Lifestyle and environment

Emergency preparedness guide for homes

How to prepare for emergencies and power outages. We are seeing more frequent and more severe weather events as our climate changes, and all evidence points to that trend continuing. Here we have a list of ways to prepare yourself in the event of grid failure or absence of municipal services. Storing emergency food…

Resilient homes - why we need to build to withstand climate change events

The effects of our changing climate aren't just coming anymore, they are here. Building resilient homes helps deal with climate change events, storms, floods, heatwaves, extreme cold, and saves us all money. Future-proofing homes for climate change: Anticipating future climatic challenges and constructing resilient…

Lifestyle and environment

Clean energy infrastructure and efficient-housing for Canada's Indigenous communities

Last summer the 20/20 Catalysts Program kick-started a clean-energy initiative for Indigenous communities. This summer the focus will be on improving community housing. Representatives from 18 communities across Canada attended three week-long intensive sessions last summer as part of the clean energy…

Lifestyle and environment

how your diet affects climate change

Want to learn what how to slow climate change by altering your diet a bit? Learn what foods have the lowest climate impact. How does diet affect climate change? Dwindling water is the next big global resource crisis looming over us, and soil depletion isn't far behind. Living in a green home doesn't instantly equate…

Lifestyle and environment

Seven experimental homes being built at the Living City Campus North of Toronto

The BRE Innovation Park will be expanding its facilities to conduct research into advanced building products and technologies. The BRE Innovation Park (Building Research Establishment) that lies 15km north of Toronto will soon build a new series of houses in which emerging building products and technologies can be…

Lifestyle and environment

Green Business Certification Inc. and Canada Green Building Council Join Together to Advance the WELL Building Standard

New partnership agreement will bring WELL to market across Canada. Washington, D.C. & Ottawa, ON (June 9, 2015) – Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI) and the Canada Green Building Council (CaGBC) announce a new agreement to promote and advance the WELL Building Standard (WELL) in Canada. The WELL Building…

Lifestyle and environment

DIY non-toxic all natural Easter egg dye.

Dying your own Easter eggs is especially fun when using all natural dye made in your very own kitchen. Dying eggs is one of my favourite spring traditions. Sadly, many conventional food dyes and artificial colourings are far from benign. According to a 2010 study conducted by the Center for Science in the Public…

Lifestyle and environment

How to future proof homes as we face a changing climate

The risks and costs of climate change: since insurance companies are becoming more aware of the greater threats posed by more severe weather, we had best become more aware as well. How to build homes ready to face climate change? We often think of the land underneath our feet as fixed and unmoving. On a calm day, if…

Lifestyle and environment

Green building is accelerating around the world

Far from the days of being a fringe element trend, the benefits and necessity of sustainable building practices are now sweeping across the globe. Courtesy of the USGBC , the following is a guest post by Harvey M. Bernstein, Vice President of Industry Insights & Alliances, McGraw-Hill Construction and John Mandyck…

Lifestyle and environment

Green buildings are better situated to handle climate extremes

The climate is changing, how we build home needs to change as well. The U.S. Green Building Council and the University of Michigan’s Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning released a landmark report Feb. 29 that describes how green buildings advance resiliency in disasters. “Green Building and Climate…

Lifestyle and environment

Resources and getting started

Whether you are building a home, you just bought a home, or you want some energy conservation tips for your apartment, it all starts here. Our tips below will help you get started in designing and planning your project. Choosing between buying, building or renting 1. Building a new home. Building a sustainable and…