Greenrealestate® Newsletter February 2012 volume 2.0 www.nagab.org
Important Announcement:
Carbonzero has partnered with Greenrealestate® to allow Realtors® across Canada the opportunity to reduce their contribution to climate change by offsetting their carbon contributions to the environment.
Carbonzero was founded in 2006 and has rapidly risen to become a leader in the design and implementation of carbon reduction strategies and solutions. A top performer in the 2009 David Suzuki Foundation and Pembina Institute report on Carbon Offsetting,
Carbonzero has led the way in setting the industry standards for measurable and verified emissions reduction offsets in Canada. Carbonzero helps organizations, governments and individuals prepare for the low carbon economy by aiding them in assessing, reporting, and reducing their emissions. Our approach, tools and services ensure that our clients can cost-effectively meet their carbon auditing reduction commitments while developing the framework for implementation of reduction activities.
Start your Realtor® Offsetting Experience by Going to the NAGAB/Carbonzero agent tool
Go To http://www.carbonzero.ca/nagab
Membership Renewals !
If you have not already done so please renew your membership today by going to the homepage at nagab.org and click on renew in the right page margin.
Your Non Profit Association depends solely on membership and course fees for operations. We need your renewals today in order to maintain our programming !
New Course Now Available–Introduction to Commercial Greenrealestate
Approved for 2 Continuing Education Credits in Ontario by the Real Estate Council of ontario. Enrol at http://nagab.org/course/category.php?id=8
Some Other Interesting & Noteworthy Green Trends:
What comes next after green building?
Now that green building practices have become widely accepted by the global architecture-engineering-construction industry, what comes next? Studies predict that future innovation will be driven by the need to reduce energy use and cost, but the AEC industry will move at a different pace and in different directions, depending upon where you are.http://dcnonl.com/article/id48708/–what-comes-next-after-green-building
Ontario leads Canada with installation of geothermal systems
Wind and solar technologies may hog the spotlight (and subsidies) in Ontario, but behind the scene geo-exchange heating and cooling systems are being quietly deployed by the thousands across the province every year. In fact, Ontario dominates when it comes to deploying these systems, according to a just released national report from the Canadian GeoExchange Coalition. http://www.cleanbreak.ca/2012/02/20/ontario-leads-canada-with-installation-of-geothermal-heat-pump-or-geo-exchange-systems-but-residential-lags-commercial-market/
The Benefits of Building Efficiency Go Far Beyond Energy Costs
America’s 120 million buildings consume a prodigious amount of energy — 42 percent of the nation’s primary energy, 72 percent of its electricity, and 34 percent of its directly used natural gas. They use more energy than any country except China and the United States as a whole. The opportunities are great and the challenges daunting to achieve the massive potential energy savings in America’s building stock.http://www.greenbiz.com/blog/2012/02/21/benefits-building-efficiency-go-far-beyond-energy-costs
City Grids May Not Be Ready for Electric Cars
Buried beneath the defense reductions and tax increases in the president’s new $3.8 trillion budget is another initiative getting less attention: increased incentives for electric car purchases. President Obama is proposing that the tax credit for an electric car purchase be raised from $7,500 to $10,000. That, along with fears of sky-high gas prices, could drive purchases up…but some city power grids may not be able to handle a new fleet of plug-in cars.http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2012/02/15/city-grids-may-not-be-ready-for-electric-cars
10 Predictions on Commercial Energy Management by 2020
President Obama’s Better Buildings Initiative set quite a few goals for improving energy efficiency in commercial buildings, which consume over 20 percent of all energy in the United States. By investing in clean energy technologies, the goal of the Better Buildings Initiative is to achieve a 20 percent improvement in energy efficiency by 2020 through cost-effective energy efficiency upgrades.http://www.greenbiz.com/blog/2012/02/16/10-predictions-commercial-energy-management-2020
Survey Looked at Barriers to Energy Efficiency Investments
Investments in energy efficiency initiatives in four- and five-star U.S. hotels are impacted by concerns from hoteliers about building automation and control systems around initial costs and the perception that energy management systems will result in a negative guest experience, according to a recent survey by the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) Harrah Hotel College and Cannon Survey Center.http://www.greenlodgingnews.com/survey-looked-barriers-energy-efficiency-investments
Toronto suburbs spur city’s growth
While he grew up in Barrie, Matin Mazid and his wife were eager to move closer to Toronto as soon as they could. Their arrival in Markham in 2008 is in line with the results of Canada’s most recent census, released Wednesday. The population data reveals a rise in the populations of northern suburbs near Toronto, with people like Mr. Mazid opting for a short commute to the city rather than travelling from farther afield.
Existing Buildings a Promising Investment, Say Global Firms http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/toronto/toronto-suburbs-spur-citys-growth/article2331841/
RBC Breaking New Ground in Canadian Banking Sector – RBC Blue Water Project
In what some have described as the first major move by a Canadian financial institution in the area of impact or social financing, RBC has committed $20 million to a new social and environmental initiative aimed at facilitating solutions to social and environmental problems. http://www.globe-net.com/articles/2012/february/12/rbc-breaking-new-ground-in-canadian-banking-sector/
Toronto office buildings set to get local food markets
The Toronto Office Markets are a recent project by Alimentary Initiatives designed to bring locally grown food to the lobbies of office buildings. Artisan market in style, different vendors will sell their goods to the employees and guests of the office. Offering a range of freshly baked breads, cheeses, produce, and ready-to-eat items like samosas and raw pizza, the concept offers food for now and later.http://www.blogto.com/eat_drink/2012/02/toronto_office_buildings_set_to_get_local_food_markets/
Reduce your environmental footprint, one step at a time
Companies around the world are working to reduce their environmental footprints, but small businesses play a particularly important role in preventing any negative impact on the environment, community or economy – the three pillars of sustainability. Small businesses, generally described as having fewer than 50 employees…http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/small-business/sb-growth/sustainability/reduce-your-environmental-footprint-one-step-at-a-time/article2328337/
Elden Freeman B.A., M.E.S, Broker is the founder and executive director of the non-profit National Association of Green Agents and Brokers (NAGAB). He cares passionately about the environment and practices what he preaches, powering his house with solar panels, driving an eco friendly Toyota Yaris and biking when possible. Freeman says he believes that Realtors across Canada can play an important role in educating their clients on increasing energy efficiency and reducing greenhouse gas emissions (877) 524-9494 ; elden@nagab.org.