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Mitrex collaborates on solar highway noise barrier

2 years ago

Mitrex Integrated Solar Technology is collaborating with noise barrier manufacturers Durisol Inc. and Silentium Group to create the world’s first solar-powered, sound-absorptive highway noise barrier.

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Borrowing principles of effective bridge infrastructure, a company called Minimass is turning heads with its 3D-printed concrete beam design that reduces the concrete required by 78 per cent. It also reduces steel use and reinforcement by 70 per cent.

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Two recent clashes reveal two important shifts in the narrative about the carbon footprint of buildings: one, green labels don’t really deliver the goods; and two, local building and energy codes are playing a much more important role.

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The B.C. coroner’s report into the deaths of 619 people last summer related to extreme heat laid clear the stark reality of how ill-prepared our homes and residences are for absorbing high temperatures. It has no regulations for excessive heat.

Green Retrofit Economy Study

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When the shovels go into the ground for three cross-laminated timber (CLT) buildings in West Toronto later this year or early 2023, it will mark a condo construction first for the city and raise the profile of CLT in Ontario.

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Carbon removal can take numerous forms — including natural solutions such as growing trees and increasing the ability of soil to sequester carbon, and technological solutions that accelerate or mimic natural carbon removal processes or directly pull CO2 from the air.

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Interest in sustainable investing has taken off in recent years, with assets managed in environmental, social and governance (ESG) labelled funds globally ballooning to some US$2.7 trillion, but the industry has also been hit by claims its green credentials are inflated.

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A global coalition of 500 banks, asset managers and insurers has released its plans and procedures for dealing with assets that don’t help it reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, but still may be in use. It’s called managed phase-out.

Yardi

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Manitoba has footholds in several markets expected to grow significantly in the transition, including clean energy, alternative proteins and agricultural innovation. Yet, new research from the Canadian Climate Institute shows the province lags in fostering new companies and mobilizing capital.

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Canada’s forests have been a net source of carbon emissions for almost 20 years, according to Natural Resources Canada data. In 2018, emissions from wildfires in B.C. alone were three times greater than the entire province’s annual carbon output.

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A report from the Canadian Climate Institute suggests that without immediate action and significant investment, critical infrastructure in the North will suffer due to climate change. One of the biggest challenges is the cost of construction and repair of infrastructure.

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Renewable energy and sustainable storage methods are arguably the most important transitions the world needs right now to mitigate both climate change and global conflicts. Heat pumps, EV driving range and battery storage networks are having an immediate impact.

Home by AVI

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Canada’s electrical infrastructure could be more resilient to powerful storms, while being carbon-emission free, and provide low-cost electricity with a decentralized grid powered by 100 per cent renewable energy, according to a new study from the David Suzuki Foundation (DSF).

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Retrofitting an existing multi-unit residential building with electric vehicle charging stations is a complex and costly exercise, even after subsidies, but the biggest hurdle to adoption may be getting enough condo owners on board.

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Westario Power and Bruce Power Net Zero have created a program to install electric vehicle charging stations in the Clean Energy Frontier region of Bruce, Grey and Huron counties in Ontario. Currently, there are just 45 accessible stations available.

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In Quebec, for drivers that are curious about trying an electric car, the Quebec Electric Vehicle Association (AVEQ) hosts a program called Jumelage. It’s a buddy system or peer-to-peer approach that pairs an experienced EV driver with an interested consumer.

Global Property Market

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Eni, a major energy company, is taking concrete steps to help small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs) build their ESG capabilities. It offers an open-to-all digital platform to improve the corporate sustainability profile of the SMEs that are part of the supply chain.

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As we define the fabric of the next internet and the metaverse, we need to think about ways to report a normalized measure of the carbon content of the digital services consumers and businesses interact with.

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As cities up their game on climate action, they look to tap the expertise of new allies: university-based urban leadership centres whose goals include training future urban leaders.

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For Asahi Pompey, there is no half-empty or half-full glass when it comes to the current sustainability scene. The glass is overflowing. The president of the Goldman Sachs Foundation recently discussed the ESG investing industry and its many challenges.

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