A message from Thomas Mueller, President & CEO, Canada Green Building Council

Welcome to the latest issue of Atlantic FOCUS, a partnership between Sustainable Architecture & Building Magazine and the Canada Green Building Council (CAGBC). In this issue, you’ll read about exciting new projects like the Adsum Sunflower 25-unit affordable housing project and the LEED® Gold certified Canadian Coastguard regional headquarters, among others.

This issue also celebrates the return of BuildGreen Atlantic, demonstrating the ongoing support for green building on Canada’s east coast. CAGBC looks forward to participating as a workshop sponsor.

Speaking of coasts, CAGBC’s annual conference will be returning to Vancouver. Building Lasting Change will run June 1-2, 2023 and host representatives from across the building spectrum. This year’s program will focus heavily on decarbonizing the building sector to achieve Canada’s ambitious climate targets.

This shift doesn’t alter our commitment to the more holistic benefits of green buildings. We continue to support green buildings as a way to eliminate environmental impacts, enhance biodiversity, and improve human health and wellbeing. However, in this critical decade for climate action, we recognize the need for decisive action – and zero-carbon buildings offer a proven solution to significant carbon reductions. Whether you are interested in new building design or retrofit, electrification or embodied carbon, green technology or sustainable finance, we hope you’ll join us in Vancouver and be part of this important discussion.

Since its creation 20 years ago, CAGBC has worked to provide the building sector with sustainable solutions that are as effective for business as they are for people and the planet. Our approach to carbon reduction builds on the industry capabilities we have nurtured since the early 2000s and now support through our Zero Carbon Building standards, Accelerating to Zero education series, and our industry-driven Accelerators and working groups.

Achieving meaningful climate action means all buildings must be zero-carbon, and deep carbon retrofits are essential. Meeting 2030 and 2050 targets will require building owners and operators to advance their asset- and portfolio-level transition planning. Building owners must consider investments in carbon reduction with every planned improvement or retrofit to ensure assets retain their value in the coming years.

As the real estate sector and other companies move toward adopting Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) goals as key performance metrics, CAGBC will be ready with the tools and services needed to measure, report and achieve environmental targets. The need to recognize and report climate risk will also increase interest in third-party certifications as a tool for the real estate investment community.

Now is a critical time for the building sector, and we hope you will join us at Building Lasting Change to contribute to the discussion and learn about the transition to zero carbon.

Sincerely,

Thomas Mueller President & CEO, Canada Green Building Council