Going green
doesn't necessarily mean building green from the ground up. It can be a number
of different efforts all towards the same goal, and working with what you
already have. Simply upgrading some of the utility devices in a building can
have a huge impact on lowering that building's production of carbon emissions.
With annual
energy costs for Canada's commercial building sector amounting to roughly $17.6
billion and having lighting, heating, and cooling efforts representing 50 to 60
per cent of annual greenhouse gas emissions, there is obvious room for
improvement. The
Canada Green Building Council is committed to helping businesses, corporations, building owners and operators do what needs to be done to make every building greener.
LEED®
LEED®
(Leaders in Energy and Environmental Design) certification clearly demonstrates your commitment to the future of green building in Canada. There are a number
of rating systems, including: New construction (NC), Core and Shell (CS), Commercial
Interiors (CI), Existing Buildings (EB:O&M), Homes and Neighborhoods. If a
construction project or major renovation is a candidate for any of these
certifications it is entirely worthwhile to do so, and earn the recognition of
an environmentally friendly contributor.
LEED® Canada Existing Buildings: Operations &
Maintenance (EB: O&M) offers building owners and operators a way to
measure energy and water consumption. Once you are measuring and know
what you are dealing with, goals can be set to reduce the amount of
greenhouse gases and the consumption rates of utilities, and actions can
be
taken to improve the overall efficiency of the building.
The CaGBC
offers
continuing education courses and
private green building workshops for those people who are just getting
familiar with green building and green property management efforts. Visit the
website and explore the education calendar to find out more about the many
options available
through the CaGBC.