Wo-Built Sound Bites: A Radio Dialog About Renovation and Design

Click on the image to hear the interview.
Collage: A renovation company‘s rites of passage –
our evolving missions and commitments
2009 @ wobuilt.com

Deborah's interview with Proud FM on July 8, 2009 talking about our favourite subject: Wo-Built. You can hear first hand of what makes us so different.

Many thanks to the Proud FM team for their great interview with us.

Wo-Built's interview on 103.9 Proud FM Morning Show link: http://wobuilt.com/interviews/Wo-Built.mp3

Going Green in the City: Building and Renovating with "Being Green" in Mind: Part 3

Collage: Going Green in the City:
Building and Renovating with "Being Green" in Mind:
Living Rooftops - An Environmental Alternative for "Green" Building
Credit: MS Office Clip Art: clouds + sun + green conservation

Green roofs:
New Green Roof Bylaw Passed By Council

On May 26, 2009 Toronto became the first City in North America to adopt a bylaw to require and govern the construction of green roofs on new development.

The bylaw will apply to all new building permit applications made after January 31, 2010 (residential, commercial and institutional) and January 31, 2011 for all new industrial development.

Credit: City of Toronto: Green Roofs

Part 3: Living Rooftops - An Environmental Alternative for "Green" Building

Green rooftops, also referred to as eco-roofs or living roofs have been popular in Europe for a while now, and in our global quest for building "green" the idea of a green rooftop seems to be catching on here in Toronto and other parts of Canada.

Aside from esthetics, there are many practical benefits of a green rooftop. Green rooftops are a source of economical insulation (cooling in the summer – the grass prevents the sun from heating the rooftop therefore keeping it cool in the summertime) and warming in the wintertime (as heat is prevented from escaping through the roof because of the layer of grass) which makes this an ideal way to keep energy costs down. Another redeeming quality is that because green roofs absorb a significant amount of noise (nature’s insulation) the resulting effect is a reduction of noise pollution both inside the home and out.

Green rooftops are also very ecologically friendly as they provide vegetation for a variety of beneficial insects and a resting ground for butterflies, migratory birds and other wildlife facing a shortage of natural habitat. In addition green rooftops retain a considerable amount of rainfall necessary to their survival therefore providing major relief on overburdened sewer systems. Recycling at its best!

A green rooftop normally consists of several layers that would include a waterproofing casing, insulation, a protective layer, a drainage layer, a filter mat, a soil layer, and the vegetation. The vegetation can range from grass to shrubs or even trees, depending on the weather conditions and the load-bearing capacity of the roof. If you are exploring the idea of a green rooftop, low cost, low maintenance and low weight are the key elements to look for.

In today’s pursuit for eco-friendly or "green" building and energy conservation, green rooftops are just one more alternative that seems to be catching on slowly but surely.

For more information on eco-roofs as well as eco-roof incentive programs, please go to http://www.toronto.ca/livegreen. This website promotes environmentally-friendly issues and energy conservation so you will find many other tips to help you on your way to "green" living!

Alternatively, give us a call at 416-402-2679 if you are in the Toronto or GTA area and are interested in building a green roof.

Lonya is the staff writer for Wo-Built Inc.

Screenshot: Xero Flor®: Canada’s Green Roof Company
40 Years Designing & Installing Beautiful Green Roofs
Credit: xeroflor.ca

Update:

Building a green roof? Starting April 30 #Toronto bylaw to require #construction of #green #roofs on new development toronto.ca/greenroofs/ove…

— Wo-Built Inc (@wobuilt) April 19, 2012

toronto.ca: Green Roof Bylaw
"Toronto is the first City in North America to have a bylaw to require and govern the construction of green roofs on new development. It was adopted by Toronto City Council in May 2009, under the authority of Section 108 of the City of Toronto Act.
The Bylaw applies to new building permit applications for residential, commercial and institutional development made after January 31, 2010 and will apply to new industrial development as of April 30, 2012."
Credit: toronto.ca/greenroofs

links:
Going Green in the City: Building and Renovating with "Being Green" in Mind:
Part 1 - Eco-Friendly Home Improvements
Part 2 - Going Green Is Becoming Mainstream
Part 3 - Living Rooftops - An Environmental Alternative for "Green" Building
Home Renovation Tip: Donate Reusable Items to Non-For-Profit Organizations
Wo-Built: Helping to Green our Province
Interesting Reading: Government Help for Going Green in Homes
Wo-Built: Help for Going Green at Work
toronto.ca: City of Toronto: Green Roofs
snapbloorwest: Going Green in Your Own Backyard
nrc-cnrc.gc.ca: NRC Institute for Research in Construction
lid-stormwater.net: Low Impact Development (LID) Urban Design Tools Website

Visit the New Updated About Us Page

Screenshot: Wo-Built's new updated About Us page

Check out the new About Us page here and learn more about our construction company.
You know we love feedback: Tell us what you think about this About Us page, or others. Thank you for visiting our site.

Wo-Built Is All About Making Dreams Come True!

Wo-Built Inc. is a design and build company with difference. We are a female-led renovation company located in the Greater Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada and we present some compelling advantages over other renovation firms.

We offer complete design and build services for construction, renovation and remodelling projects with our unique program called "Your Dream House". It starts with a 90-minute assessment and questionnaire of the homeowner's vision for making their space into reality. Our extensive architectural background is instrumental in understanding the importance of how design has an impact on a particular renovation or remodelling project.

We also recognize the importance of your budget and will always make every effort to be cost-effective. Although our specialty is in front and rear extensions, 2nd floor additions and extensive interior remodelling, we are able to accommodate many other renovation projects that you might have in mind.

Due to popular demand our services have been expanded to include in-house kitchen designs and remodelling and a variety of home maintenance service plans to make your life easier. We also extended experience in commercial renovations and remodelling.

Our passion is energy conversation and "green" building and we strive to minimize the ecological footprint in all our projects.

We use the distinctive talents of women where possible and are committed to care and to bringing our unique ‘Woman’s Touch’ to every project.

Our name is synonymous with quality and style.

Wo-Built endeavours to meet or exceed our customer's expectations at every instant!

Interesting Reading: Women Who Build Homes

Screenshot: thestar.com: Homebuilding Industry: A few good women
by Barbara Silverstein, Special to the Star, Jul 18, 2009
Illustration by Raffi Anderian / Toronto Star
Credit: TheStar.com

thestar.com: News & Features: Homebuilding Industry: A few good women
There aren't many women who build homes, but those who do say they are perfectly suited to the task
Jul 18, 2009 04:30 AM
Barbara Silverstein
Special to the Star

For everyone who does not read the Toronto Star. We loved this article. It is great to see women succeed in the building industry.

As a young, women run construction company ourselves we have to agree that the home building industry is a great place for women. What we love about the industry that there are always exciting challenges in both small and large projects. We are design focused and welcome the opportunities to make spaces unique, customized and ecologically friendly for our clients.

We are committed to helping women succeed in the industry and it is great to have examples like Julie Di Lorenzo, Co-President of Diamante Development Corp., Mary Lawson, Vice-President and General Manager of Dalerose Country Homes, and Laurie Gordon, President of Berkshire Homes mentioned in the article.

Martina Ernst

links:
wobuilt.blogspot.com: We Were Mentioned in the Star
thestar.com: Building on women's skills: Etobicoke contracting firm encourages more to consider give their careers a finishing touch
by Donna Laporte, REAL ESTATE Reporter, The Toronto Star

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34 posts tagged home building industry
217 posts tagged construction company
900 posts tagged toronto star

Going Green in the City: Building and Renovating with "Being Green" in Mind: Part 2

Collage: Going Green in the City:
Building and Renovating with "Being Green" in Mind
Credit: MS Office

Part 2: Going Green Is Becoming Mainstream

Going green often starts with an idea during the design stage. From details such as low flow toilets to more drastic measures such as green roofs or use of geothermal energy "green" design has fundamental implications on the structure, layout and materials of a project. A "green" approach can consider a home’s position to the sun, the color of its roof as a way of conserving energy or just include heat recovery technology. The applications and options are ever increasing.

Although the costs of a "green" home are typically higher, a "green" home is more durable and the extra costs will pay for themselves in savings on water and power. What else can be done? Since people worldwide have become more aware about conservation there has been an explosion of information available on how to build green.

Energy efficient and "green" building renovations are becoming much more standard and economical as we become more progressive and take responsibility for "saving our planet". As most of us are worried about global warming, the environment and rising energy costs, "going green" is no longer considered an alternative lifestyle but is becoming mainstream. To go back to the old way of living would be a total setback and a step in the wrong direction.

We will over time post articles on our forum on "green building" as new innovations come up and as we implement them in our projects. Being green is an important element at Wo-Built and we try to incorporate energy and environmental solutions where feasible.

Please stay tuned.

Lonya is the staff writer for Wo-Built Inc.

links:
Going Green in the City: Building and Renovating with "Being Green" in Mind: Part 1 - Eco-Friendly Home Improvements
Home Renovation Tip: Donate Reusable Items to Non-For-Profit Organizations
Wo-Built: Helping to Green our Province
Interesting Reading: Government Help for Going Green in Homes
Wo-Built: Help for Going Green at Work
Wo-Built Goes Greener by Planting Trees!!!

July 15th Workshop Session Revision

Flyer: Wo-Built Inc. and Wise Daughters Craft Market Design Workshop
"How To Be Green" - Cancelled

The "How to Be Green" workshop scheduled for tomorrow, July 15 has been cancelled, new date TBD.

We will keep everyone informed.

Going Green in the City: Building and Renovating with "Being Green" in Mind: Part 1

Collage: Going Green in the City:
Building and Renovating with "Being Green" in Mind
Credit: MS Office

Part 1: Eco-Friendly Home Improvements

With escalating energy costs, concerns about global warming and efforts to preserve our dwindling natural resources there is a growing trend towards "going green". Most of us recycle; have stopped using incandescent bulbs and buy energy efficient appliances. But how does "going green" affect our homes? Does this mean we should all move to a cabin in the woods and live off the land to preserve our natural resources? Highly impractical and not a viable option for most of us, but there are things we can do to make our homes more eco-friendly and preserve our lifestyles at the same time.

As we are all becoming more aware of our environment, we are finding more and more ways of building and renovating with being "green" in mind. Generally, a "green" home will produce less wastage, less energy and less water, use fewer natural resources and offer better air quality for the people living inside.

Some of the features a green home will include are:

• Energy-efficient appliances;
• Water efficient faucets;
• Better ductworks and air filtration systems;
• Low-emissive windows (which keep heat from filtering in or out of the windows: for better insulation purposes windows are sealed tightly so that air doesn’t escape from the house or enter during the cold winter months driving heating cost up.)
• Incorporating rooftop solar systems is another option to lower energy costs;
• Skylights allow for more natural light;
• Installation of thermal windows would allow for more efficient temperature control therefore reducing energy costs.

Oh, by the way, even paint used on the walls is often environmentally friendly because it contains more organic compounds than what was traditionally used.

We at Wo-Built always consider some of the measures in our designs and please stay tuned for our series on energy efficient solutions.

Lonya is the staff writer for Wo-Built Inc.

links:
How To Be Green: Wo-Built's Home Design Workshop: Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Home Renovation Tip: Donate Reusable Items to Non-For-Profit Organizations
Wo-Built: Helping to Green our Province
Interesting Reading: Government Help for Going Green in Homes
Wo-Built: Help for Going Green at Work
Wo-Built Goes Greener by Planting Trees!!!

technorati tags:
11 posts tagged electricity conservation
4,401 posts tagged energy efficiency
155 posts tagged environmental conservation
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How To Be Green: Wo-Built's Home Design Workshop

Flyer: Wo-Built Inc. and Wise Daughters Craft Market Design Workshop

How To Be Green

Photos: "From "Green Roofs" to Heat Recovery from your Pipes"

July 14, 2009 update:
Workshop has been cancelled, new date TBD.

Wo-Built Inc. and Wise Daughters Craft Market

Invite you to attend our next Home Design Workshop

How To Be Green

Wednesday, July 15, 2009
7 pm - 9 pm

Wise Daughters Craft Market
3079B Dundas Street West, Toronto, ON M5P 1Z9
(facing Quebec Avenue, just south Dundas, behind Crema Coffee)

Ever thought about reducing your ecological and environmental footprint?
This is the right workshop for you if you are thinking of making your home more environmentally friendly and more energy efficient.
We will also talk about some of the incentives and grants which are available for the consumers.

Added Bonus: LEED® Accredited Professional Deborah Friesen of Deborah Friesen Architect Inc will be there to answer questions regarding environmental design from 8 pm onwards.
Her motto is: Environment matters.

Cost: $10

Contact: 416-761-1555 or 416-345-2555 to reserve your seat
Or e-mail: wisedaughters@sympatico.ca or info@wobuilt.com

See you there!

Want to take a workshop? Please pre-register:
Wise Daughters Craft Market
Local handicrafts and do-it-yourself workshops
3079B Dundas Street West, Toronto, ON M5P 1Z9
(facing Quebec Avenue, just south Dundas, behind Crema Coffee)
There is ample street parking on Dundas and Quebec.
Via TTC: Junction bus # 40 from Dundas West Station,
Lambton bus # 30 (or 15 min. walk) from High Park Station.
tel: 416-761-1555
e-mail: wisedaughters@sympatico.ca
web: http://www.wisedaughters.com/

For future workshops, see http://www.wisedaughters.com/pb/wp_a2ec5f4b/wp_a2ec5f4b.html

links:
Wo-Built Inc.: What is our ecological footprint?
Wo-Built Inc.: Celebrating Earth Day - Striving to Be Green All Year Round!
Wo-Built Inc.: Smart Home Improvement with ecoENERGY Retrofit Grants
Wo-Built Inc.: Help for Going Green at Work

technorati tags:
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