Toronto and Region Conservation (TRCA) has committed to taking immediate action and exemplifying leadership to support their communities and partners in dealing with climate change mitigation and adaptation. TRCA has developed a Strategic Plan, “Moving Toward The Living City” that recognizes that the integration of climate change concerns will be a critical component in achieving the objectives and goals of a healthy, sustainable urban region extending into the 22nd century.
Toronto faces a number of challenges. The Greater Toronto Area’s population is expected to grow by 40% to 7.5 million by 2028. How should Toronto improve its environmental, social and economic conditions? How will they maintain and improve their quality of life?
To address these concerns The Strategic Plan has developed a series of Objectives:
1. Healthy Rivers and Shorelines – Water we can trust
2. Regional Biodiversity – Nature in the city region
3. Sustainable Communities – Market transformation and education
4. Business Excellence – Collaboration and partnership
MODELING SUSTAINABILITY—The Living City Campus at Kortright
The Living City Campus at Kortright was developed by TRCA as a model for sustainable design and practices. The 800 acre campus is located about 45 minutes northwest of downtown Toronto on a wooded site that contains farmlands, ponds and several stream corridors. It is also home for the Center’s LEED platinum Visitor Center, The LEED gold Restorative Services Building and the LEED Gold Earth Rangers Center.
The campus has been divided up into 3 regions, each with its own emphasis. The Southern Region contains the Peregrine Foundation Learning Centre, which focuses on raptors, birds, insects, bats, and has a Biodiversity Trail; the Design and Technology Research Centre which focuses on sustainable technologies and biomimicry; and the LEED Gold Earth Rangers education center, which has commercial green building demonstrations, children’s tours and a future wild animal veterinary clinic.
The Campus Core contains the LEED Platinum Living City Visitor Centre, a children’s water experience, tree canopy walk, Energy Trail which demonstrating various types of renewable energy technologies and a duplex house which demonstrates various sustainable features which can be incorporated into new housing construction.
Our visit began with a tour of the Earth Rangers Center. The organization is based on simple environmental actions by children that expand outward and affect the lives of their families and friends to ultimately protect nature. It utilizes live shows at schools, community events and the Earth Rangers Studio at the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM), and its children’s website: www.earthrangers.com to motivate hundreds of thousands of children each year to protect the natural world.
Earth Rangers found its permanent home at the Kortright Centre for Conservation in Vaughan, Ontario. A 60,000 square foot facility was built on the 12-hectare site in 2004 and in 2006 the building was certified LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Gold. The building serves as a live demonstration to the principals of Green Building.
New Systems in this building include:
Installation of a geothermal heating and cooling system
An innovative recuperative dehumidification system
An integrated Building Automation System
Significant photovoltaic and wind power generation
Energy metering at System Level
Replacement of the on-site wastewater treatment system
Modifications to the displacement ventilation and radiant slab systems
LEED Platinum for Existing Buildings. Operations and Maintenance (LEED EBOM)
SUSTAINABLE HOUSE AND COMMUNITY
The other portion of the site that we were able to tour was the Sustainable House and Community at the Campus Core. The Archetype Home demonstrates viable, sustainable housing. Through education, training, market transformation and partnership programs it is intended to influence how communities are built, planned, constructed, and lived in to minimize ecological footprints and improve people’s quality of life.
GOALS
Demonstrate sustainable technologies, materials and practices for the production build residential market.
Inform, educate and motivate people about the benefits of adopting sustainable practices, products, services and technologies.
Provide training for sustainable products, systems installation and operation.
Promote a holistic approach to sustainable housing and community building.
Facilitate the market transformation of green or sustainable building practices and technologies.
CLICK HERE for more information on the design of the homes.