Designing for urban agriculture

The separation of cities from their food sources is directly related to many of the most pressing problems in the world today – climate change, obesity, energy supply, pollution, resource availability, global poverty, and food security.  For example, the concerns about peak oil and other future resource shortages have a huge impact on food given the energy intensity of current food production methods and the use of [fossil fuel based] fertilizers.

By Dr Mark Gorgolewski

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Character home rebuilt with “passive house” construction delivers big energy performance

by Oscar Flechas

While there is a lot of talk about reducing fossil fuel consumption to mitigate climate change, the reality is that conservation measures are roughly proportional to the price that consumers pay for energy. So it is not surprising that in Europe, where energy can cost about four times as much as it does in Canada, that energy conservation standards for houses are far more stringent than ours.

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Carbon capture technology

It seems the effects of climate change are just not dramatic enough to hold the attention of politicians.

In contrast, the global economic crisis is like a burst pipe, needing the immediate attention of Joe the Plumber at exorbitant emergency call-out rates. So after years of dithering about the cost of implementing environmental policies, the governments of the developed world are suddenly finding trillions of dollars to fix our economic problems. (more…)

by Jim Taggart

As both advocate and architect Peter Busby, CM, AIA, FRAIC, MAIBC, MAAA, MOAA, BCID, LEED A.P. has been recognized nationally and internationally for his work in furthering the practice of sustainable design. As Managing Director of Busby Perkins + Will he runs offices in Vancouver, Victoria, Calgary and Seattle as well as consulting to the firm’s 21 offices worldwide.
In addition to his many architectural awards over 20 years in practice, in 2005 Peter was invested as a member of the Governor General’s Order of Canada, recognizing a lifetime of outstanding achievement, dedication to the community and service to the nation. (more…)