BC Business
The October civic election is destined to result in a new-look city council running Vancouver, but it's still been business as usual for Mayor Gregor Robertson and his team. For example, Robertson will be on hand on Wednesday (July 18) to announce a partnership between the city and ZEBx, the Zero Emissions Building Exchange. By...
The October civic election is destined to result in a new-look city council running Vancouver, but it’s still been business as usual for Mayor Gregor Robertson and his team. For example, Robertson will be on hand on Wednesday (July 18) to announce a partnership between the city and ZEBx, the Zero Emissions Building Exchange.
By 2025, new building projects in Vancouver must have “near zero carbon emissions”, as outlined in the city’s 2016 Zero Emissions Building Plan.
ZEBx is designed to be a “centre of excellence that will increase knowledge, capacity and passion for cost-effective, attractive, low energy residential and commercial buildings,” according to a press release.
“Industry lacks the space necessary to collaborate and effectively exchange knowledge,” ZEBx executive director Christian Cianfrone said in a statement. “We’ll create both a physical and virtual space to develop a community of practice and connect industry with relevant, curated content.”
The centre, located in Vancouver’s Gastown neighbourhood, will play a pivotal role in the city making its 2025 emissions deadline. That is, if it’s still on the docket after a new council takes over this year.
For his part, Robertson believes it will be. “Vancouver is committed to being 100-percent renewably powered by 2050, and it’s essential to dramatically reduce our climate pollution from buildings, which produce 56 percent of the city’s carbon emissions,” he said.
“With the launch of the Zero Emissions Building Exchange here in Vancouver, we continue to be on the leading edge of green building and another step closer to reaching our goal of becoming the world’s greenest city, one building at a time,” Robertson added.