equipment and installing new control systems that will improve efficiency of operations.

The program offers three Tracks to conservation,

  • prescriptive
  • engineered
  • custom.

Prescriptive provides you with the ease of selecting from a defined list of end-use measures with a corresponding per/unit incentive, while the engineered track provides a series of preset calculations worksheets that help you estimate reductions in peak demand and/or electricity consumption that apply to the installation of more energy -efficient equipment or solutions.

For those more complex or innovative solutions, not covered in the previously mentioned tracks. there is the custom track.  The custom track evaluates demand and energy performance on technology, equipment and system improvements. Incentives are paid after installation and once the savings have been measured and verified.

Whitehouse noted that the benefits of these programs are that the reduce operating costs, energy, increase occupant comfort and productivity and adds value to property or asset. Many retrofits pay for themselves in under 2 years which represents pure profit to the business.

Alex Mortlock, from Peterborough GreenUp spoke to the group about a recent program launched through Peterborough GreenUp and the Peterborough Chamber of Commerce called Green Business Peterborough. The program will recognize businesses that have pledged or have implemented strategies for waste reduction, energy conservation and/or any form of sustainable business practices.

There are a host of incentives for business owners to become part of the Green Business Program:

  • Recognition on the Green Business Peterborough website
  • Recognition on the Chamber of Commerce website
  • Recognition on the Peterborough GreenUp website
  • Press coverage, promotional events and special recognition
  • Window decals, certificates and promotional materials for your business
  • Green Business Peterborough logo to use in your advertising

This session was the first of a number of sessions being held over the next year to promote sustainable business practices. They fulfill a mandate set forward by Sustainable Peterborough’s Plan for Economic Development in that it provides the business community with concrete tools from which to build or transition to sustainable business practices.

Keep coming back to our website for more information on how you can save through energy conservation!

Peterborough Marina Receives a Gold Rating from the Marina Green Leaf Eco-Rating Program

The Peterborough Marina was one of the few marinas in Ontario to receive a Gold 5-Anchor Status rating by Green Leaf through the Clean Marine Eco-Rating Program. The Gold rating, which is effective September 2012 to September 2016, indicates the Peterborough Marina has made a significant commitment to environmental improvement.

Boating Ontario, along with over twenty marine industry professionals from Ontario’s boater and angler associations, formed the Clean Marine Partnership to develop a voluntary program of “Environmental Best Practices” for the marine industry that is recognized as the leader in North America. Since 2001, Boating Ontario member marinas have been enrolling in the Clean Marine Program to ensure that their marinas are following these environmentally sound practices and protecting our waterways for all to enjoy.

Each marina is audited by Greenleaf, a third party firm who provides the marina with a detailed report on their compliance with the standards of the Clean Marine Program. Results of this audit are converted to a five point Eco-Rating system, with a low of one, and a high of five green leaf anchors. In 2009, upgraded standards were added to allow additional levels of achievement, to Gold, Diamond and Platinum 5-anchor status.

This information is also available on the City of Peterborough website at www.peterborough.ca

 For further information please contact the undersigned:

Rob Anderson, Recreation Division Coordinator
City of Peterborough
500 George Street North
Peterborough, Ontario K9H 3R9
705-742-7777 Ext 1833
Toll-free 1-855-738-3755 Ext 1833

New Solar Panels Will Generate Clean Energy and Revenue for Douro-Dummer Township

The Township of Douro-Dummer today celebrated the installation of new solar panels on the community centre property. These panels will be a source of clean energy and will generate new revenue for the Township.

“Our government is proud to have invested in this innovative project that will generate power and revenue for the Township of Douro-Dummer,” said Dean Del Mastro, Member of Parliament for Peterborough. “We will continue to support local infrastructure priorities as we focus on promoting growth, job creation and economic prosperity here in Ontario and across Canada.”

“Truly an example of working together”, said Douro-Dummer Township Mayor, J. Murray Jones. “Douro-Dummer is a great example of how a small township can benefit in a big way with a little help.”

The Township of Douro-Dummer built a tracker solar system (10 kw) on its community centre property. The clean energy produced will be sold to Hydro One. The system is expected to generate $200,000 to $240,000 in revenue to the municipality over 20 years. Furthermore, the Township is planning to use any surplus money produced by the panels to offset future costs of implementing further energy efficiency initiatives.

The total cost of this $77,066 solar panel project was funded through the Township of Douro-Dummer’s share of its federal Gas Tax Fund allocation.

The Gas Tax Fund provides long-term funding to local governments to help them build and revitalize public infrastructure. In December 2011, the Government of Canada passed legislation to make the Gas Tax Fund a permanent annual investment of $2 billion per year. The Government of Canada, through the Gas Tax Fund alone, provides $746 million in funding annually for municipal infrastructure in Ontario. Between 2010 and 2014, the Township of Douro-Dummer will receive $853,256 from Canada’s Gas Tax Fund.

“Canada’s Gas Tax Fund acknowledges that all orders of government must work together to address the pressing need for infrastructure investment in our municipalities,” said Russ Powers, President of the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO). “Stable and predictable, the Gas Tax Fund supports investment in local priority projects that lead to job creation and economic growth in communities right across Ontario.”

The Government of Canada has engaged provinces, territories, municipalities and key stakeholders in a series of roundtables to guide the development of a new long-term infrastructure plan that will support job creation, economic growth and prosperity. We have heard that we are on the right track: there is a need for strong, sustained investment and we must continue to work together moving forward. To improve infrastructure across Canada and ensure affordability and sustainability over the long term, our new plan will encourage greater use of public-private partnerships. This will help leverage new investments in infrastructure, while respecting Canadian taxpayers’ ability to pay.

For additional information about the Government of Canada’s infrastructure investments in Ontario and to stay up-to-date with Web feeds, visit www.infrastructure.gc.ca.

For additional information, please contact:

Geneviève Sicard
Office of the Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities
613-991-0700

David Clifford
Township of Douro-Dummer
705-652-8392 extension 206

Infrastructure Canada
613-960-9251
Toll free: 1-877-250-7154