b'COMMITTEE PROFILEBUILDING FOR A HEALTHIER WORLD By Sarah B. HoodSPOTLIGHT ON THE TCA ENVIRONMENTAL COMMITTEETCA IS COMMITTED TO LEADING ENVIRONMENTALIn May, the committee hosted Build & Design Better: Smart and change by showcasing its members accomplishments Sustainable Buildings for a Changing GTA, which showcased in sustainability, and its Environmental Committee is how new building projects and retrofits can integrate green bringing that vision to fruition. The committee exists to building certification such as LEED and Zero Carbon Building connect the construction industry with environmentalStandard. Speakers Brandy Burdeniuk of Green Business education, awareness, best practices, guidelines and Certification Inc. Canada (GBCI) and Bill MacGowan of Cisco policies while encouraging and promoting a culture ofCanada shared valuable information about smart-buildings environmental sustainability. technology, green building programs, funding incentives and sustainable initiatives.The construction industry is changing the face of Ontario, and its important that that face becomes very green, very quickly,In June, the committee hosted a panel with TCAs Young says committee chair Catherine Willson, counsel with GoldmanConstruction Leaders (YCL) on Soil Management: An Industry Sloan Nash & Haber LLP. Willson believes education is key,Perspective on Early Engagement, moderated by Matthew with construction-industry members informing their customersGardner of Willms & Shier Environmental Lawyers LLP. Industry of the benefits of sustainable building, from reduced HVACexperts Neil Isenegger of Menard, Mark Priddle of McIntosh costs to a happier, healthier workforce. Perry, Ryan Moniz of the Soils Division of GFL Infrastructure Group Inc. and Kevin Goldberg of SoilFLO shared their With 40 per cent of global CO2 emissions now generated byexperiences since the Ontario excess soils regulation came into buildings, theres a real hunger to learn how to build bettereffect in January 2021 and highlighted the importance of early and more sustainably, says Willson. This is demonstrated byinvolvement in managing soils, both on and offsite.high turnout at the committees professionaldevelopment events. EARTH MONTHThe committees busiest time of year is April, when it raises In April, the committee partnered with ASHRAE Toronto Chapterawareness of Earth Day and the industrys impact on our on a seminar titled The Impact of COVID-19 on Indoor Airplanet, as well as the importance of building green, building Quality Guidelines. The industry already recognized the linkssustainably and improving our environmental policies. In between IAQ and wellness, and now COVID-19 has shown2021, the committee shared news from companies like PCL how important building ventilation is in preventing pathogenConstructors Canada Inc., which partnered with Microsoft to spread. With help from local consultants and organizations likedevelop Job Site Insights, PCLs smart construction platform ASHRAE, standards and best practices are changing due that allows for real-time monitoring of jobsite conditions.to COVID.They shone a spotlight on Powell Contracting, whose Speakers Abhishek Khurana of Voyager Buildings, Cara Sloatsustainability framework applies from the earliest stage of a of Hammerschlag & Joffe and Brendan McDermott of DMAproject through to the end, and Goldman Sloan Nash & Haber Heating discussed how to enhance existing building systemsLLP, where staff has undertaken initiatives like eliminating and build new projects with higher IAQ levels for occupantsingle-use plastic bottles and replacing grass with drought-health and safety. tolerant plants and groundcover. They also challenged 26Quarter 42021 BUILDERSDIGEST'