 Permeable pavers have had mixed reviews in Alberta in recent years. However, more and more project teams are deciding to add permeable surfaces to their projects. Permeable pavers, available in many different varieties, allow rainwater to flow through to the soil beneath, aiding storm water management and pollutant removal, among many other environmental benefits. I was recently part of an Alberta Government delegation visiting China’s green building industry. There is still much to be done to reduce environmental impacts there, but in some cases the Chinese have been quick to implement green strategies. For example, sun shades, operable windows, grey water treatment and reuse and the use of permeable pavers appear to be standard practice. This photo, taken in Shenzhen, illustrates how permeable pavers are used in parking stalls, while the driveway portions of the parking lot remain concrete or asphalt. This same mixed composition of surfaces is a growing trend in Alberta. For those looking to use permeable pavers on their local LEED® projects, Alberta has a local manufacturer who includes recycled content in their products, which can aid in achieving both regional materials and recycled content credits. Visit www.expocrete.com for more information.
 Moveable walls have been around for many years now and have gone through many renditions of style, functionality and flexibility. You may remember demountable walls that had three options of vinyl finishes that really did not appeal to many interior designers. Moveable walls are now fully flexible with easy install and reconfiguration, minimizing down time and health problems from dust and debris you get with typical interior construction. They also create minimal waste, sending less to our crowded landfills. Being able to reconfigure rooms in an afternoon allows for spaces to serve different purposes over time, saving precious lease space and the costs associated. They are also super sexy with a million different types of finishes and even compatible furniture, making a complete, coordinated office. For those looking to use moveable walls on their local LEED® projects, Alberta has a local manufacturer who includes recycled content in their products, no urea-formaldehyde sub straights, low VOC finishes and FSC certified wood finishes, which can aid in the achievement of regional materials, recycled content, certified wood and indoor environmental quality credits. Check out www.dirtt.net or www.greenalberta.ca for more information.
 When you think of concrete reinforcing you think of steel and how strong it is… but there is a new kid on the block, fiberglass-reinforced plastics (FRP). FRP can give a great return on investment because it is lightweight (4x lighter than conventional rebar) ands can be installed in a continuous loop without the need for ties. Using FRP will also contribute to LEED points in terms of energy performance (product is thermally non-conductive), waste management (100% recyclable and does not need to be separated from concrete beforehand, saving more time and money), and durable building - FRP does not oxidize or corrode, which causes concrete to crack, and in doing so dramatically extends the life of concrete from 40 years to up to 100 years. Beyond LEED®, FRP also does not leach toxins in wet applications. For those looking to use FRP on your next project, Alberta has a local manufacturer, BP Composites Ltd. Their product "TUF-BARTM" is 100% manufactured locally, they source 79% of the components within Alberta, they include 2% post-industrial recycled content, and it is 100% recyclable. TUF-BARTM can aid in the achievement of up to 7 LEED® credits and prerequisites. For more information, see www.bpcomposites.com or www.greenalberta.ca.
 You may have heard that the heat island credits in the LEED® program are controversial here in Edmonton. The theory behind heat islands may be moot in a predominantly cold climate with eight months of snow cover. However, the credit is applicable for our short summers and there are more products tailoring to meet the requirements. The Canada Green Building Council define a heat island as “the incidence of higher air and surface temperatures caused by the absorption of solar energy and its re-emission from roads, buildings and other structures. “As a result, ambient temperatures in urban areas can be artificially elevated, resulting in increased cooling loads in the summer, requiring larger HVAC equipment and energy for building operations.” High albedo materials – very reflective of solar radiation – answer the challenges of heat islands. We have featured this local manufacturer previously for their permeable paving stones, but now they have their SRI (Solar Reflectance Index) laboratory ratings and comply with the heat island effect non-roof credits. If you’re very creative and want to place these tiles on your roof, they can help you there, too! For those looking for SRI-rated pavers for their local LEED® projects, Expocrete is Alberta’s local manufacturer that includes regional and recycled content in their products – and now high albedo content as well! Check out their website for more information www.expocrete.com.
One of our favorite CBC podcasts is The Age of Persuasion with Host Terry O'Reilly I re-listened to parts of Season 5 while driving to a project in northern Alberta, and wanted to share the fantastic Episode titled "It's Not Easy Being Green" It originally aired January 2011 on CBC, but it is still fully relevant today. It was really humbling to listen to, as I think EcoAmmo, our team, and our clients (with our help), are doing it right, and making sure we don't fuel the green washing machine :) Hope you enjoy it!
|
RSS Feed