The summer 2004 issue of Sustainability Now looks at sustainability in industrial processes. Content:
- Interview with Linda Coady, World Wildlife Fund
- British Columbia’s First Wind Farm
- Stockholm Treaty on Persistent Organic Pollutants
- APEG Sustainability Award
- UK Engineering School Recruits Young Women With Renewable Energy
- Alberta First to Introduce E-Recycling
- Primer on Consulting
- Engineering and Geoscience
- The Twelve Principles Of Green Chemistry
- Upcoming Events
• from: APEGBC • document: Sustainability Now Vol 3 No 3 • in detail XlnkS68D XlnkC187D
West Coast Environmental Law is asking for nominations for the Dr. Andrew Thompson award, to be given to an individual who has demonstrated an outstanding contribution to environmental protection and sustainability in British Columbia through the law. The award is not restricted to lawyers. The award will recognize Dr. Thompson’s contribution to the development and practice of law in service of our environment. As the widely-recognized dean of environmental law in British Columbia, Dr. Thompson helped West Coast Environmental Law define our mission. He was known for his encyclopedic knowledge of the law, his mastery of environmental and resource law, his mentorship of others, and his love of the outdoors and the North. He was committed to resolving environmental law disputes through constructive, cooperative dialogue, careful reasoning and clear analysis, and ensuring a meaningful role for the public in environmental decision-making. In 2002, two years after he passed away, West Coast Environmental Law was proud to receive a gift of $100,000 from the family of Dr. Thompson, in his memory, to fund an ongoing award that honoured him and his work. Criteria The Award will honour a Canadian resident who has demonstrated a significant lifetime contribution to environmental protection and sustainability in British Columbia, through the law. The contribution may be made through legal practice, education or research aimed at developing laws and standards that protect the environment and ensure sustainability. The contribution may have resulted from an individual’s occupation, professional responsibilities or activities as a citizen or member of an organization. The contribution can include community-based, regional, national and international achievements as long as they have contributed to environmental protection and sustainability in British Columbia. In keeping with Dr. Thompson’s legacy, the award will take particular note of contributions that have been made through enabling of citizens, building capacity within communities and fostering of environmental protection and sustainability through rational constructive dialogue. The award will recognize individuals only. Nominations Process Anyone wanting to nominate an individual should submit, by July 15, 2004, the following: * a letter (maximum 4 pages) explaining the nominee’s contribution to environmental protection and sustainability in British Columbia, * a short signed statement by the nominee saying that they accept the nomination, to the following address: Dr. Andrew Thompson Award Selection Committee, West Coast Environmental Law 1001-207 West Hastings Street Vancouver, BC, V6B 1H7. For more information, visit the website below, or call West Coast Environmental Law toll-free at 1 800 330-WCEL. 
Simon Fraser University is offering the Urban Design Certificate Program from fall 2004 to spring 2005. The Program is offered in Vancouver and Calgary. The Program focuses on the education and development of mid-career professionals and is designed to: – enhance mid-career urban design skills – create a synergy between the classroom and the workplace – feature 2 and 3 day intensive courses taught by leading urban design practitioners – emphasize the economic, social and environmental aspects of urban design
From Canadian Consulting Engineer October/November 2003 by Gary Bolton, P.Eng, Chair Association of Consulting Engineers of Canada Our magnificent planet has a finite amount of energy. Recent media coverage continues to raise concerns about global warming and receding icecaps. As engineers, we will continue to play a key strategic role in the development of sustainable, energy-efficient projects for the future. Clients are requiring, rightly so, “sustainable” and “green” buildings. While these terms are interpreted differently by each of us, focus and definition for the initiative are now being provided through the LEED Canada Building Rating System presently being developed across Canada by the Canada Green Building Council. I had the honour of attending the Council’s first board meeting at the end of July in Vancouver. Their membership development is strong, government support at all levels is growing, they have assembled a strong, diverse, national board, and initial cross-Canada training sessions were scheduled for this October. ACEC strongly recommends that our member organizations and firms consider participation in this worthwhile and timely initiative. Because of our diverse, and often severe climate, many of the recommended design, construction, operational and maintenance elements of the program have been addressed and incorporated into projects for many years. We now have the opportunity, and responsibility, to raise the bar for sustainable projects through innovative strategic planning with the entire design team early in a project’s life. While not all the LEED rating components carry a higher initial capital cost, we also have a duty as engineers (and taxpayers) to continue to promote to clients and funding agencies a decision-making process which is based on life-cycle costs; not just first capital costs. Some progress is being made in this regard, but we have a long way to go. The core of our business is problem solving, and the increasing need for more efficient, environmentally friendly projects will require all of us to develop the necessary skills (such as LEED) for delivering our engineering value to the client.
The International Gas Union (IGU) has initiated the next phase of their groundbreaking Sustainable Urban Systems Design (SUSD) initiative by awarding a contract to The Sheltair Group to begin a project called “Bridging to the Future.” Bridging to the Future will develop long-term plans called pathways for five urban areas around the globe. The pathway for each city will integrate urban and energy planning in the context of different scenarios for energy costs. A desirable pathway will use natural gas and other fossil fuels as a bridge to renewable energy and sustainable urban systems. Pathways define the steps and directions to achieve a resilient energy infrastructure. They provide a route to safer, healthier urban systems over the next 40 years.
As the majority of the world population lives today in cities, urban sustainability is becoming the main challenge of the 21st century. The sustainable condo is an educative travelling display that illustrates and promotes leading edge sustainable building design, products, technologies, and systems. It aims at bringing substantial reductions in environmental impacts, energy and resource consumption into the urban residential condominium market without any significant cost increase. Developed by EcoSmart, supported by Western Economic Diversification Canada, designed by Busby and build by Ledcor, the project is the result of an outstanding collaboration effort by government officials, architects, engineers, contractors, manufacturers and suppliers. This project reinforces the position of British Columbia, Canada as a leader in green building design and technologies. The unit was displayed in March 2004 at the Globe 2004 Trade Fair in Vancouver. It is now open to the public at the Pacific National Exhibition (PNE) in Vancouver in from August 21, 2004 to September 6, 2004. 
EcoSmart concrete is produced by replacing cement in the concrete mix with a maximum amount of supplementary cementing materials (SCMs) while maintaining or improving the cost, physical performance and constructability. The EcoSmart Partnership is working to develop Ecosmart concrete technology through case studies, applied research and knowledge management. To view the winter newsletter from EcoSmart Concrete, follow the link below.
The Coalition for Environmentally Responsible Economies (CERES), in conjunction with the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), is launching the North America Sustainability Reporting Awards program. The purpose of the awards program is to contribute to reporting on sustainability, environmental and social issues by corporations and other organizations across North America, reward best practice and provide guidance to other entities that are publishing or intend to publish sustainability reports, and increase accountability to stakeholders. Canadian firms shortlisted are: B.C. Hydro Hydro – Quebec Royal Bank of Canada Shell Canada Suncor Energy VanCity Credit Union
The LEED Green Building Rating System is a comprehensive, voluntary design and assessment tool that helps architecture, engineering and construction professionals improve building efficiency and measure the sustainability of their projects. Understanding LEED is an important step towards reducing environmental impacts and achieving superior economic performance. Architects, engineers, facility managers and building owners who master LEED concepts and processes become knowledgeable practitioners and consumers of green design and construction. The Canada Green Building Council offers an intensive, one-day technical overview of the LEED-NC Green Building Rating System at locations across Canada. Who should attend? – Architects – Engineers – Interior Designers – Builders / Contractors – Nonprofit organization representatives – Product manufacturers – Facility managers – Building owner / Developers – All building industry stakeholders interested in better buildings What will you learn? – Introduce yourself to green-building design benefits and strategies. – Learn how to use the LEED-NC Green Building Rating System.
Northern Kazakhstan. Image taken 4/14/2002 by Landsat 7 Mimicking a cubist collage, linear windbreaks of densely planted trees surround farmsteads in this winter landscape near the city of Komsomolets in Northern Kazakhstan. See “Our Earth as Art” for additional pictures