14 l ROOFINGBC l FALL 2018 FEATURE Optimizing industry towards zero emissions will require a shift in how we approach all aspects of the construction value chain, from design to procurement to construction, but the results of this shift can be extremely beneficial for Canadians. Innovation can reduce construction and operating costs, provide healthier and more comfortable buildings, stimulate economic activity for local resources and create a market for local products and services that will be globally recognized and sought after. A shift must also occur in the way companies compete within the market. High-performing buildings require the collaborative planning of all building specialists; from archi- tects to developers to tradespersons, we must be willing to pool our knowledge to progress innovation and ensure the building industry has the capacity to cost-effectively meet market demand and our climate change commitments. This form of interdisciplinary collaboration requires an organizing body and strategic network. In the past, industry lacked the formal space for subject matter experts to cross worlds and share knowledge. This open-source exchange is exactly what industry needs to close the gap between low carbon and zero carbon buildings. In 2018, four Vancouver organizations representing key areas of the building industry (City of Vancouver, Vancouver Regional Construction Association, Open, and Passive House Canada) collaborated to create this much needed space. From this partnership came the formation of the Zero Emissions Building Exchange (ZEBx) – a central hub for knowledge exchange. ZEBx’s mission is to rapidly accelerate the imple- mentation of zero emission buildings by connecting industry players and maintaining open and collaborative communica- tion between government, industry and academia. By doing so, ZEBx is able to bridge the gaps currently slowing progress in the building industry and coordinate efforts in a way that collectively pursues industry’s common objectives to meet B.C.’s building targets established under current climate policy. ZEBx’s platform aims not only to be a space for sharing, documenting and disseminating innovation currently being undertaken, but also to be a catalyst for new innovation, providing a space to test, iterate and optimize ideas and solu- tions to encourage both individual business advancements and collective industry benefits. High-performing buildings require the collaborative planning of all building specialists, from architects to developers to tradespersons.