Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability (LOHAS) describes an estimated $209 billion U.S. marketplace for goods and services focused on health, the environment, social justice, personal development and sustainable living.

Tags: CBEV, greenbuilding, sustainability on 2008-05-11 -All Annotations (0) -About

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Realty Times - Canadian Builders Go Green in a Big Way

Tags: CBEV, greenbuilding on 2008-05-08 -All Annotations (0) -About

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A recent survey conducted by EnerQuality Corporation, which manages the Energy Star for New Homes program in Canada, says that nine of 10 home buyers said they would buy an energy efficient home the next time they buy, and 98 per cent said that energy efficiency should be offered by builders. And recently the Consumer Council of Canada renewed its call to have energy efficiency standards included in the next update of the National Building Code.
The latest standard in green home building is known as LEED-H.
Monarch Homes,
"Because it's the right thing to do," Johnston says. The official goal is "to demonstrate how this kind of green residential community can be economically viable, marketable and used as a model in the greening of the home building process."
Johnston says his company "isn't so naïve" to think it can simply pass the extra costs of green home building directly to the consumer. Monarch estimates that LEED-H measures will add eight to nine per cent, or about $12,000, to the cost of building each house. But he says the homes will be competitively priced, from the low $300,000s to the $500,000s. "I think (that price) is affordable entry-level housing in the city for new product," he says.
The Monarch project, called Evergreen, is being developed with the Toronto Economic Development Corporation, which is owned by the City of Toronto. The company hopes to start marketing the homes in March 2008 and first occupancies are scheduled for late next year.
In Alberta, a proposed 1,750-acre development in the Municipal District of Rocky View, west of Calgary, promises to incorporate sustainable development practices and "leading edge environmental initiatives designed to promote healthy lifestyles and smart land use," says a news release. The Harmony project, by Bordeaux Developments (www.bordeauxdevelopments.com), is designed on two basic principals: respecting the municipality and its neighbours, and designing the community on a "holistic design" approach.
Dockside Green is being built on 15 acres of former brownfield industrial land. The development will include 1.3 million square feet of mixed residential, office, retail and industrial space when completed. It is striving to be the first community in North America to achieve LEED Platinum, the highest designation in sustainable building.