Toronto Talk: Trees Inside - Indoor Ecosystems: November 7

Screenshot: Meetup: Trees Inside - A Talk on Indoor Ecosystems;
Thursday, November 7, 2013 at The Inner Garden of 401 Richmond;
Unit 384, Third floor, 401 Richmond Street West, Toronto, ON M5V 1R8
Credit: meetup.com: My Personal Tree - Tree Planting Events - Toronto, GTA, ON

We would like to invite everybody to attend this exiting talk about ecosystems:

Trees Inside - A Talk on Indoor Ecosystems

When: Thursday, November 7, 2013

Time: 6:30 PM

Where: The Inner Garden of 401 Richmond

Location: Unit 384, Third floor, 401 Richmond Street W, Toronto, ON M5V 1R8 (Location/Map)
401 Richmond Street West is located on Richmond just east of Spadina Avenue.

Come out and hear from speakers Martina Ernst and Attila Lendvai on the topic of indoor ecosystems.

About the Speakers

Martina Ernst is the President and Co-Founder of PeapodLife, www.peapodlife.com, a Division of Wo-Built Inc and a director of Genesis Eco Fund. She is a design & build specialist who helps businesses improve the quality of their work spaces. Her education, both in architecture and business, and her 25-year building industry expertise give her a unique approach to designing spaces with a balanced emphasis on aesthetics, practicality and profitability. Featured on Extraordinary Women TV, the radio shows Small Business Big Ideas Show and From a Woman's Perspective, Martina's passion is to provide the healthiest indoor environment possible for her clients.

Attila Lendvai is the Co-Founder and Project Director of PeapodLife, www.peapodlife.com, a Division of Wo-Built Inc and a director of Genesis Eco Fund.  He's a passionate social entrepreneur with one eye on the big-picture; the other on the bottom-line. Atilla has 20 years of international experience as a consultant and manager of both for-profit and non-profit ventures, working with companies such as IBM, ABB, Gas de France, Nova Scotia Power, Georgian Bancorp and Emilio & Coco. A seasoned speaker and emcee, Attila is also a blogger and author of The Attlas Project - SEE the World in a New Light, and contributing author of Competitive Intelligence and Global Business. Attila was recently interviewed on AllTalkTV.com with David Grossman and is a regular contributor to Greenaddition.blogspot.ca. Attila has made PeapodLife his life's mission to bring clean air indoors to serve humanity in a deep and meaningful way.

This is a pay what you can event. Proceeds go to the Genesis Eco Fund and upcoming tree-planting Meetup events.

About the Meetup Group

My Personal Tree - Tree Planting Events - Toronto, GTA, ON
This is a group for anyone interested in meeting people and making a difference in protecting the natural environment for the future. All skill levels welcome. We started this group to connect with people interested in attending tree-planting events in Toronto and around Ontario.

Through these reforestation projects, and using tree saplings and seeds contributed by people/organizations from all walks of life, we make our best possible use of resources, people and knowledge to proactively protect the environment and offset carbon emissions.

This Meetup is run by a co-counder of My Personal Tree, a new Toronto start-up. Find out more about us at www.mypersonaltree.com.

Want to attend? Please RSVP here: meetup.com: Trees Inside - A Talk on Indoor Ecosystems

Photo: PeapodLife's Booth at The Property Show

Martina Ernst, President and Co-Founder of PeapodLife and

Attila Lendvai, Co-Founder and Project Director of PeapodLife

PeapodLife (www.peapodlife.com), a Division of Wo-Built Inc (www.wobuilt.com)

2013 @ wobuilt.com

Come out and get some insight from PeapodLife Social Entrepreneurs and GenesisEcoFund.org Directors Martina Ernst and Attila Lendvai on things that you have never thought of before, and get some knowledge of ecosystems in the company of a high-order rainforest ecosystem!

links:

blogTO: Trees Inside - A Talk on Indoor Ecosystems
genesisecofund/blog: Trees Inside: Talk + Meet n’ Greet a Real Indoor Ecosystem In Person
greenaddition/blog: 3 Secrets to Using Nature to Grow Your Business: Amazing New Keynote for Green Business Associations!

"Bringing the outdoors in" is Our Kind of Language!

Image Montage by Wo-Built: Wo-Built and PeapodLife Logos + “pPodLite” Rainforest Ecosystem alongside Full-page Article from The Toronto Sun’s New Homes and Condos Section: “Bringing the outdoors in” by Erica Geldman, “Condo Chic.” 

Source: virtual.homes-extra.ca: Toronto Sun: New Homes & Condos: Condo Living

"Bringing the outdoors in" - The Toronto Sun Lives up to its Name

"The Light which shines in the eye is really the Light of the heart."

~ Rumi, Ancient Sufi Poet

Source: allgreatquotes.com: Love Poems of Jalal ad-Din Rumi

We love light. Natural, full-spectrum, warm, inviting, comforting, Vitamin-D-enriching, plant-nourishing, soul-rejuvenating, glorious light.

So here’s a shout-out to Erica Gelman of The Toronto Sun. Her recent “Condo Chic” column in the paper’s New Homes & Condos section (Friday July 19th & Sunday July 21st, 2013), simply entitled: “Bringing the outdoors in” was right up Wo-Built’s alley.

Erica’s argument in a nutshell?...

“...we can’t always rely on Mother Nature to provide us with ideal outdoor weather. … Why not design spaces that allow you to bring the outdoors in and enjoy summer living all year round [and]…rejuvenate in your own oasis all year long.” 

~ Erica Gelman, “Bringing the outdoors in, ” Toronto Sun

Wo-Built couldn’t agree with you more, Erica!  That’s why we began PeapodLife Building EcoSystems & Technology: to create Advanced Human Habitat that makes your home literally feel like it’s situated, not just in the woods, but in a rainforest!

Erica suggests “choosing pieces that reflect the outdoors will automatically refresh your home,” even if it means simply “having fresh flowers on your kitchen table.” (Erica Gelman, “Bringing the outdoors in, ” Toronto Star) PeapodLife Rainforest EcoSystems do much more than that! Just look at a smaller “pPodLite” systems:

Image: PeapodLife Composite photo rendering: “pPodLite” Rainforest EcoSystem spruces up drab interior.

Bromeliads, orchids, and lush moss leap from the one-of-a-kind Living Wall Ecosystem, filling your senses with a symphony of colour while trickling waterfalls gently fill your ears with the sounds of life.

All the while, the high-order ecosystem scrubs the air of toxins, allergens, VOC’s and those nasty “I’m stuck inside a building” aromas that can ruin your outdoors-indoors experience. Ecosystems produce air naturally, and can make your indoor air quality up to 10 times fresher and cleaner than outside!

If you’ve got the budget and are looking for something a little more dramatic, an addition or complete re-design and re-build of your home is no problem for Wo-Built. We specialize in taking older Toronto properties and giving them spectacular contemporary overhauls: 

Image: Complete Overhaul & Second Storey Addition Before & After by Wo-Built

As you can see from the before and after photos, above, Wo-Built is known for delivering:

• High ceilings
• Lots of natural light
• Plenty of practical, useable space
• Innovative designs (no cookie-cutter approach here)
• Pleasant design & build experience with a woman-owned company

Image: Kitchen Makeover Before & After by Wo-Built

For more information on how Wo-Built can help you get more outdoors, indoors, visit our website.

To literally get the best of nature into your home, office, spa, etc., visit peapodlife.com today.

Livegreen Toronto Festival 2013 Offer

Montage: Live Green Toronto Festival

Image Credit: livegreentoronto.ca

It is this time of year again: the LiveGreen Toronto Festival is back. At Yonge-Dundas Square on July 27 between 11am and 9pm.

There will be a street market, kids zone, BEER GARDEN!!! And lots of free concerts.

Last year was a great turnout and we had a lot of interest for our PeapodLife idea.

Sadly, this year we are unable to participate, but we have a great offer.

Image: Ppodlite units: Muro and Angolo Rainforest Ecosystems

2013 @ peapodlife.com

Until the end of August we have a special pricing for our Ppodlite units: Muro and Angolo Rainforest Ecosystems. LiveGreen Toronto Members get two year of Biocare included in the price, a value of $10,000.

Have a great day at the festival!

Martina Ernst

Poster: Live Green Toronto Festival

Yonge-Dundas Square, July 27, 2013; 11 am - 9 pm

livegreentoronto.ca

Image Credit:  City of Toronto: Live Green Toronto Festival

Practical Steps to Create a Small Indoor Ecosystem: Lunch and Learn Workshop, July 9

Poster: Luncheon: Practical Steps to Create Small Indoor Ecosystem

When: Tuesday, July 9, 2013, 12-2 pm

Where: Chef of India Restaurant

Location: 1415 Yonge Street, Toronto, ON M4T 1Y7

Attend: http://2013jul9-eorg.eventbrite.ca/

We would like to invite everybody to attend this exiting lunch and learn workshop.

Luncheon: Practical Steps to Create a Small Indoor Ecosystem

Tuesday, July 9, 2013, 12:00 pm - 2:00 pm

Chef of India Restaurant

1415 Yonge St., Toronto, Ontario M4T 1Y7

Here is some event details from Eventbrite site:

The Lunch & Learn: Hydroponics Plants for House Ecosystem (cost $20)

Due to great interest following the June 11 presentation by PeapodLife, we are bringing back Wolfgang Amelung, Indoor Rainforest Ecosystem Inventor, to elaborate on the practical steps needed to create small indoor ecosystem projects.

Learn easy-to-implement tips to begin transforming the potted plants in your home from generators of harmful VOC’s into little engines of living air purification.

Please register at no charge, we are not charging for the workshop but only for lunch expenses.

Menu: All you can eat from large Buffet of Indian vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes. Exclusive items, such as whole-wheat tandoori Nan, bean sprout salads and no-chili lentil curry.

Cost: $20 inclusive of taxes and service charges.

If you have any questions or comments, please do not hesitate to contact me:

Max Haroon
Founder, Life Transformation Institute
info@life-transformation-institute.org
Tel: 416-891-4937

Partners in Project Green: Reaching New Heights in Sustainable Value Creation

Collage: GTAA Partners in Project Green 2013 & Strategies for The Green Economy

Image Credits: GTAA Partners in Project Green: Partners in Project Green 2013 AGM - Beyond low hanging fruit: reaching new heights in sustainable value creation 

Joel Makower: Strategies for the Green Economy

"A growing number of companies are finding pathways to a more sustainable future. No one tells this story better than Joel Makower, whose Strategies for the Green Economy charts the course for a new era of business, one in which forward-looking companies are creating products and services that aren't just greener, but serve their customers better. This is critical reading for anyone who seeks to understand where tomorrow's economic winners are going."

~ William K. Reilly, founding partner, Aqua International Partners, and former administrator, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Source: Joel Makower: Strategies for the Green Economy

Partners in Project Green to Announce New Strategic Direction at 2013 Annual General Meeting

Partners in Project Green 2013 AGM

Beyond low hanging fruit: reaching new heights in sustainable value creation 

Thursday, June 6, 2013, 5:30 – 8:30 p.m.
Location: Hilton Garden Inn Toronto Airport - Built Green from the Bottom Up!
Address: 3311 Caroga Drive, Mississauga, ON L4V 1A3

JOIN PARTNERS IN PROJECT GREEN FOR ITS ANNUAL COCKTAIL RECEPTION TO:

Network with fellow business leaders
Launch Partners in Project Green into the future with its new strategic direction
Reach new heights in business excellence

Partners in Project Green invites you to join us as we celebrate the achievements of companies in the Pearson Eco-Business Zone during 2012 and learn about the new direction Partners in Project Green is taking with the completed Strategy Update.

Keynote Address: Joel Makower
Chairman and Executive Editor of GreenBiz Group Inc.
Author, Strategies for the Green Economy

Joel Makower provides insight and inspiration about how companies — and their customers and stakeholders — are shifting their view of how sustainability fits in the business agenda.

Sustainable business has come a long way, from "doing well by doing good" and "doing the right thing" to addressing risk, increasing resilience in a dynamic world, and serving as a platform for innovation. At the same time, a convergence of technologies is enabling companies and industries to accelerate efficiencies while creating new products and services.

For more information, please contact Alexandra Papaiconomou at apapaiconomou@trca.on.ca or by phone at 416-661-6600 ext. 5930.

GTAA Partners in Project Green

About Partners in Project Green
Partners in Project Green is a growing community of businesses working together to green their bottom line by creating an internationally-recognized Eco-Business Zone around Toronto Pearson.  Through new forms of business to business collaboration, Partners in Project Green delivers programming that helps businesses reduce energy and resource costs, uncover new business opportunities, and address everyday operational challenges in a green and cost effective manner. www.partnersinprojectgreen.com


About Joel Makower
For 25 years, Joel has been a well-respected voice on business, the environment, and the bottom line. The Associated Press has called him "The guru of green business practices." In addition to to his role in GreenBiz Group Inc., Joel also serves as a senior strategist for GreenOrder, a sustainability management consultancy, and is co-founder of Clean Edge, a cleantech research firm. He is author of more than a dozen books, including Strategies for the Green Economy. He also writes “Two Steps Forward” (readjoel.com), a popular blog on green business.

Photo: Launching Partners in Project Green

Members of the Partners in Project Green Steering Committee launch Partners in Project Green.

From right to left – Eric Lange (Lange Transportation), Neil Lacheur (Bentall Real Estate), Ernie Springolo (Bayer Inc.), Anne Tennier (Maple Leaf Foods), John Coyne (Unilever), Bob Delaney (MPP Mississauga Streetsville), Fergie Devins (Molson), Maria Augimeri (City of Toronto), John Gerretsen (Ontario Minister of the Environment), Susan Fennell (City of Brampton Mayor), Emil Kolb (Region of Peel Chair), Brian Denney (TRCA), Lloyd McCoomb (GTAA), Carman McClelland (Brampton Board of Trade), Sheldon Leiba (Mississauga Board of Trade), Mark O’Connor (Kuehne and Nagel) and Toby Lennox (GTAA).

Image Credit: Partners in Project Green

links:
wobuilt.com/blog: Gala Salutes Green Innovation and Inspires Consumer Education - Keynote Speaker Raises the Importance of Greening Consumers "in the Home"
Wo-Built attended the annual gala awards ceremony of Partners in Project Green (PPG). This networking organization helps businesses reduce energy and resource costs, uncover new business opportunities, and address everyday operational challenges in a green and cost-effective manner.

wobuilt.com/blog: Carbon Neutral Neighbourhood Project Launch in Toronto

trca.on.ca: Partners in Project Green to Announce New Strategic Direction at 2013 Annual General Meeting
Toronto and Region Conservation for The Living City: New Sustainable Business Leaders Emerge from the Pearson Eco-Business Zone
Media Advisory June 04, 2013

newswire.ca: Media Advisory - Partners in Project Green to Announce New Strategic Direction at 2013 Annual General Meeting

GTAA Partners in Project Green: Partners in Project Green 2013 AGM - Beyond low hanging fruit: reaching new heights in sustainable value creation 

Your Healthy Home: Learn about Indoor Ecosystem for Your House Health

Screenshot: eventful in Toronto 

The Lunch and Learn: Ecosystem for Your House Health

Tuesday, June 11, 2013 at Chef of India Restaurant
1415 Yonge St. Toronto, Ontario M4T 1Y7

Credit: Eventful: Ecosystem for Your House Health in Toronto

We would like to invite everybody to attend this exiting talk about ecosystems

Lunch and Learn: Ecosystem for Your House Health

Tuesday, June 11, 2013, 12:00 pm - 2:00 pm

Chef of India Restaurant
1415 Yonge St., Toronto, Ontario M4T 1Y7

Here is some event details from Eventbrite site:

Lunch and Learn: Ecosystem for Your House Health

Come meet visionary Indoor Ecosystem Inventor, Engineer and Master Botanist Wolfgang Amelung and PeapodLife Project Director Attila Lendvai as they share their secrets to a more relaxed, aware, healthy and human way of living.

Easy-to-implement tips to begin transforming the potted plants in your home or workspace from generators of harmful VOC’s into little engines of air purification. Attila will share some secret insights connecting the wisdom of ecosystemic living from present day back to the mystery schools of ancient Egypt…and beyond. http://www.peapodlife.com/

A mystery guest from USA will talk about role of renewal energies in your home.

Menu: All You Can Eat
From a large Buffet of Indian vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes.
Exclusive items, such as whole-wheat tandoori nan, bean sprout salads and no-chili lentil curry.

Cost: $20
Inclusive of tea/cofee, taxes, service charges

If you have any questions or comments, please do not hesitate to contact me:

Max Haroon | Founder | Life Transformation Institute
Tel: 416-891-4937 | info@life-transformation-institute.org

PS: Please arrive early at 11:30 am for private networking.
Promote this event on your website or your emails http://ecosystem-partner.eventbrite.com

Come and get some insight on things that you have never thought of before, and get some knowledge of ecosystems!

Collage: Building Applications for Better Living
Images Credit: MS Office Clip Art

Update:
Please find some photos and notes from this luncheon  in a PeapodLife's article: Indoor Ecosystem Promotes Life Transformation.

links:
wobuilt.com/blog: Why Go Green with Plants?
The Benefits of Indoor Garden Living Spaces

wobuilt.com/blog: The Next Big Thing in “Cleansing” ... Your House; House Plants
The next big thing in health and wellness may be to cleanse our home environment.

wobuilt.com/blog: Peapod Life: Applications for Better Living
At Peapod Life, our motto is pretty simple: gone are the days of dead structures providing shelter for living things. Now is the time for living structures that support life…all life…Peapod Life.

wobuilt.com/blog: Toxic Indoor Environments Require Advanced Human Habitat
Sick Building Syndrome (SBS), Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), Nature Deficit Syndrome (NDS), Seasonal Anxiety Disorder (SAD), Greenhouse Gasses (GHGs), Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)… the problems associated with indoor space as-is (non-habitat) are numerous and toxic: physically and psychologically. The Antidote is Advanced Human Habitat (“AHH…”).

cmhc-schl.gc.ca: CMHC: Indoor Air Quality
The need for clean air in our homes should not be underestimated. Canadians spend an average of 90% of their time inside; and our homes contain many substances that may be hazardous to our health. Indoor air pollutants range from minor irritants such as dust and animal dander, to major irritants such as molds and chemical vapours that may be emitted from building materials and furnishings. It is important to be aware of how air contaminants can affect our health and to adopt corrective measures that will improve indoor air quality in our homes.
 
genetronsystems.com: Indoor Air Quality and Sick Building Syndrome
Many homes have poor air quality. Some experts say the air in private homes may be worse than in public buildings. Heavily polluted air, especially in urban areas, as well as the air‑tight environments in today's energy‑efficient, better‑insulated buildings, contribute to this situation.
by Wolfgang Amelung

Doors Open Toronto 2013: Our Top Buildings to Visit Creators, Makers and Innovators #DOT13

Doors Open Toronto is a celebration of the City's built heritage.
Explore Toronto's Buildings May 25-26, 2013
City of Toronto: Doors Open Toronto

Great event #DOT13! MT @mediaintoronto @doors_opento: Don't forget - FREE Great Gulf Speakers Series this weekend "The Future of #Toronto"
— Wo-Built Inc (@wobuilt) May 23, 2013

As every year we are looking forward to Doors Open Toronto, especially as this year there are quite a few Green buildings on the list. The Green Doors Open initiative run by the Canada Green Building Council – Greater Toronto Chapter and the Clean Air Partnership to increase awareness of the benefits of green buildings in our region.

Every year new buildings are added to the already substantial list and it is great to see so many architectural interesting buildings in Toronto. Unfortunately we can only highlight a few.  Our top five picks for this year are all from the Green Building Series, not surprising since our emphasis is green and sustainable  building.

The selected buildings range from new to old, different styles and different green elements, but they all sparked our interest.

• - Daniel Spectrum
• - George Brown College Waterfront Campus
• - Hugh Garner Housing Co-Op
• - Miller Lash House
• - Native Child and Family Services of Toronto

Daniel Spectrum
Daniels Spectrum is an exciting new cultural landmark in the heart of the Regent Park Revitalization.
Architect: Diamond Schmitt Architects, 2012
Address: 585 Dundas Street East, Toronto, ON M5A 2B7

George Brown College Waterfront Campus - NEW!
The new Waterfront Campus is a beautiful state-of-the-art facility built specifically for George Brown Health Sciences students.
Architect: Kuwabara Payne McKenna Blumberg Architects, 2012
Address: 51 Dockside Dr, Toronto, ON M5A 0B6

Hugh Garner Housing Co-Op
The Hugh Garner Green Roof tops a 181-unit, 8 storey residential building in Cabbagetown.
Architect: Klein & Sears, 1981
Address: 550 Ontario St, Toronto, ON M4X 1X3

Miller Lash House - NEW!
The Miller Lash House is a classic design in the craftsman principles of the Arts and Crafts Movement (ACM).
Architect: Edward B. Greene, Buffalo, NY, 1913
Address: 130 Old Kingston Rd, Toronto, ON M1E 3J5

Native Child and Family Services of Toronto
Newly renovated four-storey, 30,000 square foot office building, is the headquarters for Native Child and Family Services of Toronto.
Architect: Levitt Goodman Architects Ltd., 2010
Address: 30 College St, Toronto, ON M5G 1K2


We will report back on our site visit in the next posting.

Martina Ernst
President/CEO
Wo-Built Inc. - Innovative Design and Build

Map: Doors Open Toronto 2013: Architect's Studio Visits - Self Guided Tour- Toronto Society of Architects
Date(s): Saturday May 25 | Time(s): 1 to 5 pm
Length: Self Guided Tour of 11 locations across Toronto
Tour map: Download PDF (1M)
Presented by the Toronto Society of Architects: TOURS | Doors Open Toronto Architectural and Design Studio Tour

You may also like to read the following articles:

wobuilt.com/blog: Doors Open Toronto 2012: Our Picks from #DOT12
May 8, 2012 – Doors Open Toronto is back, this time celebrating 200 years of Toronto City History. There are some amazing buildings to be visited, from ...

wobuilt.com/blog: Doors Open Toronto – Humber College Arboretum
May 31, 2011 – Photos: Doors Open Toronto – Humber Arboretum May 28, 2011 @ wobuilt.

wobuilt.com/blog: Doors Open Toronto 2011 Featuring City in Focus: Architecture + Photography
May 5, 2011 – One of the must-see events in May is Doors Open Toronto. This inspiring urban exploration is our busman's holiday and it's a brilliant occasion ...

wobuilt.com/blog: Our Busman's Holiday: Doors Open Toronto

Living Wall Ecosystem gives new life to Green Living Show

Photo: PeapodLife's at The Green Living Show
Sharing a booth with Young Urban Farmers and Cultivate Toronto
Toronto, Direct Energy Centre, April 12-14, 2013
2013 @ wobuilt.com

Come visit our VERY green booth at #GLS13! #organic #growyourown
— Young Urban Farmers (@YoungUrbnFarmer) April 13, 2013

Attendees of Green Living Show experience first hand the beauty and power of PeapodLife’s Advanced Human Habitat

A little over 10 days ago, the 2013 Green Living Show was held at the Direct Energy Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. PeapodLife was there, sharing a booth with Young Urban Farmers. 

Photo: PeapodLife's at The Green Living Show
Sharing a booth with Young Urban Farmers and Cultivate Toronto
Toronto, Direct Energy Centre, April 12-14, 2013
2013 @ wobuilt.com

PeapodLife showcased one of its self-contained ecosystems, a customized “Angolo” unit (one with a light but not the full canopy enclosure) which allowed visitors to the booth to get up close and personal with the ecosystem.

Photo: PeapodLife's at The Green Living Show
Sharing a booth with Young Urban Farmers and Cultivate Toronto
Toronto, Direct Energy Centre, April 12-14, 2013
2013 @ wobuilt.com

Visitors were taken by the beauty of the living wall ecosystem, including varieties of orchids, bromeliads, and moss. Standing next to it, they could also feel the fresh air bellowing off of it. No easy feat for a relatively small ecosystem, considering the enormous space of the Direct Energy Centre.

Under normal circumstances—in a home, condo, small office or retail space, an Angolo ecosystem would filter impurities from the atmosphere and eventually fill the entire space with fresh, clean air.

Photo: PeapodLife's at The Green Living Show
Sharing a booth with Young Urban Farmers and Cultivate Toronto
Toronto, Direct Energy Centre, April 12-14, 2013
2013 @ wobuilt.com

We were happy to share a booth with Young Urban Farmers, and are looking forward to seeing how the efforts of our non-profit research partners focused on ecosystem-based organic food and pure water production will dovetail with Toronto’s urban cultivation movement.

Together, we will show the world that there is a viable alternative to the industrial agri-business monolith.

Attila Lendvai
VP of Strategic Development
Wo-Built Inc. - Innovative Design and Build
Project Director
PeapodLife - Advanced Human Habitat via Building EcoSystems & Technology

links:
Green Renovations: Sharing Experiences and Lessons Learned
Join Building Industry and Land Development Association for this informative case study approach as panelists share their experiences on small, medium and large "green" renovation projects
Wo-Built: Green Additions with Indoor Gardens a Big Hit at Home and Green Living Shows
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
Interesting Reading: Government Help for Going Green in Homes

The Living Wall - What a Beautiful Addition to The Property Show!

Photo: PeapodLife's Booth at The Property Show

Toronto, The Hyatt Regency, March 30, 2013
2013 @ wobuilt.com

"An Informative & Affordable Show for Anyone Interested in Real Estate Investment"

The Property Show Event Press Release

A great summary of our time at The Property Show was given in our article Real Estate Developers and Investors Marvel at Indoor Ecosystem, and I would like personally to thank Valleyview Gardens and Menagerie Pet Shop for their generosity in making the ecosystem happen and of course Kelly and Robert from The Property Show for taking so good care of us.

Photo: PeapodLife at The Property Show

Toronto, The Hyatt Regency, March 30, 2013
2013 @ wobuilt.com

We had a great time meeting many interesting people. I had a very lengthy talk with Harry Stinson about his projects and about alternative funding models for real estate with Fortress Real Capital. Fascinating.

Our Project Director Attila Lendvai was interviewed by Dave Grossman of All talk TV and Gary Nusca of The Market ICI World Real Estate Network. Thank you Shannon Murree of Remax Chay Realty Inc Brokerage and TheRedPin Team for tweeting about us.

Thank you also to the many people who loved the ecosystem and inspired us with their comments.

Photo: PeapodLife's Booth at The Property Show

Toronto, The Hyatt Regency, March 30, 2013
2013 @ wobuilt.com

Wouldn’t it be fantastic to have a living wall ecosystem at all trade shows?

It was wonderful to share the experience to be close to one of our living wall ecosystems with so many attendees. When I first saw the ecosystems made by our partner Genetron Systems I fell in love with them because I saw healthy orchids growing in them (I cannot keep orchids alive to save the day). I loved the vibrancy, the healthy looking plants and of course the fish.

But until the show I hadn’t had the opportunity to spend a lot of time in the vicinity of an indoor ecosystem. What an eye opener. Knowing that the system has health benefits by producing fresh air and water and experiencing them are two different matters.

Photo: PeapodLife's Living Wall Ecosystem at The Property Show

Toronto, The Hyatt Regency, March 30, 2013
2013 @ wobuilt.com

The indoor vertical garden ecosystem not only looked amazing, but it also produced noticeable fresh air in a very short period of time. Within a couple of hours it formed a fresh air bubble around the unit which was experienced by a lot of visitors to our booth. It gave us well needed boosts of energy through-out the day. Tradeshow days are long and physically demanding, but due to the ecosystem I still felt more energetic at the end of it than usual.

Wouldn’t it be great to have a living wall ecosystem at all trade-shows where you could spend quality regenerative time with nature without having to go outside?

But musing aside, the living wall ecosystems are a must for indoor spaces especially in urban environments. The air produced by the plants is better and purer than the fresh air intake from outside. Just imagine the boost for productivity, physical energy and general well being.

Please contact us for more information.

Martina Ernst
President
PeapodLife - Advanced Human Habitat via Building EcoSystems & Technology

'The Living Wall' - What a beautiful addition to the show thanks to @peapodlife! Everyone is in awe... #TPS13 twitter.com/PropertyShow/s…
— The Property Show (@PropertyShow) March 30, 2013

youtube.com: Advanced Human Habitat with Attila Lendvai from peapodLife 

Published by David Grossman on Mar 31, 2013

David Grossman from ALLTalkTV.com and Gary Nusca from http://www.iciworld.net

talk with Attila Lendvai about Advanced Human Habitat

at The Property Show - http://www.thepropertyshow.ca/

For more information go to http://peapodlife.com/

For more shows, go to: http://www.alltalktv.com

Category: Education

Newly Renovated Natural Health Centre Helps Create a Warm, Homey Environment

Photo: Wo-Built’s  Commercial Renovation
Natural Health Center: New  Treatment  Spaces and  Resource Centre

2013 @ wobuilt.com

"My interest in nature began early.
When I was 3, I refused to leave a park because I had to pick ALL the dandelions (just imagine a sea of yellow).
 

My current ambition is to help others to use the power of nature to feel their best.
And to love dandelions as much as I do.  ;-)"
~ Janet McKenzie, Summit Natural Health Centre

Welcome to the Newly Renovated Natural Health Centre

We were privileged to work with Ms Janet McKenzie, ND on her new offices for her Summit Natural Health Centre at 5133 Dundas Street West.

The original use for the space was a sales office for the adjacent condo building, hence we were lucky in being able to reuse a lot of the services (HVAC, Fire/Safety, and Lighting) with minor alterations.

As our mandate is to be green, we also reused as much of the existing finishes (doors, carpet (good quality, almost new), and bathroom fixtures) as we could to lessen the amount of materials that went into the landfill.

Our scope of work included adding several consulting rooms and adding a second bathroom. We had some surprises during the renovations, no renovation is without, but we resolved them in some innovative ways. More of that in a later post.

We were able to help create a warm homey environment for the Health Centre, very much on the lines Ms McKenzie envisaged. Something we feel is very important in a health and wellness environment. A calming and relaxing atmosphere will help ease minds, make clients comfortable and facilitate the journey to wellness.

Summit Natural Health Centre is now open. For more information about natural therapies and treatments please contact the Centre.


Martina Ernst
President/CEO
Wo-Built Inc. - Innovative Design and Build

links:
wobuilt.com/blog: Medical Facilities - Building Image and Branding of Your Spaces
Wo-Built’s Commercial Renovation Project Naturopathic Office

wobuilt.com/blog: Health & Wellness Professionals: You wouldn’t let just anyone Run your Practice; Why let just anyone Remodel your Premises?
The bottom-line: we are nothing without our health. Wo-Built could mean everything to the health and wellness of your practice.

Photo: Wo-Built’s  Commercial Renovation
Natural Health Center: New  Treatment  Spaces and  Reception Area

2013 @ wobuilt.com

About Summit Natural Health Centre
Summit Natural Health Centre is a multi-disciplinary clinic focusing on natural medicine. Our mission is to provide individualized care supported by resources that allow clients and members of the community to learn about health and natural treatments.
Summit offers practitioners' rooms in newly renovated premises located in an area with excellent potential for growth.

Summit Natural Health Center
5133 Dundas Street West
Etobicoke, ON M9A 1C1
Phone: 416-236-7642
E-mail: contactus@summitnaturalhealth.ca
Facebook: Summit Natural Health Centre 
Web: www.summitnaturalhealth.ca

Introducing PeapodLife at Toronto Property Show

Image: The Property Show Toronto - Saturday, March 30, 2013
Credit: ThePropertyShow.ca

The Property Show
Let Our Real Estate Expertise Take You One Step Further

Date: March 30, 2013
Time: 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Venue: The Hyatt Regency Hotel
Location: 370 King Street West,
Toronto, Ontario M5V 1J9
Maps & Directions

Presented by: Beadboard Events

Update on our participation at The Property Show

As announced in December we will be with peapodLife at The Property Show on March 30th held at the Hyatt Regency in Toronto.

The show has an amazing line-up of speakers and exhibitors and we are honored to be one of them.

Where better than The Property Show to introduce peapodLife's Advanced Human Habitat concept and BEST Building EcoSystems & Technology to the Real Estate market.

Join us to view one of our custom designed Angolo EcoSystems.

Please feel free to use our promotional code to get 25% off when booking tickets:  PEAPODLIFE-TPS13.

For more information on the amazing speakers please go to The Property Show 2013.

See you at The Property Show!

Martina Ernst
President
PeapodLife - Advanced Human Habitat via Building EcoSystems & Technology

We are at The @propertyshow on March 30th with @peapodlife. Pls visit us there & usePEAPODLIFE-TPS13 ( 25% off), when booking ur tickets
— Wo-Built Inc (@wobuilt) March 18, 2013

Habitat for Humans: Indoor Vertical Garden of Eden

CBS News: God's Architect: Antoni Gaudi's glorious vision

Architect Antoni Gaudi's vision for the Sagrada Familia, a church under construction for over 130 years, is aided by modern technology. Lara Logan reports.

Published March 10, 2013 4:00 PM

Can “God’s Architect” show us how to design & build heavenly spaces here on earth? Naturally!

Whether you are a devout anything or not, there is no question: La Sagrada Familia must be counted among the architectural wonders of the world. And it’s not even finished yet.

The vision granted to Antoni Gaudi some 130 years ago has been under construction for most of the time since. We won’t recount the history in detail; see the above 60-Minutes feature video for a good overview.

Rather, we’d rather focus on snapshot images like these; “majestic” and “awe-inspiring” come to mind.

Image: La Sagrada Familia – Interior, showing giant “tree” columns supporting “canopy” ceiling.

Credit: Jeremy Jones; Source: Paperblog: A Sincere Apology to La Sagrada Familia

What immediately captured our interest was the majesty and reverence invoked by this building’s interior. It is entirely inspired by nature. Natural light casts shafts of illumination down through the spires in what amounts to a pure white forest of other-worldly design. Inspired design. (Where do you think the word “spire” comes from?)

The following two images capture this effect in greater detail. The feelings evoked are truly that of a magical forest. One can imagine oneself in the mystical Loth Lorien from Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings. In truth, the space captures in essence, the purity and genius of any forest ecosystem.

It manages to uplift the spirit not unlike the majesty of West Coast Redwoods do when one encounters those columns reaching toward the heavens.

Two Images: La Sagrada Familia Interior Space Interior Detail of tree trunk and branches columns supporting canopy ceiling, and the heavens above. 
Credit: Warwick Mihaly; Source: Panfilocastaldi | Architecture, design and photography: La Sagrada Familia forest + La Sagrada Familia ceiling

This image of the space above the sanctuary (the altar and surrounding area) perfectly illustrates how natural themes and elements reach upwards toward the heavens, where natural light floods the space from above in harmonious union with the divine (religare: from which we derive the word religion).

Image: La Sagrada Familia Interior Space Above the Sanctuary.

Credit: Jeremy Jones; Source: Paperblog: A Sincere Apology to La Sagrada Familia

La Sagrada Familia is the epitome of how natural light and themes transform a space into something more…much more. They bring a vibrancy, life, vitality, energy, to a building. They evoke positive feelings of peace and tranquility, even in the face of such majesty as this cathedral…exactly like nature itself does. It is a perfect union of architectural mastery and building technology with the essence of nature – light, energy, the foundations of the natural world.

Antoni Gaudi’s vision was to immortalize in glass and stone the glory of God, the majesty of nature, and the mystery of how the heaven’s and earth unite. Heady stuff. Sort of requiring a building project on the scale of La Sagrada Familia. Wo-Built can’t help but ask: can this same effect be created in a home? An office? Any building?

Absolutely.

With lots of natural light; a living breathing ecosystem; some nature-inspired design and a healthy dose of sacred geometry, even the smallest of buildings, the tiniest of spaces can be transformed into tribute to the glory and majesty of Divine Mother Nature, the Divine Father of Everything, and where the two unite in mutual harmony and symbiosis to create something truly wonderful and magical together: habitat worthy of true human beings…a building suitable for us…the so-called Children of God.

Advanced Human Habitat. A space to thrive in; to feel better about yourself and others in. A building which makes you gain more by consuming less. Saving energy and warming your heart instead of burning energy and warming only your body.  A space which provides purity of air, water, and atmosphere. A place that is your sanctuary. An Indoor Vertical Garden of Eden. A little bit of Heaven on Earth…for you and your loved ones. A habitat for human beings to aspire to their highest selves, perform to their utmost abilities and achieve their greatest achievements.

And you don’t have to believe in anyone or anything but your own senses: you can see, feel and benefit from such inspired habitat. You don’t have to believe…you need only be human!

Attila Lendvai
VP of Strategic Development
Wo-Built Inc. - Innovative Design and Build

5 Reasons Why Remodeling Can’t Compare with "AHH…!"

Collage: Remodeling vs. Advanced Human Habitat

pPodLite Muro and pPodLite Angolo self-contained vertical garden ecosystems

Image Credits: PeapodLife; MS Office ClipArt: Woman Construction, Man Construction

pPodLite Muro and pPodLite Angolo self-contained vertical garden ecosystems create Advanced Human Habitat; are the BEST way to give any old décor a new lease on life!

So you’re all fired up to improve your space. You’ve got a budget in mind and you’re ready to take on the project of re-inventing your home, office, retail boutique…whatever! Before you do, we think you should save yourself lots of time, money and headaches and give yourself some “AHH…!” instead.

5 reasons why pPodLite Muro & Angolo Vertical Garden Ecosystems by PeapodLife are infinitely better than remodeling at revitalizing space and actually create Advanced Human Habitat.

• 1. There’s no substitute for nature. No art, paint, furniture, appliances wallpaper, tile, window dressing, carpet, or anything else you can think of can replace the universal appeal of nature. Not only that, none of your efforts to change the look and feel of the space will improve the air quality or vitality of the atmosphere. It will only ever be a “special effect;” a substitution for the real thing. pPodLite is the real deal. It is a cause of positive effects: in you and everyone else.
• 2. Remodeling is just a temporary “fix”. Magazines and interior design gurus will tell you what fabrics, furniture, flooring, lighting and accessories are “hot” right now, but a few seasons from now tastes will change. It’s like the belief you can merge old and new architecture. What happens when the “new” becomes old again? The key is to find and accentuate timeless beauty.  Nature is always in style: ecosystems are alive! They grow, adapt and change all the time.
• 3. Remodeling may look good, but an ecosystem feels incredible. Sure, when your makeover is done, it’ll make you feel pretty good (if it went well; or relieved that it’s over with). But after a while, the pleasure effect will wear off, as it always does. pPodLite self-contained ecosystems are easy to install, and immediately change the energy and vitality of any space. People will ask you “did you remodel!?” not because they see the difference immediately; but because they can feel it. This is the “holy grail” of interior design. It comes standard in pPodLite.
• 4. Remodeling is expensive. To get “the right look” you may need to spend tens of thousands of dollars and countless hours of your time. Sure, you may enjoy remodeling. You may like browsing home décor magazines and watching HGTV until your eyes get bloodshot. But time is money. And just think what else you could be doing in a vibrant new living space in the company of a living, breathing vertical garden ecosystem which was installed in no time.
• 5. Treating plants only as expensive “living art” is a recipe for disaster. Thinking of jumping on the indoor vertical garden bandwagon because you like the look of it? Be prepared for “the revenge of mother nature.” Sellers of soil-based living walls won’t tell you about the mess, the smell, the dripping water. What’s that going to make your expensive makeover? (How are you going to change the soil in that vertical garden when it putrefies and dies?) As for hydroponic or other contrived ways of hanging plants in a completely unnatural way (i.e., without their roots firmly grounded and pointing downward toward the earth) be prepared to double, triple, or quadruple your home makeover budget long term. Oh, didn’t “the other guys” tell you about the ongoing plant replacement costs? Of course not, because they won’t admit to the facts: plants simply cannot survive long-term in any so-called “living wall” which ignores the fundamental laws of nature? The most fundamental of those? The law of the ecosystem; the law behind PeapodLife.

For more info and links, check out the official announcement at PeapodLife.com: PeapodLife Officially Launches pPodLite. You will also find PDF’s of product sheets for pPodLite Muro and Angolo.


Attila Lendvai
VP of Strategic Development
Wo-Built Inc. - Innovative Design and Build

Toxic Indoor Environments Require Advanced Human Habitat

Collage: Advanced Human Habitat: Surround Yourself with “AHH!”

Sick Building Syndrome (SBS), Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), Nature Deficit Syndrome (NDS), Seasonal Anxiety Disorder (SAD), Greenhouse Gasses (GHGs), Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)… the problems associated with indoor space as-is (non-habitat) are numerous and toxic: physically and psychologically. The Antidote is Advanced Human Habitat (“AHH…”).
Image Credits: MS Office ClipArt: Person with house icon;
Metaphor of upset stick-person with a green face and bloated stomach;
Smiling stick-person resting in a lounge chair.

The best way to detoxify is to stop putting toxic things into the body and depend upon it's own mechanisms.

~ Andrew Weil, M.D.

Source: BrainyQuote

The above quotation is telling because it recommends avoiding unnatural toxic things in favour of natural healing mechanisms. Every organism in nature exists because of its habitat. Their habitat usually consists of an ecosystem in which they play a key role.

Only people and those creatures we identify as pests seem to thrive in non-habitats. But are we really thriving? On a species-level, global population of both human beings and associated vermin are exploding. But what about on an individual level? Consider this list of problems with non-habitats:

Top Problems with Toxic Indoor Environments (Non-Habitats):

• Sick Building Syndrome (SBS) – There are numerous toxicity and other health and wellness related issues related directly to buildings themselves—their design, build quality, materials, building code, standard practices, etc.—from respiratory problems to symptoms of the central nervous system. 
• Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) – We fill our lives with stress: deadlines, meetings, background noise, jarring scents, and audio / visual distractions of every kind. It’s no wonder that ADD and ADHD (Attention Deficit/Hyperactive Disorder) is on the rise in children, teens and adults.  So much so, that it is becoming a societal “norm.”
• Nature Deficit Disorder (NDD) – A term coined by Richard Louv, NDD refers to his observational analysis that children and adults are suffering a host of behavioural problems as a direct result of spending less time outdoors.
• Seasonal Anxiety Disorder (SAD) – Commonly called “the winter blues” or “the January blah’s,” anyone living in northern climes knows the effects which long nights and little sunlight can have. With temperatures requiring us to stay indoors most of the time, the effects are compounded. 
• Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) – It’s not just buildings we need to be concerned with. Many household items, from furniture and area rugs to toys and bedding, to air fresheners and cleaning agents contain compounds which break down over time, releasing noxious fumes and toxic particulates into the air we breathe. Offices and workplaces are often worse, with commercial-grade cleaners, toners, dividers, and other items containing manner of chemicals.
• Greenhouse Gasses (GHGs) – Unless we already live and work off-grid in a carbon-neutral building powered 100% by renewable sources of energy, complete with a sustainable lifestyle, then we are contributing to greenhouse gas emissions. The long-term socio-economic and psychological effects of this behaviour are incalculable. But if global warming is on your mind (and severe weather events is making it moreso for more people), inaction on this front can be stressful, guilt-inducing and more.

Advanced Human Habitat: Surround Yourself with “AHH”

PeapodLife creates Advanced Human Habitat (AHH) in direct response to the toxicity of contemporary human non-habitats (our so-called “living space”). Designed on an integrated platform of cutting edge Building EcoSystems & Technology, PeapodLife AHH mitigates and even reverses the dangers of non-habitats.

Advanced Human Habitats balance the demands of modern life with the fundamental needs of human nature. Naturally lit indoor/outdoor spaces harmonize technology and ecology; improve health, productivity and overall feelings of wellness, vitality and happiness.  Advanced designs, materials and ecosystems prolong the life of buildings and promote a more sustainable future for all people.

This is PeapodLife’s Advanced Human Habitat Approach … our “AH-HA!” moment.  Surround yourself with “AHH;” experience your own “AH-HA!” moments.

Attila Lendvai
VP of Strategic Development
Wo-Built Inc. - Innovative Design and Build

link:
wobuilt.com:blog: Health and Wellness through Indoor Garden Living Spaces
Be it in the home or at the workplace, PeapodLife strives to deliver a useable living space that supports people coping with the toxicity of modern day life.