Sustainability Now

    Hi, Here are some thoughts that Paul De Berardis would like you to consider when it comes to the residential building sector. There are always two sides to every story, but the general consensus is that individuals working within the residential new home industry feel they are doing their part to address climate change, whereas external organizations always feel more can and should be done.   While there is merit to both sides of the argument, this must…

Join members of the Sustainable Housing Foundation to “Fill the Gap” in meeting carbon reduction in the home building industry. We are hosting a Zoom webinar on March 22, 2023 from 10:30am to 12:00pm.   Low carbon definition: both operational and embodied carbon The hybrid house wisely using primary natural gas combo system Measuring CO2 reductions using HERS ratings and ANSI/RESNET/ICC 301-2019 GTA low carbon builders taking credit for exceeding current federal government’s mandates Creating realistic definitions for zero rated…

FILLING THE GAP THINK TANK Monday December 5th 5 PM to 7 PM Reception and Discussion Hawthorn Room, The Thornhill Club Join members of the Sustainable Housing Foundation Board as they share their vision for how to “Fill the Gap” in meeting carbon reduction in the home building industry – and share your own ideas with them. We are hosting a cocktail reception at the Thornhill Club from 5 PM to 7 PM on Monday December 5, 2022. Help us…

June 23, 2022 12 Noon to 5 PM Flemingdon Golf Course, Toronto The annual Green Builder Challenge Golf Tournament, hosted  by the Sustainable Housing Foundation’s President John Godden, is happening on Thursday June 23rd in the afternoon and you are invited to attend. Lunch and beverages will be provided before the first T-off time at 1 PM so come early and enjoy a relaxing lunch on the patio and great networking opportunity with your colleagues from the sustainable building industry…

May 19, 2022 10:30 AM to 12 PM Join us for the final webinar in our 2021-22 series on building more sustainable housing using a Sustainability Checklist of products, technologies and building techniques. Now that your house is ready to sell, how do you market the key features to potential buyers? This webinar will look at some key marketing strategies highlighting some of the, often hidden, benefits of purchasing a sustainable home.  Please join two young builders Christian Rinomato of…

Thursday April 21, 2022 at 10:30 AM to 12 PM One of the biggest issues and impediments to a more streamlined and predictable development approvals process in Ontario is municipal overreach above and beyond what is called for in the Provincial Building Code. Navigating these independent rules and regulations, especially with Green Initiatives, means Developers need to be savvy of rules in each Municipality they work in. This creates extra time and costs to get projects approved and does not…

Webinar March 17, 2022 at 10:30 AM Climate change is creating more risk for home builders- but also more opportunities when you are aware of the impacts of climate change on the environment.  More resilient, sustainable housing is one answer to mitigating these increased risks. Arthur Lofsky, is the Ontario Director of Government Relations and Climate Adaptation for the Insurance Bureau of Canada. In this role he is immersed in the challenges that climate change is having on our built…

Online webinar Thursday February 17, 2022 at 10:30 AM With changes in building codes and the challenge of climate change, builders and designers face many decisions about how to heat and cool their homes. As a follow up to our combination heating system webinar in December, Michael McCallum of McCallum HVAC Design will speak on the importance of integrating clients’ needs with envelope design to yield an integrated approach to energy performance. The challenge is to integrate architectural design with…

Online content will be uploaded shortly. In this webinar, we’ll help demystify the rapidly evolving “smart” home technology.  By focusing on the right elements, homebuilders can create a whole home ecosystem to allow homeowners to live sustainably. Our industry panel will discuss Leveraging smart technology to enable better occupant load management Future proofing homes for the connectivity needed to live and work smartly and efficiently Emerging smart technologies to easily enable sustainable lifestyles