Urban planning, architecture and bike trails
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| Charles Olfert, MRAIC RAIC Regional Director, Saskatchewan/Manitoba |
I was so inspired by a presentation from Jan Gehl, Hon. RAIC at the Montreal 2009 Festival of Architecture and Forum, that I must confess to skipping some of the sessions and renting a bicycle. This is a wonderful way to experience first-hand some of the sidewalk cafes and bicycle trails that Mr. Gehl suggests are key indicators of a high quality urban environment.
You do not need to be an architect to appreciate this. Many young Canadians do not have a suburban dream. They are looking for an urban lifestyle. They want to live in active and int-eresting, mixed-use neighbourhoods. This includes pedestrian and bicycle-friendly streets along with creative, adaptive re-use of existing buildings. Coincidentally, this attractive urban environment automatically means a more sustainable city with healthier, more physically active and socially engaged citizens.
Students in planning and architecture schools spend considerable time studying cities and the relationships between streets, buildings, transportation systems and public spaces, but somehow despite a consensus around what would be a healthy urban environment, many of our Canadian cities don’t seem to have integrated planning and development processes to enable an effective application of the principles that encourage this.
Unfortunately, it often seems that infrastructure related to sewer, water and roads are the most important considerations in development and re-development. Sidewalks are frequently just the edges of development parcels. How can we get protected bicycle lanes and sidewalk cafes adjacent to people-friendly mixed use buildings, if these are not a priority part of the initial planning concepts?
In many cities, zoning regulations effectively discourage the creation of vital neighbourhoods and pedestrian street activity by focussing on parking regulations, separation of uses and setbacks. These regulations tend to create large areas of open space with no purpose.
It is not just zoning. Building codes also seem to work against exciting, sustainable development. Complexities in exiting and fire separation requirements mean that only the most committed developers are willing to make the effort necessary to mix uses or redevelop existing buildings.
The LEED™ checklist and certification process for buildings has been a very effective way of raising the level of awareness of what can be done to make buildings more sustainable. However, as architects, we recognize that a platinum-certified building on a green field site without an urban engagement has only a limited application towards a fully sustainable community.
Maybe it is time to challenge traditional urban infrastructure and zoning approaches with a system of points and a checklist for urban redevelopment initiatives. These should reflect more accurately the desire for a high-quality urban environment for people relating to spaces between, as well as the pedestrian/bicycle quality of connecting streets, and socialization opportunities along with sustainable buildings.
Mr. Gehl eloquently points out that all cities have large traffic engineering departments with detailed knowledge of how many cars are travelling on each street, but very few have any sense of where people walk and socialize.
We need to make our cities much better places for people. I want to thank Jan Gehl for challenging architects and planners to consider pedestrians, sidewalk socialization and bicycle riders along with better buildings as a part of our sustainable future.
I also want to invite everyone to the 2010 RAIC Festival of Architecture in Saskatoon [June 22-26, 2010]. The theme, “Sounds like Architecture” places sustainable design discussions in the context of the local Jazz festival.
Bring your walking shoes, and plan to rent a bicycle. This is the best way to attend some inspirational sessions, experience river trails, and enjoy jazz and blues along the streets and in the parks.
Omission from Sustainability Studio Credits
| & Co designed building, Toronto |
In the Sept/Oct 09 Issue 19 of SABMag, we published an article on the Sustainability Studio in Toronto. While the article focused on the interior design of one individual suite, it acknowledged that the choice of location for the project was largely due to the inherent qualities of the base building. We failed to mention that this building was designed by Sweeney Sterling Finlayson &Co Architects Inc, and [&Co] was the recipient of an urban design award from the City of Toronto. We apologize for any confusion or inconvenience this may have caused.
CaGBC GREEN UP welcomes TD Bank
The CaGBC GREEN UP Program – Canada's Building Performance Program - has welcomed the Toronto-Dominion Bank as the first bank to join the retail bank branches pilot project. Over the next year, the project will identify, document and recognize the most energy-, and environmentally-efficient retail branch buildings in Canada. The performance metrics from the top performing buildings will be used to improve the performance of all buildings taking part in the project.
The GREEN UP Program provides tools, performance standards and resources to help building owners and operators measure, compare and improve the on-going performance of their buildings. GREEN UP members can participate in sector-specific working groups and teleconferences to zero-in on improving the performance of their specific building types.
To register for GREEN UP, contact Monique Goguen, Special Projects Coordinator, at 1-866-941-1184, ext. 1066. Details of the program are found at www.cagbc.org
3rd International Holcim Forum to focus on “Re-Inventing Construction”
Experts from all continents will meet at Universidad Iberoamericana in Mexico City for the 3rd International Holcim Forum for Sustainable Construc-tion to be held in April 14-17, 2010. The conference for academics and professionals from architecture, civil engineering, urban planning, natural and social sciences will advance concepts on how construction needs to be re-invented and aligned with principles of sustainable development. Limited places are available – registration is open until the end of January 2010.
Workshops will cover topics such as: “Reduce CO2: With Technology to Zero Emissions”, “Play with Complexity: With Integral Solutions to an Economy of Means”, “Mine the City: With Logistics to Circular Metabolisms” and “Stimulate Stakeholders: With Incentives to Implementation.” Registration open until January 31, 2010.
BOMA Toronto's Conservation and Demand Management Program 300th applicant
With the latest lighting retrofit in its Food Court, Toronto’s First Canadian Place owned by Brookfield Properties has become the 300th approved applicant for the Building Owners and Managers Association of the Greater Toronto Area’s [BOMA Toronto] Conservation and Demand Management [CDM] Program. The CDM Program, funded by the Ontario Power Authority [OPA], offers energy-efficiency retrofit incentives to commercial properties over 25,000sf. The First Canadian Place Food Court is being converted to an 80 watt induction lighting system from 250 watt high pressure sodium light bulbs. “Not only has Brookfield taken the initiative throughout its own portfolio, it continues to set a positive image for other building owners and managers across Toronto," said Wayne Proulx, Director of BOMA Toronto's CDM Program.
Info: rwproulx@bomatoronto.org
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Design Competition for St. Lawrence Market centres on sustainability
The City of Toronto has launched an international architectural competition for a new, vibrant North Building in the iconic St. Lawrence Market Complex. “We’re looking for the best creative minds in architecture to replace the underused, single-storey North Market building with a new four-storey, multi-purpose facility that will be a model for sustainable design, energy efficiency and design excellence” said Toronto Mayor David Miller. Space for court rooms and administrative offices for Toronto Court Services, and a 250-space underground parking garage will also be part of the new building.
The Design Competition is a two-stage process. In stage one, eligible architects are invited to submit an “Expression of Interest” from which a short list of architectural teams will be selected to advance to the next stage. In stage two, a jury will evaluate the design submissions developed by the short-listed teams, and the competition will end in June 2010 when a winning design is announced. The new building is expected to be completed in 2014.
Visit toronto.ca/stlawrence_market/design for the Competition Brief and more information.
Dockside Green development gains two more LEED® Platinum world-records
| Dockside Green receives two LEED Platinum awards |
The first commercial building, known as “Inspiration,” of Dockside Green, a mixed-use residential and commercial real estate development in Victoria, has achieved the highest rating ever for LEED for Core and Shell [LEED-C]. In addition Dockside’s LEED for Neighbourhood Dev-elopment [LEED ND] plan also broke previous Platinum ratings. These two awards are in addition to the Platinum LEED for New Construction world record that “Synergy,” the first residential phase, achieved in 2008.
The Inspiration building achieved 53 out of 61 points in the LEED for Core and Shell rating system. The entire 15-acre Dockside Green development is also being certified under the LEED for Neighbourhood Dev-elopment [LEED ND] rating program. It is now at Stage Two of a three-step process, meaning it now has a LEED for New Development Platinum certified plan that takes into account smart location and community linkages, neighbourhood pattern and design, green constructions and technology, innovation and design process. Dockside is the first project to have achieved Stage Two certification in the world.
Info: www.docksidegreen.com
EMerge ALLIANCE announces first DC power standard for commercial buildings
The EMerge Alliance, a US-based and open industry association, has just released the first-ever standard for the use of DC power in commercial buildings that promises improved flexibility and efficiency. Because AC-powered workplaces are filled with DC-powered devices [computers, telephones, IT equipment, lights, etc.], numerous AC to DC conversions are needed, however, the EMerge Alliance Standard creates a hybrid system that converts AC to DC power once at the room level and then distributes it throughout an area, improving energy efficiency.
Two design leaders join forces
Vancouver’s Hotson Bakker Boniface Haden Architects [HBBH] will be joining forces with Cohos Evamy integratedesignTM. Sustainably-designed projects of both firms have appeared in SABMag. HBBH’s native interpretive Nk’Mip centre in southern BC has one several awards including a SAB Award in 2008.
Info: MinjaN@cohos-evamy.com
New Challenge Series book examines sustainable communities
| The eight part Challenge Series |
The Challenge Series is an eight-part book that looks at sustainable community development by examining the architectural innovation and planning behind Millennium Water: The Southeast False Creek Olympic Village, one of the largest sustainable developments in North America. The eight chapters, det-ailing History + Policy, Planning + Olympics, Public Space + Infrastructure, Architecture, Energy, Water + Landscape Architecture, Village Life and Building the Community, are available online at www.thechallengeseries.ca. A print version is slated for January, 2010.
Sustainable Waste Management on the rise: McGraw-Hill Report
According to the McGraw-Hill latest SmartMarket Report, Sustainable Construction Waste Management: Creating Value in the Built Environment, 61% of contractors rate waste management plans as the second most important aspect of green building, just behind energy efficiency. The study was produced with support from Waste Management, Inc. Other trends noted in the report include:
• Contractors place existing structure reuse as the third most important aspect of green building,
• 76% of the largest construction firms in America have a corporate commitment to sustainability, compared to the 58% of firms in 2006.
• 20% of U.S. firms are diverting half of their construction waste on 60% or more of projects, and 25% of firms expect to do so within the next year.
Evergreen Brick Works project to transform derelict sit
| Evergreen Brick Works Project |
The $30 million Evergreen Brick Works project in Toronto’s Don Valley will transform an industrial site into an environmentally-based community landmark. Diamond and Schmitt Architects is currently designing the 100,000sf Centre for Urban Sustainability, the only new building on the site, which incorporates a visitor welcome centre, retail and amenity space, administrative offices, and workspace for the program partners. The project includes 100,000sf of renovation/refurbishment to historic spaces and, overall, is intended to give visitors the energy, understanding, and the tools to live more sustainable lives.
The buildings incorporate Inline Fiberglass High Efficiency Fiberglass Reinforced Polymer Frame windows with Heat Mirror glazing by Eco Insulating Glass to maximize thermal efficiency in the building envelope. Other firms involved are Du toit Architects, Halsall Consultants, Trow Engineering, and Eastern Construction. TOP OF PAGE
Ray Anderson: Confessions of a Radical Industrialist
| 272 pages, hardcover, $32.99, ISBN 978-0-7710-0753-8, McClelland & Stewart. |
Ray Anderson, the founder and chairman of InterfaceFLOR, set a goal in 1994 that his company would take nothing from the earth that could not be replaced by the earth. Back then carpet manufacturing was a toxic, petroleum-based, polluting process. His new book [with Robin White] shares how InterfaceFLOR is achieving its goal set in 1994, and explains how all other companies can do the same. He shows in his book that profit and sustainability are not mutually exclusive, and that businesses can improve their bottom lines and do right by the earth. TOP OF PAGE
Steve Dearloves’ Essential Texts 2: Sea Sick by Alana Mitchell
| Steve Dearlove |
Alana Mitchell’s “Sea Sick” may very well be the revelation about the transformation of our oceans that Rachel Carson’s “Silent Spring” was regarding the toxification of our lands.
Criss-crossing the planet, Mitchell meets with the world’s pre-eminent authorities on ocean science and then carefully elaborates on each of the unique and separate phenomena that they have observed. What Mitchell finds particularly disquieting is that these specialists, all closely focussed on their particular field, are blind to the interconnected and potentially catastrophic implications of their collective findings.
Simply put, there are three major phenomena at work: roughly one third of the CO2 emitted into the atmosphere as a result of human activity has already been absorbed by the oceans; 80% of the additional heat created by climate change has also been absorbed; and chemical pollution continues its relentless assault on marine ecosystems. Mitchell weaves all these disparate scientific threads into a brilliantly simple and clear hypothesis: “chemistry and physics determine biology.”
To further compound the problems, the almost apocalyptic extraction of creatures from the seas for human consumption is pushing the oceans into even greater crisis, for collectively these life forms also play a critical role in the elemental balance of the waters. The result: the very chemical make-up of the ocean is changing, and it’s happening within our lifetime.
The oceans make up 99% of the planet’s living space and contain at least half of the total mass of life. Further, plankton is the cornerstone of oceanic life and produces 50% of the oxygen we breathe. Historical records indicate that through the millennia, the oceans have contained the switch of life; and that switch can be turned off through even the slightest chemical changes to the water. There’s no denying that life on land is intrinsically bound to life in the oceans.
What makes the situation more frustrating is there is no global political body to oversee the plethora of decisions that innumerable private corporations are making around the world that directly affect the seas. This is a recipe for disaster of epic proportions.
To bring this point home, Mitchell likens the oceans to a human with a fever. At an internal temperature of 40Co, it’s a hand wringer. Anything beyond that and the body automatically switches from a system geared towards life to one geared towards death. We have much to be apprehensive about.
McClelland & Stewart; ISBN - 10:0771061161 and ISBN - 13:9780771061165
