Building ‘green’ has long been an objective for many corporations and public establishments that want to be good corporate citizens. Green buildings and achieving LEED certification speak to the environmental impact of the building through the use of sustainable products, optimizing energy efficiency, maintenance requirements, and reducing carbon footprint.
Meeting certification standards to comply with green building criteria is no easy feat as it must consider design, structure, and the effective use of recyclable materials where possible.
Skilled trades workers in unions must execute on plans without compromise. When working a union job, the nature of construction projects can vary not only by industry and segment (commercial, residential and/or industrial) but also by the building’s planned construction. You may even be fortunate enough to be part of an environmentally friendly LEED-certified building project that will stand out as a shining example of earth-friendly construction.
While costs are typically higher to achieve Canadian green building standards and the level of LEED certification required, the environmental impact and energy savings can be quite beneficial.
Let’s take a look at a number of green buildings that occupy the Greater Toronto area cityscape and some of the properties that make them stand out as examples in this category.
Banking on Being Green
The TD Centre Complex is made up of six buildings which have the distinguished designation of being LEED Platinum certified. Its most remarkable features contributing to this include its cooling system, a 22,000-square-foot green roof, and various waste management systems. With energy-efficient showers, faucets, and appliances, and a recyclable sewage system, all those designers, engineers, architects, suppliers and trade union job workers who contributed to this achievement can be very proud.
Not to be outdone, another of the big five banks, the Royal Bank Plaza also made modifications to achieve LEED Gold certification. Most notably it focused on energy efficiency by harvesting natural light and adding energy-efficient lighting. Other green areas of focus included a recycling program and a touch-free water saving systems that flows on and off via sensors as well as low-flow bathrooms.
Living Green
Residential buildings are also increasingly including environmental best practices and striving for LEED certification. It’s good business as environmentally conscious owners/tenants want to benefit long term from lower energy and water bills.
20A Senlac Road in North York is an example of a residential building that has prefabricated modules which uses less construction material and cleanup. It is LEED Gold certified and features VOC (volatile organic compound) free coatings, low-flow plumbing fittings, and a PV array installation – all elements that reduce toxicity and save water.
The Berczy is a 12-storey multi-unit (116) condominium dwelling that is across from the iconic Flatiron building in downtown Toronto and next to St Lawrence Market. It not only has an exclusive terraced design with great panoramic views but also is LEED® Gold Certified with a number of unique environmental features including green rooftops, energy-saving mechanical and electrical systems, and recycled building materials.
Learning Green
Rounding out our look at sustainable construction buildings in the GTA is a higher education learning centre. The George Brown College Waterfront Campus is LEED Gold certified and has earned multiple awards. It has atmospheric carbon detectors and has an open green roof. It also has low-flow piping to regulate and manage ventilation on campus.
The building systems communicate over an IP network and are managed by a central management system. This optimizes building performance, provides services and features that enhance the overall student and staff experience, and reduce the building’s carbon footprint.
Exciting Opportunities Await Union Job Workers
Looking to help the environment or just want to be part of a progressive construction project? Depending on what type of trade you want to pursue, you can work in a variety of segments and industries. And in each of those, as builders and planners look to pursue green building policies and even possibly to achieve LEED-level certification, there will be greater opportunities to learn and pursue these exciting projects. By joining a union, you’ll get the opportunity to train, hone your skills, earn competitive wages, and gain job security. Best of all, you will be helping to transform somebody’s vision of a more environmentally friendly world into a reality. Find out more by contacting us today.
