Northern Centre for Sustainability July 2018 by Ecology North

NORTHERN CENTRE for SUSTAINABILITY

JULY 2018 // V1

// CONTENTS 1.0 OUR HISTORY, AND WHERE WE ARE NOW 4 // Yellowknife, A Northern City 6 // Ecology North 8 2.0 THE NORTHERN CENTRE FOR SUSTAINABILITY 12 // A Community, An Environnement, A Living Building... 14 // The Northern Centre for Sustainability ; the Anchor of Global Northern Sustainability 16 // A Living Lab in The North... 18 // Milestones and achievements 20 2.1 THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS

2.2 THE BUILDING RETROFIT ECONOMY

2.3 THE LIVING BUILDING CHALLENGE 30 // The Living Building Challenge 27 // Tłı̨chǫ Wıı̀lıı̀deh Terminology Workshop 34 // Place k’è 36 40 // Water tı // Energy endaà 44 50 // Health & Happiness hotı ets’enda xè goı̨na 54 // Materials kǫ̀ goht’ǫ 58 // Equity dǫ hazhǫ ełexèht’e 62 // Beauty wenaàt’ı̨ 3.0 INSPIRATION & CASE STUDIES

// “La Maison du Développement Durable” 68 // YuKonstruct 70 // References

4.0 TEAM, PARTNERS & SUPPORTERS

5.0 LETTERS OF SUPPORT

1.0

our history, and where we are now

A grassroots environmental non-governmental organization, a community champion, takes on a new project that will create jobs while reducing greenhouse gas emissions ; an overview.

northern com

a hub for mmunities

// YELLOWKNIFE, A NORTHERN CITY Situated on the Northern shore of Great Slave Lake, “ Yellowknife is the capital of the Northwest Territories,

Canada. Founded in 1934, the city is located in the traditional territory of the Yellowknives Dene First Nation who founded the nearby community of Dettah in the early 1930s. The city of Yellowknife has its origins in gold mining and was designated as territorial capital in 1967. Since then the city has grown to around 20,000 residents and has become a cultural, economic and government services hub for the territory. Diamonds were discovered in the area in 1991, and with the founding of three operating diamond mines within short flights of Yellowknife, the city is once again getting in touch with its mining roots. Tourism, transportation, and communications are other significant Yellowknife industries. The Government of the Northwest Territories has released public information regarding arsenic in the environment around Yellowknife as a result of past mining activities.

”

- City of Yellowknife

Downtown Yellowknife and behind, the Old City © Immigrate NWT

// ECOLOGY NORTH Ecology North is a charitable, non-profit organization based in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, that was formed in 1971 to support sound environmental decision-making on an individual, community and regional level. In part, Ecology North was formed as a response to arsenic contamination in and around Yellowknife - including 237,000 tonnes of watersoluble arsenic trioxide abandoned underground at Giant Mine - and a lack of transparency on its effects on human health and local ecology.

Ecology North Vision : A healthy Northern environment, forever. Ecology North Mission : Bringing people and knowledge together for a healthy northern environment. The following is a brief history highlighting Ecology North initiatives, activities, projects, and programs through the four decades since its inception:

Ecology North’s programs focus on the following priorities: public education and awareness, climate change mitigation and adaptation, sustainable living, waste reduction, local food production and sourcewater protection. A common thread throughout all Ecology North programming is an emphasis on environmental, social and community well-being. Ecology North maintains collaborative partnerships with a diverse array of other local community and educational organizations through its programming.

1971 to 1973

1971

Ecology North founded.

1970’s 8

Elevated the profile of the arsenic issue (contaminants and heavy metal polluants from gold mines in Yellowknife) to national prominence ; interviewed on CBC « As it Happens » regarding the arsenic issue.

1992 to 1994

1980’s

Contributed to the 1990 to Sustainable 1991 Development Policy of the GNWT.

1980’s

Participated in the development of the NWT Environmental Rights Act.

1990’s

Initiated and conducted the Yellowknife Demonstration Recycling Program for two years; successfully transitioned the program to the City of Yellowknife (Partners : Environment Canada, local trucking companies, NWT Air, Johnson’s Building Supplies, Bromley and Son.

2008

2004

Led the development of the Wha Ti Community Energy Plan. The Plan included community education and consultation on energy efficiency and renewables.

2000â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

Ecology North completed a study of options for a centralized composting pilot project in the City of Yellowknife in collaboration with the City, and with support from GNWT-ENR.

2010

2009 to 2011

Developed climate change action plans for Tsiigehtchic and Fort McPherson.

EN worked with the City to implement the centralized composting pilot project, converting 550 tonnes of food waste, yard waste and shredded paper into finished compost.

2011

Co-hosted the Climate Change and NWT Communities Conference in partnership with the NWT Association of Communities and the Pembina Institute.

2010â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 9

“

He wanted us to continue the good fight and be gentle warriors like he was. He was steadfast in his pursuit of equality and saving the environment.

- Craig Scott, Executive Director, Ecology North

2015

Late Doug Ritchie Co-founder, Ecology North Doug Ritchie passed away in January 2015 after a brief battle with pancreatic cancer. Doug was a “ gentle giant ” who dedicated his life to environmental causes and social equality in the north. One of Doug's final requests was for Ecology North to build “ the greenest building in Yellowknife ” as a community example and gathering place. have its own green office building. In his name, his family donated $100K to make that happen. We dedicate this work to you Doug!

2015 10

”

Doug Ritchie stands at the junction of the Arctic Red and Mackenzie rivers during a trip to Tsiigehtchic for Ecology North © Craig Scott, 2010

â&#x20AC;&#x153; A healthy northern environnement, forever. â&#x20AC;? 11

2.0

the northern centre for sustainability An overview of the Northern Centre for Sustainability (NCFS): where it started; why it is required now; how it aligns with municipal, territorial, federal and global goals; the momentum it has generated so far; and what it will become. The NCFS is a flagship for inspiration on the Sustainable Development Goals for the North, but also a demonstration project to kick-start the Building Retrofit Economy.

COMING S // A COMMUNITY, AN ENVIRONMENT, A LIVING BUILDING...

“

Imagine a place that transforms the North through innovative design, advocacy, inspiration, cultural reflection and the limitless possibilities of demonstration and education.

”

Since 2015, a diverse team of collaborators has come together around Ecology North’s mandate for “a healthy northern environment, forever” through the creation of a built space that will inspire leadership breakthroughs in the collective imagination. Our goal is a future where building practices are uniquely northern, cultures are reflected, materials are local, energy is carbon-free, water is respected, and ALL people are re-connected with light, air, food, nature and community. As a space that rejuvenates our intimate ties with Mother Nature, we envision a centre for sharing lessons learned and knowledge gained throughout the North. This vision was developed based on the work done by the Planning Committee, the Executive Committee and the Advisory Group, as well as various other volunteers involved in the project. Its momentum is growing as conversation around the project is getting louder; the project now feeds ambition to other community groups who feel inspired and are working towards joining the project and synergizing efforts to tear down silos and to improve energy efficiency in the north.

EXPERIMENT GREEN

TECHNOLOGIES IN THE NORTH

LEARNING & TEACHING

SOON!

RETHINK TOGETHER

NORTHERN ARCHITECTURE SUSTAINABLE

LIVING

INSPIRE OTHERS

Artwork generously donated by Â© Allison McCreesh

Swedish design practices proven to be successful in climates similar to Yellowknife

Knowledge transfer between remote northern communities and organizations based in Yellowknife

OAL S

AL G

TERRITORI

Whitehorse, YT

ademic

Yellowknife, NWT

GOAL

Edmonton, AB Vancouver, BC Calgary, AB Seattle, WA, USA Quebec, QC MontrĂŠal, QC Ottawa, ON

Toronto, ON

National expertise focused on Northern environments

Best-in-class Canadian building science innovation 0

500

1 000

Stockholm, SE

// THE NORTHERN CENTRE FOR SUSTAINABILITY ; THE ANCHOR OF GLOBAL NORTHERN SUSTAINABILITY

S OAL

GLOBAL GOALS

TERRITORIAL GOALS

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs)

As a hub for the North, Yellowknife and the Northern Centre for Sustainability will become a flagship and demonstration project for energy-positive and carbon-negative nordic architecture. The majority of communities in the Northwest Territories are dependent on diesel electricity generation (GNWT, 2014).

This project draws its inspiration from the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs). A living embodiement of the UN SDGs, the Northern Centre for Sustainability will promote sustainability in Canada’s North (United Nations Development Program, 2016), in addition to supporting global efforts in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The Paris Agreement Foster+Partners (2018) did a study of the different building rating systems currently used, and found out that only the Living Building Challenge can help stay below 2 °C of global warming. This building is a manifesto in favor of the Paris Agreement, and a recognition of the climate crisis we are currently living in, especially in the North as global warming effects are felt more strongly on the poles.

NATIONAL GOALS Canadian Climate Targets Buildings in Canada are responsible for 30% of greenhouse gas emission (Canadian Wood Council, 2017); the building sector must express a change in paradigm to reduce its dependence on fossil fuels.

LOCAL GOALS In many respects, the Northern Centre proposes to raise the goals and objectives set by Yellowknife City Council (2016) for the years 2016 to 2018. Goal 2.0 : Downtown Revitalization The NCFS will draw attention back to the downtown core, which is highly need in Yellowknife to stop urban sprawl and revitalize the downtown life. Goal 3.0 : Strengthen and Diversify the Economy The NCFS will spur the development of the Building Retrofit Economy and will support many other local initiatives, hence strengthening and diversifying the local economy Goal 4.0 : Community Sustainability Aiming to become one of the most innovative buildings in Canada, in addition to become Canada’s first carbon-negative building, the NCFS will pave the way for community sustainability and resilience.

A FLOURISHING NETWORK OF COLLABORATIONS The many challenges that the Northern Centre for Sustainability proposes to meet are developing on different scales and in various fields of expertise ; it is therefore for several months that the Project Committee has been working on the development of an important network of partners and supporters who will come in one way or another to participate in its implementation. To learn more about the different organizations, companies and individuals that have joined our ranks so far, see Chapter 5.0 Team, partners & supporters (p. 71).

000 km

Ndilǫ + Yellowknife from the sky © NWT Tourism

// A LIVING LAB IN THE NORTH... The Northern Centre for Sustainability (NCFS) is a living lab and innovation hub built upon the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. It will demonstrate cutting edge pre-commercial building technologies, and be the first “Living Building” in Canada’s North – one of the world’s most stringent eco-building certification programs. The NCSF will be carbon-negative and energy, water, waste, and people-positive. It will be a hub in which knowledge will move between isolated northern indigenous communities, Ecology North, the Yellowknives Dene First Nation, Concordia University, and the University of Alberta. This project will actively promote technology replication, build retrofit economy momentum in Canada, and be the first project of its kind in the North. Building capacity to inspire the North Once built, this project will become a flagship and demonstration project to inspire other northerners to drive positive change in their communities. The technologies installed in the Northern Centre for Sustainability will be brought to the other communities through the pathfinding work of Ecology North, the Yellowknives Dene First Nation as well as other local, territorial, national and international partners.

Oct. to Dec.

8 technical workshops Multi-stakeholders public Technical Worskhops on the 7 petals of the Living Building Challenge and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

2018 18

Jan.

3-day Design charette with different project partners and supporters.

“

Northerners are amongst those who feel the effects of climate change the strongest. What if they could inspire the rest of the world to act on climate change ?

”

Mar. to Aug.

Pre-conceptual study sketch of the project, and preliminary documents.

Sept. to Dec.

2019

Final project

Jan. to Mar.

Apr. to Sept.

Call for tenders and negotiations.

2020

Contract administration and construction execution. Nov.

Move-in

ITS DIFFERENT DEPLOYMENT SCALES... 2.1 the sustainable development goals (United Nations, 2015) 2.2 the building retrofit economy (Canada Green Building Council, 2017) 2.3 the living building challenge (International Living Future Institute, 2016) & other local objectives (Northern Centre for Sustainability, 2018) COMMUNITY Develop meeting, exchange and sharing places that strengthen social cohesion.

NATURE Designing an ecosystem architecture rooted in its site and taking advantage of local specificities - climate, season cycles, ecosystems, landscapes, etc.

ECONOMY Spur the development of solar and building trades amongst others - by the promotion of the building retrofit economy.

GUIDE

INITIATIVE

CERTIFICATION

ASPIRATION

CULTURE Celebrating the rich culture of a cross-cultural community through architecture that reflects the local way of life.

PROVISIONAL SCHEME 19

“

The Northern Centre for Sustainability will become a beacon for sustainability and a flagship for community resilience.

”

- William Gagnon, Project Leader, Ecology North

William Gagnon (left) presenting the NCFS at North x North Festival © North by North Festival, NxN, Institute of the North

Fall 2017

Ecohome becomes NORTHERN CENTRE FOR SUSTAINABILITY William Gagnon, Green Buildings Specialist, is hired to work full-time on the project. At this point, the Committee realizes that sustainability is about leaving no one behind, and that environmental sustainability is not achievable in itself; rather, sustainability is about partnerships and collaboration for job creation, greenhouse gas reduction and social thrivability.

2017 20

Nov. 24 2017

“CHANGING CLIMATE, CHANGING BUILDINGS” by the Northwest Territories Association of Architects, Yellowknife, NWT, CA Ecology North launches the Living Building Challenge Northwest Territories Collaborative and introduces the concept of Living Buildings.

Apr. 26-29 2018

“NORTH X NORTH FESTIVAL” at the Anchorage Museum Anchorage, Alaska, USA Ecology North launches the Northern Centre for Sustainability at the North X North Festival on a panel with Mara Kimmel, First Lady of Anchorage.

2018

Unleash Innovation Lab at Singapore © Unleash

May 30 to Jun. 6 2018

“UNLEASH INNOVATION LAB” by Unleash, Singapore William Gagnon, Ecology North’s Green Buildings Specialist, is invited to participate in the UNLEASH Innovation Lab.

May 1-4 2018

“LIVING FUTURE UNCONFERENCE 2018” by the International Living Future Institute, Portland, Oregon, USA The Northern Centre for Sustainability team attends the conference organized by the Living Future Institute to learn from the best and bring this knowledge back to the Northwest Territories.

June 3-7 2018

“BUILDING LASTING CHANGE” CONFERENCE by the World Green Building Council hosted by the Canada Green Building Council, Toronto, Ontario Ecology North is invited to take part in the Emerging Green Professionals panel. The project NCFS has been presented before a closed-doors investors, mentors and industry specialists.

Aug. 29-30 2018

“NORTHERN BUILDING SCIENCES CONFERENCE” by Northwest Territories Association of Architects, Yellowknife, NWT Ecology North is reinvited to speak at a conference organized by the Northwest Territories Association of Architects.

2.1

the sustainable development goals The Sustainable Development Goals are a set of 17 goals and 169 targets that were presented by the United Nations in 2015, to be achieved by 2030. The Northern Centre for Sustainability will become a living embodiement of the SDGs and will act as flagship for their promotion. The SDGs are used in the project to drive the design and development, but also to break down work silos and work together, as a community.

9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17

THE PILLARS OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT... The 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and 169 targets, adopted in 2015 by UN Member States as part of Agenda 2030, shape the sustainable development agenda for the next fifteen years (United Nations, 2015). Reconciling the three pillars of sustainable development - economic, social and environmental - these objectives fall into various fields considered crucial for the development of humanity and the planet. Humanity: Eradicate poverty and hunger to provide all human beings with the essential conditions for their full development.

Prosperity: To encourage economic, social and technological progress in harmony with the cycle of nature and to value the individual prosperity of all human beings. Peace: Fostering peace in all its forms as an essential condition for the sustainable development of humanity. Partnerships: Mobilizing and promoting a revitalized Global Partnership.

Planet: To combat the current degradation of the planet, promoting the sustainable management of its natural resources and encouraging healthy consumption and production patterns, so that it can meet the needs of present and future generations.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;

Since its creation, Ecology North has been involved in many areas of research and action now put forward by the United Nations as priorities to ensure the sustainable development of humanity on the planet. The Northern Centre for Sustainability project is only a new horizon to nurture its mission, bringing people and knowledge together for a healthy northern environment.

â&#x20AC;?

OUR PARTNERS OR SUPPORTERS IN ACHIEVING THE UNITED NATIONS SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS City of Yellowknife

Habitat for Humanity

Wilfrid Laurier University

Terragon Env. Solutions

Julie Green, NWT Legislative Assembly

Government of NWT

Mitacs

Équiterre

Yellowknives Dene First Nation

NWT Association of Communities

GHG Accounting

Maison du Développement Durable

Goyatiko Language Society

Arctic Energy Alliance

Mary-Rose Sundberg

Northern Alberta Institute of Technology

The Fat Fox NWT Brewing Co. Radio Taiga

Fulcrum Projects Ltd. Northern Council for Global Cooperation

University of Alberta

Quality Urban Energy Systems of Tomorrow

Concordia University

The Pembina Institute

Lateral Office International Living Future Inst. White Arkitekter AB Youth Climate Lab Biomacon GmbH

2.2

the building retrofit economy Supporting the Pan-Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change, the Building Retrofit Economy promises more than 30B$ and a huge potential in terms of greenhouse gas emissions reduction (Canada Green Building Council, 2018). If current climate targets of 30% below the 2005 levels before 2030 are achieved, Canadians could be witnesses of improved quality of life, employment creation and better environmental protection.

“

260,741 annual employment $6.2B energy cost

RECOMMENDATION FROM THE CaGBC FPT Ministers of the Environment and Climate Change, and Energy, should reinvest proceeds from carbon pricing regimes to work with post-secondary institutions and non-academic providers of education and training services to develop and deliver more specialized and comprehensive academic and professional education and training offerings for individuals already involved, or those interested, in building a career in the various categories in the retrofit economy ecosystem.

$5.2B tax revenue

Renovating the existing built framework may well be one of the key Canadian solutions to reduce GHG emissions by 2030 ; as suggested by the Canada Green Building Council (2018) in its report A Roadmap for Retrofits in Canada, which addresses various strategies related to the renovation of Canada’s large buildings, a process that could well reduce GHG emissions by at least 30%, or 12.5 million tonnes, by 2030, with a reduction potential of up to 51 percent, or 21.2 million tonnes.

$32.5B direct and indirect gross domestic

BUILDING RETROFIT ECONOMY IN NWT

”

IMPACT Implementation of this recommendation would send clear signals about the economic opportunities in the retrofit economy for individuals and serve as a platform for labour force development, including training future, and retraining existing, labour force participants for success in a low carbon economy.

“

”

“

Industry must stop waiting for governements to regulate their actions and realize the more than $30B economic opportunity presented by the retrofit economy.

”

- Canada Green Building Council, 2018 28

NET ZERO -O-

FIRST, SHOW IT IS POSSIBLE ; WITH A FLAGSHIP PROJECT

C02

E C A Y SP C + IEN C

IO AT C I F I

T AU

C02

+ INSULATION

R K

N ER H Y r RT E fo ILIT O R N T AB N N CE TAI S SU

The Northern Centre for Sustainability's mandate is to serve as a flagship project within the Yellowknife community, and potentially other northern communities, to inspire a mass building retrofit movement of existing buildings by improving spatial efficiency, envelope insulation, and integrating green technologies, promoting social, economic, and environmental benefits.

E +B

N EE S R IE G G + LO

C TE

reduce GHG emissions ............................

create of locals jobs ................................. build local economy .................................

SECOND, ACT AS A MENTOR FOR THE LARGE-SCALE DEPLOYMENT OF GREEN BUILDING PRACTICES IN THE NORTHWEST TERRITORIES Showcasing these practices in a northern climate and providing quantifiable feedback, the second phase will highlight the social, economic and ecological benefits such as the creation of local jobs for the various development phases (planning, renovation and maintenance) and the reduction of GHG emissions by improving the energy performance of buildings, linked to the renovation of large buildings throughout the city.

2.3

the living building challenge The Living Building Challenge is the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most stringent building certification standard, going above LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design). It was selected as a design guideline for the Northern Centre for Sustainability. Based on previous discussions with partners and stakeholders, this is a preliminary presentation of the possible concepts, ideas, technologies and partnerships that would allow for the achivement of a retrofit building that would meet the Petals of the Living Building Challenge. This is not an exhaustive nor final design: these will be refined as we hold Technical Workshops on the Living Building Challenge. It is the Design Charrette that will finalize the project vision.

Dixon Water Foundation Josey Pavilion, Lake Flato Architects, US Living Building Challenge 2.1 © Casey Dunn

“ IMAGINE a building that is as efficient as a FLOWER ; a simple symbol for the ideal built environnement. ” 32

THE LIVING BUILDING CHALLENGE Developed by the International Living Future InstituteTM, the Living Building Challenge certification is currently the most rigorous standard in the development, construction and building sector. Inspired by a flower, it invites us to consider the sustainable building as such a “living” organism, that is to say functioning with as much cleanliness, beauty and efficiency as nature itself.

Regardless of the nature of the project, two rules must be met to obtain certification: (1) all the imperatives assigned to an intervention typology are essential and (2) the project must have been in use for at least 12 consecutive months before being evaluated due to this desire for real performance rather than expected or modelled results.

“

Imagine a building designed and constructed to function as elegantly and efficiently as a flower: a building informed by its bioregion’s characteristics, that generates all of its own energy with renewable resources, captures and treats all of its water, and that operates efficiently and for maximum beauty.

”

Available in “petals”, the objectives of this certification are developed in 7 performance categories: Place, Water, Energy, Health + Hapiness, Materials, Equity and Beauty (International Living Future Institute, 2016). These in turn are subdivided into 20 imperatives that target specific characteristics of the different types of intervention, whether that of the building (new construction or renovation), infrastructure, landscape or community development, or of the neighbourhood.

HIGH

PERFORMANCE

NEGATIVE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT

SUSTAINABLE

NEGATIVE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT

GREEN

CODE

LIVING BUILDING CHALLENGE

Tłı̨chǫ Wıı̀lıı̀deh TERMINOLOGY WORKSHOP December 11, 2017 Goyatiko Language Centre Ecology North and the Goyatiko Language Society met with the Elders from the community in Dettah for 5 afternoons, from December 11 to December 15, 2018. The intent of this Terminology Workshop was to go over the technical terms of the Living Building Challenge and translate them into Wıı̀lıı̀deh. The Elders expressed a lot of interest in the project and asked many questions. One of them expressed his concern about not using fossil fuels nor wood in the building construction: “But if you can’t use wood, how are you going to keep the space warm and how are you going to make tea?”. Ecology North staff and volunteers explained the different available technologies that would make this space welcoming yet carbon-neutral. The event was a success and the Elders suggested a name for the building: Kǫ̀ hòezhǫǫ̀, which means smart house. The project will be brought to Band Council for official name approval before the end of the summer.

MARY-ROSE SUNDBERG Director of the Goyatiko Language Society in Dettah Mary-Rose Sundberg is the great-granddaughter of Chief Jean Baptise Madzii Drygeese, Chief Drygeese, who signed the treaty of 1921 (Treaty 8). She has dedicated her life to the transmission of her language and traditions to other generations. Mary-Rose is the director of the Goyatiko Language Society in Dettah. A translator and community leader, Mary-Rose teaches language and history. Mary-Rose faciliated the workshop held with the Elders in the fall.

20 Imperatives Living Building Challenge TŁĮCHǪ WIÌLIÌDEH DIALECT Meaning // SMART BUILDING KǪ̀ HÒEZHǪǪ̀ Smart house // PLACE K’È Place 01. Limits to growth NDÈ HOTI WET’ÀNÀHÒET’Į Land carefully used again 02. Urban agriculture KǪ̀ ASÌI YÀESHE A house that grows something 03. Habitat Exchange NDÈ EŁEDAGELE WEK’EHÒDI Exchanging and protecting land 04. Human-powered living DǪNE K’EGEDÈ T’À EDEGET’IÌ People moving by exercising // WATER TI Water 05. Net positive water TI NEZĮ ANÀTS’EHɁĮ̀ Water better do // ENERGY ENDAÀ Alive 06. Net positive energy K’AK’Ǫ WET’ÀTS’ET’Į Sharing energy and power with the community // HEALTH & HAPPINESS HOTI ETS’ENDA XÈ GOĮNA Happy and healthy living 07. Civilized environment KǪ̀ HÒEZHǪǪ̀ Lively 08. Healthy interior environment KǪ̀ DECHĮNIÌ LANÌ A

house house that feels just like when you are walking in the forest

09. Biophilic environment KǪ̀ DECHĮTA WET’À NÀHÒETS’EÈJÌ A

house that re-energizes you

// MATERIALS KǪ̀ GOHT’Ǫ House clothes 10. Red list WETS’ÀHÒEJĮ GOHT’Ǫ Dangerous 11. Embodied carbon footprint TŁEHLOÒ EDAĮ̀CHO How

house clothes

much carbon

12. Responsible industry EHKW’I EGHÀLADA Doing

business right

13. Living economy sourcing KOTA TS’Ǫ GOHT’Ǫ Using

local materials

14. Net positive waste ACHĮ WET’ÀNÀTS’ET’Į Re-using

again

// EQUITY DǪ HAZHǪ EŁEXÈHT’E People everyone the same 15. Human scale + humane places DǪNE GHA HOHŁÈ Made

for people

16. Universal access to nature & place DECHĮTA DǪNE T’ALA GHA HǪT’E The

nature and the bush are for everyone

17. Equitable investment SǪǪ̀MBA WETĄT’E TS’Ǫ DǪNE TS’Ǫ̀ ANATS’ELE HA Money 18. Just organizations DǪNE T’ALA GHA Supporting

given back towards the people

the people

// BEAUTY WENAÀT’Į Beautiful 19. Beauty + Spirit WENAÀT’Į ENDAÀ Living

beauty

20. Inspiration + Education WET’À HOGHÀGOTǪ With

it we are taught

Yellowknife view from the Old Town © Antonin Boulanger Cartier, 2018

62°26’32.00’’N 114°23’51.00’’W

// PLACE k’è This petal pays particular attention to the nature of the project site, prioritising areas already impacted by man, with the primary aim of curbing urban sprawl in order to preserve the sensitive areas bordering them - ecologically sensitive habitats, agricultural land, etc. - and to protect the environment. It also encourages the development of compact and connected communities, designed at the pedestrian, not the car, scale. In this vision of a “sustainable” settlement, it encourages autonomy and resilience, in particular by supporting local or regional agriculture. (International Living Future Institute, 2016).

01.

LIMITS TO GROWTH

02.

URBAN AGRICULTURE

03.

HABITAT EXCHANGE

In light of these design ideas, this chapter therefore looks at some of the principles, concepts, ideas and research directions that the Northern Centre for Sustainability committee has been considering so far to achieve LBC accreditation; beyond that, of course, it is about valuing and supporting the development of sustainable practices within the building.

04.

HUMAN-POWERED LIVING

NDÈ HOTI WET’ÀNÀHÒET’Į “Land carefully used again”

KǪ̀ ASÌI YÀESHE “A house that grows something”

NDÈ EŁEDAGELE WEK’EHÒDI “Exchanging and protecting land”

DǪNE K’EGEDÈ T’À EDEGET’IÌ “People moving by exercising”

01. LIMITS TO GROWTH

11 12 13 14 15

Partners or supporters : City of Yellowknife By promoting building retrofits downtown Yellowknife, the project favours dense urban spaces scattered with green spaces such as parks, in favour of conserving wild natural habitats surrounding Yellowknife. This will allow for a stop in urban sprawl while allowing northerners to enjoy the best of where they live : the outdoors.

02. URBAN AGRICULTURE

11 12 13

Partners / supporters : NWT Food Network, The Fat Fox, Flavour Trader, Boreal Garden

Farmers Market, YK © Hannah Eden

Wanting to encourage local initiatives that promote the idea of a short-circuit food economy, the Northern Centre for Sustainability will be collaborating with the NWT Food Network : a territorial organization working to nurture and promote food systems in the Northwest Territories by building and celebrating a collaborative food culture that honours northern ecosystems and values. The network is looking into physically occupying the building in addition to creating a food hub in the space. The food hub could include a commercial grade community kitchen, a space where food producers will be able to drop off their local foods and residents to pick them up and a community cold storage space. The NWT Food Network will use the NCFS’s food producing spaces as a launching block for local food production education and awareness. As such, The NWT Food Network is willing to provide input into the food producing design of the building.

03. HABITAT EXCHANGE

4 13 14 15

Partners / supporters : Yellowknives Dene First Nation The North is mostly a large unoccupied space, covered in snow and ice for most of the year. Living here is about having access to the Great Outdoors, to ski through snow-covered trees, canoe rivers and explore pristine territories. Northerners are proud of their space. The Northern Centre for Sustainability is currently working in partnership with the Yellowknives Dene First Nation to protect in perpetuity a piece of land outside of Yellowknife. The West Mirage Islands (62°16’N, 114°29’W) are a crucial hotspot for biodiversity and an important bird observatory. Situated in the middle of Great Slave Lake, the West Mirage Islands would be protected from any future development, a trade-off for use of the land in downtown Yellowknife for the NCFS. © 2012-2016 Apple Inc.

04. HUMAN-POWERED LIVING

11 12 13

Partners / supporters : City of Yellowknife, Yellowknife Transportation Issues Committee By its strategic location in the Yellowknife downtown core, the NCFS will benefit from easy access from the public, either by bike, pedestrian networks or cross-country ski; thus encouraging active transportation in the city. The innovation hub will also double as a bike repair and ski waxing workshop to give better resources to the community.

// WATER tı Paying particular attention to the natural hydrology of the territory, and more precisely of the project site, the primary objective of this petal is to revalue the real value of water, this vital and yet exhaustible resource, within our human settlements by encouraging its management and sustainable use. While water is now more often than not considered single-use, it can actually be purified and used again, cyclically and continuously (International Living Future Institute, 2016).

05.

NET POSITIVE WATER TI NEZĮ ANÀTS’EHɁĮ̀ Water better do

H2O

05. NET POSITIVE WATER

11 12 13 14 15

Partners / supporters : Wilfrid Laurier University

The Philip Merrill Environmental Center, SmithGroupJJR © Unknow

Omega Institute, BNIM Architects © Andy Milford

The “small cycle” of water, also called the “domestic cycle”, was developed by human societies in the 19th century to satisfy various needs. As part of the great natural cycle of water, it consists of capturing this precious resource, treating it if necessary so that it becomes potable, using it, then cleaning it once it is dirty in order to restore it sufficiently clean to release it back into the natural environment. This last step is essential for the protection of the environment and human health. However, while this system is today mainly structured on the scale of municipalities, towns and villages, the new aspirations of sustainable development and adaptation to climate change lead us to think of articulating this cycle on the scale of the building itself. Such a change has the effect of minimising infrastructure in sparsely populated urban spaces - and thereby reduce leaks -, compensating for the effects of waterproofing urban soils and improving the control of drinking water consumption locally (De Gouvello, 2016). In northern communities, the development of a collective wastewater system is sometimes problematic. This is due in part to the extreme climate, but also to the remote nature of these communities, many of which are not connected by access roads, which increases costs and makes it more difficult to maintain, repair and monitor facilities (Daley, 2018). Domestic water cycles on a smaller scale, that of a smaller group of buildings or even a building, may prove to be a viable alternative. In this regard, work on the Northern Centre for Sustainability project will be undertaken in a way that will provide food for thought that can potentially be adapted to other northern regions ; Wilfrid Laurier University has shown great interest in working on this issue.

THE BUILDING AS A COMPLETE ECOSYSTEM WHERE WASTEWATER FROM OUR DAILY LIVES IS PURIFIED AND REUSED CYCLICALLY

In the transition zone between the anaerobic and aerobic ecosystems, the closed anoxic reactor is where the dentrifying microorganisms do their work, namely convert the dissolved nitrates into nitrogen gas which will be assimilated by the plants downstream.

At this stage, the waters are carried into a complex ecosystem where shrimp, snails, algae, and fish live under a bed of diverse plants. Plants are essential to this system because they provide through their roots a massive platform where microbial communities can live. At the exit of the third tank, the bacteria will have completely nitrifying ammonia into nitrates.

Although closed, this reactor is supplied with oxygen from below; such a process entrains the foul-smelling gases accumulated in the two previous tanks through a layer of organic matter planted on top of the tank. Aerobic bacteria begin to dominate, using oxygen to convert ammonia to nitrates that will be treated further downstream.

RN HE for T R E NO NTR ITY E C BIL NA AI T S SU

IC B O R K E N A A N T A IC X T 1 EP

This anoxic ecosystem allows a last filtering of the waters; cattails, reeds, lillies, and papyrus take place on a ground which is composed of varied layers (rocks, pebbles, sand, etc).

Building sewage reaches an underground septic tank - an anaerobic (oxygen-free) environment where solids settle and microbes feed on the organic matter in the waste.

1 X C

L D A

R O R T C O A CT E A R E IC R X O BIC N A RO E

X N E E R P C O BI X O 3 ER A R O T

R O O D ND IN A X L 1 ET W

SE U O G H IN N ENN EE D R AR

G O

AT THE END... Although it is not potable, the water leaving this system is clean and can therefore be used for agriculture or to supply the building's toilets (Wolovitz, 2000).

// ENERGY endaà Denouncing our dependence on fossil fuels, this petal discusses the need to turn to sustainable energy sources to support the use of a healthy and comfortable built environment. Nevertheless, before other technologies are used, it is essential to encourage the reduction and optimisation of energy demand in the built environment, in particular by using passive strategies that take advantage of the bioclimatic conditions of the environment (International Living Future Institute, 2016).

06.

NET POSITIVE ENERGY

K’AK’Ǫ WET’ÀTS’ET’Į Sharing energy and power with the community

06. NET POSITIVE ENERGY

11 12 13

Partners / supporters : Concordia University, University of Alberta, White Arkitekter AB, The Yellowknives Dene First Nation, Biomacon Being responsible for a significant proportion of Canada’s GHG emissions, the building energy sector needs to operationalize a paradigm shift to revoke its current interdependence on fossil fuels and thus prioritize renewable energy sources. Such consideration is all the more relevant in the Northwest Territories, where the majority of communities are now dependent on diesel-powered electricity generation (GNWT, 2014).

YELLOWKNIFE AS A HUB FOR NORTHERN COMMUNITIES

J. Craig Venter Institute La Jolla, ZGF Architects LLP © Nick Merrick

Yellowknife acts as an important hub for the other 32 communities in the Northwest Territories; food, fuel and materials go through Yellowknife before reaching smaller communities either through barge, plane or ice road. Yellowknife also acts as a hub for transients and these people can become vectors of knowledge. The Northern Centre for Sustainability will act as a flagship for the Sustainable Development Goals and the Building Retrofit Economy and these ideas will be passed on to everyone who walks through its doors.

INNOVATION, REPLICABILITY & SCALABILITY Through its partnership with Concordia University, University of Alberta and White Arkitekter AB, the Northern Centre for Sustainability will demonstrate a well-balanced mix of different technologies, some easily replicable in other communities, others more as a test-drive to spur innovation. Superinsulation in the building envelope as well as building-integrated photovoltaic panels with thermal energy recovery (BIPV/T) will be part of the design. They are readily available on the market and cheaper than conventional sources, but these technologies are not well-known in northern communities yet.

The Kathleen Grimm School for Leadership and Sustainability, SOM © James Ewing - OTTO

Other technologies such as the pyrolyzing machine (see p. 48-49) will be a first in Canada; demonstrated in Yellowknife, that will draw national attention to the City, whose Biomass District Energy System received the 2018 winner in the energy category of FCM’s Sustainable Communities Awards. Advocating for policy changes that would bring these technologies to other communities will be a key component of this project.

WHY INNOVATION? Innovation such as the first carbon-negative building in Canada, is the largest driver for positive change. When, in 1961, President John F. Kennedy announced that humans would be walking on the moon by the end of the 1960s, there was a spur in innovation and excitement amongst the science community. What came out of it is massive discoveries that changed the world for the best, including the invention of velcro, water purification systems like electrolytic silver iodizer, the ear thermometer, wireless headsets and the computer mouse (Jet Propulsion Laboratory, n.d.). Setting goals that seem impossible usually spurs innovation and forces designers to think outside the box.

Stanford University Central Energy Facility, ZGF Architects © Robert Jack Danylchuk, © Canfield 2013

IMAGINE A NORTHERN ARCHITECTURE THAT PROMOTES RENEWABLE ENERGY AND FACILITATES THE TRANSITION OFF FOSSIL FUELS Fresh air is passed behind the panels, cooling them down ; this increases their efficiency and lifetime, while also producing warm fresh air for the building.

Semi-transparent photovoltaÃ¯c panels on the south side allow for the electricity production while praiding sun for the greenhouse. The north side is left uncovered.

ER M H M AT SU R P LA SO H R AT TE P IN R W LA SO

solar energy (photovoltaic panels and glass) ......................................... wind energy ..................................................................................... biomass energy .................................................................................

BIOCHAR Research on biochar has been increasing rapidly in the last decade for its promising properties. Similar to charcoal, biochar is very porous and retains water, vitamins and minerals; it becomes an incredible soil amendment, reducing the risks of floods and droughts by holding water (Ohlson, 2014). It proves also to be a stable form of carbon, and researchers suggest that it might become one of the most promising, cheap solutions to sequester large quantities of carbon. In fact, a farm in Nykoping, Sweden, is now using a pyrolysis machine to produce heat and electricity for their building; the by-product biochar is then used as a soil amendment on the farm (Lindeborgs Gård, 2018). The process is therefore carbon-negative.

Lindeborgs Eco Retreat, Nyköping, Sweden © Unknow

TACKLING GREENHOUSE GASES IN THE NORTHWEST TERRITORIES Scope 1 : direct, on-site Scope 1 greenhouse gas emissions in the Northwest Territories are related to domestic hot water natural gas boilers, heating oil furnaces and other kind of combustion equipment. With the new technologies available, it proves quite easy to reduce these emissions. Emissions from wood pellet stoves or wood stoves are under scope 1 but are considered biogenic, therefore not accounted for. Scope 2: direct, off-site Scope 2 GHG emissions are mostly related to off-site electricity generation. In Yellowknife, it is when the diesel generators kick on in peak electricity consumption times during the winter when water levels are low at the hydro dams, or when the ageing system suffers a power interruption. Most NWT communities are currently relying on these diesel generators to produce electricity at all times.

Lindeborgs Eco Retreat, Nyköping, Sweden © Unknow

Scope 3 : indirect, off-site Scope 3 carbon emissions are the hardest to tackle; this is also what this building is trying to achieve. Indirect carbon emissions are related to activities happening in or outside of the building, like transportation, food production, waste management and more. By advocating for sustainable mobility, local food production and changing the perception from waste to resource and by incorporating electric vehicle supply equipment, a greenhouse and the physical capacity to host workshops on gardening, bike repair and ski waxing, the building will be advocating for reduced GHG emissions from scope 3 carbon emissions.

YELLOWKNIFE : PILOT CITY

The City of Yellowknife and the Town of Inuvik were selected by QUEST (Quality Urban Energy Systems of Tomorrow) to become partners to pilot their new Smart Energy Communities Scorecard. This puts Yellowknife and the Northwest Territories as leaders for Community Energy Planning and puts in place the right conditions for the NCFS to become one of the first nodes for energy production in Yellowknife.

THIS MIGHT BECOME CANADAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S FIRST CARBON-NEGATIVE BUILDING. By using waste generated by the NWT Brewing Co., the Northern Centre for Sustainability will create the first node of a local bioeconomy. Redirecting the waste mash (used barley and wheat) from the landfill to the NCFSâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s boilers will reduce carbon emissions from waste (scope 3) and create negative carbon emissions from energy generation in the building (scope 1), therefore having a negative carbon budget.

PELLETS

M YR A O C L H Y IN S E IS

The NCFS might become Canada's first carbon-negative building, making the best use of local resources and creating the first node of northern bioeconomy.

Heating this combination of organic materials to very high temperatures in a limited oxygen environment then provides the heating needs of NCFS heating while generating a waste product called biochar, a coal use as a soil amendment.

NWT Brewing Co. is a microbrewery located in the heart of the old city of Yellowknife; it is the northernmost brewery in Canada.

90%

BEER KEGS

Wood pellets are a readily-available resource in Yellowknife, NWT. Most of them are coming from Alberta, a by-product of the saw mill industry.

RN HE for T R E NO NTR ITY E C BIL NA AI T S SU

A T

The beer making process generates an important quantity of waste mash ; a waste that will be turned into a resource by the NCFS and used as fuel to heat the building.

GIANT MINE REMEDIATION PROJECT Ecology North is currently exploring options for the creation of a market for biochar in the Northwest Territories. Farmers have expressed interest in the resource, but Giant Mine is also interested in using this material as a fill-in material and a soil amendment for their mine remediation activities. Ecology North is acting as the pathfinder between Giant Mine, mine remediation researchers at the University of Toronto and BIOMACON, a pyrolysis machine manufacturer in Germany. The work, in development, is promising and could allow for the building to become the first carbon-negative building in Canada.

// HEALTH & HAPPINESS hotı ets’enda xè goı̨na This petal encourages the development of healthy interior spaces by adopting a biophilic design dictating an optimized ratio of natural light, fresh air, exterior views, etc.; conditions that have a direct impact on users’ well-being, inspiration and productivity (International Living Future Institute, 2016).

07.

CIVILIZED ENVIRONMENT

08.

HEALTHY INTERIOR ENVIRONMENT

09.

BIOPHILIC ENVIRONMENT

NDÈ HOTI WET’ÀNÀHÒET’Į Land carefully used again

KǪ̀ ASÌI YÀESHE A house that grows something

NDÈ EŁEDAGELE WEK’EHÒDI Exchanging and protecting land

Kindergarden Schukowitzgasse, KIRSCH Architecture © Hertha Hurtaus

07. CIVILIZED ENVIRONMENT

11 12 13

Partners / supporters : White Arkitekter The Northern Centre for Sustainability will be the witness of a lowtech, community-oriented, accessible architecture : occupants will have full control over their environment, in a manner that is userfriendly and intuitive. The technologies integrated in the building will be highly responsive to the occupants’ behaviour, allowing for energy efficiency and energy sufficiency, making the best use of adapted and resilient green building techniques. The Northern Centre for Sustainability will be working with White Arkitekter AB for the conceptual design. However, it is vital to work with local architects for the further project phases; as such, a competition will be launched to be able to work with the most forwardthinking, green-minded architects in the Northern Territories.

08. HEALTHY INTERIOR ENVIRONMENT Community Center St-Gerold, CN Architekten © Unknow

11 12

Partners / supporters : The Yellowknives Dene First Nation & White Arkitekter AB A typical individual spends more than 90% of his life indoors, whether at home or in the office and these spaces are more often than not unhealthy due to the lack of natural light and the presence of many pollutants in the air (Velux, 2018). By promoting a volume that follows the solar path to ensure optimal solar heat and light capture, while minimizing the risk of glare, and by enhancing an articulation of these interior spaces to take advantage of natural ventilation, the Northern Centre for Sustainability will ensure the development of healthy common and work spaces.

09. BIOPHILIC ENVIRONMENT

11 12 13

Partners / supporters : The Yellowknives Dene First Nation & White Arkitekter AB Biophilia is characterized in architecture as an approach which seeks to reconnect the individual with the nature that surrounds him: a link which ensures a benefficial effect on his personal wellbeing, on his productivity in various tasks and his social relations with these congeners. Whether it’s the contribution of solar radiation, the diversity of visual breakthroughs giving onto the outside environment or even the simple possibility of opening a window to feel the spring breeze, these design strategies place the individual at the heart of the architectural project. The Northern Centre for Sustainability will be working in partnership with the Yellowknives Dene First Nation ; whose members’ knowledge of the local surrounding environment will be key to integrating some of the natural concepts directly into the building design.

Hiroshi Senju Museum, Ryue Nishizawa © Iwan Baan

â&#x20AC;&#x153; IMAGINE A BUILDING THAT FEELS JUST LIKE WHEN YOU ARE WALKING IN THE FOREST â&#x20AC;?- DENE ELDER

Landscape architecture is essential to tie the project to its site. In addition, the use of vegetation greatly improves outdoor comfort by blocking prevailing winds and thereby air infiltration into the building, cooling outdoor spaces due to the synergy of evapotranspiration and providing a natural sun filter that varies with the seasons.

The constructed shape of the building is designed according to the path and prevailing winds to maximize the efficiency of passive heating and cooling strategies.

The windows are arranged in facades to follow the path of the sun, let in soft natural light and generate changing atmospheres depending on the time of day.

Extensive green roof plants absorb carbon dioxide and produce oxygen, control rainwater falling on the site, limit heat loss by increasing roof insulation and regulate thermal air movement while capturing volatile particles.

SS ER M H M AT SU R P LA SO E

H R AT TE P IN R W LA SO

accessible natural light ...................................................................... passive solar heating (capture, store, retain, distribute) .......................... natural ventilation ............................................................................ vegetation, green roof, microclimate .....................................................

// MATERIALS kǫ̀ goht’ǫ The choice of building materials used in our built environments currently has an underestimated impact on the environment - such as the depletion of natural resources, the waste of intrinsic energy and pollution - and, by the same token, the health of individuals. In this vein, this petal encourages the use of natural, renewable, recycled and local materials (International Living Future Institute, 2016).

10.

RED LIST

11.

EMBODIED CARBON FOOTPRINT

12.

RESPONSIBLE INDUSTRY

13.

LIVING ECONOMY SOURCING

14.

NET POSITIVE WASTE

WETS’ÀHÒEJĮ GOHT’Ǫ Dangerous House Clothes

TŁEHLOÒ EDAĮ̀CHO How Much Carbon

EHKW’I EGHÀLADA Doing Business Right

KOTA TS’Ǫ GOHT’Ǫ Using Local Materials

ACHĮ WET’ÀNÀTS’ET’Į Re-using Again

Pfarrhaus Krumbach, Architekten Hermann Kaufmann, Bechter Zaffignani Architekten, Bernardo Bader © Adolf Bereuter

10. RED LIST

11 12 13

Partners / supporters : Habitat for Humanity The industrial revolution marked a transformation in this way of conceiving the built environment in modern Western societies, notably through the creation of so-called modern building materials which followed the numerous technological and chemical advances added to the cheap exploitation of fossil energies in this post-war period. Some contribute more than others to pollution and disturbance of the earth’s ecosystem, others are today still listed as having negative environmental impacts; the Northern Centre for Sustainability will ignore this in the idea of promoting healthy and energizing spaces.

11. EMBODIED CARBON FOOTPRINT

11 12 13

Partners / supporters : Habitat for Humanity Environmental impacts related to construction are tied in many ways to the choice of materials used; intrinsic energy, the total amount of energy expended over the entire life cycle of a material or product - production, transportation, processing and disposal - establishes this causal link. For example, natural and local materials with little or no processing have a clear advantage: earth, straw, hemp, wood, sheep’s wool or cellulose are examples of materials with low intrinsic energy that can meet modern performance requirements. In Canada’s North, however, what resources should be developed in the construction of our built environments; the Northern Centre for Sustainability is committed to exploring certain innovative avenues.

12. RESPONSIBLE INDUSTRY

11 12 13

Partners / supporters : Habitat for Humanity

Halle de stockage Metzler, Herfman Kaufmann + Partner ZT GmbH © Bruno Klomfar

However, a material cannot be considered to be socially and environmentally responsable unless the industry practices that support it are ; from the extraction of the material to the marketing of the product, these must be certified as sustainable for the North.

13. LIVING ECONOMY

11 12 13

For the building to receive the Living Building Challenge certification, the project must demonstrate that 20% of material costs are coming from 500 km from the project site, 30% from 1000km, 25% from less than 5000 km and an additional 25% from anywhere in the world. Where some technologies like solar panels are inevitably produced in other global markets, an important piece of the work will be to look at local options for materials purchasing. Ecology North is currently working in partnership with the Yellowknives Dene First Nation to explore options for sustainable wood harvesting in and around Yellowknife -- wood from Fort Resolution was mentioned as a possibility.

Kamikatz House, Hiroshi Nakamura & NAP © Hiroshi Nakamura & NAP

WICH RESOURCES SHOULD WE VALUED? wood, its derivatives, etc. ................................................................... stone, gravel, etc. .............................................................................. earth, sand, etc. ................................................................................ metals ............................................................................................. recycling materials ............................................................................

Iqualuit

Whitehorse

Yellowknife

500 km

1000 km

5000 km

St. Johnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

Edmonton

Charlottetown

Victoria Regina

14. NET POSITIVE WASTE

Fredericton Winnipeg

Halifax

Quebec

Ottawa

11 12 13

Toronto

Partners / supporters : Habitat for Humanity Ecology North will work in partnership with Habitat for Humanity to identify the most common local construction-renovation-demolition waste streams and redirect them into the building, showcasing local materials with a purpose and a story. The Northern Centre for Sustainability will then become a demonstration project for materials reuse in the community, inspiring others to do so.

500

1 000

2 000 km

// EQUITY dǫ hazhǫ ełexèht’e This petal reflects the desire to design built environments that strengthen community solidarity by encouraging the development of meeting and sharing spaces accessible to all and equitable access to sunlight, clean air, water and land projects rooted in local reality and nourished by social interactions (International Living Future Institute, 2016).

15.

HUMAN SCALE + HUMANE PLACES

16.

UNIVERSAL ACCESS TO NATURE + PLACE

17.

EQUITABLE INVESTMENT

18.

JUST ORGANIZATIONS

DǪNE GHA HOHŁÈ Made for people

DECHĮTA DǪNE T’ALA GHA HǪT’E The Nature and the Bush are for Everyone

SǪǪ̀MBA WETĄT’E TS’Ǫ DǪNE TS’Ǫ̀ ANATS’ELE HA Money Given Back Towards the People

DǪNE T’ALA GHA Supporting the people

McEwen School of Architecture / LGA Architectural Partners © Bob Gundu

15. HUMAN SCALE + PLACES

3 10 11 13 16

Partners / supporters : While Yellowknife’s built environment, like many North American cities, still reflects the important role played by the automobile in its recent development, the Northern Centre for Sustainability will exemplify to defend a completely different vision for the future of its downtown core ; it will be a community hub - a place for meeting, exchanging and sharing on a human scale.

16. UNIVERSAL ACCESS

3 10 11 13 16

By establishing itself in the heart of downtown Yellowknife, the Northern Centre for Sustainability will promote an architecture shaped by the various flows of its adjacent environment, whether natural - solar trajectory, prevailing winds, etc. - that will be shaped by the city’s natural environment. - or human - traffic, gathering places, etc., thus contributing positively to the habitability of this urban environment.

17. EQUITABLE INVESTMENT

8 10 11 16

“For every dollar of total project cost, the development must set aside and donate half a cent or more to a charity of its choosing” (Living Building Challenge, 2016). This donation will be recycled into the Northern Centre for Sustainability or Ecology North, to support their activities and programming for the promotion of the Sustainable Development Goals, the Building Retrofit Economy and the Living Building Challenge in Yellowknife and the Northwest Territories.

18. JUST ORGANIZATIONS Courtesy of Nature by Johan Selbing and Anouk Vogel, 2013 © Martin Bond

Science Education at Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens, © Cory Doman

8 10 11 16

“The project must help create a more JUST, equitable society through the transparent disclosure of the business practices of the major organizations involved ” (Living Building Challenge, 2016). Ecology North is currently working with its board of directors to gain the JUST Label, a first in the Northwest Territories. The visibility that this will bring to the program will also encourage other organizations partaking in the project to do the same, therefore encouraging a smart growth in social justice and equity indicators such as diversity, equity, safety, worker benefit, local benefit and business stewardship.

“WE SHAPE OUR BUILDINGS, AND AFTERWARDS, OUR BUILDINGS SHAPE US.” - WINSTON CHURCHILL This sentence reflects the Northern Centre for Sustainability's main aspiration, which is to design a building that reflects the local community and best meets its needs and values. Although the building program is not yet fixed, the many partners involved so far, namely The Fat Fox Café, Yellowknives Dene First Nation (YKDFN) and NWT Association of Communities (NWTAC), are onboard to design according to their own needs.

On the upper floors, different work spaces will be articulated - probably the offices of Ecology North, YKDFN and NWTAC - which will share various collective areas and facilities, thus encouraging a desired collaboration on different issues.

The accessible roof will be used for various activities ranging from urban agriculture in greenhouses or open air to the development of relaxation areas for the happiness of workers and other visitors.

On the first floors, in strong relation with the outdoor public space, there will be various public uses, such as a local café, a foyer which can host local events and, overlooking these spaces, a "living lab" for thinking together as a society.

E D R

ES SP C b I a l F D F RE O ing v A i l H CA &S FÉ

E AC

us greenho

A LIVING LAB FOR THINKING TOGETHER OUR SOCIETY The Living Lab is a key programmating concept of the Northern Centre for Sustainability; it aims to provide spaces for different community actors, workers or ordinary citizens, to meet, share and exchange, to cooperate, reflect, create and innovate new products, services or infrastructures adapted to the real needs of society.

// BEAUTY wenaàt’ı̨ Without claiming to have to demand beauty that necessarily calls for subjectivity, this petal recognizes it as an imperative to imagine meaningful living environments for its inhabitants, enriching and calling for communal and individual development (International Living Future Institute, 2016).

19.

BEAUTY + SPIRIT

20.

INSPIRATION + EDUCATION

WENAÀT’Į ENDAĄ̀ Living Beauty

WET’À HOGHÀGOTǪ With it we are taught

Dene traditionnal architecture © Angelag Zowski, 2018

19. BEAUTY + SPIRIT

11 12 13

Partners / supporters : The Yellowknives Dene First Nation, White Arkitekter AB Incorporating art in the building is vital. Working in partnership with the Yellowknives Dene First Nation, local artists will be included from day 1 of the design charrette, in order to showcase their work in the most meaningful ways. Local traditions will be respected, restored and showcased in this central location.

20. INSPIRATION + EDUCATION

11 12

Partners / supporters : Ecology North, Yellowknives Dene First Nation, The Fat Fox

ON INSPIRATION The Northern Centre for Sustainability will become a place to inspire northerners to act on climate change; show them it is possible to retrofit buildings while creating jobs and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Demonstrating the most cutting-edge architectural practices, the Northern Centre for Sustainability will become a beacon for sustainability and a flagship for community resilience.

ON EDUCATION The building will offer public spaces, day in and day out. The Fat Fox is this third space in Yellowknife where life unrolls : cross-departmental government impromptu meetings; it is this place where Yellowknifers break work silos and unleash their full potential. The building will be equipped with informative signage about the building’s mechanical system and its environmental performance. This will seed new ideas in Northerners’ minds and allow new breakthroughs. They will be able to bring these new ideas to - literally - the next level, into the innovation lab. Cheakamus Centre, Mc Farland Marceau Architects © Unknow

The Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre, Alfred Waugh © Forline Architecture

THE BUILDING AS A TOOL FOR EDUCATION AND AWARENESS Rooted in a specific territorial context, the Northern Centre for Sustainability will reflect an architecture built and designed in harmony with the natural as well as the local cultural environment - which today could be said to be mixed by the meeting of Westerners with the Yellowknives Dene First Nation (YKDFN).

Future occupants of the Northern Centre for Sustainability, the Yellowknives Dene First will be heavily involved in its design process; the project will reflect the multi-ethnic character of the territory.

All the strategies, principles and technologies put forward in this building will be publicly documented and presented; the Northern Centre for Sustainability will be displayed as an open book for routine users or simple passers-by.

CANADA'S MOST

SUSTAINABLE BUILDING 65

4.0 inspiration & case studies These are a few of the projects that drove our imagination into the realization of the Northern Centre for Sustainability : the House for Sustainable Development in Montreal, QC the YuKonstruct Makerspace in Whitehorse, YU and the Lindeborgs GĂĽrd in NykĂśping, Sweden, inspired us to create this Living Building, the first innovation hub North of the 60th parallel in Canada, and the first carbon-negative building in the country.

// MONTREAL’S HOUSE FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT Ecology North was inspired by the project of the Maison du Développement Durable (MDD — House for Sustainable Development). Équiterre was running out of space in their dusty and drafty building in Montreal, Canada. A non-profit organization focusing on environmental awareness and education, they wanted to own a space to continue their work. They partenered up with other like-minded groups and created, 10 years later, the MDD.

RETURN ON INVESTMENT

and environmentally minded “ Eight socially organizations have united to create the Centre for

The sustainability features included in the building are numerous and include but are not limited to:

Sustainable Development, which offers space for reflection, innovation, education and the meeting of minds on sustainable development. This demonstration green building, the first to receive LEED Platinum Certification in Quebec, aims to inspire everyone from property developers to the general public and create a synergy between its founding members: Amnistie internationale, The Petit Réseau daycare centre, the Conseil régional de l’environnement de Montréal, ENvironnement JEUnesse, Équiterre, Option consommateurs, the Regroupement national des conseils régionaux de l’environnement du Québec and Vivre en Ville.

Équiterre and its partners invested a total of $400,000. Additional funding came from government and industry partners, both private and public, and resulted in a $27M building.

GREEN BUILDING FEATURES

•

Energy efficiency in the building operation equipment;

•

High-performance insulation for reduced energy bills;

•

Geothermal heating and cooling system for increased return on energy usage;

•

The inclusion of a socially mindful economy and its positive repercusions on the work environment;

•

Rainwater harvesting for toilet flushing;

•

Water efficient plumbing fixtures for reduced potable water consumption;

•

Experimental concrete slabs made in part from powdered glass;

•

River-reclaimed wood;

•

Five-storey living green wall;

•

Green roof for reduced cooling load and heat island effect.

”

WALKING THE TALK Équiterre and their partners decided to have their actions speak for them and built the first LEED Platinum building in the province of Quebec. The LEED rating system (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) provides clear guidance for all stakeholders involved in the design and operation process of the building to reduce their environmental impact, increase occupants comfort and provide for additional unquantifiable benefits.

EDUCATION AND AWARENESS The MDD provides free tours of the building to promote sustainable building practices and inspire citizens to do the same. The building is equipped with information panels on the history of the realization of the project but also with many of the sustainability features present in the building.

IMPACTS ON THE COMMUNITY In addition to the positive, vibrant feeling the building is bringing to its direct vicinity, it is a place for social innovation and a catalyst or environmentally-focused activities. It is, for example, where a Model United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (MUNF3C) is held every November. It is a center where young leaders are inspired and can develop their skills to promote environmental awareness and education.

La Maison du Développement Durable, Menkès Shooner Dagenais LeTourneux Architectes, CA Certified LEED ® Platine New Construction (NC) © Stéphane Groleau

“

The initial $400 000 put forward by Équiterre and its partners resulted in a $27M building.

”

// WHITEHORSE’S YUKONSTRUCT MAKERSPACE A makerspace is a community-operated workspace incorporating elements of machine shops, workshops, and / or studios where ‘makers’ come together to share resources and knowledge to build and make things happen (YuKonstruct, 2018). These Makerspaces evolved because would-be entrepreneurs and hobbyists were missing the space, tools, or expertise they needed to get their ideas off the ground. Interests generally include computers, technology, science, art, and other tactile endeavours, (like wood and metal work).

“

YuKonstruct itself, the makerspace, is all about sharing ideas, space, equipment and the ideas and resources to do the stuff you want to do.

”

- Adria Collins, YuKonstruct program and volunteer manager and makerspace contest team member

There are 30+ makerspaces in Canada and 900+ around the world. We are the first Canadian makerspace north of 60.

// REFERENCES

Canada Green Building Council. (2017). A Roadmap for Retrofits in Canada II : Building Strong Market Infrastructure for the Retrofit Economy. Find at https://www.cagbc.org/retrofitroadmapII City of Yellowknife. (2016). Council’s Goals & Objectives 2016-2018. Retrieved 07, 12, 2018 from : https://www.yellowknife.ca/en/city-government/resources/City_Council_and_Mayor/Councils_Goals__Objectives/ Council-Goals-and-Objectives-2016---2018.pdf Daley, K. (2018). Wastewater Management: Northern Solutions for Northern Conditions. Retrieved from: https://www.canada. ca/en/polar-knowledge/publications/polarleads/vol1-no2-2016.html Foster+Partners. (2018). Measuring up to Paris : Living Future Conference 2018. Living Future unConference. 1. Portland: Foster+Partners. Gouvello, B. d. (2016). Le bâtiment, coproducteur de la gestion durable de l’eau en ville. Constructif : Les promesses de l’eau, 43(1), p. 59-62. Retrieved from: http://www.constructif.fr/articles/numeros/pdf/constructif-43.pdf International Living Future Institute. (2016). Living Building Challenge 3.1 : A Visionary Path to a Regenerative Future. Seattle, WA. Ohlson, K. (2014). The Soil Will Save Us. Rodale Books. United Nations Development Program. (2016, 01). Sustainable Development Goals. (U. Nations, Producer) Retrieved 06 30, 2018, from Sustainable Development Goals: http://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/sustainable-development- goals.html Velux. (2018). The Indoor Generation. Retrieved from : https://www.velux.com/indoorgeneration Wolovitz, J. (2000). The Living Machine. Retrieved from: https://news.psu.edu/story/140601/2000/09/01/research/living-machine

5.0 team, partners & supporters

Find her our project team, including full-time staff, interns, in-house Subject Matter Experts,Planning Based on previous discussion with partners and stakeholders, this is a preliminary Committee and Advisory Group volunteers, our team of researchers from Concordia University, University of presentation of the possible concepts, ideas, technologies and partnerships that would allow Alberta, Wilfrid Laurier University and Waterloo University, our Scandinavian inspiration design partners for the achivement of the Living Building Challenge. This is not an exhaustive nor final as well as local actors and supporters. Supporting organizations are, amongst others : the Pembina Institute, design: these will be refined as we hold the Technical Workshops on the Living Building the Government of the Northwest Territories, the Northwest Territories Association of Communities, the Challenge. It is the Design Charrette that will finalize the project vision. Arctic Energy Alliance, Mitacs, the Northern Council for Global Cooperation, Quality Urban Energy Systems of Tomorrow, and Ă&#x2030;quiterre.

// STAFF EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR CRAIG SCOTT Executive Director, Ecology North

t. + 1 867 873 6019 x 201

c. craig@ecologynorth.ca

Craig moved to Yellowknife in 2002 and immediately got involved with Ecology North when an excited member nominated him on the Board (muttering something about fresh blood). He spent 6 years as a volunteer, learning as he went and was then contracted by the organization to complete a climate change adaptation plan for the Northwest Territories communities. Craig cumulated various different short-term contracts with Ecology North and he was eventually nominated into a position at the helm of the organization as the Executive Director. Craig completed an honours Environmental Studies degree at Waterloo University, with a business option. This degree led to a variety of experiences across the world, Canada and the North. Upon moving to Yellowknife, he worked in Environmental consulting with FSC Consulting, and with the GNWT as the Climate Change Specialist. These experiences allowed him to start CS Environmental and work independently as an environmental consultant. Highlights of this work include authoring climate change adaptation plans for three NWT communities, developing Permafrost Guidebooks for Homeowners for NWT and Nunavut and doing a wide-variety of energy, and climate change projects. When not in the office, he can be found with his wife and two young girls, canoeing, fishing, kiteskiing, or playing hockey or Frisbee. In the Spring he is in the woods harvesting birch syrup, and collecting wild foods as part of his partnership in the wild food company Arctic Harvest.

PROJECT LEADER WILLIAM GAGNON Project Leader, Ecology North, Green Buildings Program Specialist B. Eng., LEED AP BD+C & ND, ECO Canada EPt

t. + 1 867 873 6019 x 206 + 1 514 996 6284 c. will@ecologynorth.ca

It is climate change and global issues concerns that brought William to work with architects despite his engineering background. William believes that integrated design needs to be reframed in the bigger context : how can architecture and engineering drive discussions on carbon pricing at the national and global levels? He holds a building engineering degree (B.Eng) from Concordia University and is currently pursuing grad studies in sustainable carbon management at Université du Québec à Chicoutimi. He studied bioclimatic architecture in Mexico and wind energy in Ireland. William has two LEED professional accreditations (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) and is an Environmental Professional in training (ECO Canada). He is fluent in French, English and Spanish. William is the Quebec representative on the Green Party of Canada’s Federal Council. His understanding of the private sector, politics and science is crucial into pushing for the implementation of smarter regulations. He is the official ambassador for the Northwest Territories Living Building Challenge Collaborative, which he launched at the Northwest Territories Association of Architects’ conference Changing Climate Changing Buildings in Yellowknife in November 2017. Fervent yogi, William is a northern vegetarian (eats happy meat, once in a while) and practices meditation regularly. William walks the talk and cross-country skis to the office or the yoga studio. William dreams of forests in cities. 76

INTERNS - Summer 2018 THEVISHKA KANISHKAN Intern, Ecology North, Landscape Architecture BSc (Hons.), MLA Candidate

t. + 1 867 873 6019 x 206 c. thevishka@ecologynorth.ca

Thevishka is a Master of Landscape Architecture at the University of Toronto, where her focus of study is on the intersection of ecology, strong urban design principles, and human equity and diversity. Particulary interested in the concepts of public space and public access and how they fit within the functioning ecosystems of living landscapes, Thevishka holds a Bachelors of Environmental Science (Honours) from Queen’s University, and a Post-Graduate Certificate in Interdisciplinary Urban Design Strategy from George Brown College’s School of Design. In 2017, Thevishka won the Toronto Urban Design Award of Merit in the Student Category with a colleague, and in 2018 she and her team members were shortlisted out of over a hundred international applicants for the Metis International Garden Festival in Quebec. She has extensive experience working at non-profits focused on city-building, environmental issues, and urban design. Before taking her Master’s, Thevishka worked as a Communications Manager at Cycle Toronto, the city’s most prominent cycling advocacy organization. Thevishka also has professional experiences as a designer and project coordinator at The Greenbelt Foundation, at the Centre for City Ecology, Toronto Environmental Alliance, and as a Sustainability Consultant for Hatch Mott McDonald. ANTONIN BOULANGER CARTIER Intern, Ecology North, Architecture BSc Arch, MArch + MSc Candidate

t. + 1 867 873 6019 x 206 c. antonin@ecologynorth.ca

What has led Antonin to become interested in architecture is the desire to influence – with the design as a heuristic medium – the way people understand life and living. As a candidate for a Professional Master of Architecture (M. Arch.) and a Master of Science in Architecture (M. Sc.) at Université Laval, Québec, he is starting a project with the research partnership Habiter le Nord québécois which is questioning the potential for the use of natural and local materials in the built landscape of Innu Aboriginal communities from Quebec North Shore. Since his beginnings in architecture, Antonin have always distinguished himself with this refined vision of functional, harmonious, sustainable and, above all, eco-responsible architecture; he firmly believes that an architectural project has the potential to restore the social and ecological functions of its environment. During the years 2015-16, he completed his Bachelor of Architecture at the École Nationale Supérieure d’Architecture de Lyon, France, where he developed a strong interest in the valorisation of local raw materials – as earth, wood and straw – in contemporary construction; not only for their technical and ecological interests, but also for comfort and well-being of the inhabitants. His Inuit housing project Colored Mountain Houses won the first prize of the Indigenous Housing Canada Ideas 2017 Competition launched by Architects Without Borders (AWB) .

IN-HOUSE SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS CHLOE DRAGON SMITH Climate Change Specialist Chloe Dragon Smith was born and raised in the NWT. She holds a degree in Earth Science from the University of Victoria. While educated in Science, she is has found a niche in working with people on social/cultural connections with the natural world. Environmentalism is important to Chloe because she loves the land and cares about conservation - but most of all, she wants to bring the wonderful feelings sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s had outdoors to others. We are all part of Nature, and so spending time outdoors brings us a lot of balance. By helping to create balanced, happy people we can accomplish many societal goals, even beyond conservation. Chloe received the Corporate Knights award Top 30 under 30 in 2017. DAWN TREMBLAY Compost Specialist Dawn Tremblay was born in Fort Simpson and raised in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories. She completed a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Alberta in Political Science and French. After returning home, Dawn sought out northern focused educational opportunities. First, she completed a certificate in Circumpolar Studies online through the University of the Arctic. Next, she became involved with the Dechinta Bush University, where she enhanced her passion for land-base intergenerational learning. Professionally, Dawn has been part of the Ecology North team since 2010. She is excited to focus her time on the Yellowknife Centralized Compost Program, after acting in a supportive capacity for a number of years. Dawn is grateful to have gained experience in many different programming areas, most notably event planning and environmental education. From 2015-17, Dawn was a Jane Glassco Northern Fellow in the third cohort of the program. Her policy research area was waste management in the Northwest Territories with a focus on used-tires and organics recycling. She also can be seen around town volunteering for different sport organizations. BRENDA VAN HAUVART Water Specialist Brenda Van Hauvart has an academic background in Environmental Sciences and a degree in Integrated Water Resources Management from McGill University. Originally fro m Argentina, where she worked in the field of International Cooperation in Science and Technology at the government level, while being involved in Environmental Education at schools, Brenda moved to Canada in 2015 where she discovered her passion for sustainable community development work and collaborative water governance. After completing a fellowship with IC-IMPACTS and the University of Alberta in a northern First Nation community, Brenda has been managing water-related programs at Ecology North, as the Water Specialist.

IN-HOUSE SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS - Continued CARLA JOHNSTON Local Food Specialist Completing an M.A. on collaborative governance in sustainable northern food systems, Carla works with local actors in NWT communities to create collective action for culturally appropriate, socially just, economically robust and environmentally sound food systems.

RESEARCH POSITIONS CREATED

1 MSC ENG

TBD Engineering master student #1, Concordia University Work on the integration of the BIPV/T with the HRV. Under the supervision of Dr. Hua Ge.

1 MSC ENG

TBD Engineering master student #2, University of Alberta BIMBEM design and implementation. Under the supervision of Dr. Yuxiang Chen.

1 MSC ENG

TBD Engineering master student #3, University of Alberta Greenhouse design, construction & monitoring. Under the supervision of Dr. Yuxiang Chen.

1 PHD ENG

TBD Engineering doctoral student #1, Concordia University BIPV/T design, construction, commissioning, monitoring & modeling. Under the supervision of Dr. Hua Ge.

1 PHD ENG

TBD Engineering doctoral student #2, University of Alberta Dynamic solar faรงade design, construction, commissioning & monitoring. Under the supervision of Dr. Yuxiang Chen.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS (ECOLOGY NORTH, VOLUNTEER) DR. COURTNEY HOWARD Director

ERIC MCNAIR-LANDRY Director

JEAN-YVES DROUIN Director

JOHN CARR Chair

JIM SPARLING Vice-Chair

MELISSA CLARK Youth Director

BRANDA LE Youth Director

MONTE KEHLER Treasurer

// VOLUNTEERS EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE (ECOLOGY NORTH, VOLUNTEER) FRANCE BENOIT Community Liaison France Benoit is a policy advisor turned filmmaker who then decided to become a farmer. After a Masters in Polar Studies, she moved to Yellowknife in 1989 where she soon started to grow roots which run deeper and deeper as the years go by. France continues to live self-sufficiently in the boreal forest outside of Yellowknife, pumping her water from the lake, heating her home from wood and drawing her energy from the sun. France became a strong advocate for sustainable living and a public figure in the NWT. She was the President of the Yellowknife Farmers Market from 2013 to 2017. BOB BROMLEY Chair A wildlife biologist in training, Bob focuses his work on climate change mitigation and localized northern community economies. Bromley served as a Member of the Legislative Assembly, and is involved in various organizations : Ecology North (founder, 1971), Northern Farm Training Institute (director), the Canadian Arctic Resources Committee (director), Alternatives North (member) and Council of Canadians NWT Chapter (member).

PLANNING COMMITTEE (ECOLOGY NORTH, VOLUNTEER) ALETA FOWLER Funding Advisor, Community planner and architect Aleta G. Fowler currently resides in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories. Recently retired, she was managing the Northwest Territories innovation portfolio at the Canadian and Northern Economic Development Agency. At the Agency, she has been responsible for linking alternative and renewable energy infrastructure initiatives, territorial economic development, and international frameworks in related enterprises since 2009. Before working at the CNEDA, she worked in Yellowknife at Indian and Northern Affairs Canada for five years. In this role, she managed programs that support alternative infrastructures, energy management, and economic development. She also created a climate change working group that comprised nearly 30 government, NGO, and post-secondary education leaders. She holds a B.A. in Art History from John Hopkins University, an M.A. of Policy and Planning from St. Louis University, and a M.Arch Architecture from the University of California Berkeley.

PLANNING COMMITTEE (ECOLOGY NORTH, VOLUNTEER) - Continued MICHAEL GANNON P. Eng., LLB Michael Gannon is a practicing lawyer in the Northwest Territories since 2004 and he is a registered professional engineer in British Columbia since 1989. On top of his experience as a lawyer, Michael has worked as a geotechnical engineer, environmental geologist, and university and college lecturer. Michael has hands-on experience working with First Nations peoples of Canada and Papua New Guinea and is fluent in English and Spanish. He enjoys travel, immersing himself in new cultural experiences, being out on the water in his kayak, mountain biking through forest trails, photography, various forms of yoga, and most of all, spending time with his life partner and elementary school-aged twin boys. RANDY CLEVELAND Architect, planner Randy is currently the Manager of Infrastructure and Planning at the Justice Department of the Government of Northwest Territories in Yellowknife. Since 2015, he has managed a $25M annual budget for the territory’s courts, corrections, and legal aid services. Randy is committed to providing visionary, results-oriented leadership that catalyzes integrated, collaborative approaches to the creation and stewardship of healthy, resilient, and vibrant communities and organizations. Prior to his position at the GNWT, he was Chief Operating Officer at Arcan Construction in Yellowknife, and was the Director of Infrastructure Planning at the City of Kelowna for 7 years. In 2012, he received a Canadian Transportation Association 2012 Urban Sustainable Transportation Award for his work on Kelowna’s Active Transportation Network, part of the city’s 2030 Official Community Plan. Randy has a BA of Human Ecology from the University of Saskatchewan, a B. Arch Architecture from the University of British Columbia, and a M.A. of Planning from the University of British Columbia. DON BABEY Manager of Budgets and Internal Reporting Donald’s interest in construction began when he was four years old, assisting his maternal grandfather in home repair. This early start, coupled with a keen awareness of the environmental issues we face, has solidified his interest in housing that is beneficial not only to the inhabitants, but the planet as well. Donald moved to the NWT in 2000, and after a threeyear intermission to Toronto, he plans on retiring in the NWT. Donald has worked in the non-profit sector his entire career, until 2013 with the YWCA in Regina, Vancouver and Yellowknife, and since 2013 for the Canadian Broadcast Corporation. * The planning committee is also composed of the team members of the executive committee.

ADVISORY COMMITTEE (ECOLOGY NORTH, VOLUNTEER) GERALD AVERY Accountant Avery Cooper and Co.

GINO PIN Senior Architect Pin Taylor Architects (formerly).

LINDA BUSSEY City Councillor, City of Yellowknife Community Governance, Philanthropy.

MARY ROSE SUNDBERG ED, Goyatiko Language Society Dene Language & Cultural Liaison.

DAVID GILDAY Fundraising Yellowknife Community Association.

DANIEL T’SELEIE Lawyer Aboriginal activist. Legal expert.

// RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT PARTNERS RESEARCH PARTNERS LINDA BUSSEY City Councilor, Student Master of Philanthropy and Nonprofit Leadership City of Yellowknive, Carleton University Linda has focused her master’s degree thesis on the project for the Northern Centre for Sustainability and is an active volunteer in developing the business plan for the project. Linda was born in Northern Québec but moved to Montréal at a young age. Linda attended the University of Montréal and completed an addictions program with a focus on prevention. In 1992, Linda moved to Iqaluit with her young family and spent four years working as the GNWT Regional Training Coordinator and Executive Director of the Baffin Treatment Centre. Since moving to Yellowknife in 1996, Linda has worked for various GNWT departments, but focused mostly on Health and Social Services and Human Resource Management. In 2002, Linda left the GNWT to assume the position of Executive Director for the Stanton Foundation. After 9 years with the Foundation, Linda returned to the GNWT as the Manager of the Recruitment Support Unit with the Department of Human Resources. Linda believes in continued education and is presently enrolled in the Graduate Certificate Program in Management and Leadership at Royal Roads University. After falling in love with the city and all its unique charms Linda decided to make Yellowknife home. Since her arrival in 1996 Linda has been very involved in her community. She served as a trustee on two of Yellowknife’s three school boards, and is presently a member of both the Board of Directors and the Executive Committee of Avens. Linda has volunteered with many different cultural and arts events in the community over the years, and, inspired by her daughter’s interest in the sport, has served as President of the Yellowknife Speed Skating Association. In order to help when she can Linda continues to maintain her race official certification. Linda is married to Eric and is the mother of 3 youthful adults.

RESEARCH PARTNERS - Continued HUA GE PHD, P. Eng., Designer and scientific investigator, Concordia University, Dept. of Building, Civil and Environmental Engineering Dr. Hua Ge is an Associate Professor in the department of Building, Civil and Environmental Engineering at Concordia University. Her expertise is in advanced durable building envelopes with integrated renewables through testing and modeling. She had led research on durability of innovative building envelopes through two NSERC Strategic Networks (NEWBuilds and SNEBRN). She has published over 90 technical papers in peer reviewed Journals and conference proceedings and has trained over 50 HQPs. Relevant to the Arctic region, through NSERC’s Strategic Network, she has carried out research related to low-energy housing for Arctic regions including optimization of passive solar design, testing of dual-core HRV for arctic conditions, feasibility study of integrating BIPV/T with HRV, and durability of attic. Developing solutions for affordable and durable low-energy/net-zero energy housing/buildings for the Canadian North is of her great interest. YUXIANG CHEN PHD, Designer and scientific investigator University of Alberta, Faculty of Engineering Dr. Yuxiang Chen is an Assistant Professor in the Nasseri School of Building Science and Engineering within the Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering at the University of Alberta. Dr. Chen is an expert on the design and operation of high performance buildings in cold climate regions, focusing on reducing energy consumption and peak demand through thermal energy storage, daylighting, robust controls, utilization of renewable energy and their integrated design and operation. This expertise was developed through comprehensive theoretical and experimental studies, including modelling, design concept development and field instrumentation. He has been involved in several national and international collaborations for research and development of net-zero energy buildings and energy flexible buildings, such as the EcoTerra house in the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation EQuilibrium Housing Initiative, the US Department of Energy’s Research Support Facility on its NREL Campus, and the International Energy Agency’s Task 40 Towards Net Zero Energy Buildings.

DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION PARTNERS CARL BÄCKSTRAND Architect and Partner White Arkitekter AB, Malmö, Sweden Carl Bäckstrand is Partner and deputy CEO of White Arkitekter, Scandinavia’s pioneer and thought-leader in sustainable architecture. White is most recognised for visionary examples of sustainable architecture, such as the 100-year Masterplan for the relocation of the City of Kiruna in Sweden’s Arctic north. Carl is since many years focusing on urban issues with a Master degree in Architecture at Lund University followed by studies in Landscape architecture at Royal Academy of Arts in Copenhagen and then Urban Design as a Visiting Scholar at MIT Cambridge MA. The sustainability challenges in all three aspects; Environmental, Economic and Social are fundamental and White has been successful in implementing quite a few of the SDGs in not only the practice itself but most importantly in the projects, recently shown in the award winning Nordic Built Challenge competition “Eyes of Runavik”. A former chairman of Sustainable Business Hub and member of Scientific Board of Almega Carl contributes to bringing the business closer to science and building new strategic partnerships. A keynote speaker at internationally renowned conferences such as Green Building Council in Canada and at universities such as Stuttgart School of Architecture, Carl is sought after for his cutting-edge expertise combining academic and practice-based architectural research. MARIE-FRANCE STENDAHL Lead Architect – concept design White Arkitekter AB, Malmö, Sweden Marie-France Stendahl is an architect of Canadian nationality with 15 years of international experience since her graduation from the Swiss Federal Institude of Technology (ETH). Having joined White in 2006, Marie-France acts as project manager and is responsible for establishing White on the Canadien market. She has been developing master plans for several eco-city projects in Quebec and she has been participating in various international competitions including the one launched this year by the City of Quebec «Reinventing Our Rivers» where White arkitekter won second prize. MarieFrance was invited as a speaker by the Canada Green Building Council in 2014 and the year after by the city of Quebec as part of the «Québec 2050» conference organized by IDU (Institute of Urban Development) of Quebec. In 2014 she project managed the library of the new cultural center of Umeå in Sweden, the European Capital of Culture that year. Marie-France has as well been the architect in charge of creating the concepts, structures/facades and details for various European LEED projects. She also teaches at the Faculty of Engineering at Lund University (LTH) in Sweden and so shares her time between practicing and teaching the studio of sustainable architectural design.

* Lead architect for schematic design and design development will be Lateral Office (see letter of support); probably Mason White, to be determined.

DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION PARTNERS - Continued PAUL REYNOLDS Design and Construction Leader Fulcrum Projects Ltd., Vancouver, Canada One of Vancouver’s most highly respected Project Managers with 15+ years experience representing Owners on the planning, design and construction of their projects. Owner of Fulcrum Projects (fulcrumprojects.ca), a project management firm who specializes in representing Owners on innovative projects. Also, the Founder and Chair of the Living Future Vancouver Collaborative (lfvcollab.ca), a group of local volunteers (tied to the International Living Future Institute) working to lead BC’s Project Owners towards regenerative design and construction. Recent projects include:

• • •

TELUS’ new Vancouver office space (TELUS Garden); New RCMP Forensics Lab in Surrey, BC; Planning for new building projects in remote BC areas for BC Hydro. SVEND ANDERSEN GHG Accountant GHG Accounting, Calgary, Alberta

Svend Andersen is a GHG accountant, auditor, and CEO of GHG Accounting Services. He has worked in the academic field and in the corporate field in executive positions as well as in the not-for-profit sector as a member and executive of local preservation societies. Svend is a resultsoriented and experience project manager and has led and coordinated many large and small projects involving diverse partners and stakeholders. Svend is also co-author of the Towards Net Zero Energy Ready Residential Building in BC Study and co-author of a 2017 Canadian Energy Law Foundation (CELF) Research Paper on energy and climate policies. He is a regular speaker on the topic of sustainability performance management. JASMINE LUM Community Outreach GHG Accounting Jasmine Lum has over 7 years of outreach, partnership building and relationship management experience. As an Educator with Ocean Wise Conservation Association, Jasmine assisted with the design and delivery of educational programming to over 115,000 people in 58 communities across Canada in 2017. While working at the former Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development, Jasmine assisted with relationship management and performance monitoring of Canada’s multilateral development partners, as well as managing one of the Department’s four formal knowledge networks. She volunteered with Oxfam Canada and Engineers without Borders.

LOCALS SHOP OWNERS JEREMY FLATT Chef, Fat Fox Coffee owner In 2008 I graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science from the University of Exeter and moved to Canada Shortly after. I have lived in Yellowknife for eight years and conducted various community based research and communications projects with the government of the NWT, the NWT Literacy Council and other Northern organizations. I was a project officer with Ecology North for two years prior to opening the Fat Fox in June of 2016. I have worked in the food service industry on and off since I was 13 years old. I enjoy cooking because it’s very physical and cathartic and it’s an easy way to make people happy. At the Fat Fox we’re proud to make everything, from our coffee syrups to our ketchup, in house from raw ingredients. We also lead the way in the use of local produce and compostable disposables. EMMA ATKINSON Fat Fox Coffee owner I moved to Yellowknife in 2012 after working for three years as a menswear buyer for Urban Outfitters in London. I studied psychology at university which involved a great deal of statistical analysis. In my professional life I have always sought opportunities aptitude for this sort of analysis to solve problems and develop processes. For five years I worked in the supply chain department at the Ekati Diamond mine; first as an analyst and then for three years as the team leader. Applying my professional experience to running my own restaurant has been extremely rewarding.

ÉTIENNE CROTEAU Chef, Flavour Trader Etienne Croteau was born in a small village of 1500 habitants in Quebec and grew up in a large family of 140 entrepreneurs. Étienne did a degree in project management and earned his Red Seal as a chef. He has been working for 7 years as the project manager for French organizations and established a company in Yellowknife that offers culture from all across the globe with daily meals, cooking classes, catering, and at-home chef. Flavour Trader encourages its customers to explore at home their interest for food and spices; an adjacent spice shop provides for exotic needs in town. Étienne partnered up with Boreal Garden to be able to offer locally-grown food in his restaurant. He has been exploring a partnership with the Northern Centre for Sustainability as the next development phase for his business; a downtown urban greenhouse seems to be a promising avenue to bring food production closer to the consumers’ plate. Étienne believes that bringing food production closer to where people will raise the collective awareness for environmental protection.

CONSULTANTS TO BE HIRED • • • • • • • •

Local Architect, TBD Local Mechanical Engineer, TBD Local Electrical Engineer, TBD Local Construction Manager, TBD Local Structural Engineer, TBD Local Geotechnical Engineer, TBD Local Civil Engineer, TBD Envelope Consultant, TBD

• • • • • • •

Landscape Consultant, TBD Code Consultant, TBD Living Building Consultant, TBD Commissioning Agent, TBD Project Management, TBD Legal Fees, TBD Broker Fees for Retail Leasing, TBD

// PARTNERS AND SUPPORTERS LOCAL CITY OF YELLOWKNIFE Municipal partner The City of Yellowknife is a strong supporter and enabling partner for Ecology North and our initiatives for the recycling (1990) and composting (2010) programs, and the Northern Centre for Sustainability. The City was the 2018 Energy Winner of the FCM Sustainable Communities Award for its Biomass District Energy System. The City and Ecology North have a strong history of working together on sustainability projects. The City is a potential building occupant (in development) as a municipal government partner, and is generally supportive of the project.

JULIE GREEN Member of the Legislative Assembly for Yellowknife Centre Julie Green was elected to the 18th Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories representing the constituency of Yellowknife Centre. She expressed in written her support for the NCFS.

YELLOWKNIVES DENE FIRST NATION Indigenous Government partner – potential building occupant The Yellowknives Dene First Nation have partnered with Ecology North towards the creation of a new position at YKDFN supporting the NCFS : YKDFN’s new Building Retrofit Economy Development & Outreach Officer will pathfind the creation of new programs to retrofit buildings and reduce energy and GHG emissions in the YKDFN communities, and in other northern communities. YKDFN has committed to 156k$ in in-kind donation for 2018-2020.

GOYATIKO LANGUAGE SOCIETY

GOYATIKO LANGUAGE SOCIETY Local indigenous language expert The Goyatiko Language Society (GLS), based in Dettah, Northwest Territories, does important work preserving and bolstering indigenous languages in the Weledeh region. GLS is very supportive of the project, has offered in-kind support (4,8k$) for technical workshops in the coming year, has helped bolster community support – especially amongst the Elders in Dettah – and has already provided in-kind support by translating the Living Building Challenge into Dene Weledeh.

LOCAL - Continued THE FAT FOX Local Coffee Shop The Fat Fox is a cafe in downtown Yellowknife that is holds the heart of the community. for the last two years, it has offered coffee, a warm place to meet with friends, books to borrow, and treats baked by locals. Its furnishings, floor, and counter were built by neighbours in Yellowknife. Due to structural issues with the building they presently occupy, this small business was forced to close. The owners are partnering with Ecology North to open a new location in the future Northern Centre for Sustainability, where they will create the same warm, welcoming atmosphere for the Yellowknife community. They have committed to a 400k$ in-kind donation.

NWT BREWING CO. Local Brewer NWT Brewing Co. has committed to working with the NCFS to make the best use of their leftover mash to create carbon-negative energy. This is a seed for the first local circular bioeconomy.

RADIO TAIGA Local Radio Radio Taiga has offered in-kind support for the broadcasting of communications, outreach and education material that will be made available to the community in the upcoming months.

HABITAT FOR HUMANITY Local partner Habitat for Humanity Northwest Territories is a non-profit organization working toward a North where everyone has a safe and decent place to live. Our mission is to mobilize volunteers and community partners to build homes and promote homeownership as a means to breaking the cycle of poverty. With the help of volunteers, our goal is to help provide Northern families with a safe, decent, and affordable home. Habitat for Humanity will provide help to the Northern Centre for Sustainability to reuse certain material streams in Yellowknife, as well as supporting the NCFSâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s advocacy work.

// PARTNERS AND SUPPORTERS TERRITORIAL GOVERNMENT OF NORTHWEST TERRITORIES National partner The Government of the Northwest Territories is supportive of this project; we are currently exploring options for stronger collaboration with them, especially on the federal bilateral agreement transfers.

NWT ASSOCIATION OF COMMUNITIES Community Government – potential building occupant The NWTAC is an association that represents all 33 community governments in the Northwest Territories. They are a potential building occupant, and have offered in-kind guidance (5,6k$) and communications support for the project partners, as well as help coordinating partnerships within communities. They have offered one week of staff time to the project within the next year.

ARCTIC ENERGY ALLIANCE Technical support Energy efficiency, renewable energy production and carbon. The Arctic Energy Alliance (AEA) is a not-forprofit society with a mandate “to help communities, consumers, producers, regulators and policymakers to work together to reduce the costs and environmental impacts of energy and utility services in the Northwest Territories.” AEA has committed to 5,6k$ in in-kind donation for 2018.

NATIONAL NORTHERN ALBERTA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY Academic partner – building technology research The Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT) is an enthusiastic collaborator with Ecology North. The Edmonton-based college is supportive of the project, and is interested in collaborating with data analysis and other training opportunities that will be provided by the project as a demonstration site for innovative green technologies.

UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA Academic partner – building technology research UofA has strong expertise in building information model-based building energy management (BIMBEM), dynamic solar façades (DSF) and other green building technologies. UofA will become a strong research partner and has committed to the creation of 2 master’s degree and 1 PhD position to design, monitory and study the technology to be implemented at the NCFS. UofA has committed to 480k$ in in-kind donation for 2018-2021.

CONCORDIA UNIVERSITY Academic partner – building technology research ConU has strong expertise in building-integrated photovoltaic with thermal energy recovery (BIPV/T), semitransparent photovoltaic panels and other buiding-integrated technologies. They have committed to the creation of 1 master’s degree and 1 PhD position to design, monitor and study the new technologies to be implemented at the NCFS. ConU has committed to 480k$ in in-kind donation for 2018-2021.

WILFRID LAURIER UNIVERSITY Academic partner – water expertise WLU has offered to participate in the research component of the project; their expertise in water stewardship will come in handy during the research and development of the water and wastewater management on-site system. WLU has offered 4k$ of in-kind support.

MITACS Financial partner in research Mitacs is a trivial partner in the implementation of academic partnerships; they have provided part of the funding for interns from Universite Laval, University of Toronto and other internship opportunities to start shortly.

// PARTNERS AND SUPPORTERS NATIONAL - Continued GHG ACCOUNTING GHG Accountant GHG Accounting Services brings expertise in GHG accounting and sustainability performance management. GHG Accounting Services plans to provide an in-kind donation in the form of a preliminary evaluation of the GHG emissions associated with the project. Once the project receives adequate funding, the goal would be to provide GHG quantification and validation for the entire project. GHG Accounting has offered their in-kind support for 5k$.

FULCRUM PROJECTS LTD. Mentoring partner â&#x20AC;&#x201C; past experience with Living Building Challenge projects Fulcrum Projects was involved in other Living Building projects in Canada and has gathered valuable experience in the field. Active participant in the Living Building Challenge Collaboratives, they have pushed the possibilities in the built environment sustainability by thinking outside the box.

NORTHERN COUNCIL FOR GLOBAL COOPERATION Technical support The Northern Council for Global Cooperation (NCGC) has been a vital proponent of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Canadaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s North since the launch of SDGs in 2015. NCGC supports the project narrative, and has engaged with Ecology North on furthering implementation of SDGs in the North. The NCGC has committed to 4,4k$ in in-kind donation for 2018-2019.

QUALITY URBAN ENERGY SYSTEMS OF TOMORROW Technical support District energy systems, smart energy communities; QUEST has nominated the City of Yellowknife as a pilot for their Smart Energy Communities scorecard. QUEST has committed to 4,4k$ in in-kind donation for 2018-2019.

THE PEMBINA INSTITUTE Advocacy partner Policies on low-carbon buildings, clean energy. The Pembina Institute is an important advocacy group for matters related to climate change and energy in Canada. They have offered their full support on the project.

NATIONAL - Continued TERRAGON ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTIONS Technology partner Terragon Environmental Solutions (TES) have 14 years experience helping people and projects “use all of the materials we now consider “waste” to generate important resources within their habitats.” As a developer of MAGS and WETT technologies, TES has pledged technical support to help the project meet its waste and water-related needs.

ÉQUITERRE Past experience with similar project Equiterre is a Montreal-based non-profit with a vision to “contribute to the development of public policies as well as civic and business practices that lead to a low-carbon economy and an environment free of toxic substances.” Equiterre has past experience with a similar project: their LEED Platinum Building House for Sustainable Development, a five-storey building downtown Montreal that houses 22 not-for-profit organizations and provides space to meet and share innovative ideas about sustainable development. Equiterre is very supportive of the project, and has offered in-kind support (5,6k$) to provide mentoring, guidance, visibility and sharing of lessons learned during the 10-years of hard work they put in to make the House for Sustainable Development a reality.

MAISON DU DÉVELOPPEMENT DURABLE Past experience with similar project Eight socially and environmentally minded organizations have united to create the Centre for Sustainable Development, which offers space for reflection, innovation, education and the meeting of minds on sustainable development. This demonstration green building, the first to receive LEED Platinum Certification in Quebec, aims to inspire everyone from property developers to the general public and create a synergy between its founding members: Amnistie internationale, The Petit Réseau daycare centre, the Conseil régional de l’environnement de Montréal, ENvironnement JEUnesse, Équiterre, Option consommateurs, the Regroupement national des conseils régionaux de l’environnement du Québec and Vivre en Ville. The building is a flagship for sustainability in Montreal, and an inspiration for Quebecers.

LATERAL OFFICE Canadian Architect Lateral Office is an internationally recognized design practice whose collaborating partners, Lola Sheppard and Mason White, are associate professors at Univeristy of Waterloo and Univeristy of Toronto, respectively. Our work and research is focused on architecture’s relationship to environment, participatory design processes, and new models of sustainability and resilience. We recently authored the book Many Norths: Spatial Practice in a Polar Territory (Actar, 2017), which compiles about 6 years of research on infrastructure, urbanism, and architecture in northern Canada.

// PARTNERS AND SUPPORTERS INTERNATIONAL INTERNATIONAL LIVING FUTURE INSTITUTE Technical support The International Living Future Institute (ILFI) is a non-governmental organization committed to “catalyzing global transformation toward true sustainability.” They are the umbrella group that houses the Living Building Challenge, the most rigorous Green Building Certification Standard. ILFI has committed to 2,8k$ in in-kind donation for 2018.

WHITE ARKITEKTER AB Lead architect – concept design and Scandinavian knowledge transfer Architecture, Scandinavian best practices, sustainable development. White is a leading architecture group in Scandinavia. They have developed the first econeighbourhoods in the 1990’s (Hammarby Sjöstad). Their commitment to sustainability appears in all of their work. White has committed to 15k$ in in-kind donation for 2018-2019.

YOUTH CLIMATE LAB Innovation disruptor The Youth Climate Lab is dedicated to creating projects that amplify climate action through intergenerational collaboration. We serve as a connector, facilitator, and designer. We strive to create an environment where youth are activated and mobilized to channel their innovation and creativity into climate policy and climate entrepreneurship.

BIOMACON GmbH Technical support BIOMACON GmbH was established in 2003 with its headquarter located in Rehburg, Germany. Climate change, resource scarcity, soil desertification and groundwater pollution are the big challenges of the 21st century. The BIOMACON technology constitutes one important component as far as dealing with these challenges is concerned. Apart from systematic resource conservation, there is currently no other promising solution to these challenges. BIOMACON biomass boilers generate heat for domestic and industrial use and turn the biomass into valuable bio char with a high carbon contend. Systems are in operation in Germany, France, Belgium and Sweden and further projects in Norway and Switzerland and being realized while the demand for the technology is picking up speed. BIOMACON will be acting as the international partner, and the works will be granted to a local partner who will be in charge of installation, maintenance and operation. Therefore a training will provided to guarantee the build-up of local capacities. For the continuous operation of the system BIOMACON is providing technical support and remote control via Internet and videoconferencing.

6.0 letters of support Please find attached letters of support for our project partners, supporters, collaborators and other stakeholders.

100

March 2, 2018

Re: The Northern Centre for Sustainability, Yellowknife, Northwest Territories

To Whom It May Concern, The Pembina Institute is strongly supportive of Ecology North’s initiative for the construction of the Northern Centre for Sustainability in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories. The implementation of a network of low-carbon demonstration buildings throughout the country to assist the building sector in the shift off fossil fuels was supported by our report “Federal Policies for Low-Carbon Buildings” in October of 2017. The Northern Centre for Sustainability is similar in mandate to the Maison du Développement Durable in Montreal and as such could have similar ripple effects. The Northern Centre for Sustainability and its intention to achieve the Living Building Challenge would redefine what is possible in the built environment and raise the bar for subsequent building projects in Canada. We are currently exploring avenues for collaboration with Ecology North and the Northern Centre for Sustainability and will be strong advocates for its success. Yours sincerely,

Simon Dyer Deputy Executive Director Pembina Institute

101

102

103

November 22, 2017

Natural Resources Canada: nrcan.adaptation.rncan@canada.ca

KǪ" CENTER FOR SUSTAINABLE DESIGN Dear Natural Resources Canada, I am writing to express the International Living Future Institute’s support for Ecology North’s KǪ" Center for Sustainable Development project and their commitment to meet the Living Building Challenge. With their interest in registering for the Living Building Challenge, Ecology North is committing to achieve Living Certification via the built environment's most rigorous performance standard. The Living Building Challenge calls for the creation of projects that operate cleanly, beautifully and efficiently as nature's architecture. Through their commitment to the Living Building Challenge, the project team has dedicated themselves to furthering the Northwest Territories’ implementation of advanced sustainability within the built environment in support of the region’s goals, positioning Northern Canada as an international leader. Living Buildings are on the leading edge of regenerative design. These are projects that generate all of their own energy with renewable resources, capture and treat all of their water on-site, operate efficiently with maximum beauty and address equity in the community all while meeting the important implementation targets outlined in Ecology North’s goals. The Living Building Challenge currently has over 400 registered projects — both commercial and residential, new buildings and renovations to existing buildings — that have declared their intent to pursue the Living Building Challenge. Paving the way for Yellowknife to strengthen NWT’s ability to influence place-based solutions to create a community that is socially just, culturally rich and ecologically restorative. The serious problem of climate change demands bold action, and Ecology North’s KǪ" Center for Sustainable Development project demonstrates just that. Their intention to organize workshops on the different Living Building Challenge Petals throughout 2018 is an excellent way to raise awareness and educate the public on these important issues — their initiative to bring other community members into these activities will be beneficial to the community at large, in addition to the built environment. The Living Building Challenge Team’s staff provides support to organizations who voluntarily advance improvements to regulations and building codes that advance Living Buildings. As an expression of our support, we will support this project team with an in-kind donation of a maximum of 50 hours of organizational support from March 2018 to November 2020, at an hourly rate of US$ 120 (CAD$ 152.97). Thank you for your consideration. Sincerely, Megan Ritchie Saffitz, AICP, LEED Fellow Certification Director

104

PO Box 31701, Whitehorse Yukon Y1A 6L3 www.ncgc.ca

William Gagnon, B.Eng. Ecohome & Environmental Advocacy Coordinator Ecology North 5016 50 Avenue Yellowknife, Northwest Territories X1A 2P3 Re: Ecology North In-kind Support As Executive Director of the Northern Council for Global Cooperation (NCGC), I am truly excited about Ecology Northâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s initiative for a Center for Sustainable Development in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories. Since the launch of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in 2015, NCGC has been hard at work at promoting and implementing the goals across the territories. Ecology North has reached out to NCGC and asked to deepen our ties and collaboration on the development of the SDGs in the territories. NCGC is organizing a roundtable on the SDGs in the North, bringing together many different members of the northern community to discuss synergies and ways to further their implementation. Ecology North will be participating in this roundtable, taking place April 2018, and will take advantage of the physical presence of knowledge partners to host a side event where we will discuss the applicability of the SDGs on the northern built environment. These events will help to establish a network of centers for the promotion of the SDGs and we believe Ecology North will be an important partner in this venture. As such, I would like to extend my in-kind help to Ecology North in their Center for Sustainable Development initiative; NCGC will support the project up to a maximum of one week of work (40 hours) for financial year 2018-2019, at 110$ hourly. If you have any questions, please donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t hesitate to contact me. Sincerely, Tracey Wallace, Executive Director Northern Council for Global Cooperation (NCGC) 867.332.6242 ed@ncgc.ca

105

106

November 21, 2017 re: In-kind support, La Maison du Développement Durable To Whom it May Concern, Montreal’s Centre for Sustainable Development provides space to meet and share innovative ideas about sustainable development. The five-storey building was born after nearly ten years of hard work, thanks to the drive and mobilisation of devoted partners who continue to pool their vision, ideas, funds and contacts. In a context where climactic, energy and financial crises have become the norm, the Centre’s objective is to build towards the future without jeopardizing it, by: •

Maximizing the potential of socially and environmentally minded organizations through the sharing of space and resources;

•

Serving as a place for reflection, education, innovation and the meeting of minds on sustainable development;

•

Offering citizens, businesses and governments new educational tools on sustainable development;

•

Offering a research tool for Canadian researchers interested in green buildings.

We see great potential in Ecology North’s initiative on their KǪ̀ Center for Sustainable Development. We will be happy to provide them with our in-kind guidance for any questions they might have regarding the implementation, the main barriers faced, the organizational capabilities or others. Our commitment extends to a maximum of 37.5 hours of work, spread throughout 2018 and divided among our experts, at a rate of CAD$ 100. With all our encouragements,

Normand Roy, Project manager, Équiterre

107

Natural Resources Canada To Whom It May Concern:

November 20, 2017

RE: Support for Ecology North’s Living Building Initiative Wilfrid Laurier University (Laurier) and Ecology North have a long history of collaboration. Together our organizations have worked on climate change adaptation initiatives, food security projects and other education and outreach events. We are pleased to continue to build this relationship in new and exciting ways that will work to engage people and communities in the Northwest Territories (NWT). Therefore, I am pleased to offer this letter of support for Ecology North’s Living Building Initiative as it will be a centerpiece for knowledge mobilization and education in the region.

Laurier researchers have worked for decades in Canada’s North, with a particular strategic focus in the NWT. Ranging from scientists examining the hydrological and ecological impacts of permafrost thaw to researchers focusing on food sustainability, the critical mass of northern-focused research at Laurier has influenced the development of evidence-based environmental policy that has translated into practical applications to support ecological integrity and human health. Part of Laurier’s strategic focus is to better support Knowledge Mobilization and outreach initiatives in the NWT to empower and educate communities on the impact climate change is having on the landscape and foster community adaptation. Ecology North is a logical partner due to their vast experience in education and community engagement. We see the Living Building Initiative, and the future home of Ecology North, as an ideal place to hold public presentations, workshops and other events that will help achieve the goals of both organizations.

We envision that this Living Building will play an important role in Knowledge Mobilization and education in the region. We are committed to working with Ecology North to develop educational content for displays and outreach materials, participate and co-organize presentations and workshops, and focus Laurier student projects on further developing the Living Building Initiative and other climate change adaptation projects for communities. We feel that the Ecology North’s Living Building Inititaive will serve as a great example of

108

sustainable building in the North and lead to further innovations and conversations around sustainable development in northern communities. Laurier is pleased to contribute $20,000 per year for the next 5 years in in-kind support to develop this and related initiatives with Ecology North. Sincerely,

Kelly R. Munkittrick, Ph.D. Executive Director, Cold Regions and Water Initiatives

109

November 21, 2017

Re: In-kind support, Northwest Territories Association of Communities

To Whom it May Concern, The Northwest Territories Association of Communities (NWTAC) was created to “promote the exchange of information among the community governments of the Northwest Territories and to provide a united front for the realization of goals.” All 33 of the NWT’s communities are members of the NWTAC. Together, we have become a powerful, effective voice for NWT community governments. Acting on our democratically-adopted resolutions, we advocate for the interests of NWT communities to the Governments of Canada and the Northwest Territories, and through the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM). Ecology North’s project for a « KǪ̀ Center for Sustainable Development » comes at a very opportune moment. Many communities are taking advantage of the energy transition to create new jobs and economic and cultural revitalization through various infrastructure projects. I see this new center becoming a beacon for sustainability in the Northwest Territories and I will be very happy to provide guidance and help to the project participants. The Northwest Territories Association of Communities will gladly join efforts with Ecology North, providing guidance, communication support and providing

200, 5105 – 50th Street, Yellowknife NT X1A 1S1 867.873.8359 tel 867.873.3042 fax www.nwtac.com

110

coordination and partnerships with our communities. We will be interested in attending the workshops starting in March of 2018 and providing guidance on the various aspects of building in the north. We anticipate the NWTAC will contribute up to a week of staff time within the next year in support of this project. Looking forward to take part in this exciting venture.

Yours sincerely;

Sara Brown, P. Eng. Chief Executive Officer Northwest Territories Association of Communities #200, 5105-50 Street, Yellowknife, NT X1A 1S1

111

William Gagnon, jr eng. EcoHome & Environmental Advocacy Coordinator LEED AP BD+C & ND, ECO Canada EPt 5016 50 Avenue, Lower Level, PO Box 1684, Yellowknife, NT X1A 2P3 By email: will@ecologynorth.ca

RE: Partnership on the implementation of climate change adaptation programs To Whom this May Concern, The Arctic Energy Alliance (AEA) is a not-for-profit society with a mandate “to help communities, consumers, producers, regulators and policymakers to work together to reduce the costs and environmental impacts of energy and utility services in the Northwest Territories. Therefore, the AEA supports the Ecology North’s initiative for the development of a Centre for Sustainable Development in Yellowknife, Northwest. The initiative will have a positive impact on the City and its built environment. The AEA will provide Ecology North with an in-kind donation of 37.5 hours of professional/ technical staff time at a rate of CAD$ 150/hr. and participate in select workshop(s) in 2018 wherein AEA’s expertise is warranted.

Sincerely,

_______________________________ Louie Azzolini Executive Director Arctic Energy Alliance

112

February 23rd, 2018 Dear Sir or Madam, On behalf of the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT), I am pleased to support the Letter of Interest, Northern Centre for Sustainability project, to Natural Resources Canada’s Clean Growth in the Natural Resource Sectors Program. The above project is being submitted by Ecology North, which has a strong record of success in climate change adaptation work within the unique circumstances of the subarctic region. Ecology North brings together stakeholders from different sectors (government, industry, and community) to inform, educate and demonstrate solutions for climate change impacts, waste management and local food production in the Northwest Territories (NWT). Projects like Integrating Climate Change in Municipal Planning and Sambaa K’e Hazardous Waste Remediation are examples of how Ecology North translates between diverse interest groups to activate solution-driven initiatives in real-life settings. NAIT’s collaboration with Ecology North arose from our involvement in the Clean Growth Collaboration Community, established by Natural Resources Canada (NRCan). Through numerous communications and conversations, we have recognized our common purpose, values and interests. This is one of several collaborative opportunities we are discussing together. This project is particularly strong due to its unique environmental circumstances: solutions that are effective in other regions may not be in subarctic and arctic climates, and proven solutions for these climates may fail as temperatures rise and the permafrost softens. A demonstration site like the Northern Centre for Sustainability is critical to understanding how sustainable, regenerative buildings can work when faced with the impacts of climate change in the High North. Data gathered and analysed from Northern Centre for Sustainability project will directly inform design, construction and renovation of Natural Resource Operations where Mining represents about 25% of NWT’s GDP. Recognizing our alignment with Ecology North’s Letter of Interest, NAIT looks forward to the future development of the Northern Centre for Sustainability project. Sincerely,

Dr. Chris Dambrowitz Associate Vice President Research and Innovation P 780.378.6176 E cdambrowitz@nait.ca

113

114

115

February 26, 2018 Re: Support for the Northern Centre for Sustainability project

To whom it may concern, QUEST supports the proposed project for the Northern Centre for Sustainability in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories. QUEST is the voice of the Smart Energy Communi es marketplace in Canada. With a network of eight provincial and regional Caucuses, their related working groups, and a reach of thousands of stakeholders, QUEST is suppor ng governments, u li es & energy service providers, the real-estate sector (owners, operators and builders), and the product and professional service sector, among others to implement Smart Energy Communi es. QUEST will assist as a subject ma er expert on district energy systems in Canada for the Northern Centre for Sustainability technical workshop focused on energy. In par cular, an overview of district energy systems, case study examples, their poten al beneﬁts, and considera ons will be presented. The primary objec ve of the presenta on will be to expand par cipants’ thinking about the possibili es of how thermal energy needs of a community may be served broadly. The workshop focused on energy will allow us to engage with a key local community, and share our knowledge with researchers, prac oners, and municipali es in the region. Michael Lee is the QUEST District Energy Network lead for QUEST, and brings experience in research and engagement related to community energy planning and district energy systems. QUEST can also assist in the promo on of the development, tapping into wide-reaching na onal networks, which may include the QUEST District Energy Network, the QUEST North Caucus, the QUEST newsle er, and Smart Energy Atlas. QUEST will provide in-kind support in terms of salaries, workshop presenta on material, and project promo on. The total value in-kind support is $4,000. The in-kind support relates to one week (5 days) for Michael Lee’s me to support the development of the

QUEST - Quality Urban Energy Systems of Tomorrow / Systèmes d`énergie de qualité pour les villes de demain 350 rue Albert St. Suite / bureau 1220 O awa, ON K1R 1A4 Tel/ Tél : 866-494-2770 Fax/ Téléc : 613-627-2938 Web: www.questcanada.org

116

117

118

119

To : Ecology North Craig Scott, Executive Director William Gagnon, Green Buildings Specialist 5016 50 Avenue, Yellowknife Northwest Territories X1A 2P3 Re : Northern Centre for Sustainability, Yellowknife, Northwest Territories To Whom it May Concern, The Fat Fox is very excited to join the project for the Northern Centre for Sustainability. Prior to opening the cafe Jeremy served for two years as a project manager with Ecology North and three years as the resident chef for the Food First Foundation NWT. We are deeply committed to leading the local food service industry in environmentally sound business practices and encouraging responsible consumer choices We use exclusively compostable disposables including all hot cups, cold cups and cutlery without passing on the cost to our customers, relying instead on recovering costs through volume of sales. We have a thorough recycling and organics composting program and our efforts were recently recognised with a waste reduction award from the City Government. We were the only food service business in the city to receive this award. Unfortunately, we are being forced out of our current rented location due to significant structural issues with the building, which is the oldest surviving building in the downtown of Yellowknife, with a heating bill of around three thousand dollars per month in the winter. We have been working on plans for a new location with Redcliff Developments for some months already. Ecology North has approached us with their project for the Northern Centre for Sustainability and we cannot think of a greater opportunity to synergize our efforts. We offer our full support to Ecology North in their different funding applications and in their initiative to attain the Living Building certification from the Living Future Institute. We are absolutely thrilled by Ecology

120

121

122

123

124

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering Nasseri School of Building Science and Engineering 7-207 Donadeo Innovation Centre for Engineering 9211-116 Street Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6G 1H9

www.civil.engineering.ualberta.ca Tel: 780.492.4235

Ecology North Attn.: Craig Scott, Executive Director 5016 50 Ave, Lower Level, PO Box 1684, Yellowknife, NT X1A 2P3 April 10th, 2018 RE: Letter of Support to Ecology North’s CERRC Application Entitled “Northern Centre for Sustainability” Dear Mr. Scott, This letter is to express our full support to Ecology North’s application to the CERRC Program held by Natural Resources Canada, titled “Northern Centre for Sustainability”. Shared with the similar vision in sustainable buildings and communities, the University of Alberta has been working in the past decade on the research and development of sustainable buildings. The research teams from the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering has been involved in the design and construction of many highly energy efficient buildings. As research partners, the research teams played critical roles in the development of optimal energy design, energy performance monitoring and project knowledge dissemination. Being an expert in building science and energy modelling, I joined the University of Alberta in 2015 and have been working on a few research projects related to building codes, energy performance simulations, and renewable energy systems. My research team and I are excited to collaborate in this innovative project. It will provide the opportunity to link our research directly to the needs of sustainable development and to train HQPs in solving real-world problems. As a partner of the project, I will provide $120,000 in-kind support, taking into account about 200 hours per year for four years of my time in direct participation, the time needed to supervise graduate students and technical staff who will work on this project, and other research support. I look forward to working with Ecology North on this initiative and believe that the proposed demonstration project will create confidence of Canadians to the adoption of better buildings. Sincerely, Yuxiang Chen, PhD Assistant Professor Nasseri School of Building Science & Engineering Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering University of Alberta Rm 6-257, Innovation Center for Engineering (ICE) 9211-116 Street NW, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6G 2G6 Tel: 780.492.4562

125

Environmental Sustainability Impact Measurement and Planning

12th April, 2018 VIA E-MAIL Ecology North 5016 Franklin Ave, Yellowknife, NT X1A 2P3 Attention: William Gagnon, E-mail: william.gagnon@me.com Re: Project Clean Energy for Rural and Remote Communities (CERRC) BioHeat, Demonstration and Deployment Program Streams Dear William, It would be our great pleasure to support the Ecology North team and its project work with respect to the BioHeat Demonstration and Deployment Program. GHG Accounting Services Ltd. is one of Canadaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leading specialized greenhouse gas (GHG) accounting and sustainability consulting companies. We have been selected as a service provider of choice by numerous local governments as well as provincial governments. To support Ecology North's endeavour in reducing energy use and GHG emissions in northern and remote communities, we would be happy to enter into an agreement with Ecology North that would include two components: (i) GHG Accounting providing, as an in-kind contribution, a preliminary evaluation of the GHG reductions in terms of intensity and total direct emissions of the proposed project, and (ii) engaging GHG Accounting as a service provider to provide design support, detailed GHG intensity reductions and total direct GHG emissions quantification services. The value of the in-kind contribution is estimated at a value of CAD $5,000 and the service cost is estimated at CAD $15,000, excluding disbursements. Yours sincerely,

Svend Andersen Svend Andersen, MBA, MSc. GHG Accountant GHG Accounting Services Ltd. E-mail: Svend.Andersen@ghgaccounting.ca Phone: 604.351.1851 Twitter: GHGAdvisor www.GHGAccounting.ca

from

Dr. Goretty Dias, Assistant Professor School of Environment, Entreprise and Development University of Waterloo

Northern Centre for Sustainability Ecology North

William Gagnon, Green Buildings Specialist

501650 Avenue, Lower Level

Yellowknife, Northwest Territories

X1A 2P3

Whom it May Concern

Collaboration on the Northern Centre for Sustainability

Hello, We were approached by Ecology North regarding their project for the Northern Centre for Sustainability. I believe it is a very relevant project for sustainability in terms of energy and food security, and I would like to use my team's experience and knowledge to support its evaluation, design, and construction. My research interests are focused around the development of methods and approaches for life cycle sustainability assessment, industrial ecology approaches to sustainability, sustainable food and biofuel production, amongst others. The use of pyrolysis in energy production is gaining in popularity in Europe, but there are only a limited number of projects in Canada. Ecology North's idea to produce carbon-negative energy from the local brewery's waste mash is highly appealing as it would connect climate, energy and food production. The thermal energy produced could heat up the building while producing a steady stream of biochar that can be used in the local gardens and possibly as filling material for the local mine remediation project. Based on my research strengths and interests, I see a great potential for collaboration on this project. The success and sustainability of these types of projects are very context-specific and require a thorough evaluation of the impacts and benefits in order to be sustainable. Should we be able to secure funding, I could have one (1) Masters student and one (1) post-doctoral fellow who could do the following: o Life-cycle assessment and life cycle costing of the energy production process; o Life-cycle assessment and life cycle costing of the building construction and operation processes; o Sustainability assessment of food and fuel systems; o Research liaison with other northern remote communities on the use of pyrolysis in energy production. The student would be available to participate in the design charrette in January and the post-doctoral fellow could possibly collaborate with the engineers in designing the system. Should the project go forward, the University of Waterloo will be able to provide CAD$25,000 of in-kind support from January 2019 to December 2020, including my time for direct participation, supervision of graduate students, technical support & expertise, and office space. I look forward to following developments in this project.

Dr. Goretty Dias

Re : Northern Centre for Sustainability, Yellowknife, Northwest Territories William Gagnon Green Buildings & Environmental Advocacy Specialist Ecology North +1 867 873 6019 Dear William, Lateral Office is an internationally recognized design practice whose collaborating partners, Lola Sheppard and Mason White, are associate professors at Univeristy of Waterloo and Univeristy of Toronto, respectively. Our work and research is focused on architecture’s relationship to environment, participatory design processes, and new models of sustainability and resilience. We recently authored the book Many Norths: Spatial Practice in a Polar Territory (Actar, 2017), which compiles about 6 years of research on infrastructure, urbanism, and architecture in northern Canada. I recently attended the launch of the Northern Centre for Sustainability in Anchorage, Alaska at the “North by North” Festival at the end of April 2018. This project is of high interest to Lateral Office but also to my research on coldclimate architecture at University of Toronto. Therefore, this letter serves as an expression of interest in establishing a research partnership with Ecology North to support progress on the centre. We have designed various northern projects and, as such, understand the difficulties and practicalities of the design process and construction in the North. I am particularly interested in the public consultation component of the Living Building Challenge. Building to the highest sustainability standards in the North will be a challenge, but will raise the bar in terms of built environment practices across the whole country. This project is already demonstrating reconciliation efforts with the Yellowknives Dene First Nation and this is something of high interest to us. I believe that increasing the discussion on sustainability will encourage collaboration and cooperation among all stakeholders. We are in the process of submitting an application to the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council for up to $200,000 in funding to pursue research on the development of the schematic design for the Northern Centre for Sustainability. As such, I am committed to one week’s worth of time at an hourly rate of CAD$ 120 for a total in-kind donation of CAD$ 4,500 towards the project, in addition to the potential funds from a successful SSHRC grant. In addition, we are in discussion regarding an intern from the University of Toronto’s Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape and Design to provide help in the preparation of the public consultation phase of the project. This is an exciting project that we are delighted to be a part of, and wish the best to Ecology North in moving ahead. Sincerely,

Mason C. White, Partner Associate Professor, Univeristy of Toronto

Youth Climate Lab Amplifying climate action through intergenerationalcollaboration

Northern Centre for Sustainability

WilliamGagnon GreenBuildingsSpecialist EcologyNorth will@ecologynorth.ca

+18678736019 Subject : Northern Centre for Sustainability To Whom it May Concern

t is with great pleasure that lam varitingthis letter of support for Ecology's North Northern Centre for Sustainability.

The Youth Climate Lab is dedicated to creating projects that amplify climate action through intergenerational collaboration. We serve as a connector, facilitator, and designer. We strive to create an environment where youth are activated and mobilized to channel their innovation and creativity into climate policy and climate entrepreneurship.

We understand that the North is a criticalenvironment for the pursuit of sustainability practices. With harsh conditions and scarce resources, residents are constrained. However, innovation has always proven to come from

the need to thrive under difficult circumstances, and through engaging and collaborating with stakeholders that understandthe needs The Youth Climate Lab is currently looking at developing an innovation hub in the North. Ecology North's Northern

Centre for Sustainability comes to us at a perfect time. The Northwest Territories has one of the youngest populations in Canada(Census, 2016), and we are looking forward to empowering youth-led solutions relevant to

tho l\lnrth VVeare strongly supportive of this project and, as such. willwork on developing partnerships,enablingfunding and

acceleratingthe project. Wewillspend a cumulated200 hoursof our time duringthe next yeartowards the development of this project, at an hourly rate of CAD$75, for a totalin-kind donation of CAD$ 15 000. Greeting

Anal

LÂŠ\..,.,.

Co-FoP#lerbnd ManagingDirector Youth Climate Lab