University of British Columbia evolves into a sustainability lab
UBC Centre for Interactive Research on Sustainability
University is uniquely positioned to develop and test system-wide energy solutions.
Integrated Rainwater Management: Move to a Levels-of-Service Approach to Sustainable Drainage Infrastructure
According to Wally Wells, ‘Level-of-Service’ is the integrator for everything that local governments do. What level of service does a community wish to provide, and what level can it afford? Establish the level-of-service that is sustainable to protect watershed health.
Congress for the New Urbanism (CNU) recommends changes to LEED-ND Stormwater Credit to protect watershed health
According to Nora Beck, “the Rainwater-in-Context intiative urges modification because lot-level standards alone deliver lower overall performance than holistically-planned shared systems at the community or watershed scale. ”
Comox Valley local governments initiate dialogue with development community about aligning efforts at a watershed scale
“The event was conducted as a townhall sharing session. We invited the development community to talk about how local government can make the development application process more transparent and faster. We also invited participants to share their ideas on green infrastructure innovations,” stated Derek Richmond. He connected the dots to integrated watershed planning, ‘front-end loading’ in the development application process, and greenhouse gas reduction.
Look for Green Infrastructure Opportunities: Ask ‘what I can do for the watershed?’
Corino Salomi (120p) – 2010
Lessons learned by those who have done it can help those who want to ensure that pending and/or future settlement change (development) is in balance with ecology.
Integrated Resource Recovery: City of Langford’s new ice sheet aims for ultra-efficiency
John Manson – Langford City Engineer
Chilled above ground and sweltering below, City Centre Park’s new ice rink has ambitious plans to host one of the most efficient heat-capture systems in North America.
“The way we see the world is shaped by our vocabulary,” observes Metro Vancouver’s Robert Hicks
“Other languages like French and German often use more exact terms than English for 'stormwater' and 'wastewater', and this changes how relationships and worth are perceived,” states Robert Hicks.
Green Infrastructure Will Help Reduce Combined Sewer Overflows in Northeast Ohio
The program builds on a growing consensus among the Environmental Protection Agency and green development advocates that green infrastructure can be an effective tool to help reduce stormwater overflows.
Recognizing the value of nature
“As biological creatures, we depend on natural capital and its ecosystem services to sustain the health and well-being of our families and communities. But these benefits are often taken for granted by decision-makers on land-use issues,” says Dr. Faisal Moola, Science Director of the Suzuki Foundation.
City of Nelson adopts ‘Path to 2040 Sustainability Strategy’
“A large number of individuals in the community worked very hard over the last nine months to produce this plan. It is both a visionary statement and a practical tool that will guide decision-making as we move forward,” stated Kim Charlesworth.