Webday Wednesday - Zero Carbon in Mixed Used Buildings

Title: Zero Carbon in Mixed Used Buildings
Date: November 18, 2020
Presenter:  Jenny McMinn and Craig McIntyre

SESSION:

The Baker District is an exciting City of Guelph redevelopment project aimed at transforming the existing Baker Street municipal parking lot and adjacent properties into a sustainable, complete district located in Guelph’s downtown core. Windmill Developments is leading the planning, design and development for the Baker District, ensuring the creation of a socially and ecologically thriving community. The Baker District is pursuing international endorsement as a One Planet Living community, which necessitates striving for zero-carbon design. 

Located in Guelph, Ontario in Canada, the Baker District belongs to a heating dominant climate. In Ontario, electricity rates are approximately 5 times higher than gas, resulting in heating loads predominantly being met using gas in market-rate developments. As such, multi-unit residential buildings have historically been a source of high carbon and energy use in cities across Ontario. Challenging the status quo, the Baker District has proven that a market-based approach to zero-carbon is possible. 

In this session, drawing from our experience at the Baker District, we explore some of the key challenges and benefits of pursuing a zero-carbon certification in a mixed-use community. The Baker District faced early challenges to find a low-carbon heating and cooling source, which forced the project team through a rigorous design process to find a solution that kept the project on target financially and sustainably. The implementation of a bio-mass based district energy system leverages renewable resources in Canada, while allowing the team to eliminate the need for gas heating on site. An iterative design process around the building envelope was explored to meet the stringent certification requirements and approach Passive House levels of performance. This session will also touch on the use of One Planet Living and the CaGBC’s Zero Carbon Building Standard as a framework and certification to meet the project’s sustainability targets.

LEARNING OUTCOMES:
At the conclusion of this session, participants will be able to:

• Understand the value-add zero carbon brings to market properties.
• Identify and mitigate critical path issues presented when pursuing zero-carbon design.
• Identify key requirements to a zero-carbon district energy system.
• Understand how to reach zero-carbon on a large facility when geothermal is not an option.
• Identify building performance metrics to meet zero carbon design.
• Understand how to apply a market-based approach to sustainable, zero carbon design.

BIO:

Jenny McMinn, B. Arch., B.E.S., LEED AP BD+C

As Managing Director of Urban Equation and Partner of Innovation and Impact at Windmill Development Group, Jenny provides both real estate development and sustainability
advisory across North America. Jenny draws on her experience with Windmill Development Group, one of Canada’s most well-known and accomplished green building developers, to assist her development clients in reaching their sustainability goals. Jenny is actively advising on over 20M square feet of carbon neutral community development. 

Jenny is regularly invited to lead large interdisciplinary development teams through design innovation and sustainability. Her unique background allows her to generate unique value propositions that engage all aspect of development, including impact in sustainability with a positive financial return. Over the last 15 years, she has consulted with both government agencies and developers to deliver award-winning, high-performance green building and community design projects including those targeting One Planet Living, Living Building Challenge, The WELL standard and LEED Platinum.

Jenny sits on the Board of Directors for the Canadian Green Building Council and was recently recognized for leadership in Sustainable Design through her nomination to the City of Toronto’s Design Review Panel. Prior to working in sustainability full-time, Jenny worked with internationally renowned London, England-based architectural firm, Foster + Partners. 

Craig McIntyre PEng, MSc, CMVP, LEED® AP BD+C

With over 15 years of experience in the sustainable design industry, Craig leads the sustainability services division at EQ Building Performance, offering sustainability consulting, LEED project management, commissioning, measurement & verification, and energy modelling services. 

Craig is currently involved in over 50 LEED projects as LEED coordinator, energy simulator, and/or commissioning agent. He applies his extensive expertise in realizing energy savings across buildings in various sectors, including high-rise residential, municipal, academic, and industrial. Craig is recognized as an experienced energy modeling consultant by the CaGBC, Natural Resources Canada, and Enbridge Gas.

Continuing education learning hours: 1 credit

REGISTRATION DEADLINE: Monday, November 16 at 8:00 p.m. ET

WEBINAR REGISTRATION FEE:
$50 for RAIC members, plus applicable taxes.
$75 for non-members, plus applicable taxes.

SCHEDULE: The Webinar will take place on Wednesday, November 18 at 1 p.m. ET in English.
The Canada-wide schedule by time zone is:

More information, including online access instructions and a PDF copy of the slides will be sent to you by email on the Tuesday prior to the Webday webinar. 

*Purchase of webinars and events are non-transferable.