Mayor Robertson is determined to make Vancouver the world’s greenest city by 2020 (click here for article).  Some of the goals he has in mind are:

• Making the city a mecca for green enterprise by setting up a low-carbon economic development zone to attract investment for advancing renewable energy, energy-efficient and low-carbon technologies, with the object of creating 20,000 new green jobs.
• Eliminating Vancouver’s dependence on fossil fuels with a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by 33% from 2007 levels.  Already Vancouver produces just under five tonnes per capita with only a few cities in Europe bettering that, Robertson said.
• Making Vancouver a world leader in the design and construction of green buildings and, by 2020, making all new construction in the city carbon-neutral while improving efficiency of existing buildings by 20%.
• Encouraging greater green mobility by having more than 50% of residents walking, cycling or using public transit to move around the city.
• Reducing the amount of solid waste per capita that goes to landfills or is incinerated by 40%.
• Giving every citizen easy access to nature by providing “incomparable access to green spaces” by expanding “the world’s most spectacular urban forest in Stanley park” so that by 2020 every person would live within a five-minute walk of  a park, beach or greenway.  Another 150,000 trees will be planted in the city within the next 10 years.
• Reducing the ecological footprint of Vancouver by 33% on the way to realizing the “one-planet footprint.”
• Maintaining the highest international standards for drinking water but reducing the per-capita consumption of water by 33%.
• Achieving the cleanest air of any major city in the world
• Becoming a global leader in urban food systems and reducing the carbon footprint of food production by 33%

The Mayor certainly has a lot of work to do, but he also needs your help at home!  You are just one person, but you are one especially important to the big picture.  Any reduction in numbers would reduce the effect of a group of rioters.  Not that we are encouraging or promoting riots but yes, let’s have a GO GREEN riot…for the sake of our natural environment, and for ourselves and those around us.

What steps are you taking to green your environment?  Do you have a five/ten year go green plan?  Who are you considering when you are making these plans?

Klondike will continue to encourage our clients to think green when selecting materials/products/systems for their renovation/construction.  Further to this, in our own office renovation we have selected FSC certified products, zero VOC paints & adhesives, locally manufactured products, and products with recycled content…but we’re not stopping here.  We are currently researching alternative energy that can be purchased and by taking the responsibility for the utilities in our rental contract, we will be tracking our consumption so as to change our habits for the better.

We welcome any comments or suggestions on further steps that can be taken to facilitate greener construction practices as well as daily office operation.

This list was provided by 2009 National Dream Home Designers Robert Sennett & Darren Sanger-Smith

1.  Metal Roofs – They are environmentally friendly, clean & gives your old roof a new/different look, whether as an accent or whole roof.

2.  Dark Trim Colours – Gives a punch to the facade of our home.  It allows the house to blend with the landscaping, picture frames opnenings & highlights glazing shapes as proportional architectural features.

3.  Front Porches – Adds connectivity to the home & offers a sense of community when used as an outdoors space for gatherings & parties.

4.  Indoor/Outdoor Landscaping – Incorporates organic details that reflect the architecture.

5.  Brick – Gives real depth to the character of the home.

6.  Stucco as an Accent

7.  Green Design – Everyone is talking green these days.  Whether your contribution is minor updates or a complete reno, be aware and consider options to green your home.

8.  Ceilings – It’s just as important as the floor and the right ceiling can create a sense of volume change and an emotional within any given space that would otherwise be lost.

9.  Water Features – An interior water feature can add to the space as a beautiful piece of artwork with a calming sound that can enhance any space.

10.  Sound/Music/Media – The sky’s the limit with this one.  Think carefully about what you need/want.  Combining technology with a well thought out wall unit or room layout can only enhance the space.

Have you ever had to wait to take a bath because your dishwasher is running? Have you been blasted with scalding water when someone else in the house flushes the toilet while you were in the shower? Are you concerned about running of clean, fresh water? Do you want to do your part in reducing water consumption? Klondike certainly does!

If your water heater is more than 10 years old, consider replacing it before it starts leaking water due to corrosion and causing further damage to your home.

Tankless water heaters are great for new & older homes. It only heats water when needed, using a device that is activated by the flow of water when a hot water valve is opened. By delivering a constant supply of hot water, tankless water heaters can meet all your household hot water needs. It can also be used for supplementary heat, such as a booster to a solar hot water system.

Tankless water heaters are much more compact in size so it will save you some space. The size of course depends on the number of bathrooms in your house & how much hot water you will require at peak hours. However, the most important benefit is that it can shave ten to twenty percent off your heating bill by eliminating energy lost from warmed water sitting in a tank. Not only are you conserving water but energy as well. Further, they produce as little as half the greenhouse gas emissions of less efficient storage tank heaters. An interesting thought: if we all used tankless water heaters, we could keep 91 million tons of carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere every year.

Lets do our part to keep our planet clean & green!

With today’s technological advancements, there are a plethora of opportunities to make environmentally-friendly choices for your renovation.  Thus, excuses not to be environmentally conscious are harder to come by.  Whether it is building products, appliances, or fixtures, many of today’s products deliver better performance with less environmental impact.  With this in mind, consider the follow 3 steps when planning your renovation:

1. Increase the energy & water efficiency of your home,
2. Ensure clean indoor air, and
3. Choose resource-smart materials & products.