Move into Saskatchewan and Manitoba coincides with tenth anniversary
Canadian Design and Construction Report staff writer
Coinciding with Built Green Canada’s tenth anniversary, the organization announces its expansion into Saskatchewan and Manitoba, and will be operative in the New Year. This move marks the success of the organization, in large part, due to those in the residential building sector.
The expansion addresses the growing demand for responsible sustainability practices driven by builders, developers,government, and homeowners. Built Green’s programs recognize energy efficiency as a fundamental component and move beyond this to include electrical efficiency, water efficiency, indoor air quality, resource use and overall environmental impact.
New building code changes (9.36) coming in 2014 are expected to escalate costs for builders. “Builders can invest the dollars required to reach the new industry standards taking a prescriptive route, or they can spend the equivalent to comply with the new code and participate in our program,” says Jenifer Christenson, Built Green Canada’s executive director. “As such, our programs are complementary to the incoming standards.”
Built Green is affordable, third-party certified and easily implementable with pre–approved sample checklists and guides. Built Green builders have a competitive advantage, showing leadership through sustainable practices, while gaining credibility with third–party certification—ultimately offering better built homes for homeowners to enjoy now and in the years to come.
A Built Green homeowner enjoys an efficient, environmentally friendly home that is healthier, more durable, comfortable and quiet, with better air quality.The home is less expensive to live in with lower monthly operating costs than a home built to industry standard, and further, it enhances the value and retention of the house.
Built Green Canada is an industry-driven organization offering programs for single family and high density projects, with a renovations and a communities program under development. Theorganization is“by builders for builders”, so the programsare informed by the industry to ensure they’re robust,credible, and achievable.
Since its inception, BuiltGreen has enrolled and completed over 20,500 Built Green certified homes represented in Alberta, BritishColumbia and Ontario—including the units in multi-storey projects, the total is over 23,500. “We are leading the way in sustainability performance for residential home construction,” the organization says in a news release.
