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Green buildings grow in Sudbury

While environmental issues may have taken a backseat in the federal election, there?s some exciting progress in the area of sustainable development in our fair city.

While environmental issues may have taken a backseat in the federal election, there?s some exciting progress in the area of sustainable development in our fair city.

Last Thursday, Pierre Gratton, vice-president for sustainable development at the Mining Association of Canada, spoke to the Sudbury branch of the
Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (CIM) about this topic.

?This concept of sustainable development, looking at the environmental, social and economic bottom lines together, has been embraced by the mining sector. For example, they have done more than any other Canadian industrial sector in cutting energy costs. That in turn reduces their greenhouse gas emissions. In fact, Inco and Falconbridge have the best record of Canadian mining companies in this regard,? Gratton told Northern Life.

Sustainable development is becoming so intertwined with other sectors in Sudbury, such as education, that the outside world is taking notice.

On Thursday, the Rainbow School Board brought Chuck Hopkins, a United Nations chair on education for sustainable development, to Lockerby Composite School to speak to teachers and school board staff. He applauded Sudbury?s role in the Destination Conservation program, whereby all four school boards have involved students, maintenance staff and teachers in cutting energy use in schools. School boards are saving anywhere
from $75,000 to $150,000 per year in energy costs and are providing hands-on instruction and involvement to students.

?The new concept is to see our buildings as teachers, showing us there are ways to conserve resources by the actions we take in our structures. That is the core of the destination conservation program,? said Hopkins.

The former Espanola resident spoke Friday, to EarthCare Sudbury community partners about designating this city as a regional center of excellence for sustainable development.

Sudbury?s expertise in sustainable development could be shared or exported, said Hopkins.

Sudbury?s shown leadership in building green, as seen in the high energy efficiency standards of the Northern Ontario School of Medicine.

Currently, there are plans underway for new green building at Laurentian University with the English School of Education, designed by architects
Castellan James and Partners.

New concepts such as a green vegetative roof, high-energy efficiency, maximizing natural lighting and ventilation and reducing the building?s impact on its surroundings were in the conceptual site plan presented by Castellan last week at Lockerby Composite School.

Many of these conceptual ideas were developed by Castellan and James for the Living With Lakes Centre, another green building proposed for
Laurentian.

Sudbury Mayor David Courtemanche shares Hopkins? vision for the city as a regional center of excellence for sustainable development.

?If you inventory what we have done in terms of the mining cluster and our activities in sustainable development, these two efforts set our city apart from others and contribute to a better image we can be proud of.

I think our community has a lot to offer other communities around the world, in terms of sustainable development.

All citizens are understanding this because any time anyone walks outside they can see what the re-greening program has meant to this city,? said Coutemanche

The mayor said city staff are in the final stages of completing a new official plan for the City of Greater Sudbury.

?This official plan, the first in 25 years, is a comprehensive document that will guide development for the next 20 years. Sustainable development and healthy communities is a core principal of this plan,? said Coutemanche.

Bill Bradley writes on environmental issues for Northern Life. He can be reached at [email protected].

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