Meeting the 1000 Tonne Challenge

Canadians have been encouraged to take the "One-Tonne Challenge" by reducing their own greenhouse gas emissions. For building designers, this challenge takes on much larger proportions. Building construction and operation produce 30% of Canada\´s greenhouse gas emissions. Building designers can create "twice-as-good" buildings which cut emissions by 50% compared to code-compliant buildings, and each building designer who achieves this goal effectively saves 1000 tonnes of GHGs annually. One proven way for building designers to achieve low-energy designs is by using an integrated design process (IDP) in which architects and engineers work together across disciplinary boundaries. This presentation will describe ongoing initiatives aimed at increasing the number of designers competent in designing buildings using IDP.