Announcing the 2013 Winners. The Sustainable Design Awards are proud to announce the finalists and winners for the 2013 Awards. The Awards recognize Ontario’s leaders of creative vision and innovation who address sustainability challenges. Join us Thursday, October 17th from 7pm - 10pm at the Evergreen Brickworks…

Developed by Alex Wilson, ENDURE is an acronym for a design concept that defines the essence of sustainable and efficient construction, and the foundation of our building philosophy for the Kenogami project. Alex Wilson is the founder of the journal Environmental Building News, Green Building, GreenSpec and recently…

The Net Zero Energy passive solar house in Lac Kenogami, Quebec, built by owner Alain Hamel pushes the bounds of energy efficiency. Here is a breakdown of those electrical systems. The Kenogami Net Zero Energy off-grid house is a virtual energy laboratory, and in constant evolution. Every system of this…

Looking for a cool renewable energy commute to work that isn't an electric car? check out the Scrooser e-bike, known as the "Harley Davidson for sidewalks". Enter the Scrooser. The Scrooser is a German engineered electric scooter / e-bike with a top speed of 24 km (15 mph) and a range of 35.5 km (22 miles). It works…

Navigating the urban core never looked better. Transportation in a congested urban core can be challenging, frustrating and tough on the environment. Electric scooters have always been a functional way to skirt a crowded throughway, with a Scrooser it can. Enter the Scrooser. The Scrooser is a German engineered…

Choosing a water heater - tank or tankless. Tankless water heaters , on demand water heaters and instantaneous water heaters are different names for the same thing - domestic hot water systems that do not include the storage tank that comes with traditional water heaters. This type of water heating system can be…

Building on the Photovoltaic Generation (PVG) course, the Utility PV Installation course offers participants a hands-on opportunity to assemble and install a grid-tied PV system. The course begins with the theory of site assessment, installation and system sizing. Participants are then broken into small groups and…

Gain the skills to build your very own rocket mass heater made from natural materials including clay, sand, bricks, stove pipe, a barrel and other recycled materials. Rocket Mass Heaters create an exceptional warm living environment, providing heat to the air and to your body as you sit, or lie, on the heated bench…

Learn to create beautiful accent walls using natural materials like clay, sand, pigment and mica. This workshop will show participants how to use a number of widely available, natural and healthy materials to create a wealth of different finishes. Whether you are remodelling a room or building a whole new house, you…

Learn the concepts and practical applications needed to create a healthy, durable and energy efficient home. Ecological home construction Course outline: The principles of sustainable building: energy, resources and health How to finance a building project Design ideas for comfortable, sustainable and affordable…

3/4 inch OSB sheathing on the interior can be an excellent air barrier and a great vapor barrier as well. Taping sheathing as an air barrier for walls There has been a steady evolution in the way we build homes over the last couple of decades, and the old standby wall recipe of 2x6s, fiberglass insulation and…

The sight of a tree falling can easily trigger something even in the most unlikely environmentalist. Ignoring that visual, wood can be a much greener material choice than many others if you put some thought into selection. Finding sustainable wood: We live in a country with over 400 million hectares of forest, so…

Most home electronics and appliances use energy even while in standby mode, and it is estimated that more than half the overall power consumed can happen when they aren't even in use. Reducing energy consumption in homes Even when sitting idle, almost all TVs, computers and stereos etc., will still be using power…

These guide pages are intended to help you find the most efficient and affordable options for pretty much anything that runs on power, and the best ways to generate power yourself. There are a lot of options to consider when shopping for appliances, designing home lighting, and heating your home. These pages outline…

Undeniably the most ecological framing material, wood is both a renewable resource and one that serves to reduce greenhouse gas emissions when used in place of other materials. The environmental advantages of wood frame construction: As a renewable building material, wood has many advantages over other materials…

Vertical forests and vertical agriculture have long been dreamed of to help meet the need for urban food production and green space, but nothing ever got past the blueprints. Bosco Verticale in Milan is the first to break ground. Canadian cities are relatively clean, green and few are severely overpopulated. Even in…

Some techniques that will help you reduce your A/C needs, and certainly help you stay cool in the absence of having one. How to cool a home without AC While it's true that no matter where you live, be it urban, suburban or rural, the hottest days and nights of summer may have you dreaming of coolers climates…

What could be better than an outdoor shower? If your answer is a solar powered hot water shower that you built all by yourself (or with friends), read on. Build your own solar hot water shower There are many ways to reduce hot water consumption such as solar hot water heaters, but few are as interesting and fun as…

ICCE 2013: International Conference and Exhibition on Clean Energy. This conference is organized to share and discuss recent developments in clean energy sector. The aim of ICCE 2013 is to gather researchers, scientists, engineers, practitioners, policy makers, from all over the world to present advances in the…