January 25, 2007

Environment

Architects demand federal action

PATRICIA WILLIAMS

staff writer

The Royal Architectural Institute of Canada (RAIC) has called on the federal government “to stop sending mixed messages” and get serious about the environment.

“While, with great fanfare, the government publicly issues announcements about funding energy efficiency, it quietly cuts programs,” the institute said.

It cited a recent announcement on the Natural Resources Canada web site stating all funding for the Commercial Building Incentive Program (CBIP) for new buildings is now fully subscribed.

In an interview, RAIC president Vivian Manasc of Edmonton said funding cutbacks are just one part of the equation.

“The bigger picture is that we are trying to challenge the government to get serious on climate change, to get serious on reducing greenhouse gas emissions,” she told Daily Commercial News.

“The CBIP program is simply an indicator of the attitude of the government. Incentives in general are not just being provided. The real issue for us is that we need to see better incentive programs in place.”

Last July, the CBIP program received funding for continued activities until March 31, 2007. On its web site, Natural Resources Canada said “a high volume of submissions” were received, resulting in the program being fully subscribed.

“The program is not accepting any new submissions for funding,” it said.

"We are trying to challenge the government to get serious on climate change."

Vivian Manasc

RAIC

It was unclear, however, whether that applies simply to 2006-2007. There was no indication whether funding is in the works for the upcoming fiscal year.

Departmental officials were not immediately available for comment Tuesday.

In a release, Manasc, principal of Edmonton’s Manasc Isaac Architects, pointed out that the built environment accounts for almost half of all greenhouse gas emissions.

“Considering that architects across Canada have between $40 to $50 billion worth of projects ‘on the boards’, and that buildings last for 50 to 100 years, the government’s lack of real commitment is appalling.

“We think it is time they got serious and raised rather than eliminated incentives to increasing energy efficiency.”

The RAIC recently joined the 2030 Challenge, a global initiative which calls for all new buildings and major renovations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 50 per cent immediately. This initiative calls for all new buildings to be “carbon neutral” by 2030.

“That would mean that by 2030, the construction and operation of buildings will no longer require the consumption of fossil fuel energy or emit greenhouse gases,“ Manasc said.

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