Sometimes we forget how awesome Edmonton is!!!  Our good friend and colleague Shafraaz Kaba has been on an adventure with his family for the past few years.  And we are not talking about a "stay-cation" or a relaxing trip to the Rockies.

The Kaba family has tirelessly and diligently been "Chasing Net-Zero" throughout the design and construction of their home and have been sharing their stories and discoveries along the way in person and on their blog chasingnetzero.blogspot.com .  We were happy to help where we could during the interior work, and always had a great time meeting the vast network of people Shafraaz had called on for some good ole' skill sharing and building.

The result has been an amazing home, dreamt up by a family, executed by an amazing team, and built by a community.

The highlight for us was when David Suzuki and his daughter Sarika spent the day at the Kaba house, learning all about the unique aspects of the homes systems, construction and finishes, while filming for their new show "the Suzuki Diaries".  They even donned safety glasses and work gloves, and with a nail gun in hand, helped finish off the second floor patio!! Amazing!

The Episode will air on CBC this week so be sure to check out the Suzuki Diaries website to see when it airs in your region, or watch it online!

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As we mentioned before, YEGwood.com launched their new line of wooden glasses over the weekend, and we were there to celebrate.  We also joined in on the photo contest fun!  If you are so inclined, you should vote for Stephani and I (Brandy) and we might just win a pair of those fancy shades.

VOTE HERE

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(Reposted from Metro)

Yegwood throwing a launch party Dec. 17 at DaCapo Cafe for their new line of environmentally-friendly sunglasses

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When Edmonton entrepreneur Joey Hundert started his latest venture, he knew Yegwood (eco-friendly Wayfarer style shades) was a great idea, but he also knew he needed more than an event to spread the word. 

“The frames are all-natural woods, typically cut from one solid block of wood. We choose wood because it tells such a great story, whether it’s a recycled century-old abandoned bar, old maritime ships, or beetle-kill from B.C. This is visible in the constant grain patterns on our glasses, where the rings and sometimes even knots can be distinguished,” Hundert explains. 

While the concept is cool, it’s a mouthful to sell. So Hundert and his team got creative.

Relying on the old adage of a picture being worth a thousand words, the team decided to blend an event with a photo contest in order to test the market.

“We sponsored Sustainival, the eco-friendly carnival that took place at the Fringe Festival and that was our first public outing,” says Hundert. “People truly freaked out over our stuff. We held a photo contest at the Fringe and it sparked a huge wave of viral interest in our online story and story.”

In fact, over 30,000 people viewed the contest website during the 10 day festival.

The contest winner garnered over 500 votes alone.

That was enough evidence to get Hundert to organize a stand-alone event for the new line on Dec. 17 at DaCapo Cafe (8739 109 St.).

“We’re throwing a launch party to celebrate the new line of Yegwood sunglasses.”

In addition to being entertained by one of Edmonton’s most legendary DJ’s (Remo de Janeiro), Yegwood is hosting another photo contest where contestants sport one of the new pairs of shades, style it up, and get their photo snapped in a photo booth by a local pro.

The pics are then uploaded to Facebook and yegwood.com where people will vote for their favourite glam shot.

The winner walks away with a custom pair of wood frames worth over $400 and some cool art from Latitude 53. For more information, visit yegwood.com

Yegwood launch party is Dec. 17 at DaCapo Cafe

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We were happy to assist in reviewing the roofing options in the third edition of EcoLiving Magazine.  You can check us out on page 24, and view the entire issue online HERE. But don't just skip ahead, there are actually some great Canadian products and solutions in ScotiaBanks EcoLiving Magazine.

There are also contests, awards and information about rebates. If you're a paper person you are welcome to pick up a copy at your local branch. Enjoy and let us know what your thoughts are.

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Hello All,

We wanted to share a few fun events with you that are going on this weekend :)

Brandy and her man Jeff have been designing, cutting, sanding and polishing for weeks to get everything ready for this weekends Make It Edmonton show.  They only sell at one event a year!  So don't miss your chance to touch their wood :)  Wood jewelry of course.  Man what were you thinking? The premise is that everything sold at this "art and design" show was made by the person selling it!  There is loads of eco stuff, and Dare we say x-mas shopping can finally be fun!  You can find gifts here unlike anywhere else, and for those hard to buy for folks :)
Also be sure to download you $2 off cupon from the Make It! site and come by and say hi to Jeff and Brandy at the Offcut Jewelry booth :)

Stephani is in a funk band called DemocraFunk! They are a 10 piece funk band with horns 'n everything!! Think James Brown / Trombone Shorty / Sharon Jones & the Dap kings!

Steph is the lead signer for this particular show!!! Come on out and dance your butt off :)  They are opening for "Hey Ocean' - which is a fun pop style danceable band too. Wooohoooo!!! it's Steph at the STARLIGHT!!

Advance tickets on sale now at Prime Box Office, and Blackbyrd Myoozik
Direct Link: http://www.primeboxoffice.com/concert/index.aspx?term=hey+ocean&s&e=%24

Screening of Mad City Chickens documentary

Sunday Nov 20  3-5pm
Whitemud Crossing library, 4211 106 St NW, Edmonton
Cost Free!!!
Sponsored by EcoAmmo
Trailer

"Mad City Chickens is a sometimes serious, sometimes whimsical look at the people who keep urban chickens in their backyards. From chicken experts and authors to a rescued landfill hen or an inexperienced family that decides to take the poultry plunge—and even a mad professor and giant hen taking to the streets—it’s a humorous and heartfelt trip through the world of backyard chickendom. " (http://www.tarazod.com/filmsmadchicks.html)

We are super excited to be sponsoring this film. Come on out, learn more, and find out why some Edmontonians want to be great owners and supporters of urban hens.

Have a great weekend!

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Back in May of this year Germany announced they are phasing out nuclear power (which is amazing) but now they have announced how they plan on doing this - and there answer is..... renewable energy!

They are planning on spending over 130 billion in the next five years on renewable energy. They want to generate 35% of their energy needs from renewables by 2020 and by 2050 a whopping 80%!! There is one 'keener' state which projects it will produce 100% of it's energy needs from renewable energy by 2017!! The entire country currently sits at 20% which has already created thousands of jobs and new industries.

There are still issues to be sorted out like storage and transmission - however with the entire country focusing on growing this industry and $274.6 billion available for joint funding initiatives in energy storage research over the next three years, I'm willing to bet the solutions for our storage issues come from Germany too!

To read more on this Good News Story click here: http://www.solarfeeds.com/germany-throws-130-billion-to-renewables/

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We are so proud of our man Jeff, he was selected this year as one of Avenue’s 2011 Top 40 Under 40.  Avenue defines this diverse group as having one similar core value, "they help to improve the quality of life in Edmonton and put this city on the map."

Jeff is a keystone of our company, and a selfless supporter of our team.  He is Brandy's significant other, and is known to throw a mean game of darts.

Re-posted from the avenue magazine website

 

WHY HE’S TOP 40: He finds solutions to every problem, whether it’s creating a fish maze for a zoologist or making something useful out of scraps of lumber. 

KEY TO SUCCESS:  “Design is always a hunt, a search for something, and I get taken away.” 

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Jeff Johnston, Industrial Designer

When the doctors and professors at the University of Alberta’s biology department want to take their research to prototype, only one goateed, kung fu-loving occasional-beekeeper can help: “Jeff from the shop.”

“I have academics coming to me, asking for anything and everything related to biology,” says Jeff Johnston, fabrication workshop coordinator and U of A industrial design instructor. “And I build it.”

Since 2002, he’s been honoured to build hundreds of apparatuses — or, as he might call them, “solutions” — related to zoology, genetics, paleontology and more. “Problem solving is 30 to 40 per cent of what I do. It’s what keeps me going.”

He’s also an independent industrial designer, one who sold a design for a whimsical picture holder to Umbra, which in turn sold more than a million of his products. And, there’s at least 500 people wearing his geometric wood pendants, a solution to two problems — what to do with wood scraps and how to woo his new girlfriend. Four years later, Brandy Burdeniuk, his partner in life and their business, Offcut Jewelry, still gets complimented for that first design whenever she wears it.

Johnston is also teaching design foundations in the U of A’s design department, where he learned his craft 10 years ago.

Together with associate professor Robert Lederer, Johnston came up with one the department’s most successful ideas in 2008. As one of their final projects, students make architecturally inspired pet abodes, which they auction at the annual Pets in the Park. Proceeds — now in the thousands of dollars — go to the Edmonton Humane Society. 

It gives back and challenges his students to seek unique ways of using their talents. “Too many talented people are quick to assume that to be a designer you have to leave for a larger city. There is work that needs to be done here, you just have to be creative and look for it in unexpected places.”

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To check out the rest of the Top 40 Under 40 Selestions visit avenueedmonton.com

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High Fives All Around!

We are very pleased to share that our team was given our very FIRST award today! It is the first of it's kind; the City of Edmonton has made the choice to celebrate and recognize small businesses within the city who are making a positive environmental difference in their business operations. The award is called "The Small Business Eco Challenge Award".

Our office was honored to have won FIRST place for the 1 to 10 employee category. We are equally as proud of our colleagues / friends and clients who also won an award today including Earth Legacy and Oil Country Engineering.

We want to send some positive recognition back to the City of Edmonton, we believe that awards like these will help to foster MORE environmentally friendly action and awareness. Every business CAN do well by doing good!

To read more on this award, to watch the video of the winners or to review the application for next year, please visit the City of Edmonton's website here: http://www.edmonton.ca/environmental/programs/small-business-eco-challenge-video.aspx

We know there are a bunch of our colleagues and peers who are doing amazing things in their offices and we think you should apply next year for the award! If any of our colleagues reading this would like to know more about what we did in our office or in general how to 'green' your office - call us! We would love to share :)

- The Bombshells -

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Pictures provided by the Net-Zero Energy Home Coalition

We are very pleased that one of our long time colleagues and home builder clients was recognized with TWO awards at the Net-Zero Energy Home Coalition Awards Ceremony.

Peter Amerongen is a pioneer in our local area, a leader of sustainability in the residential sector and we are very happy to see him recognized for his hard work and commitment!

Peter Amerongen was awarded the 'Champion of the Year' award! Peter and his team at Habitat Studio and Workshop were awarded the "Product of the Year" award for their ingenious custom built movable solar panel awning system that they designed and installed on the Millcreek Net-Zero Home. So see more information of this product visit the Millcreek Net-Zero Home website.

Picture of the solar panel awning system that won "product of the year" provided by Millcreek Net-Zero Home client.

Once again, Congratulations to Peter and the team at Habitat Studios and Workshop for their continued effort to reduce Edmonton's carbon footprint one house at a time!
 

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Check out this infographic I found at rmi.org

I love love love finding infographics that show the potential for our population and economies to grow, create massive amounts of jobs, while saving trillions of $ and having an end goal of phasing out the production of energy from oil, coal and nuclear :) YAY!

Looks like we have some work to do. I would say more jobs would be created over the long term from this transition, then from the construction of a pipe line to Texas. Just saying :)

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The Live Oak Family Resource Center in Santa Cruz, CA, courtesy of Google Street Views

Today the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) announced a milestone!  They have officially certified the 10,000th LEED commercial project!  Whoot whoot!

I don’t get the chance to quote Bruce Lee very often, so I’ll keep it short. 

In the immortal words of Bruce Lee,“I fear not the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once, but I fear the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times.”

LEED is the one kick, and now it has not only been practiced but implemented 10,000 times! 

10,000 buildings certified is a huge accomplishment, not only for the USGBC, but for all the project teams and building owners that made the commitment to this market changer. 

It is also a great thing for the occupants out there enjoying these buildings!  The 10,000th certified building was The Live Oak Family Resource Center in Santa Cruz, Calif., which was awarded LEED Platinum today.  The local paper, the Santa Cruz Sentinel, did an article about the opening of the building in March of this year.  Writer Jenna Brogan interviewed volunteers and community members that are utilizing the center.  They told stories of their previous building being cramped, inefficient and rundown. Susan Cabrera, president of the board for the Volunteer Center, reminisced about brushing the termite dust off her desk every morning in their old building and Karen Delaney, executive director of the Volunteer Center, has already seen a significant decrease in power costs. “I can’t believe it costs less to be here than in our leaky old trailer,” she laughed.   

The Live Oak Family Resource Center is not only a LEED milestone but an embodiment of the USGBC's Vision to create “buildings and communities [that] will regenerate and sustain the health and vitality of all life within a generation.” The center is a place for families to find guidance, information and referrals on childbirth and parenting, health education and services, youth and senior programs, food distribution and other community needs.  All this under a roof that doesn’t leak, but collects water and generates solar power. 

“We’ve just scratched the surface of what’s possible in the green building field,” said President, CEO and founding chair of the USGBC Rick Fedrizzi, in their press release today. “In 10 short years, we’ve fundamentally changed how we construct and operate buildings and communities, and during that time LEED has continued to evolve, pushing sustainable building practice forward with each evolution. But there’s much more to do. The market continues to embrace LEED as the leadership standard it was meant to be and our kids deserve the outcomes that green buildings contribute to their future.”

As Canadians we should be proud that 101 of these USGBC projects are actually in Canada!  They were registered and in some cases certified before the different LEED systems were available in Canada from the Canada Green Building Council - 4 of which received the highest certification of Platinum.

To end the way we started, I might as well throw in some more Bruce Lee, “There are no limits. There are plateaus, but you must not stay there, you must go beyond them.”

So lets go beyond 10,000 certifications, and look forward to the day when LEED is integrated into our building code and considered best practices.  We can all dream of that day and work hard towards it.

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Jack Layton rides his bike down from Parliament Hill in Ottawa back in 2005. TOM HANSON/CP

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http://www.greenbiz.com/blog/2011/08/17/passive-buildings-vs-active-marketing-whats-name

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UPDATE: Ray Anderson's legacy continues! read more here: http://www.greenbiz.com/blog/2011/08/10/ray-andersons-legacy

I'm very sad to read the news today that Ray Anderson has passed away. If you do not know who he is... was... he was an influential business person who did a lot of good. I was fortunate enough to meet him and his kindness and care were genuine and inspiring. What I really liked about Mr. Anderson was that he was a CEO who spoke to his peers about the influence they have both negative and positive. He fought the good fight from within the system, he reached decision makers like no outside consultant or NGO could. He played a big part in shaping our rapidly changing green building product world, and I am sad to read of his passing. May his passion and legacy inspire all of us to continue!

http://www.greenbiz.com/blog/2011/08/08/ray-anderson-appreciation?utm_source=GreenBuzz&utm_campaign=e0b10c04d4-GreenBuzz-2011-08-09&utm_medium=email

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Hello everyone,

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We are very proud of our friend Phil Deeg. He works in the same building where our office is located and looks at the same empty site we do which once was an Esso gas station. Everyone complains about these eye sore sites or other areas of the city that need attention, but it is those rare few who actually do something about them! These folks change the world, and with his proposal to Esso and Alberta Environment, Phil is doing just that. We think his idea is great, while the soils need remediation, that does not mean that a well designed and structurally sound temporary platform could not be built above. This would allow folks to use and enjoy the space while making the site pleasing to look at and be near. Read more about Phil's proposal on the Edmonton Journal website! Get inspired and 'be the change you wish to see in the world' - gandhi

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We would like to take this moment to share a positive news story - the LEED for Home in Slave Lake was one of the lucky homes and survived the fire! A recent article in the Lakeside Leader told this good news story. Ecological homes is company behind the project and their president Les Hagen believes that "a green home shouldn't put you in the red' and we agree. To read the full article - click here. If you would like to learn more about LEED for home certification, please contact us!

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We just wanted to send out a HUGE thank you to everyone who came to celebrate our 5th year anniversary party last week, and all those who could not come but sent thoughtful notes, cards, and flowers. We had so much fun! Thank you to everyone who helped us prepare and execute the party - we could not have done it with out your help :)

Every person we have worked with and volunteered with over these 5 years has played a role in helping us achieve this goal! We look forward to continuing to work with you and celebrating again as the years progress.

THANK YOU!

- The Bombshells -

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FOR ONE DAY ONLY, June 4th 2011 from noon-4pm you can see what was once impossible realized!

We <3 the Eco-Solar Home tour and are super excited that there are 9 sites to visit this year! And it's FREE!

These homes in the Edmonton area are showcasing:

solar electricity

solar water heating

geothermal heating

energy efficiency

combined heat and power

and 3 net-zero energy houses (!!!)

Come join us! We will be having fun, as we do, so come out and learn how we can ALL SAVE MONEY reducing OUR heating, electricity and water bills, and OUR environmental footprint.

Check out their web site at www.ecosolar.ca for all the details about the tour and the houses.  There is even a feature in Avenue Magizine this month about the tour!

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We are very happy to be monitoring the Sustainable Building Symposium this year! We will be on site both in Edmonton and Calgary tracking things like energy, waste, and water to assist the Canada Green Building Council Alberta Chapter in their goal to reduce their environmental impact at their events!

Look for us at the SBS wearing our cool swank!

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