Thanks to the City of Vancouver’s Greenest City newsletter for this post.
Vancouver’s rezoning policy, updated in June 2014, now recognizes Passive House as a compliance option. Rezoned lots, like the 3-6 story apartment buildings on Hastings or townhomes along Cambie, are great for the surrounding community because greater density helps public transit work and the developer helps fund public projects like parks, street furniture, and community centers. Passive House, a compliance option, is a standard requiring an 80-90% reduction in energy use for space heating. A two bedroom apartment built to code might pay about $680 a year to heat, while the same sized apartment in a passive house certified building could expect to pay less than $90 annually. If you’re a homeowner looking to upgrade your natural gas furnace (or boiler) and water heater, consider a combined space and water heating system. FortisBC is looking for 100 single family homes to participate in a pilot to test the performance and efficiency of these systems. If you’re a successful applicant you could be eligible for a rebate of either $1,300 or $1,800. Learn more and apply today. Attend Canada Green Building Council’s (CAGBC) annual conference and expo — Building Lasting Change 2015. This event is known for quality education, networking opportunities and dynamic presenters including world-renowned keynote speakers Dr. Michael Braungart and Edward Mazria. Your registration includes:
- Business to business meetings for delegates, exhibitors and trade commissioners
- New one-day expo with 100 booths offering delegates information on green building products and services
- The CaGBC’s annual Leadership Awards Gala and Dinner
This initiative supports two of the City’s Greenest City goals: GREEN BUILDING, CLIMATE LEADERSHIP