March 3, 2008

Green Building

LEED-certified buildings would help Sault Ste. Marie to capitalize on green image, expert says

ELAINE DELLA-MATTIA

correspondent

Sault Ste. Marie

While Sault Ste. Marie is already exceptionally “green” it needs LEED buildings to capitalize on its natural strengths, said an expert in the field.

Mark Lucuik, an engineer and partner with Ottawa-based Morrison Hershfield Consulting Engineers, told the city’s municipal council recently that its “Naturally Gifted” slogan could read “Naturally Green” if the city promotes itself as a green community.

“There is significant opportunity for Sault Ste. Marie to label itself as a green or sustainable city that would attract tourism, result in community pride and help with its growth,” said Lucuik, who hails from the Northern Ontario city.

He said the Sault is already an exceptionally green city, far ahead of others similar size, and should capitalize on its natural strengths and ensure that green buildings are created.

“The Sault is an exporter of green energy already, with hydro and wind and soon-to-be solar and it’s in a unique situation in North America for its size,” he said.

The city has an abundance of green space and rugged terrain that offers great opportunity; it already exports renewable energy and encourages a healthy lifestyle.

But what is missing is LEED buildings to showcase the community and bring people to it.

“Really, that’s an easy thing to do relative to the other centres like North Bay and Sudbury where it would cost them billions of dollars to get to where Sault Ste. Marie is now,” Lucuik said.

A member of the Canada Green Building Council, which oversees the LEED (Leadership in Environmental Energy and Design) program, Lucuik said the environment has been the number one issue for Canadians over the past four years.

He said that while there are no LEED buildings in Sault Ste. Marie currently, he expects some newer structures, including residences, have “green” factors.

“I suspect you’ll be seeing a lot more LEED buildings in the coming years,” he said.

It’s a new standard that is being adopted by businesses and corporations and the federal government is obliged to build green while the provincial government is not far behind, Lucuik said.

He was the lead author of a March 2005 report called A Business Case for Green Buildings in Canada.

The report was presented to Industry Canada and focused on how green buildings are different and more valuable than conventional buildings.

Their features typically include good-quality natural light, high-end electrical lighting with lower energy requirements and environmentally-efficient building materials.

Other factors include well-managed and innovative water systems and plumbing fixtures and use of roof water for irrigation systems and high-end air quality systems. Reports indicate that green buildings help the environment, are more cost effective, increase productivity and sales and enhance worker productivity.

About 10 per cent of buildings in North America are considered “green” and LEED certified and the numbers of green buildings being constructed is doubling annually with no signs of slowing down.

Lucuik pointed to a study suggesting that by 2030, carbon dioxide should be reduced by 90 per cent in buildings, a target he said is unattainable.

The architecture profession, for its part, has endorsed the goal of helping make buildings carbon-neutral by 2030, and that commitment has been signed on by a number of leading engineers and other construction industry professionals.

To date, there are no LEED buildings in Sault Ste. Marie, but Lucuik is working with architects EPOH Inc. on the design of the new Algoma Public Health building, which is striving for LEED status.

“There is an urgency to this. Things are moving fast and waiting five years could be too long,” he said, suggesting the Sault could be a leader promoting the green agenda.

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