There are a number of developers in the Ottawa area that have already embraced the concepts inherent in high performance buildings and are designing and constructing buildings that surpass the levels of performance established by the City of Ottawa’s high performance development standard.
In other large cities in Canada, including Toronto and Vancouver, green development standards have encouraged and amplified the adoption of cleaner and greener technologies including heat pumps, geo-exchange systems, high efficiency ventilation, solar p.v. systems and more, while discouraging high window-to-wall ratios and poor performing envelopes. This has resulted in more efficient buildings providing a more liveable and comfortable environment for occupants.
There is a sense of urgency with respect to new buildings and climate change. These buildings will be with us for 50 or more years, so design decisions have a critical and lasting impact; you don’t get a second chance to do it right the first time. New buildings must lead the way to a low-energy and low-carbon future and the designs and technologies are already in place to realize that outcome.
The time for research and “updating recommendations” has come and gone. Inaction is the biggest threat to our climate crisis. It is time for the City of Ottawa to demonstrate leadership and implement this standard. The people of Ottawa deserve no less.is Executive Director, Sustainable Buildings Canada. He has has more than 30 years of experience as an economist focused on energy policy and resource planning. More information: https://sbcanada.org.