The Canada Green Building Council (CaGBC) recently launched the first phase of its Zero Carbon Buildings Initiative.
The new framework is a precursor to the launch of a Zero Carbon Building Standard in spring 2017. Canada is striving to develop more lower-carbon commercial, institutional, and high-rise residential buildings in an effort to reduce greenhouse gases by 30% by 2030.
The Zero Carbon Buildings Framework establishes five key components for evaluating building carbon footprints:
• Greenhouse gas intensity metric for assessing a building’s emissions taking into account regional emissions factors
• Energy intensity metrics to incentivize design of highly efficient, reliable, and resilient buildings
• Peak energy demand metric to encourage the use of peak-shaving measures
• Embodied carbon metric to recognize importance of building material lifecycle impacts
• Requirement that renewable energy be generated on-site or procured directly
Upcoming phases of the Zero Carbon Initiative will include the identification of specific pathways to zero carbon, a zero carbon building pilot program, and the development of a verification program.
Related Stories
| Jan 30, 2012
Roofer’s fatal plunge demonstrates need for fall-prevention regulations
“The biggest problem is getting our workers to use the equipment,” says Michael J. Florio, executive director of the organization.
| Jan 26, 2012
Tampa moves to streamlined online permitting system
The system will replace an inefficient patchwork of old software and is designed to provide businesses, homeowners, and contractors with online access to permitting and licensing information.
| Jan 26, 2012
EPA to collect more data, seek comments before finalizing mud rule
The EPA says it will seek more data and is accepting comments until March 5.
| Jan 26, 2012
Industry challenges Connecticut's suit over defective construction work
The dispute arose over multimillion-dollar leaks at the University of Connecticut's law library.
| Jan 26, 2012
Earthquake 'fuse' could save buildings during temblors
The idea is to use an earthquake "fuse" that can prevent the tiny fractures and warps that make structures unsafe after a quake and very expensive to repair.
| Jan 26, 2012
HPD open materials standard for green building materials gains momentum
GreenWizard, provider of a cloud-based product management and project collaboration software, is the latest industry participant to sign on
| Jan 26, 2012
Siemens launches smoke detection knowledge center
New knowledge center web site demonstrates efficacy of smoke detection.
| Jan 18, 2012
Chile's seismic code upgrades credited with saving lives in 2010 quake
Since 1960, when Chile suffered a 9.5 magnitude quake, the largest ever recorded; the country has steadily improved building codes to protect lives and property.
| Jan 18, 2012
Report analyzes residential hurricane codes in 18 states
The Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) released a new report analyzing residential building codes in 18 hurricane-prone coastal states along the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Coast.
| Jan 18, 2012
Death in Chicago high-rise apartment fire blamed on fire code
The death of a Chicago woman who stepped off her elevator into a blazing inferno last week has underscored the need for fire sensors in elevators.