From Ontario's Business Edge, an article on the Silva Building, a condominium development that's become the first residential building project in Canada to receive LEED certification:
Silva, a mixed-use property, uses 60 per cent less water than average in the Greater Vancouver Regional District (GVRD) and 14 per cent less electricity - an annual savings of $16,500.That last paragraph is likely the most important one. I'm not aware of any US cities making similar changes to their building codes -- are there any out there?
[Developer David] Sprague says residential buildings have been slower to go "green" because the Lower Mainland's hot housing market does not put any onus on developers to change their ways. They are too busy to look into new methods and materials, and their projects are selling anyway.
But, he notes, the City of Vancouver is "embedding" sustainability in its building regulations, and next year developers will be required to seek LEED certification on all projects. Meanwhile, housing projects in Burnaby, downtown Vancouver and on Victoria's waterfront are all seeking LEED certification.
Categories: green building, LEED, condos, Canada
