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EVENTS DETAIL

Green Buildings: Leading Edge Practices & Projects

Fresh from the North American Conference on Green Building, Thomas Mueller will talk about leading edge practices and projects and the current state of the art.

WHEN December 15th, 530 pm

  • 5:30 pm registration and no host bar
  • ~6:00 pm dinner
  • ~7:00 pm Presentation followed by discussion

WHEREWater Street Cafe in Gastown 300 Water Street (across from the Steam Clock). Presentation is in the upstairs dining room.

COST $35 members; $40 non-members; $30 students (includes dinner)
Cheque or Cash at the door. (Dinners are always 'low on the food chain' meals. If you have special requirements, please let us know)

TO REGISTER


Seating is limited so reservations are required; please register early as our evenings usually are fully booked. Payment can be made in advance by cheque, or by cash or cheque at the door.

We look forward to seeing you there!


Environmental Trixterism: Joining Eco Ethos with Poetic Utility

The Eco Design Resource Society (EDRS) is pleased to present an evening of discourse with world renound Environmental Public Artist Buster Simpson
7pm October 29th at Emily Carr Institute of Art + Design, Theatre Space Granville Island No advance registration, everyone welcome!

Buster Simpson is an artist who works primarily in the public realm. Key to his aesthetic is his belief that the complexity of any site is an asset to build upon in order to reveal, and distill its layers. Process, social, economic, and political realities, cultural aspirations, and environmental conditions are used to inform his projects. The balance or edge between the ethereal and sustainable becomes what he calls ‘poetic utility.' Simpson's projects range from agit props and community interventions to complex infrastructures and comprehensive urban design projects. He feels that an artist contributes a vital element to the process of creating meaningful place. Water is often one of the major components in this artist's work.

Current Projects include collaborations with an array of engineers, architects, and scientists in the development of a new $1.3 billion waste water facility, to be completed in 2010. In addition he is instrumental in the installation of a tunnel entry called Autocorset in downtown Los Angeles, a collaboration on the design of an innovative 1,500 foot mass transit bridge in Phoenix, the reclamation of an abandoned aggregate plant site in Redding, and an urban waterway master plan for the San Lorenzo River on the coast of California. For the past five years, he has collaborated with community designers and engineers to implement a sustainable urban watershed project, encompassing a densely populated eight-block urban streetscape.

For more information on Buster Simpson and his work, click into www.bustersimpson.net

Event Summary

For those who attended the EDRS October evening of discourse with Buster Simpson you’ll probably agree that it can best be described with one word: Wow!

Buster’s works, the stories they tell, and the stories he tells about them, are inspiring and provocative. His works reflect, demonstrate, invite and celebrate connections — natural, social, historic, political. Some works portray our history and the impacts of choices we’ve made in the past while simultaneously providing visible examples of sustainability-encapsulated design and ways we can make more sustainable choices now and in the future. Profound, often whimsical, and sometimes quite cheeky, Buster’s works are connected to their environments aesthetically and functionally and offer teaching/learning moments at the same time.

So often our designs hide or otherwise make invisible the systems that support us and the relationships that connect us to one another. Sustainability has called us to recognize and think differently about many of these veiled or hidden systems and relationships but, even as many scramble and struggle with understanding & finding sustainability-oriented solutions, the sustainability idea itself is becoming normalized and formalized. While this process may be seen as quite naturally a ‘settling’ process, Buster’s work reminds us and challenges us to keep seeking and engaging creative streams; to explore and extend beyond the boundaries of the familiar; and to awaken and re-member the magic and delight of connection and place that should remain familiar to us all.

Thanks to Buster for his presentation and post-presentation time with us; to Bryan (COV Public Art) and Greg (Emily Carr) for providing support & resources to host Buster; and to EDRS Board Members Matt and Dolores particularly for all the persistence to realize a >3year EDRS dream to have an event on public art and sustainability. Buster was certainly well worth waiting for!

For those who missed it, you may want to check out his site at www.bustersimpson.net. My personal favorites on the site: The Water Glass & Water Table, and First Ave Treeguards . But then I had additional stories to go with them too! [grin]

FSC


Eco-industrial Networking and Sustainable Community Design - the Maplewood Charrette Experience.

EDRS is pleased to offer a presentation on the innovative field of Eco-Industrial Networking (EIN) and how it applies to community design -- by our own EDRS Vice-President, Mark Holland!

Mark Holland has been part of a team developing EIN and sustainable community plans for the community of Maplewood in the District of North Vancouver. On the weekend of May 24th, this year, 2 years of work culminated in one of the most innovative charrettes the region has seen. Mark will present the results of this charrette, including insights and background on the practice of EIN and the unique opportunities a community with a significant area of industrial land uses offers in regard to sustainability.

EIN is the practice of developing physical and business relationships between companies, a community and a local government to increase profitability while increasing environmental and overall sustainability performance. EIN is rapidly gaining profile across North America as business parks and industrial areas work to increase their efficiencies and environmental performance. This charrette took the step of including a residential community and town centre concept in the industrial considerations. The Maplewood charrette approached the challenge of design starting with energy, water, material and waste flows and identifying needs and possible economic opportunities for each amongst companies and the community and then considered changes in land use and design to support these. Engineers and development economists were involved in each of the teams, along with a team of public artists, to both ground-truth the ideas as the teams went along, and to promote creativity in the engineering.

As many of you know, Mark is an engaging speaker and the evening promises to be interesting.

WHEN: Tuesday, June24, 2003 @ 5:30 pm

    Registration and cash bar: 5:30
    Dinner: ~6:15 (low-on-the-food-chain entrees)
    Presentation & Discussion: ~7:30

WHERE: Water Street Cafe, 300 Water Street
The Water St Café is located at the corner of Water St and Cambie St in Gastown - presentation is in the upstairs dining room.

COST: $35 members; $40 non-members; $30 students (includes dinner)
Cheque or Cash at the door.

TO REGISTER:

Seating is limited so reservations are required; please register early as the EDRS speaker evenings are often fully-booked.


The Kyoto Protocol, Our Region, Our Cities and Green Development

EDRS is proud to offer the next in our green development speaker series - a joint presentation by Aldyen Donnelly (GEMCO) and Jennie Moore (GVRD) on the Kyoto Agreement and on the GVRD's approach to developing a corporate GHG emission reduction credit tracking system.

Most all those involved in green development cheered when the federal government ratified the Kyoto agreement last year. Now, we are exploring what it really means to our region and our projects.

Aldyen Donnelly is one of Canada's leading experts on climate change and the Kyoto Agreement - including its good and bad points and what it means to Canadian business and the energy sector. Aldyen will address the existing federal government plan for implementing the Kyoto Protocol and concerns that it relies very heavily on increases in federal taxation of energy consumption to raise funding for federally- administered climate change programmes. There are also concerns that the Kyoto Agreement is going to fail once the general public understands the tax implications of the plan and because most federal climate change programs ironically may not be designed to effectively achieve real reductions in Canada's GHG inventory. Credit trading is seen as a key mechanism that will mobilize private sector investment in energy efficiency and sustainable development practices, although there are concerns that credit trading plays too small a role in the federal strategy. Her presentation promises to be a high-energy, fast-paced, fact-filled exploration of this issue.

Jennie Moore will then discuss the GVRD's approach to working with its member municipalities through the Partners for Climate Protection Program as well as work underway to explore how the GVRD might track its own GHG emission reductions. This presentation will provide perspectives on the important role of design as a tool for reducing greenhouse gas emissions as well as the challenges associated with local government action and insight regarding some of the considerations that need to be brought to bear when attempting to develop a corporate tracking system.

BIOs for both presenters can be found after registration information below.

WHEN: Tuesday, April 15, 2003 @ 5:30 pm

    Registration and cash bar: 5:30
    Dinner: ~6:15 (choice of 3 low-on-the-food-chain entrees)
    Presentation & Discussion: ~7:30

WHERE: Water Street Cafe, 300 Water Street
The Water St Café is located at the corner of Water St and Cambie St in Gastown - presentation is in the upstairs dining room.

COST: $35 members; $40 non-members; $30 students (includes dinner)
Cheque or Cash at the door.

TO REGISTER:

    by email: [email protected]
    by phone: Dolores Altin: 604.822.5148
    by fax: 604.822-2184 (clearly marked: Attn. Dolores Altin)

Seating is limited so reservations are required; please register early as the EDRS speaker evenings are often fully-booked.

Payment can be made in advance by cheque, or by cash or cheque at the door.

SPEAKER BIOS

Aldyen Donnelly

Aldyen has been the President of the Greenhouse Emissions Management Consortium ( GEMCo ) since its creation in 1996. The Greenhouse Emissions Management Consortium ( GEMCo ) is a not-for profit corporation formed by Canadian energy companies to demonstrate industry leadership in the development of market-based approaches to greenhouse gas ( GHG ) emissions management. Seven Canadian energy companies that had been loosely collaborating since early 1995 established GEMCo in mid-1996. GEMCo s mandate is to develop greenhouse gas emission offsetting projects and emission reduction credit transactions for member investment. GEMCo is a founding sponsor of Canada's Greenhouse Emissions Trading Pilot (GERT").

The founding members initially worked together to learn to develop corporate GHG issue management strategies and business planning systems that integrated investment in GHG emission offsets in corporate investment decision-making. Since December 1997, GEMCo and its members have committed almost $40 Million (Cdn.) to research, new technology and innovation-based projects, largely acting as a buyer in carbon emission reduction credit option and forward purchase agreements.

Prior to her work with GEMCo, Aldyen served as the Senior Economist in Westcoast Energy Inc. s Sustainable Development Office. Reporting to the Chair of the Westcoast s Sustainable Development Council, Ms. Donnelly participated in the development and implementation of environmental and sustainable development policy, including; (1) the integration of environmental management and emerging energy business strategies; (2) environmental issues management; (3) sustainable development education and training.

Prior to her work with Westcoast Energy, Ms. Donnelly worked as a consultant specialised in: environmental technology evaluation and marketing; public policy and program evaluation; and new technology business financing, both for her own company and for KPMG.

Jennie Moore

Jennie Moore is a Demand Side Management Planner with the Greater Vancouver Regional District. Her work focuses on building local capacity to implement actions for sustainable communities. She assisted the BC Greenhouse Gas Forum in developing BC's negotiating position on emission reduction targets and preferred policy measures relative to the 1997 Kyoto Protocol. She developed the Greater Vancouver Regional District Employee Trip Reduction Program which received an Eco-Action award of recognition from the Federal Government in 1998, and the Regional and Local Government Working Group on Climate Change which has been recognized as a best practice by the Canadian National Climate Change Secretariat.

In 2001 she was invited by the International Council of Local Environmental Initiatives to participate in the U.S. and Canadian Municipal Leaders Rio+10 Preparatory Meeting for the United Nations World Summit on Sustainable Development. Recently she developed the Greater Vancouver Regional District, Corporate Energy Policy and is currently working on a Greenhouse Gas Action Guide to assist member municipalities with the development and implementation of their own Local Action Plans. She is also involved in the Sustainable Region Initiative.


Dinner and presentation by Robert Barrs and Herb Barbolet

From Rooftops to Restaurants: An Exploration of the Latest in Planning for Sustainable Urban Food Systems

Culture, architecture and fine food - some of the foremost things we think of when considering the great aspects of cities. Interestingly, however, while city planning and design in North America may address culture and architecture, it has missed the many marvellous opportunities that the growing, processing and selling of food and its exhibition in the public realm can offer a community. These activities are conventionally zoned either to the edges or out of the city altogether resulting in poorer ecological performance and a significant number of missed opportunities for social interaction, learning and cultural activity.

The challenge of sustainable cities has re-introduced the art and science of "food" to urban planning and design. Some of the most progressive work on this topic in recent years was done here in Vancouver last year for the Southeast False Creek model sustainable urban neighbourhood planning process. A team led by Rob Barrs produced a fascinating report on the issues of urban sustainability from the perspective of food and agriculture systems. It highlighted the potential of urban agriculture to link together numerous aspects of a sustainable community and offered development-friendly guidelines on how to identify and claim the many benefits a more sustainable local food system can offer a high density development.

EDRS is pleased to provide an opportunity to hear about this latest work in urban agriculture planning from Rob Barrs along with perspectives on key food issues in our region and the world from the widely respected Herb Barbolet of Farm Folk City Folk.

WHEN: Tuesday, March 18th, 2003 @ 5:30 pm

    Registration and cash bar: 5:30
    Dinner: ~6:15
    Presentation & Discussion: ~7:30

WHERE: Water Street Cafe, 300 Water Street
The Water St Café is located at the corner of Water St and Cambie St in Gastown - presentation is in the upstairs dining room.

COST: $35 members; $40 non-members; $30 students (includes dinner)
Cheque or Cash at the door.

TO REGISTER:

Seating is limited so reservations are required; please register early as our evenings usually are fully booked. Payment can be made in advance by cheque, or by cash or cheque at the door.

Robert Barrs MCIP, M.Sc

Robert Barrs is a principal of the Holland Barrs Planning Group, a Vancouver-based planning consulting firm focusing on sustainable urban development. He has dedicated a number of years to the study and practice of community food systems and urban agriculture projects in both the non-profit sector and as a consultant. Rob is the prime author of the recently completed Southeast False Creek Urban Agriculture Strategy that examines community food strategies for Vancouver's planned 80-acre sustainable community. This study, perhaps the first its kind, focuses on practical policy and implementation steps that address food issues in a high density community from a number of perspectives. Rob was also recently the keynote speaker in Hong Kong at the Organic Hong Kong 2001 conference.

Rob's other research and writing has covered a broad range of topics, including tax strategies for greening municipalities, environmental stewardship of school landscapes, public green building programs, and a protocol for developing Eco-Industrial Complexes (multi-tenant, high performance buildings incorporating the principle of resource sharing).

Rob currently sits on the board of directors of Smart Growth BC, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting compact, transit-friendly, mixed-use communities.

The SEFC Urban Agriculture Strategy report is available as a pdf document at: http://cityfarmer.org/SEFalseCreekFinal.html#southeast

Herb Barbolet Executive Director, FarmFolk/CityFolk

Herb Barbolet has worked in Community Development for 30 years. He has been the founding member of numerous limited companies, cooperatives, and non-profits, including FarmFolk/CityFolk, which he is still with. FarmFolk/CityFolk Nurtures Food Democracy and works on issues of food security, food policy, agriculture, and related topics. Herb is a monthly participant on CBC Almanac's Food Panel and appears regularly in all media. Co-author of FarmFolk/CityFolk, the book, Herb is currently working on his second book. Many consider Herb Barbolet to be a leader of the sustainable food movement in Canada.


BLUE VINYL

The Cascadia Chapter of the USGBC and The EcoDesign Resource Society (EDRS) are proud to present:

BLUE VINYL a film by Judith Helfand & Daniel Gold

2002 Sundance Film Festival ** Excellence in Cinematography Award Winner**
2002 Environmental Grantmakers Assoc. **Environmental Messenger of the Year Award**

With humor, chutzpah and a piece of vinyl siding in hand, Daniel Gold & Judith Helfand's award-winning Blue Vinyl picks up where Helfand's Peabody award-winning film A Healthy Baby Girl left off - in search of the truth about vinyl, America's most popular plastic. Helfand's parents' decision to 're-side' their house with this seemingly benign cure-all for many suburban homes turns into a toxic odyssey with twists and turns that most ordinary homeowners would never dare to take. A detective story, an eco-activism doc and a rollicking comedy all rolled into one - its a journey you can't afford to miss!

WHEN FEB.11,2003 6:30 p.m.- 9:30 p.m.

WHERE UBC Robson Square Theatre, 800 Robson St. Vancouver, BC

COST $15.00 payable by cash or cheque at the door

RESERVATIONS


Eco-Industrial Networking: The new dimension in green planning, business development and triple bottom line profitability.

CANCELLED due to presenter illness. Best wishes to Tracy for a quick recovery.

Start this new year with a powerful view into some of the most innovative steps being taken in increasing business opportunity and profitability through attention to environmental and community issues - Eco-Industrial Networking (EIN).

EDRS is pleased to present an enjoyable evening on January 14th, 2003, with Tracy Casavant [1], a Vancouver-based engineer, widely recognized as one of Canada's leading experts in the field of EIN. Ms Casavant will be speaking on her most recent work, including observations and recommendations on how to integrate the principles of EIN into urban and development planning projects. Eco-Industrial Networks are the physical and business systems established to address the principles of Industrial Ecology, including the perspective that all wastes are simply unused resources. Ms Casavant works to integrate these principles into the planning and management of communities, commercial areas, industrial parks and multi-tenant commercial buildings. She has a number of innovative projects in Western Canada including several in the GVRD and is forming some of the more interesting collaborations between a chemical engineer and development professionals we have seen in a long time. EIN is rapidly becoming part of sustainability planning and design, including being the focus of strong interest by the GVRD, Industry Canada, and the Federation of Canadian Municipalities. This event offers you an opportunity to get an insightful overview of projects, processes, issues and challenges in this cutting edge field by one of its leaders.

WHEN: Tuesday, January 14th, 2003 @ 5:30 pm

    Registration and cash bar: 5:30
    Dinner: ~6:15
    Presentation & Discussion: ~7:15-9

WHERE: Water Street Cafe, 300 Water Street

COST: $35 members; $40 non-members; $30 students (includes dinner)

TO REGISTER:

    by email: [email protected]
    by phone: 604.688.9769
    by fax: 604.985.7385

Seating is limited so reservations are required; please register early as our evenings usually are fully booked. Payment can be made in advance by cheque, or by cash or cheque at the door.

Tracy Casavant, P.Eng., MES, Principal, Eco-Industrial Solutions Ltd.

Ms Casavant is a leading consultant in Canada with a focus on eco-industrial projects. She has a number of innovative projects currently in development in Western Canada. She is working on the Maplewood Community Eco-Industrial Partnership in North Vancouver; in which both industrial relationships and the community are being planned to integrate both industrial activity and sustainable community planning. She is also leading work in the development of the Hinton Sustainable Industries Park in Alberta, which will involve the creation of an energy and materials efficient industrial operations within a ‘green’ site that incorporates alternative energy systems, high performance buildings, and ecological design. Other projects include two recently completed studies for the GVRD and the City of Richmond, and an eco-industrial audit for a major Canadian telecommunications company.

Tracy holds a Master of Environmental Studies from Dalhousie University, and a Bachelor of Applied Science in Chemical Engineering with Honours from the University of British Columbia. She is a Director for the emerging North American Eco-Industrial Development Council, and research advisor for graduate students in industrial ecology at Dalhousie and Royal Roads University. She has made numerous presentations on eco-industrial networking, to organizations including the Council of Alberta Recyclers, Canadian Society of Chemical Engineers, and the Technical Association of the Pulp and Paper Industry.