Environmental Management
New refrigerant restrictions set for 2025
Regulators in Canada and the United States are out of sync in banning the R-410A refrigerant that’s currently a mainstay of variable refrigerant flow (VRF) heat pump systems.
Existing buildings sector limbering up with AI
Artificial intelligence is proving useful for teaching old dogs new tricks in the existing buildings sector, finding energy savings and emissions reductions in advance of comprehensive retrofits.
Ontario re-evaluates steps for land use change
Proposed new provincial legislation would strip municipalities of their ability to request a record of site condition (RSC) in specified circumstances where the risk of site contamination is deemed to be low.
Sustainable proptech gaining momentum
An expanding roster of tech companies aligned with the sustainable and smart buildings market reflects growing demand from end-users and draws support from increasingly enthusiastic investors.
BOMA Canada awards industry’s best for 2024
The Building Owners and Managers Association of Canada presented its national awards on September 25, 2024.
Energy data refines ESG performance metrics
Energy efficiency will gain standing in the 2025 GRESB assessment when the global benchmark for ESG performance of commercial real estate portfolios introduces revised scoring for its energy performance metric.
New green buildings strategy mostly a rehash
The Canadian government’s newly released green buildings strategy contains little that is actually new for commercial real estate or public sector facilities.
Salvaged steel fit to fortify decarbonization
The cost case for salvaged steel looks promising even with an embryonic supply chain and a raft of logistical complexities to recover and then reuse structural members in new construction projects.
Prized office tenant steps up green demands
Ottawa landlords are contemplating a list of new expectations from a prized office tenant following recently announced updates to the federal government’s green operations strategy.
A transparent need for data strategies
Based on self-reporting, many of the commercial real estate firms subject to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s pending climate-related disclosure rules are grappling with how they will comply.
Buildings sector pulls back on GHG throttle
Greenhouse gas emissions from Canada’s buildings sector indicated improvement in 2022 in keeping with the general results of the newly released national inventory report.
Decarbonization roadmap navigators in demand
Real estate operators are looking to consultants, turnkey contractors and software for navigational assistance in developing and implementing decarbonization roadmaps.
Resilience still lacks climate action profile
Climate change adaptation measures are typically viewed as risk management rather than levers for investment returns, but they are inherently linked to building and portfolio value.
Clean energy projects serve mix of purposes
Clean energy projects present a burgeoning means for Indigenous peoples to assert stewardship of natural resources, nurture sustainable economic growth and curb reliance on fossil fuels.
CRE fosters all-in approach to decarbonization
Daunting net zero targets in the buildings sector are spurring an all-in approach to decarbonization that assigns roles to finance, engineering, management and operational teams.
Building electrification projects impart lessons
The business case for electrification works best when retrofits are synced with the end-of-life of existing mechanical equipment and/or asset repositioning plans
Outdoor lighting principles hail the dark side
Guiding principles for responsible nighttime lighting define how light should be applied, but, first, prospective installers are advised to consider whether lighting is even necessary.