like Landmark, to raise funds for much needed medical equipment. This year, they’re raising funds towards the purchase of the gamma knife, a robotic surgery technol- ogy that will mean those at the Lois Hole Hospital for Women benefiting from it will have a much shorter hos- pital stay, less pain, minimal scarring, and a significantly faster recovery. For those with life-threatening growths, like cancerous tumours, it means getting a treatment at home that they would have had to travel to get, spending out-of-pocket amounts many just can’t afford. Of their participation in the lottery, Landmark's founder and CEO Reza, says: “After I was appointed as a trustee of the University Hospital Foundation in the early 1990s, I soon realized the tremendous potential the foundation had to help the U of A hospital in research and palliative care. Once I understood this, I decided to help their cause as best as I could. So Landmark started building the House of Hope. All profits from each House of Hope were donated to the Foundation. In 1998, Land- mark switched from building the House of Hope to build- ing homes for the Full House Lottery. We continue to participate because it is a very big source of income for the Foundation—and I want to help them succeed.” This year, Landmark built the “The Mendelssohn II,” a Built Green Platinum certified, net-zero home— meaning it produces as much energy as it consumes. While giving to a fantastic cause, Landmark dispels misconceptions of unattractive green building because, as anyone who’s taken a walk through can see, The Mendelssohn II is completely gorgeous. As its certification suggests, it’s also been built to be sustainable: for the environment and the homeowner. When people look at a home like The Mendelssohn II, they likely won’t understand why or how it’s sustain- able—public awareness just isn’t there yet, but thanks to progressive builders, we’re getting there. Landmark is brilliant at showing with perfect simplicity how their homes are helping the environment and the homeowner. They call them “silent sellers”: decals with concise ex- planations of how a particular feature is performing. For instance, on Landmark windows, the silent seller sticker says, “Money-Saving Feature: triple-pane windows offer superior insulation and are up to 100 per cent more en- ergy efficient than dual-pane windows.” Simple, clear, and it tells customers just what they need to know. Another decal says, “Money-Saving Feature: heat re- covery ventilation transfers heat from stale outgoing air to fresh incoming air while reducing allergens and air- borne contaminants.” These tips give the consumer in- sight into what it means for a home to be green built, while promoting the concept itself. This makes way for increased awareness, which means more people start asking for green building—for the environment, but also for their own health and finances. The method of edu- cating consumers on green building doesn’t have to be complex—it’s far easier to digest if it’s not—but it needs to be communicated in a way that consumers can see benefits for all involved, which is what Landmark strives for. The company says: “Landmark's position for becom- ing a sustainable builder is not based on emotion, but on sound business principles, economics, and progres- sive thinking. It's a responsible and conscious decision we've made to benefit everyone, including our own cus- tomers, communities, and our planet.” Simply put, envi- ronmental consciousness is a solid business plan and a responsible move for all involved. Financial sustainability, for stakeholders, employees, and community, is another pillar of sustainability. Without a solid economy, human sustainability is compromised. This is one of the reasons Landmark’s green building program of choice, Built The Canadian Design and Construction Report — Summer 2014 – 17