Gala Salutes Green Innovation and Inspires Consumer Education

Collage by Wo-Built: "Keep this Consumer Clean"
Image Credits: MS Office ClipArt: "Clean planet sign in grass field" 
+ "Bald man with a barcode on his forehead".

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.”

~ Partners in Project Green Website

Keynote Speaker Raises the Importance of Greening Consumers "in the Home"

Last Thursday, 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.

On that note, keynote speaker John Coyne, V.P. of Legal and External Affairs at Unilever Canada, made some fascinating observations about the lifecycle of Unilever consumer products.

As a world leader in sustainable business, Unilever tracks the resource intensity of its products from sourcing of raw materials straight through to manufacturing, shipping, sale, consumption, and post-consumer waste disposal. The results were not surprising.

On average, over 60% of resource intensity (energy, water, etc. used) takes place in the hands of consumers. This means no matter how sustainable Unilever makes its operations, the majority of consumption because of their products is beyond their control. Or is it?

Mr. Coyne outlined a number of strategies for educating consumers to use their products in more sustainable ways (such as taking shorter showers), most of them limited to their product in some way (i.e. packaging).

Wo-Built suggests another, more all-encompassing approach. To green the consumption of packaged household goods in the home, why not start by greening the house? To change consumer behaviour, one must change their environment. The reason is simple: we are all products of our environment. Sending them important educational information on package labels is also important, but imagine how much more potent such info will be if read within a living ecosystem!

Below is a small ecosystem installed in a High School. Similar units can dramatically improve the environment in homes, condos, small offices, and more. Impact of larger installations is even greater: visually, aesthetically and viscerally. You can feel the difference an indoor ecosystem makes.

Peapod Life Image: Small ecosystem installed in a High School.

We are all about educating consumers: in their home, at work, play, school, shopping, et al. Our approach is "show, don’t tell." The power of natural systems to inspire imaginations just by being there is extraordinary. Interacting with nature produces practical experience (real knowledge aka wisdom). Watching kids’ & teens’ responding to even the simplest ecosystems is magic. Being in the presence of one as an adult makes you feel like a kid again: youthful, rejuvenated … truly alive.

Wo-Built wishes to thank Unilever for its foresight and leadership in recognizing the importance of having a positive influence on consumer behavior with regards to sustainability.

We also wish to congratulate all the individuals and organizations who received awards from the PPG for leadership and excellence in the areas of sustainability, particularly those recognized for empowering people to become more environmentally responsible.


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

links:
partnersinprojectgreen.com: New Sustainable Business Leaders Emerge from the Pearson Eco-Business Zone
Partners in Project Green announced the recipients of the 2012 Partners in Project Green Sustainability Awards and winner of the People Power Challenge at Thursday’s fall networking event.
trca.on.ca: Toronto and Region Conservation for The Living City: New Sustainable Business Leaders Emerge from the Pearson Eco-Business Zone
Media Release, Oct 16, 2012

The Power of Imagination Knows No Boundaries

Emily Schaefer: Fluff, 2011
Acrylic on Panel, 24" x 30", Private Collection
Telephone Booth Gallery | Emily Schaefer's collection of paintings

Imagination is very important to push the boundaries and I believe the world needs more of it.

The following is an excerpt from my speech to Toastmasters.

Imagination
the faculty of imagining, or of forming mental images or concepts of what is not actually present to the senses.

Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited, whereas imagination embraces the entire world, stimulating progress, giving birth to evolution. It is, strictly speaking, a real factor in scientific research.
Albert Einstein

Not just in scientific research, but in very day life. Imagination is very important to push the boundaries and I believe the world needs more of it.

Our imagination is of course influenced a lot by popular culture, recently I watch the remake of Total Recall, set design was a bit Star Wars meets Bladerunner, indicating that even the movie makers are influenced in their imagination on what was before, but since imagination knows no boundaries there is the potential to dream up more original stories. Kids are a great example.

My nephews were visiting and they are at the age where they still act out their imagination and don’t care where it leads them. I get into the door and immediately the 3 year old latched onto my leg and shouts "Aunty Martina, lets play cave, come, come, come …." And off I go, because in their company I can be a silly as I want to be. Refreshing.

Playing with them in their world of monsters, dinosaurs, ghosts, Star Wars and other, it really hit home again that imagination does not know any boundaries: ghosts can shoot laser guns, they were special ones, they could be held up with ghost fields, our cave people had high tech lighters, we rode bats as big as ships to get around (lassoing them was a task).

We imagined whole alternative worlds during playing. With, I might say, very little props. And the beauty is that even though their pictures in their mind where different than mine, but we could bring together stories. And the story evolved and developed. It’s like brain-storming.

But somehow as we grow older we do this less and less. We are mired in a world of reality, having to be realistic. But I think having a great imagination is important in life, I chose after all to have architectural training. Having to go through design processes you need to look at situations from different point of views, to think outside the box, so to speak.

I can only speak from my personal experience, and I always had a vivid imagination, sometimes it got me into trouble, sometimes I push the envelope too much, sometimes I rush into things because I imagined great outcomes, but I would feel lost without my imagination.

I am not an advocate of unlimited day dreaming, or living in a make-believe world, but I believe if we as a society would put a little more emphasis on encouraging innocent play as adults, flights of fancy and being able to push the envelope with which on the surface might be "stupid" ideas I believe we could move the world forward.

Imagination is more important than knowledge. And I would like to encourage everyone just start playing to either use or rediscover your imagination. Write stories, they don’t have to be about goblins, fairies and giants or other make believe creatures, they could be about day-to-day life, solving problems or just flight of fancy.

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

Cracks in the Ceiling? Bee Sweet to Houseguests!

Image Collage: Bees’ Home Office
Image Credits/Sources (From Left to Right): Honey Dripping through Cracks in Ceiling & Varney, Ontario Homeowners: WILLY WATERTON /QMI AGENCY,
Microsoft Office Clipart: Bees & Honeycomb
2012 @ wobuilt

Here’s a different take on living in harmony with nature. Is the latest "home invasion" by bees Mother Nature’s way of telling us we need to rekindle a deep reverence for the Queens of the Sun?

The latest incident of home invasion by bees is being touted online as a "horror story" for a Varney, Ontario couple. Two hives. Up to 180,000 bees. Approximately 2,000 pounds of honeycomb, dripping with honey right through growing cracks in the ceiling. A nest of yellow-jackets thrown in for good measure.

David Schuit, an Elmwood, Ontario beekeeper and his helpers were planning on taking down the ceiling in the living room and kitchen on Monday and removing the hives and honeycombs. Schuit exclaimed: "It’s really amazing. Bees are fascinating."

So, a sticky situation that was easily four years in the making, which could have ended much worse, seems well on its way to a finding a sweet resolution. All’s well that ends well. Get the whole story at cnews.

Like so many such stories, this one will buzz its way around the ‘Net, Twitterverse and inboxes for a while before vanishing into popular-consciousness oblivion. In six months’ time, it will at best be recalled as an urban legend.

This is the real "horror" of the story. Bee colonies are collapsing around the world. From fatal parasite infestations and disease epidemics to over-use of toxic pesticides and GMO crops, the very existence of nature’s most critical pollinating creature is in jeopardy. The "Queens of the Sun" are facing dark skies ahead, indeed.

It doesn’t help that our monoculture agricultural practices see tens of thousands of bee colonies shipped from one end of North America to the other each and every year to pollinate immense crop fields. This practice not only puts tremendous stress on individual hives, but allow for intermingling of colonies that would otherwise be separated from tens of thousands of miles. The result? Contagions and parasites once contained to specific geographic locations infect colonies across the continent in one convenient step (thanks to human beings).

Maybe by bunking with humans, the bees are trying to tell us something. Maybe it’s because they know humans won’t be throwing their own home on the back of a flat-bed truck to drive thousands of miles. Maybe it’s because they know some humans are smart enough not to spray high concentrations of toxic substances in their house.

In other words, maybe the bees are trying to express how they like the same things we like: brightly coloured sweet smelling flowers; safety and security for their family; the chance to live and work in peace and harmony; freedom from tyranny and slavery. They’re reminding us our ancestors used to revere and respect them as sacred.

Are we saying you need invite bees into your home? It’s not that far-fetched an idea. New Yorkers recently fought for their right to keep bees in the city. Even the Fairmont Royal York in Toronto has its own rooftop hives. With Peapod Life indoor ecosystems, there is definitely an opportunity to include nature’s most precious pollinators.

For more information on hive collapse syndrome, the importance of local permaculture and how to "bee sweet," for the sake of all creatures, we recommend the excellent, award-winning documentary, Queen of the Sun.


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

youtube.com: Queen of The Sun: What Are the Bees Telling Us? - Official Trailer [HD]
QUEEN OF THE SUN: What Are the Bees Telling Us? is a profound,
alternative look at the global bee crisis from Taggart Siegel,
director of THE REAL DIRT ON FARMER JOHN.
Official Film Website: http://www.queenofthesun.com
Uploaded by Collectiveeye on Feb 11, 2011

Find related articles and links:
cnews.canoe.ca: 180,000 bees invade Ontario home
Honey dropping from the ceiling
By Scott Dunn, QMI Agency July 29, 2012

owensoundsuntimes.com: news local: Invasion of the honey bees
By Scott Dunn, Sun Times, Owen Sound July 29, 2012

intelligencer.ca: News Ontario: Honey pit: Ontario house a honey pit
by scott.dunn@sunmedia.ca July 29, 2012

globalpost.com: Honeybee house anything but a home sweet home
Canadian woman finds 180,000 bees, 2,000 pounds of honey in attic.
by David Trifunov July 30, 2012

ctvnews.ca: 80,000 bees found inside Ontario home
80,000 bees, 100 kg of honey, found inside Varney, Ont. home
The Canadian Press, July 30, 2012 + 18 Comments

Sharing Our Vision of Peapod Life with Food Forward

Photos: Wo-Built Shares Its Vision of Peapod Life with Food Forward
Urban Agriculture: Foodie Drinks - Eglinton-Lawrence Edition
May 29, 2012 at Zito's Marketplace, 210 Marlee Avenue, Toronto
2012 @ wobuilt.com

Thank you for giving us the opportunity to share.
It was a great evening, wonderful food and company.
A special thank you to Orla Moylan Hegarty for inviting us.
We loved hearing everyone's great community initiatives.
See you all at the next Foodie Drinks.
~ Wo Built

They say there is great beauty and wisdom in simplicity…in that which is elemental.

On Tuesday evening, Wo-Built joined Food Forward’s event held at Zito’s Marketplace, 210 Marlee Avenue, Toronto.

The venue was packed with a diverse group ranging from members of the local community to social entrepreneurs to individuals from across the GTA. Their common cause: a sincere interest in eating healthy, organic, local, sustainable, community-empowering food.

Picture it: in the heart of a gourmand’s paradise, an outstanding spread of homemade snacks courtesy of Zito’s Marketplace, delightful hobnobbing with foodies from the community … what better place for Wo-Built to talk about Peapod Life?

Speakers included Cousellor Josh Colle, member of the Toronto Food Policy Council, and Susan Poizner, founder of Growing for Green, Community Orchard and Backyard Sharing initiative.

Attila Lendvai, VP of Strategic Development, gave a lively and interactive talk on behalf of Peapod Life, highlighting the very simple fact that human beings “are what we eat.” And all five elements go into growing food: earth, wind, fire, water, and space. Ergo, “we too are those five elements.”

As opposed to legacy approaches to building which focused on sheltering people from the elements, Peapod Life embraces the fact that we are those elements. Quality earth, wind, fire, water and space are essential to our survival and well-being, and so they are essential to Peapod Life as well.

We know, for instance, how important natural light is to us; that artificial light is less than healthy. The same goes for fresh air; clean, vitalized and revitalizing water; vibrant, beautiful space that is calming yet invigorating—not unlike a forest, meadow, or just about any other outdoor natural environment.

This elemental approach means Peapod Life operates on a level so primal, so fundamental to the well-being of living things, it creates indoor spaces that are literally full of life: unmatched in terms of their ability to support productive, peaceful, healthy living.

Peapod Life ... it’s really quite elementary.

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

Photos: Wo-Built Shares Its Vision of Peapod Life with Food Forward
Urban Agriculture: Foodie Drinks - Eglinton-Lawrence Edition
May 29, 2012 at Zito's Marketplace, 210 Marlee Avenue, Toronto
2012 @ wobuilt.com

And even more pictures from this Food Forward Foodie Drinks night:

Screenshot: facebook.com: Food Forward Events Photos
Foodie Drinks - Eglinton-Lawrence Edition
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
credit: http://www.facebook.com/groups/foodforward

Update:

@wobuilt: We were being mentioned in this article!
Yonge Street: Food Fighters: How a new advocacy group plans to change your diet
"... A recent edition featured councillor Josh Colle of the Toronto Food Policy Council and the not-for-profit groups Growing for Green, which spearheaded the Ben Nobleman Community Orchard in a public park, and Wo-Built, which produces compact living units bursting with green features."
by Sarah B. Hood | Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Urban Agriculture: Foodie Drinks Featuring Peapod Life

Toronto Good Food Events
Urban Agriculture: Foodie Drinks - Eglinton-Lawrence Edition
Tuesday, May 29, 2012, 7–9:30 pm
Zito's Marketplace, 210 Marlee Avenue Toronto M6B 3H6

Image Credit: Food Forward Advocacy Alliance

We would like to share with you an announcement about our presentation at an upcoming Food Forward Toronto Good Food event next week, and we are looking forward to seeing you there!

Urban Agriculture: Foodie Drinks - Eglinton-Lawrence Edition

When: Tuesday, 29 May, 7–9:30 pm
Where: Zito's Marketplace
Location: 210 Marlee Avenue Toronto, ON M6B 3H6
(Just 3 blocks from Glencairn Station)

This month will feature:
special guest, Councillor Josh Colle, member of the Toronto Food Policy Council and active advocate of good food jobs.
Come learn from our non-profit and business guests:
Growing for Green (Ben Nobleman Community Orchard & Sharing Backyard)
and the innovative Wo-Built.

Foodie Drinks - Eglinton-Lawrence Edition

It's been a little while since our last Foodie Drinks, so we're coming back strong with a great event highlighting wards 15/16, this time at a small food market! Everyone from the area and beyond welcome to come learn, brainstorm, and connect.

Foodie Drinks is our monthly chance to mingle, network and build new relationships around good food in Toronto.Whether you work or volunteer in food, or are just interested in growing vegetables or supporting Toronto businesses, this is a great place to see friends and make new ones.

This month will feature special guest, Councillor Josh Colle, member of the Toronto Food Policy Council and active advocate of good food jobs. Come learn from our non-profit and business guests, Growing for Green (Ben Nobleman Community Orchard & Sharing Backyard) and the innovative Wo-Built (http://www.peapodlife.com).

We'll be at Zito's Marketplace sipping cafe, 210 Marlee Avenue (Just 3 blocks from Glencairn Station), Tuesday, May 29, 7:00-9:30PM

Let people know you're coming on Twitter with #FoodieDrinks

*Free entrance, but grab a Food Forward membership to get involved and advocate for a better food system. Or become a member now by clicking Join Us! Wheelchair accessible with partially accessible washroom.

Facebook for Foodie Drinks - Eglinton-Lawrence Edition event here for Food Forward.

Published by Darcy Higgins on Tue, 05/08/2012

Food Forward Advocacy Alliance

Please find more information at Events Hub: Calendar of Toronto Good Food Events, by Food Forward
twitter: @pushFoodForward
hushtag: #foodTO

Green Renovations: Sharing Experiences and Lessons Learned

Green Renovations Lessons Learned
BILD Renovator & Custom Builder Council
October 11, 2011; 6:00 - 8:30 pm
Credit: BILDGTA.ca: Meetings & Events

Building, Industry and Land Development
Renovator & Custom Builder Council

Topic: Green Renovations
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:

• Whole house "green" renovation
• The Green Home Makeover: Sustainable Neighbourhood Retrofit Action Plan (SNAP)
• Diagnosing and renovating Mansard and similar roofing

Speakers:
John Godden, Clearsphere Inc.,
Martina Ernst, Wo-Built Inc.,
Emilio Cosentino, Keystone Interiors Inc.,
Shannon Logan, Toronto and Region Conservation Authority, SNAP
Greg Labbe and Don Noble, Greensaver.

When: Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Time: Pizza and Networking: 6:00 pm
Program: 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm

Location: BILD Awards Hall
Address: 20 Upjohn Road, North York, ON M3B 1Y2

For more information please contact:
BILDGTA.ca: Meetings & Events

Live Green Toronto: Wo-Built

Our Green Commitment
We are dedicated to being environmentally conscious and have embraced "Green Construction" in all our projects. We strive to be the leading design and build company that is sought after for its innovative design and quality construction and one that is recognized for using their projects as a means to help women, the community and the environment.

Our Special Offer for Members
Incorporate in your renovations the following: green roofs, solar, geothermal or heat recovery measures and save 5% of the retail costs.

From Worms to Green Building

Photo-Collage: From Worms to Green Building
From Worm Composting to Sustainable Living
2011 @ wobuilt.com

"Every family needs a pound of worms,"
declares Cathy Nesbitt ...
from Learning to love the magic of worms
by Ellen Moorhouse Special to the Star
Published on Sat Sep 19 2009

I normally don’t write about my private life, but I got new pets, 800 to 1000 to be precise. And I had them for a week and a half and they are still alive!!! They are red wiggler worms (scientific name: Eisenia foetida), they live in a composting bin in my kitchen and they eat my organic kitchen waste.

When I got the little wigglers, I didn’t know anything about vermiculture or vermicomposting. I met Cathy of Cathy’s Crawly Composters a few times over the years and always said I wanted to try. So last week I finally picked up my worms and to my surprise I got two cartons of worms, one bottle of distilled water, one carton of soil/lime mix, bedding of paper shreds and of course the composting bin (size of a blue bin). Not quite assembled as I hoped, but I guess bonding with your pets is a good thing. So when I got home I had to set up their new environment and luckily Cathy provides a manual with the kit. Bedding your worms is quite a science. So is feeding them. I now have a freezer full of worm food, freezing helps to break down the structure, easier to digest.

Anyway I must have done something wrong and for a few days some of the little critters tried to escape. Making me a concerned worm owner. But I finally fluffed their bedding (more oxygen) and all is well in wormland. Pheeew!!!

I got the worms, because I wanted to do my tiny bit for the environment and live more healthy. I started juicing vegetable and fruits to eat the recommended daily 7 portions according to my chart from the My Food Guide at Health Canada, something that is almost impossible otherwise. But I didn’t want to throw away the pulp or the food scraps, so perfect timing for the worms. My own personal commitment to green which of course extends to my professional commitment to green building.

Living healthy, living green or living sustainable is a way of life and it does not have to large scale. The same applies to green buildings. Of course we would like to install all the large scale measures such a solar panels, geothermal and windmills or green roofs, but smaller measures can be as satisfying. A heat recovery unit is affordable at approx $4000, a light pipe to bring daylight into enclosed spaces can be as little as $1000 installed. If you really want, you can even consider composting toilets. If you add an extension to your house it may be possible to design in the environment to achieve an energy effective house. Measures such as orientation, glazing, heat sinks, daylight, natural shading, natural ventilation all play a vital role. For a second storey addition, skylights, light pipes and extra attic insulation are great ways to reduce energy usage. We discussed some of the ideas in our post about the Aboretum.

I am a great believer that we do not have to do without the comforts of modern life to be green or live an sustainable life, I like to live in a well designed, bright, warm or cool comfortable home, but I will encourage all our clients to think about ways how they can be green. The worms are my start, what would be yours?

Martina Ernst
Wo-Built Inc. - Innovative Design and Build

PS: Father’s Day is just around the corner. Kids, instead of buying things or making some craft items for Dad, why not persuade him to get a children’s worm kit from Cathy’s Crawly Composting. Caring for the worms can be great fun for the whole family.

links:
ehow.com: How to Build an Attractive Worm Bin
by Mindy McIntosh-Shetter, eHow Contributor
updated February 08, 2011

Wormilicious — diary of a worm composting revolution
by Cassandra: the worm coach

HomeBuilder & Renovator Expo: Best Practices, New Products and Technologies in Construction

Poster: HomeBuilder & Renovator Expo, December 1-3, 2010

Metro Toronto Conventional Centre, Shouth Building

Credit:www.homebuilderexpo.com

It becomes a tradition for our company to attend this Canada's largest construction industry trade show once-a-year. This year the 14th annual HomeBuilder & Renovator Expo will be held December 1-3, 2010 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre South Building in conjunction with Construct Canada, PM Expo, DesignTrends, and Concrete Canada.


HomeBuilder & Renovator Expo
Strategies & Solutions for Residential Construction & Renovation

When: December 1-3, 2010
Wednesday, December 1, 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Thursday, December 2, 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Friday, December 3, 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Location: Metro Toronto Convention Centre South Building

Construct Canada, PM Expo, DesignTrends, HomeBuilder & Renovator Expo and Concrete Canada at a Glance:

• Show Features 1050 Exhibits
• Hands-on Skills Training and Demonstrations: New Speakers, New Topics, New Features, and New Technologies
• Seminar Programs Tailored for Residential Construction: 450 Speakers, 200 Presentations and Free Demonstrations
• National Green Building Conference: New and Green Products & Services Recognition
• International Business Program: International Architectural and Interior Design Roundtable
• Show Guide Referencing Participating Exhibitors

Strategies & Solutions to Build On sessions in this year's program will discuss National Building Code changes, cost-effective building strategies, marketing tips to help grow your business, and practical green residential building solutions.

Here is a short list of some seminars to choose from:

• Seminar W120: Significant Changes in the 2010 National Building Code: Part 9 Buildings
• Seminar T121: How Better Project Management Can Improve Productivity, Lower Costs, and Improve Quality While Reducing Stress
• Seminar W122: Social Marketing for Homebuilders & Renovators: A Crash Course
• Seminar W121: Marketing Tips & Techniques for Homebuilders & Renovators to Use NOW
• Seminar T211: Kitchen & Bath Design Trends for 2011
• Seminar T120: New and Green Products for Residential Construction
• Seminar T300: An Energy Retrofit of Your Building Is Your Best Investment: The ROI Beats the Stock Market
• Seminar T115: When Does a Green Roof Make Sense? What Have We Learned About Green, White, and High-Performance Roofs?

To review these and other sessions for acquiring valuable updates on best practices and new products and technologies in construction business, please go to the Show's Events at a Glance page.

We are looking forward to attend this big 5 Canada's largest construction industry shows. See you at #HomeBuilder10 Expo.

Are You an Internationally Trained Professional Woman? Apply for the Business Edge Program

Poster: Business Edge: For Internationally Trained Women Professionals
March 26-May 29, 2010, PDF brochure
Credit: rotman.utoronto.ca

We like to support many training initiatives for women, and we found this one hosted by the Rotman School of Management, U of T.

Business Edge:
A Program for Internationally
Trained Women Professionals

March 26 to May 29, 2010

• Workplace Effectiveness
• Language Fluency
• Development and Managing Critical Relationships
• Career Action Planning
• Post program Support
• Coaching
• Influencing
• Negotiation Skills

Apply today for this free program.

Application deadline: Wed. Feb 17, 2010
For more information call: 416-978-7066
Apply online at: www.rotmanexecutive.com/businessedge

Initiative for Women in Business
This intensive program is designed to support internationally trained women professionals as they navigate their careers in the Canadian workplace. It will help them build professional confidence and acquire relevant business skills in order to advance within their firms. The program will bring out a better understanding of the subtleties of the Canadian workplace and help them adopt ways that could make a positive difference to their professional work experience.
Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto

Affordable Housing Opportunities in Toronto: the City’s Plan

Screenshot: Housing Opportunities Toronto:
An Affordable Housing Action Plan (PDF)
Housing Opportunities Toronto HOT Action Plan 2010 - 2010 -
a comprehensive 10-year strategy for meeting
the affordable housing needs of Toronto's residents
Credit: toronto.ca

Anyone who is interested in affordable housing in Toronto should read the City’s proposal for action for this new decade (2010 – 2020).

We are looking at this document very carefully to see if we can be part of the building of new and the renewal of the existing housing stock. These are large scale projects that would allow us to train women in the building trades and at the same time help the community.

Martina Ernst
CEO
Wo-Built Inc.

About HOT Action Plan
A new Toronto Housing Charter is a key component of the Housing Opportunities Toronto HOT Action Plan 2010-2020, adopted by City Council August 5, 2009.
The Toronto Housing Charter - Opportunity for All is the first of its kind in Canada. The Charter is designed to guide Council and staff in their efforts to assist those who often face challenges finding affordable housing, from newcomers and single parents to seniors and those with disabilities.
HOT contains 67 recommended actions to be undertaken by the City of Toronto and the federal and provincial governments. It calls for new investment of $484 million annually for the next 10 years to help 257,700 households struggling with high housing costs or inadequate accommodation.
HOT will serve as a roadmap to guide federal and provincial investments, as well as public and private sector activity.
Credit: toronto.ca: Housing Charter Highlights HOT

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.

What is our ecological footprint?

Collage: What is our ecological footprint?
Credit: MS Office ClipArt - keyword: footprints

We all talk about our ecological footprint and how much our lifestyles impact on the environment. But what does it all mean? Well, this website calculator: Zerofootprint: Footprint Calculator which is designed for kids shows our impact really nicely. And it is great for adults too (just pretend you are the parent).

Taking the test was quite an eye opener. In my household, even though we recycle, switch off lights and computers, limit our garbage, don't own a swimming pool etc we still are using way too much carbon, water and land to sustain our lifestyle.

Everyone in the Wo-Built office had to take the test as well. Needless to say we all swore to use fewer resources. Try it out for yourselves.

The link was provided by Styrohome who I am following on Twitter.

Martina Ernst
CEO
Wo-Built Inc.

links:
wikipedia.org: Green building is an outcome of a design which focuses on increasing the efficiency of resource use — energy, water, and materials — while reducing building impacts on human health and the environment during the building's lifecycle, through better siting, design, construction, operation, maintenance, and removal.
Canada has implemented the "R-2000" in 1982 to promote better than building code construction to increase energy efficiency and promote sustainability. An optional feature of the R-2000 home program is the EnerGuide rating service. This service is available across Canada, allows home builders and home buyers to measure and rate the performance of their homes, and confirm that those specifications have been met.

rprogress.org: Redefining Progress: Shifting public policy to achieve a sustainable economy, a healthy environment and a just society.

wobuilt.com: Celebrating Earth Day - Striving to Be Green All Year Round!

technorati tags:
152 posts tagged ecological footprint
35 posts tagged eco footprint
ecological footprint quiz
1 post tagged ecological footprint calculator

Wo-Built Mentors George Brown Students

Screenshot: The Student Bid Competition's Website
Credit: tcicbidcomp.com

Wo-Built was ecstatic when we were asked to mentor students for a construction bid competition!

We were approached by a student from George Brown College’s Construction Management Program to mentor his group in a construction bid competition. Of course, we jumped at the chance to work with students and guide them through the construction and estimating bid process.

This event is held every year at Ryerson University. Students from across Canada are invited to complete bids based on a set of contract documents. It was started in order to help students understand the challenges that occur in the bidding process for construction projects. These bids must contain quality takeoffs for own forces work, a sub-trade analysis and selection, as well as the overhead and pricing summary.

The bids are judged based on the following three criteria:

• Most Outstanding Professional Conduct;
• Most Accurate and Complete Bid Package;
• Nearest Bid to the Budget Price.

Screenshot: The Winners of the Student Bid Competition
Credit: tcicbidcomp.com

Our group was in the top 50! Great job and we are very proud of you!

It was interesting to note that the winner of Most Accurate and Complete Bid Package and Most Outstanding Professional Conduct was an all female team. This is also a great sign for our industry.

Wo-Built Inc. is grateful for this opportunity to be involved in this mentorship, and would like to thank the students at George Brown College for the chance to give back to our community and participate in this amazing educational event.

Deborah McKenna
Senior Construction Project Management / Interior Designer
Wo-Built Inc.

technorati tags:
389 posts tagged mentorship
13 posts tagged george brown college
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The Sponsors - Part 2: Diversity Job Fair & Skilled Trades Forum for Women and Youth.

Presented by

Zack Steel in Partnership with the City of Toronto’s Access and Diversity Unit / Parks Forestry and Recreation

You are cordially invited to attend the Diversity Job Fair & Skilled Trades Forum for Women and Youth.Wednesday, January 16, 2008, from 5-9:30pm, at Nathan Phillips Square / Toronto City Hall, in the Rotunda 100 Queen Street West, Toronto, ON M5H 2N2, @ Bay Street

The Career Foundation, TorontoJobs.ca, Centennial College and Adecco have joined the other sponsors.

City of Toronto - Parks, Forestry & Recreation
Wo-Built Inc
CAWIC
Canadian Youth Business Foundation
DiversityCareers.ca
Pre-Apprenticeship Training Institute
On-Track for Women

For RSVP please contact Zack at 647-208-4423 or e-mail zackisit@yahoo.ca
For more information please visit http://www.wobuilt.com/pressreleases.htm

The Sponsors: Diversity Job Fair & Skilled Trades Forum for Women and Youth.

Presented by
Zack Steel in Partnership with the City of Toronto’s Access and Diversity Unit / Parks Forestry and Recreation

You are cordially invited to attend the Diversity Job Fair & Skilled Trades Forum for Women and Youth.
Wednesday, January 16, 2008, from 5-9:30pm, at
Nathan Phillips Square / Toronto City Hall, in the Rotunda 100 Queen Street West, Toronto, ON M5H 2N2, @ Bay Street

The Sponsors:

City of Toronto - Parks, Forestry & Recreation

Wo-Built Inc

CAWIC

Canadian Youth Business Foundation

DiversityCareers.ca

Pre-Apprenticeship Training Institute

On-Track for Women

For RSVP please contact Zack at 647-208-4423 or e-mail zackisit@yahoo.ca

For more information please visit http://www.wobuilt.com/pressreleases.htm