█ Focus on energy inFrastructure

█ Public Private PartnershiP uPdate

█ vertical Farming

L o o k f o r t h e s e a d d i t i o n a l f e a t u r e s i n t h e S e p t e m b e r / O c t o b e r i s s u e

Project Spotlight: UBC developing North America’s greenest building. The $37-million building will be greenhouse gas-positive and a net energy producer, meaning that it will help UBC reduce the energy it uses and carbon it emits.

Focus on Energy Infrastructure

Building Renewal Opportunities

Geospatial Data

Moving Your Region Toward a Spatial Data Infrastructure Municipal and national governments worldwide have started to leverage existing geospatial data and sharing access among departments, private businesses, and organizations. This collaborative sharing gives everyone involved a more holistic picture of their cities and provinces.

P R E V I E W O F S E P T E M B E R / O C T O B E R I S S U E

Whether in new construction or facility management, the opportunities and demand to adapt energy conservation and environmentally-friendly designs and technologies are raging.

these are exciting times for those of us in the building infrastructure industry.

features departments

EDITOR’S MESSAGE

Welcome to the premiere issue of Public Infrastructure

magazine. It is with a great deal of excitement and anticipation that we bring this new media product to you, the public infrastructure decision-maker. Across Canada, there are many thousands of government employees and officials at the municipal, provincial, territorial and federal level who are in charge of making important decisions that impact the location, size and function of the country’s most critical public infrastructure projects. From schools and hospitals to roads and bridges to energy networks and sewers, every major – and minor – public works project that is commissioned across Canada requires the diligent input, thought, concern and management of a public service professional at some jurisdictional level. Public Infrastructure’s mission is to monitor and report on a full scope of public infrastructure projects across the country. We will spotlight the people and the organizations behind these important civic projects, as well as the new and emerging technologies and innovations in concept, design and construction that are bringing them to realization.

Public Infrastructure’s editorial content will inform, educate, encourage, motivate, inspire and challenge public sector decision-makers and professionals working in Canada’s public infrastructure industries. We will do this by exploring, reporting and commenting on a comprehensive range of issues, solutions, challenges, problems, successes and failures that these individuals face in the course of their important work. To succeed in our mission, we need to hear from you. If there’s anything you’ve read in Public Infrastructure that has particularly inspired – or incensed – you, please send me a note at dbosworth@ncmmedia.ca. At the same time, if there are any issues or concerns you have that you feel should be covered in a publication looking at the Canadian public infrastructure building industry, please let me know. This is, after all, your publication.

David Bosworth

Public Infrastructure is published six times a year by NCM Media, a division of NCM Software Development Inc. 59 The Westway, Toronto, ON M9P 2B4Tel: 416-241-4000 Fax: 416-614-3049

President/Group Publisher Nigel Marsh

Public Infrastructure subscriptions can be purchased for $30.00 for one year or $55.00 for two years.

2010 Public Infrastructure - All rights reserved. The contents of this publication may not be reproduced by any means in whole or in part, without the prior written consent of the publisher.

Printed in Canada on FSC Certified, 55% recycled 30% post consumer paper, utilizing vegetable based inks.

Undeliverable mail return to: 59 The Westway, Toronto, ON M9P 2B4Canadian Publication Mail Product Sales Agreement - Pending

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Tom Monsontom@ncmmedia.ca 416-421-4000 ext. 223 Nigel Marshnigel.marsh@ncmmedia.ca 416-241-4000 ext. 221

NCM List ServicesFarina Nisha416-241-4000 ext. 222

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Preview of the September/October Issue

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Building Renewal Opportunities Editor’s Welcome

Canada’s Greenest Building News

Spatial Data Infrastructure Products & Technology Tipsheet

Calendar of Events – What, When, Where

P U B L I C infrastructure S e p t e m b e r / O c t o b e r 2 0 1 0 3

The small northern Ontario community of Kirkland Lake is the recipient of a $32-million investment by the federal and Ontario governments towards the construction of a new local wastewater treatment facility.Design of the new wastewater treatment

facility will begin this year. Construction is expected to begin in 2011 and be complete by 2012. The new facility will provide advanced treatment of wastewater, an ultraviolet disinfection system and systems to treat and manage sludge. The project will replace an old sewage

treatment plant in need of repair. The new plant will provide a better effluent quality, which will help to preserve the environment around Murdock Creek and Blanche River. Total eligible costs for the project are

estimated at $35.5 million. The governments of Canada and Ontario have each committed to set aside up to $16 million through the Green Infrastructure Fund. Eligible projects under the fund are

those that promote cleaner air, reduced greenhouse gas emissions and cleaner water, and fall within any of the following categories: wastewater infrastructure; green energy generation infrastructure; green energy transmission infrastructure and solid waste infrastructure, and carbon transmission and storage infrastructure.The governments of Canada and Ontario

have already announced up to $336.9 million in funding support under the Green Infrastructure Fund and Building Canada Fund for wastewater treatment projects in other communities located in or near the Great Lakes Basin.

The Canadian Construction Association has issued a cautionary note to contractors bidding on projects funded by infrastructure stimulus programs introduced in the January 2009 Federal Budget, including the Infrastructure Stimulus Fund and the Knowledge Infrastructure Program. The primary concern raised by the CCA is

that contractors may find themselves liable for damages for infrastructure projects that are not completed by the across-the-board Mar. 31, 2011 deadline set by the federal government.According to the CCA, the federal and

provincial government agencies responsible for distributing infrastructure funding across the country continue to state that they will meet their financial obligations on funded projects only up to and including Mar. 31, 2011 and will not pay any amounts after that date.As such, the CCA is urging contractors

bidding on such projects to determine whether the completion date they have been contracted to meet is realistic and achievable,

and the degree to which they will be held liable in the event of a delay in completion beyond the Mar. 31, 2011 deadline.Mean time, the CCA is bringing the issue

to the attention of all levels of government involved in the infrastructure program and is urging its partner associations to do the same.

The Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) has applauded the Government of Canada for reaching an agreement in principle to exempt Canadian companies from “Buy American” trade restrictions, which would include the right to bid on public infrastructure projects funded under the U.S. government’s nearly $800-billion stimulus plan. “Canadians are fighting hard to recover

from the recession, but they need to be on a level playing field with their neighbours south of the border,” said FCM President Basil Stewart, mayor of Summerside, P.E.I.“This deal is a powerful reminder that

all three orders of government must work together for Canada to meet its economic challenges,” added Stewart. “This issue – and Canada´s own economic stimulus plan – show there is no substitute for federal, provincial/territorial and municipal collaboration. We must keep this partnership strong.” Buy American became a national political

priority when the Town of Halton Hills, Ont., grabbed international headlines with a resolution on the issue that it brought to FCM´s annual conference in Whistler, B.C., in June 2009. The resolution, supported by mayors and councils from across the country, called for action on both sides of the border. It exposed a policy that was hurting communities – and the economy – reeling from the global recession, and set the stage for a negotiated solution.“(This) isn´t just about a trade deal,

it´s about people. It´s about protecting Canadian workers, families, businesses and communities,” said Halton Hills mayor Rick Bonnette. “Those folks are hurting from the downturn and they need to know that all governments are working together to create jobs and give their communities a fair chance to compete. The progress we´re seeing today is a product of that kind of cooperation.” “As we move ahead, Canadians will need to know more about how exactly the agreement will impact cities and communities and how quickly it can be implemented,” said Stewart. “But as long as governments continue working together, in collaboration with businesses and communities, we´re hopeful this agreement-in-principle can lead to a concrete solution.”

Seven hundred Ontarians from Ottawa to Windsor to Thunder Bay were recently the first to receive offers to generate renewable electricity under the province’s new feed-in tariff program. The new microFIT program encourages

the development of small-scale renewable energy (10 kilowatts or less) from a diverse range of producers, including homeowners, schools, farmers and small businesses. It is part of a broader Ontario feed-in tariff program (FIT), the most comprehensive program of its kind in North America. FIT is also aimed at encouraging community-owned and aboriginal-led projects. The FIT program provides stable,

guaranteed pricing for a minimum of 20 years to renewable energy producers of all sizes. The Ontario Power Authority has received nearly 1,200 microFIT applications since the program began accepting applications on Oct. 1, mostly for residential roof-top solar power systems. These proposed projects have a combined capacity of about 8.6 megawatts (MW), enough to power about 1,000 average homes.Between Oct. 1 when the program launched

and Dec. 1, the Ontario Power Authority also received about 1,000 applications for projects over 10 kilowatts (kW). This large number of applications ensures there will be more than enough high-quality projects to deliver the 2,500 MW of renewable energy earmarked for the first round of the FIT program. These larger scale FIT applications are still being assessed. The Ontario Power Authority estimates

that the first FIT projects will generate in excess of $5 billion in investments in manufacturing, design, construction and engineering and lead to the creation of thousands of new jobs.

Anyone responsible for assessing the environmental impact of a building renewal project knows the difficulty of the job at hand. Fortunately, there is a powerful free assessment tool available from an Ottawa-area non-profit organization called The Athena Institute that offers an impartial comparison of building designs based on measures such as global warming potential. Providing life cycle assessment (LCA) results for more than 400 common building assemblies, the ATHENA EcoCalculator for Assemblies follows materials such as concrete blocks, insulation, glass, cladding materials, and roofing systems from cradle-to-grave and calculates the environmental effects at each stage in the product’s life cycle. For information, visit www.athenasmi.org.

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P U B L I C infrastructure S e p t e m b e r / O c t o b e r 2 0 1 04

K i r k l a n d L a k e gets Green Infrastructure funds

O n t a r i o greenlights rooftop solar projects

E c o C a l c u l a t o r measures environmental impact of building materials

F C M supports Buy Americandeal

C C A cautions contractors

P U B L I C infrastructure S e p t e m b e r / O c t o b e r 2 0 1 0 5

P l a n n i n g k e y t o t o d a y ’ s e x c i t i n gb u i l d i n g r e n e w a l o p p o r t u n i t i e s

N ever has it been a more interesting time to be a ‘building renewal professional’. Telling people at a party that this

is what you do for a living may have been a conversation killer 10 years ago but today you can be the life of the party.

Government incentive programs are being announced on a near-weekly basis. The media frequently carry stories about high-

profile zero-energy buildings and restored derelict buildings. Money is available for energy upgrades and building owners and occupants are eager to see it spent.

This climate provides building professionals with both an opportunity for glorious success and the potential for ignominious failure.

The success of a building upgrade requires a carefully considered approach. The first step is to determine the overall goal of the project. Does the project fall within a broader environmental initiative? Is it being justified solely on perceived cost savings, or are softer expectations being considered, such as improved worker productivity and/or employee retention?

To enter into a project with ill-defined objectives has the potential to make all involved parties look bad. For example, employee retention and productivity may well be improved because of the modernization of a building’s HVAC system, but this success could easily go unnoticed if the project was justified purely on the basis of expected energy savings.

With the goals of the project agreed upon, the next step is common-sense but is often ignored – particularly if the project is being pushed by the provider of a particular technology. A quick review of alternate available technologies should be examined to determine if any are feasible to more effectively accomplish the goals of the project. Each solution will have strengths and weaknesses which will depend on the layout and design of the building and the goals of the project - invariably one solution will be better suited for one application compared to others.

For instance, upgrading a building’s heating system with a condensing boiler can provide excellent paybacks but only if the boiler can operate with low temperature systems. If the heating systems are not compatible, the boiler upgrade will be

In this age of reduced manpower and increased workloads, it is understandable why impartial technology reviews don’t always occur.

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Planning key to today’s exciting building renewal opportunities

These are excit ing t imes for those o f us in the bui lding infrastructure industry. Whether in new construct ion or faci l i ty management, the opportunit ies and demand to adapt energy conservation and environmental ly- fr iendly designs and technologies are raging.

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an abject failure. Another example we have seen is where modern exterior insulation was applied to a historic building in a historic neighbourhood without any consideration given to the community’s will and concern for the property. The result was that any tangible benefits accrued by the project

were overwhelmed by the uproar from the community. In both of these cases, a few basic questions would have avoided these mistakes.

In this age of reduced manpower and increased workloads, it is understandable why impartial technology reviews don’t always occur. Perhaps a manufacturer’s representative offered ‘free consulting’ or someone influential in management pushed for a particular technology based on a success story from a colleague.

The fact is, under any circumstances the success of the reference projects must be taken into the context of the subject building and building systems. The way to do this is to implement a formal project review and plan prior to committing to any one solution or provider.

Once the goals of the plan have been agreed upon and the relative costs and benefits of the various technologies that can address your needs are determined, implementation is the next step. Performance guarantees may also be a wise consideration if new technology is being implemented. Determining how success and failure will be measured is another important consideration. Paybacks, both soft and hard, may require at least one year of data after project completion and the data may need to be normalized before it is useful. For example, with a lighting retrofit project, electricity savings may need to be considered in comparison with increased natural gas consumption. Post-project data is far more useful if there is pre-project data to compare against.

Once the scope of the project has been defined, including goals and measures of performance, it is time to develop a

tender document. A well written set of tender documents will keep everyone working towards a common goal. For a large project, the cost savings resulting from a well documented project and true competitive bidding process can easily cover the cost of any consulting fees incurred to create the package.

Experience has shown us that the majority of performance issues relating to renovations are due to lack of initial design calculations, drawings and specifications or a lack of understanding of the work by the contractor. Avoiding these misunderstandings, alone, may justify the cost of a proper design and specification plan. These are exciting times for those of us in the building infrastructure industry. Whether in new construction or facility management, the opportunities and demand to adapt energy conservation and environmentally-friendly designs and technologies are raging. Government is mandating change while offering incentive grants, energy costs are rising and building occupants have taken an active interest in their building environment.

With this increased interest comes the danger of getting swept up by the excitement of new technology or, conversely, frozen by fear of the new and unknown. The way to avoid either of these risks to confidently set your objectives, plan your approach and measure your success.

Phil Brearton, P. Eng. is the Operations Manager for the Building Science & Transactional Due Diligence Division of Pinchin Environmental Ltd. Mr. Brearton has more than 21 years of engineering and management experience. He has managed and directed Buildings Condition Assessments, Compliance Audits, and Reserve Fund studies across Canada for a wide variety of clients. His role on these assignments has been to provide technical accuracy, quality assurance, and general business application to the specific needs of the clients.Phil can be reached at: Pbrearton@pinchin.com

P U B L I C infrastructure S e p t e m b e r / O c t o b e r 2 0 1 06

P U B L I C infrastructure S e p t e m b e r / O c t o b e r 2 0 1 0 7

“Sustainability is about what kind of world we want to live in,” says the University of British Columbia’s John Robinson. If so, then the ambitious project he’s leading – the development of the Centre for Interactive Research on Sustainability (CIRS) should provide some valuable inspiration. The $37-million building will be greenhouse gas-positive and a net energy producer, meaning that it will help UBC reduce the energy it uses and carbon it emits. All water will be sourced from rainwater, with wastewater treatment occurring on site. There is also more carbon sequestered in the building’s wooden structure than will be emitted during its construction and eventual dismantling.

CIRS is dedicated to research, collaboration and outreach that lead to workable solutions for the challenges of urban sustainability. When it opens in 2011, CIRS will be among the most innovative and high performance sustainable buildings in North America, demonstrating leading edge research and partnerships on sustainable design practices, products, systems and policies.

CIRS will be located on UBC’s main campus in Vancouver, but the multi-disciplinary and multi-sectoral research team will include research partners from Simon Fraser University, the Emily Carr University of Art+Design, and the British Columbia Institute of Technology. Together with private, public and NGO partners, the CIRS team will work to create a research program intended to demonstrate sustainable practice and contribute to the commercialization of sustainability.

Commercialization opportunities will be explored with partners such as BC Hydro, Haworth and Honeywell.

Not only does the UBC-based centre aim to be among the greenest buildings in North America, it will also serve as a living laboratory for sustainability research, development and practice. For example, building processes will be continuously monitored, including heating, cooling, lighting, equipment use, water harvesting and treatment, building occupancy, inhabitant behaviour and more. People working in the facility will be able to follow the proceedings on their desktop computers and vote on their usefulness.

Construction began last September, and the building is set to open in the summer of 2011 on Sustainability Street on UBC’s Vancouver campus.

The federal government has committed $1.5 million to the project through the Western Diversification Program.

“I think it’s going to help contribute to the world,” says Robinson, who speaks from experience. In January, he was named the new UBC Vancouver Sustainability Executive Director. He’s a professor at UBC’s Institute for Resources, Environment and Sustainability, and was one of thousands who participated in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which shared the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize with former U.S. Vice President Al Gore.

Robinson also chaired the university’s Sustainability Academic Strategy, which delivered its final report in October 2009. One of that report’s recommendations, which is moving forward, proposed that CIRS should serve as the home to the overarching University Sustainability Initiative (USI).

“This will create a single home for UBC’s sustainable activities,” Robinson says. “It’s particularly appropriate to take a highly innovative, new approach and put it in the most sustainable building in North America.” In addition, this move means that the academic and operational sides of the sustainability equation will be represented in a single setting – a rarity at other North American universities.

CIRS will also encourage public involvement, a move Robinson says is crucial. “Community engagement isn’t just desirable in principle…it’s actually necessary to achieve a sustainable future,” he notes.

This article was adapted from an article originally published in UBC Reports, Feb. 3, 2010. Used with permission.

P R O J E C T S P O T L I G H T : U B C d e v e l o p i n g N o r t h A m e r i c a ’ s g r e e n e s t b u i l d i n g

Courtesy Busby Perkins+Will Architects Co.

Municipal and national governments worldwide have started to tap into

the treasure chest of geospatial data – digital information that identifies and depicts the geographic location and characteristics of all of Earth’s natural or human-constructed features - and are sharing access among departments, private businesses, and organizations. This collaborative sharing gives everyone involved a more holistic picture of their cities and provinces. Local government departments benefit from current, accurate geographic information to make better decisions in multiple areas, including infrastructure management for water and wastewater systems,

transportation systems, city services, field equipment, and some utility systems.

A spatial data infrastructure (SDI) - the term for the backbone technology collection used to provide a collaborative structure - includes geospatial data resources, networks, geographic information system (GIS) services in the form of Web services, and a set of common standards to ensure interoperability

A n e x p e n s i v e r e s o u r c e

Geospatial data, however, is an expensive resource and many organizations or smaller towns and regions do not have access to the appropriate resources needed to fully leverage this data. Many national and international programs and projects are underway to improve access to available geospatial data, promote its re-use, and ensure that additional investment in geospatial information collection and management results in an ever-growing, readily available pool of data. These initiatives include an emphasis on harmonizing standards for spatial

G O V E R N M E N T S M O V I N G T O W A R D S H A R E D S PAT I A L D A T A I N F R A S T R U C T U R E

data capture and exchange, the coordination of data collection and maintenance activities, and the use of common data sets by different agencies.

In Canada, the Canadian Geospatial Data Infrastructure (http://cgdi.gc.ca) is helping organizations and municipal departments collaborate and share images, Web map services, and datasets. The National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI) is working to manage similar standards and programs in the United States. In Europe, the European Commission established the Infrastructure for Spatial Information in Europe (INSPIRE) initiative

(http://inspire.jrc.it/home.html) to coordinate activities and improve utilization of geographic information. In the future, the United Nations will launch an SDI system to help developed countries integrate with other nations to promote information sharing.

By working toward establishing an SDI today within your city or region’s departments, you allow your organization to become “SDI ready” for the next step of sharing geospatial assets nationally with other Canadian municipalities, provinces and organizations.

One of the simplest places to start your SDI process is to consider the geospatial datasets that your region has for roads, bridges, electrical grids, water systems, buildings, and similar infrastructure. Then, consider: 1. Who are the related parties and persons within your region that could have an interest in the data (public safety and security organizations? The public health community? Environmental manage-ment? Sustainable development?) 2. What processes can the SDI benefit?

P U B L I C infrastructure S e p t e m b e r / O c t o b e r 2 0 1 08

By working toward establ ishing an SDI today within your c i ty or region’s departments , you al low your organizat ion to become “SDI ready” for the next step of sharing geospatial assets nat ional ly with other Canadian municipal i t ies , provinces and organizat ions.

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Governments moving toward shared spatial data infrastructure

(Permit approvals? Emergency calls? Disas-ter management?) 3. What types of GIS collection and distribu-tion systems currently manage the geospa-tial data, and what may need to be done to upgrade these systems to manage an inte-grated, open, and collaborative network?

Many municipalities reach the third consideration and stop short. Limited budgets and often separate buying processes among different areas of a government may mean multiple, disconnected GIS solutions from a variety of vendors and production years/upgrade cycles across the region. Some departments may be very interconnected, with Web-based solutions and mobile reporting infrastructure, while others may rely on outdated GIS cataloging solutions that offer no outside connectivity. L e v e r a g e e x i s t i n g s o f t w a r e

However, enterprise solutions from quali-fied vendors can help you leverage your ex-isting software – even from multiple vendors – and overlay them with Web and intercon-nectivity technology. This extension of your existing technology fulfills the core require-ments of sustainability, interoperability, and flexibility necessary to create an SDI.

An SDI software solution that provides the best long-term value for your enterprise

dollar will provide data harmonization, legal compliance, operator productivity, public distribution, open architecture and a strong geospatial platform.

Finally, consider the overall flexibility of the solution. Flexible solutions will easily integrate into your organization’s IT environment, adopt security policies, and adapt to regional and international standards. Flexible and scalable solutions can also adjust to multiple types of user-profiles and demands. All levels of governmental organizations (federal, provincial, territorial and municipal), or even pan-national governments, must evaluate the appropriate needs of an SDI implementation in size, scale, availability, accessibility, and functional requirements of possible beneficiaries in services.

Spatial data infrastructures can be seen as a next step within the evolution of GIS by supporting all different aspects of open, standards-based architecture so organizations can share geospatial assets in a global context internally and externally using Web technology. The coming years will see a trend toward integration within other (non-spatial) business systems and integration with complete, end-to-end on-line services.

Forward-thinking Canadian regions are wise to begin the SDI journey, reducing

overhead long-term and improve the efficiency, quality, flexibility and accessibility of services today.

Author David Monaghan has specialized in recommending and designing enterprise-level GIS solutions for over 12 years. He currently works for Intergraph Canada as a Business Development consultant for the federal and provincial governments. David can be reached at david.monaghan@intergraph.com . What is Geospatial Data?Geospatial data identifies, depicts or describes geographic locations, boundaries or characteristics of Earth’s inhabitants or natural or human-constructed features.Geospatial data include geographic coordinates (e.g., latitude and longitude) that identify a specific location on the Earth; and data that are linked to geographic locations or have a geospatial component (e.g., socio-economic data, land use records and analyses, land surveys, environmental analyses). Geospatial data may be obtained using a variety of approaches and technologies, including things such as surveys, satellite remote sensing, Global Position System (GPS) hand-held devices, and airborne imagery and detect ion devices.

P U B L I C infrastructure S e p t e m b e r / O c t o b e r 2 0 1 0 9

At tempts to remove graffiti often leave buildings defaced or with structural damage so who wouldn’t want to stop a vandalismproblem before it starts?

New technology allows you to protect your building from permanent blemishes with just one clear, environmentally friendly coat that simultaneously guards against weather damage and makes it so you can wash away unwanted art with ease.

Professional Water Sealant – Graffiti Remover creates a virtual forcefield between your building and taggers. Even if you are targeted, the certified and guaranteed formula ensures no one will ever know the tag was there. The inorganic sealant works on brick, stucco, concrete, block and other porous building surfaces and flexes with building movement.

Alsip’s Building Products and Services is the Canadian distributor of Professional Water Sealant – Graffiti Remover.

Learn more at www.graffitiremover.ca

Murox High Performance Buildings

Murox, a division of Canam Group, continues to win awards for its ventilated thermal panel, a solar collector that preheats incoming fresh air before it enters a building’s HVAC system. According to Murox, this can reduce energy costs by up to 25 per cent. During the winter months, when temperatures are as low as -15°C, the outdoor air moving up the wall can attain temperatures as high as +4°C by the time it reaches the HVAC system. The ventilated thermal panel is a simple solution with no mechanical components that results in substantial energy savings at the end of the line. The solar collector, as part of the Murox high thermal performance, load-bearing wall system, is certified by Natural Resources Canada (NRCan), which makes it eligible for a grant under the NRCan ecoENERGY Program, as well as for various other provincial grants and financial incentives. Entirely shop-assembled, Murox ventilated thermal panels are quick to install on site, offer the possibility of integrating doors and windows and come in a variety of colours. For information, visit www.murox.com

Kalzip the sustainable solution

With the movement towards sustainable building, Kalzip’s aluminium based products in general, and photovoltaic solar solutions and Nature Roof in particular, provide solutions relevant to practically every project.

At the heart of Kalzip’s sustainability is aluminium itself, a material that is infinitely recyclable and remarkably plentiful: the planet’s most abundant metallic element in fact.

Almost three quarters of all the aluminium that has ever been produced is still in use today. Approximately 90% of aluminium used in transport and construction and over 60% of that used in beverage cans is recovered. Recycling Kalzip panels, as with all aluminium, requires 95% less energy than primary production with no loss of quality or volume. This prevents an estimated 80 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions per year globally.

Kalzip and aluminium can make a major contribution to the creation of buildings that are sustainable, not only during construction but throughout their lives and into their afterlives. Especially with the excellent thermal performance and long, low maintenance life that both come as standard with every Kalzip system. Even Kalzip’s light weight has an environmental dimension – requiring less material in the supporting structure and saving energy during transportation and construction.

What: CNAM 2010: Building PartnershipsWhen: May 2-5, 2010Where: OttawaContact: www.cnam.caDescription: Under the theme Building Partnerships, the Canadian Network of Asset Managers 2010 workshop will focus on how assets, people, and processes support future infrastructure fiscal need and sustainable service delivery. Two streams – strategic and operational – will offer collaborative, interactive discussion forums and presentations.

What: 2010 Canadian Environmental Conference and Tradeshow (CANECT 2010)When: May 3-5, 2010Where: TorontoContact: www.canect.netDescription: Since 1992, CANECT has been the foremost event for Canadian environmental managers, plant personnel, government policy-makers, lawyers and consultants with responsibilities for environmental affairs.

What: FCM 73rd Annual Conference and Municipal ExpoWhen: May 28-31, 2010Where: TorontoContact: www.fcm.caDescription: This year’s Federation of Canadian Municipalities conference falls on the fifth anniversary of the New Deal for Cities and Communities which, among other things, initiated the transfer of federal gas tax revenues to municipal governments. The New Deal was an historic breakthrough that led to unprecedented progress on the national priorities of municipalities. The annual conference will be a chance to measure just how far cities and communities have come, and survey the ground that still needs to be covered.

What: Canadian Green Building Council’s 3rd Annual National ConferenceWhen: June 8-10, 2010Where: VancouverContact: www.cagbc.orgDescription: The CaGBC annual conference is the largest green building event in Canada. Participants will receive the most up to date information on policy, technical and strategic issues affecting the green building sector, including: GREEN UP: building performance measurement, verification, and reporting; updates on LEED Canada and the future direction of LEED; design, construction, and operation leading practices; case studies of exceptional green buildings; instructional perspectives; and, information on new Council programs and tools

What: RAIC/SAA Festival of ArchitectureWhen: June 22-26, 2010Where: SaskatoonContact: http://festival.raic.orgDescription: The Royal Architectural Institute of Canada (RAIC), and the Saskatchewan Association of Architects (SAA) bring together speakers and continuing education courses that will offer insight about the challenges and future directions faced by the architectural profession. A trade show highlighting the latest technology, products and services for architects will be of interest to the profession.

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P P U B L I C infrastructure S e p t e m b e r / O c t o b e r 2 0 1 010

Attend this conference, and come away with proven solutions and a firm understanding of greening government initiatives. Participants will have an opportunity to take part in organized and informal discussions of how these procedures and policies can be implemented efficiently and how these practices can be disseminated into the public and private sector.

Greening government initiatives play an integral part in achieving Canada’s environmental sustainability to help reduce our country’s ecological footprint.

This conference offers a valuable opportunity to networkand exchange information with various government officialsand green conscious suppliers from across Canada.

GREENINGGOVERNMENT

Strategies, Policy, Procurement and Action Plans

• Green procurement • Bill 150, The Green Energy Act• Waste reduction in government offices • Sustainable buildings and infrastructure• Greening policies and legislation across Canada• Transportation programs and policies for government employees• Staff engagement and employee behavior in regards to greening initiatives

Key topics to be addressed include:

Register online at http://www.greeninggovernment.ca/registration.htmlOr by phone: 416-241-4000 ext.228

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Introducing NCM GOVPAGES’ First Annual Conference Toronto Board of Trade – June 15 & 16, 2010