Sustainable Housing in Resilient Communities: Guelph, ON, Canada
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Presentation made for Resilience Guelph: local citizens of diverse backgrounds sharing mutual interest in transitioning their local municipal region towards being a fully resilient community. This presentation focusses on sustainable housing: energy efficiency, water efficiency, cost effective conservation strategies, industry trends, green building, recycled materials, recycled water, and how to take all these concepts home.
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Sustainable Housing in Resilient Communities: Guelph, ON, Canada
- 1. © Mindscape Innovations Group Inc. Derek Satnik, P.Eng., LEED® AP Mindscape Innovations Group www.mi-group.ca Resilient Homes: The Canadian Experience with Low-Energy Buildings Guelph, 2013-03-23
- 2. © Mindscape Innovations Group Inc. Presentation Agenda • Intro. & Context • Technical stuff: How “Green” Works - Technical Tools & Systems (ENERGY STAR® , BUILT GREEN® , LEED® , etc.) • Examples & Case Studies (What’s it look like?) • Some of the technologies you can use • Key Points: “What Can I Do Today?” • Q&A
- 3. © Mindscape Innovations Group Inc.© Mindscape Innovations Group Inc. Respect • You are the converted. You come to events like this. • The majority of Canadians are not converted. • The next couple slides are intended to help you convince others. • Then we’ll get into details that should help you do your own projects!
- 4. © Mindscape Innovations Group Inc. The Emerging Energy Crisis & The 'Green' (Sustainable) Movement • The impact of Canadian buildings: – >6x avg. global energy use per capita – >2x more than Europe’s energy/GDP (ie: not competitive) – Consume ~40% of our energy (electricity & natural gas) – Consume >5.5 billion m3 / year of water – Consume the majority of processed material resources – Generate ~40% of all GHG emissions in Canada • Public acceptance that this can’t continue… Brampton suburb Toronto downtown
- 5. © Mindscape Innovations Group Inc. The Business Case: • Enhanced Bldg. Re-sale Value • Healthier Occupants • Happier Occupants • “Future Proofing” (eg: ongoing code changes) • Reduced O&M Costs • Enhanced Corporate Image for Builder • Builder’s Social Responsibility • Reduced Liability (for rental properties) Why Build ‘Green’ (Sustainable)? “The earth is not inherited from our fathers, but borrowed from our children…” (First Nations proverb)
- 6. How to Make ‘Green’ (Sustainable) Designs http://www.sandiegocommercialfunding.com/ © Mindscape Innovations Group Inc. Communication & Quality Control Water Lighting & Power HVAC Building Envelope Materials Selections Orientation, Configuration, Massing (landscaping, SWM, …) Site Effluents & Waste
- 7. © Mindscape Innovations LEED® for Homes (Breakdown of Points: Sample of all Programs) Grading: C: 45-59 S: 60-74 G: 75-89 P: 90-136 all ±10 by house size
- 8. © Mindscape Innovations Group Inc. How 3rd Party Residential Programs Work • Builders perform construction • 2nd Party verifiers: local certified energy professional • 3rd Party (Provider) audits verification • Governing body owns and manages program and monitors quality of delivery process CaGBC NRCan BGC etc. Builders QA / Auditing Providers training certification design support Raters site testing design support
- 9. © Mindscape Innovations Group Inc. How 3rd Party Residential Programs Work • Builders perform construction • 2nd Party verifiers: local certified energy professional • 3rd Party (Provider) audits verification • Governing body owns and manages program and monitors quality of delivery process CaGBC NRCan BGC etc. Builders QA / Auditing Providers training certification design support Raters site testing design support
- 10. © Mindscape Innovations Group Inc. How 3rd Party Commercial Programs Work • Builders perform construction • 2nd Party verifiers: local certified energy professional • 3rd Party (Provider) audits verification • Governing body owns and manages program and monitors quality of delivery process CaGBC NRCan BGC etc. Builders QA / Auditing Providers training certification design support Raters site testing design support
- 11. © Mindscape Innovations Group Inc. Costs of a Green Home Healthy Comfortable Durable Energy/Water/Resource Efficient Environmentally Responsible Comfortable Energy Efficient Extra Benefits: Comparison Criterion Code Home ENERGY STAR Home LEED Home Difference ($/month) Sticker Price $300,000 ~$304,000 ~$308,500 $50 to $70 Energy Savings N/A 20-25% 30-70% -$40 to -$60 Water Savings N/A N/A 20-50% -$10 to -$30 Value: Good Better Best No net cost!
- 12. How Much Does Commercial LEED® Cost? Note: These payback numbers are averaged from commercial LEED® - Canada NC projects and are conservative: they do not account for recognized intangible benefits (eg: increased productivity, reduced health care / sick-time costs, decreased strain on utility networks, etc.) Slide © Mindscape Innovations Group Inc. Photo from http://www.socalofficerealestateblog.com/wp-content/newuploads/2009/06/saddleback-church-solar-electric-panels-1-large.jpg 0 5 10 15 20 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% Certified Silver Gold Platinum yrs Incremental Cost (%) Energy Savings (%) Typical Payback (yrs)
- 13. Technical Tools: Building Rating Systems • EnerGuide Rating System • R-2000 (update coming) • ENERGY STAR® • Green Globes (BREEAM, & BOMA’s “Go Green”) • EnviroHome (CHBA) • Built Green® • LEED® • Solar Ready • NZE(r)? (coming) © Mindscape Innovations Group Inc.
- 14. Residential Green Building Rating Systems Environmental Performance EnergyPerformance Building Code Bottom 25% & code violators Main- stream 50% LEEDing 25% Bronze Silver Gold Platinum Certified Silver Gold Platinum © Mindscape Innovations Group Inc.
- 15. Photo from http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2009/04/img/solar_church_onpage.jpg ICI Green Building Rating Systems Environmental Performance EnergyPerformance Building Code Bottom 25% & code violators Main- stream 50% LEEDing 25% Certified Silver Gold Platinum © Mindscape Innovations Group Inc. Energy benchmarking: mNECB / ASHRAE LEED NC, CI, CS, EB:O&M Living Building Challenge
- 16. • 1st LEED Home in Canada! • Energy and water efficient (>50% reductions) Examples! Case Study: Reid’s Discover Home 162 Goodwin Dr, Guelph, ON • Solar Hot Water • Rainwater cistern, Xeriscaped, permeable driveway • Healthy interior finishes (VOC free, cork, recycled)
- 17. © Mindscape Innovations Group Inc. Case Study: REEP House REEP Green Solutions, Kitchener, ON http://www.reepwaterlooregion.ca/prog_house.php • $25k for ~60% energy savings • Book a tour!
- 18. © Mindscape Innovations Group Inc. Case Study: Stickwood Walker Farm Rodeo Fine Homes, Newmarket, ON • 50% energy savings • Solar thermal (air & water) • Cistern • Permeable pavers • Community of 34 homes, all LEED Platinum • ~$70k sale premium
- 19. © Mindscape Innovations Group Inc. Case Study: Ontario Green Home Williamsburg Homes, Kitchener, ON • 50% energy savings: R50 attic, R32 walls, R20 bsmt, R10 slab • Advanced HVAC • 50% water savings • Local Ontario materials • ENERGY STAR, Solar Ready, LEED Platinum, BUILT GREEN Platinum • $30k sale premium
- 20. © Mindscape Innovations Group Inc. Case Study: Discovery Home 5 Avalon Master Builder, Calgary, AB • Net-zero energy • Solar water • Living wall
- 21. © Mindscape Innovations Group Inc. Case Study: Landmark Homes Nexus 2 Model, Edmonton, AB • Standard model • 80-90% more efficient • Integrated PV roof: net-zero energy • >900 homes BUILT GREEN® certified • Avg builds score 78- 86 on EnerGuide
- 22. © Mindscape Innovations Group Inc. Case Study: Drake Landing Solar Community, Okotoks, AB • District energy: solar/geo heating • Efficient homes • Government $$ support
- 23. Case Study: Dockside Green, Vancouver, BC © Mindscape Innovations Group Inc. • Closed-loop design • LEED® Platinum everything • Sewer-gas transit • Profitable
- 24. © Mindscape Innovations Group So how do I do this on my house?
- 25. © Mindscape Innovations Conservation Roadmap & ROI Chart From book Smart Power: An Urban Guide to Renewable Energy and Efficiency, © William H. Kemp
- 26. © Mindscape Innovations Examples of Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Canada’s first solar neighbourhood, Waterloo, ON ~2.5kW / home City of Waterloo City Hall 1kW BIPV Region of Waterloo EMS Fleet Centre 20kW
- 27. © Mindscape Innovations Examples of Wind Energy Converters (Turbines) TREC 750kW Turbine, Toronto, ON Ventax prototype 20kW VAWT Ayr, ON Cappleman 20kW refurb, Baden, ON
- 28. Social Friction: Myths & Misunderstandings About Wind Energy Myths • Infrasound • Bird / bat kill - more likely to die from a cat, car, or building • Ground vibrations …A long list of unfounded and unprovable silliness Misunderstandings • Land use - farm up to tower base • Audible noise - quieter than the wind • Intermittent (“blows when it wants to”) Online FAQ: www.mi-group.ca/faq Picture from www.canhydro.com Slide © Mindscape Innovations Group Inc.
- 29. © Mindscape Innovations Group Inc. Profitability Comparison for RE Technologies Payback (yrs) RelativeCost ($/unit) 0 25 15 Solar DHW PV BIPV PV w/ trackers or conc.Solar walls PV thermal hybrid Wind >1MW Wind <30kW Conservation Geo Bio Hydro
- 30. © Mindscape Innovations Conservation Roadmap & ROI Chart From book Smart Power: An Urban Guide to Renewable Energy and Efficiency, © William H. Kemp
- 31. Reminders • Visit new model homes: ask builders what they’re doing & learn • Visit tour stops like REEP House (Kitchener) http://www.reepwaterlooregion.ca/prog_house.php • Watch for “doors open” events • Join newsgroups/lists online (LinkedIn, etc) • Build your network at events like this • Consider a BUILT GREEN® Renovation © Mindscape Innovations
- 32. © Mindscape Innovations Group Inc. Mindscape Innovations Group • In this new library of ideas, we’re the librarians. • Turn-key full lifecycle solutions for environmentally and technologically enhanced homes, businesses, and communities. • 14 awards since ‘07, municipal through international • Core enabling services to both the green building sector and the renewable energy sector: policy and incentive program development, Community Energy Plans / Sustainability Plans, feasibility studies, renewable energy system solutions, processing grants and incentives, permits and approvals, managing public stakeholdering and much more...
- 33. © Mindscape Innovations Group Inc. info@mi-group.ca 877-394-6589 www.mi-group.ca Thank you.
Notas del editor
- Necessity is the mother of invention. Canada is cold, and Canadian building science has led the world in keeping the heat in. All the world's leading energy efficiency programs from ENERGY STAR to LEED to Passive Haus were founded on Canadian building science: a truth that many Canadians do not even know. This session will explore the Canadian experience with net-zero energy homes and other low energy buildings, and will focus on emerging lessons that are making net-zero construction viable both here and abroad. The presenter has been actively involved with the Canadian professional and government organizations that have defined all of Canada's leading green building certification programs, including LEED, Built Green, Solar Ready, Net-Zero, and contributions to ENERGY STAR and EnerGuide, and to Ontario's Green Energy Act. Canada's construction markets have changed significantly over the past few decades, to the point where several of Canada's leading agencies have now adopted a vision of all new buildings using only as much energy as they can produce for themselves by 2030. Even more impressively, many of Canada's leading constructors are making significant strides towards seeing this vision become reality, and are freely sharing their lessons with the industry around them. This presentation will survey some of the most successful net-zero or near-zero energy projects that have happened recently in Canada, particularly residential and district/community projects, and will focus on: (1) the partnerships behind the projects, (2) the strategies and policies that made the projects possible, (3) how local communities were included, (4) investments models, and (5) transferable lessons that have been impacting the broader market. Integrated Community Energy Systems are most successful when the buildings within the system are contributors, not only consumers, and when those buildings are marvelously efficient. The information from this presentation will demonstrate that housing and buildings are changing in Canada, that the construction/development industry is ready to join the ICES movement, and that there is opportunity for bold political leadership to enable a net-zero energy built future. This paper will conclude with recommendations for moving forward: - recommendations to builders/developers on steps they make take immediately, - recommendations to policy makers on tools they could implement to help the industry transition, and - clarifications on the necessary role that zero and low energy buildings play in the transition towards all communities having ICES'.
- ~67% of residential energy use is for space heating and cooling, 15% for heating water, and 18% for lighting & appliances. In literature, a ‘crisis’ is a decision point – an opportunity for the plot to turn good or bad, and there are always characters that want it to each way. Interesting to note: the total energy supply chain in Canada (and North America) is < 10% efficient. Less than 40% of the energy generated by nuclear/coal/natural gas plants is used to create light / turn motors / run computers. The rest is wasted and lost. Hydro is about 90% efficient, so it is much better overall than the others.
- Sustainability = “Meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs…” TV show: Design e 2 hosted by Brad Pitt (released June ’06 on PBS) – “A television series that explores the e conomics of being e nvironmentally conscious.” Oprah just recently issued a request “ Are you worried about global warming? Have you and your family made changes around your household to save energy and cut carbon emissions? Do you recycle and set your thermostat to energy saving cycles? Do you use public transportation to help reduce your fuel consumption? Have you found a way to make a difference in your home or in your yard that you could share with our viewers? What are your specific ideas to reduce global warming in your home? Tell us what they are. The Oprah Winfrey Show is looking for families who are making a difference in reducing global warming that can share their stories and creative ideas. Please only respond if you are willing to be on television.”
- ‘ Greenwashing’ is an emerging term used to describe companies that are making unfounded claims to sustainability – like whitewashing, the idea here is that you can bury a completely unsustainable product with pretty green pictures, a few extra landscaping features, and pretend you’re ‘Green’. When you look at this picture, there’s no way to tell if this building even considered sustainability.
- Any effective ‘green’ rating system should be able to give due consideration to each of these topical areas of interest, and to their inter-relation. For example, there are many synergistic benefits between a tight building envelope and an efficient HVAC system. Site: landscaping, storm water management, site waste management, lighting… Building orientation and massing Water Envelope HVAC : Ventilation, and heating and cooling strategies Lighting and power Material selection And of course, the everpresent need for Quality Assurance , and Communication between designers Lastly, any system that can assess and compare the merits of green efforts under each of these areas should also afford some opportunity for “Value Engineering”, or for comparing the relative costs and benefits of different options.
- The question this slide answers: WHAT’S AN EXAMPLE OF A ‘GREEN’ RATING SYSTEM, AND HOW’S IT WORK?
- The question this slide answers: CAN I AFFORD IT? Like anything else, the more you invest, the more you get back. LEED® Silver is very affordable (~5% premium and ~4-5 yr. payback), and even Gold isn’t too expensive (~10% for <10yr. payback) Builders we have contact with are telling us that their costs and sale value increases are approximately: E-star: $4k - $5k avg. increase, (~1.6% on a 250k home). E-star increased sale value: same! LEED ® -H: “certified” (via US) ~10 - 12% more. LEED “gold” home will be ~25 - 30% (via US). We’ll fix that when we bring it to Canada! LEED ® -H increased sale value: __ Capital cost impact affected by: LEED target level Spec flexibility (eg: Green Roof’s are expensive) Building type (ie: how energy efficient was the base design?) Project size (economies of scale): big projects tend to be less expensive on a per unit basis Green market maturity (in mature markets there is more experience and better availability, thus lower costs) Climate zone (eg: extreme clients have high cost projects, so the incremental costs tend to be less pronounced) Team experience Regardless, incremental costs tend to be very reasonable.
- Like anything else, the more you invest, the more you get back. LEED® Silver is very affordable (~5% premium and ~4-5 yr. payback), and even Gold isn’t too expensive (~10% for <10yr. payback) Builders we have contact with are telling us that their costs and sale value increases are approximately: E-star: $4k - $5k avg. increase, (~1.6% on a 250k home). E-star increased sale value: same! LEED ® -H: “certified” (via US) ~10 - 12% more. LEED “gold” home will be ~25 - 30% (via US). We’ll fix that when we bring it to Canada! LEED ® -H increased sale value: __ Capital cost impact affected by: LEED target level Spec flexibility (eg: Green Roof’s are expensive) Building type (ie: how energy efficient was the base design?) Project size (economies of scale): big projects tend to be less expensive on a per unit basis Green market maturity (in mature markets there is more experience and better availability, thus lower costs) Climate zone (eg: extreme clients have high cost projects, so the incremental costs tend to be less pronounced) Team experience Regardless, incremental costs tend to be very reasonable.
- The question this slide answers: HOW ARE PEOPLE ACTUALLY DOING THIS RIGHT NOW? WHAT OPTIONS ARE IN THE MARKET (AND HOW DO I COMPARE THEM)? Photo: http://www.passivehouse.ca/passive-house-diversity/ http://www.passivehouse.ca/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Lodenareal.jpg Each of these systems has a slightly different focus, and associated pros / cons. Eg: EGH, R2000, and E* focus on the benefits of energy efficiency. Blue is E*’s colour, and has become a colour associated with energy efficiency (ie: blue systems are energy efficient systems) R-2000 includes some consideration for things like use of recycled materials and indoor air quality, but not to the same extent as LEED. Green Globes broadens out to include most of the other topics from the previous slide: Project Management (50 pts); Site (115 pts.); Energy (380 pts.); Water (85 pts.); Resources (100 pts.); Emissions (70 pts.); Indoor environment (200 pts.); Total: 1000 pts. Online system, $150, fill in the blank and get your rating (no 3 rd party audit) EnviroHome (CHBA) = R2000 + air quality + “environmental features” (get more info on this!!) Built Green ® starts to capture almost all the same material as LEED ® , and includes independent audits by 3 rd parties for energy (EGNH), but the top rated Built Green home is only slightly more energy efficient than an E-Star home Bronze @ EGNH 72, Silver @ 75, Gold @ 77, Platinum @ 82 LEED ® is quickly emerging as the industry standard, for a couple key reasons we’ll see in the coming slides. Most notably, the minimum standards (prerequisites), the comprehensive scope, and the innovation category. 1. Products made from environmentally attractive materials 1a. Salvaged products 1b. Products with post-consumer recycled content 1c. Products with post-industrial recycled content 1d. Certified wood products 1e. Rapidly renewable products 1f. Products made from agricultural waste material 1g. Minimally processed products 2. Products that are green because of what isn’t there 2a. Products that reduce material use 2b. Alternatives to ozone-depleting substances 2c. Alternatives to products made from PVC and polycarbonate 2d. Alternatives to conventional preservative-treated wood 2e. Alternatives to other components considered hazardous 3. Products that reduce environmental impacts during construction, renovation, or demolition 3a. Products that reduce the impacts of new construction 3b. Products that reduce the impacts of renovation 3c. Products that reduce the impacts of demolition 4. Products that reduce environmental impacts of building operation 4a. Building components that reduce heating and cooling loads 4b. Equipment that conserves energy 4c. Renewable energy and fuel cell equipment 4d. Fixtures and equipment that conserve water 4e. Products with exceptional durability or low maintenance requirements 4f. Products that prevent pollution or reduce waste 4g. Products that reduce or eliminate pesticide treatments 5. Products that contribute to a safe, healthy indoor environment 5a. Products that don’t release significant pollutants into the building 5b. Products that block the introduction, development, or spread of indoor contaminants 5c. Products that remove indoor pollutants 5d. Products that warn occupants of health hazards in the building 5e. Products that improve light quality Refer to Green Labelling Reference Guide under M:\\Greenscape_Consulting\\resources\\specs_&_standards Green Globes, based on BREEAM ( B uilding R esearch E stablishment E nvironmental A ssessment M ethod from British Research Establishment in the UK), is an online building audit for assessing and rating new and existing buildings against best practices, standards and principles of green architecture. It is being used by BOMA Canada as a national environmental recognition and certification program for existing commercial buildings called the BOMA 'Go Green' program. It’s easier to get partial credit under Green Globes (which may be a good or a bad thing depending on your view). Project Management (50 pts); Site (115 pts.); Energy (380 pts.); Water (85 pts.); Resources (100 pts.); Emissions (70 pts.); Indoor environment (200 pts.); Total: 1000 pts. LEED is emerging as the industry standard system or method by which to give due consideration to all environmental concerns, from energy efficiency to IAQ to recycled content & materials selection to construction practices. When last I checked, LEED had been adopted formally in varying degrees by __ governments in the USA, Federal through Municipal, and ___ more in Canada, including our national Department of Defense, the Province of Manitoba (for Provincial buildings), and the Regional Municipality of York. Energy Star is more specialized and less widely used than LEED, but is a useful contributor, easy to use, negligible expense. Common problem is that people don’t follow up to confirm how the building did (ie: Commissioning credits in LEED) Eg: gotta be blue before you can be green!
- Photo: 162 Goodwin Dr., Guelph, ON: the first LEED home in Canada (Platinum, via USGBC), built by Reid’s Heritage Homes intro to CaGBG & LEED LEED was created by USGBC, licensed and adapted for use in Canada by the CaGBC Performance-based, self-evaluating, self-documenting, but not self-certifying . LEED structure relatively straightforward: The entire rating system is based on existing codes, standards and guidelines – does not invent any new ones. There are a number of mandatory pre-requisites to “get into the game” and a range of credits for increased performance over the baseline Each credit is structured with the intent stated, followed by the requirements and then with suggested strategies for achieving the credit. The result is that is it relatively straightforward to decide, at early stages of a project, whether a given credit can be cost-effectively achieved. Recognition of various achievement levels is done by awarding Certified, Silver, Gold or Platinum designations There are four rating levels: Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum LEED can fulfill several important roles. Above all, LEED can show clients what a “green” building is, and it can enable private sector and government officials to understand and take “ownership” over specific strategies. They provide a voluntary, consensus-based, market-responsive set of criteria that evaluate project performance from a whole-building, whole-life perspective, providing a common understanding for what constitutes a green building in the Canadian context. This is done by awarding points earned by meeting specific performance criteria, defined in Prerequisites and Credits; that outperform typical standard practice. Improved building performance is certified with ratings – Certified, Silver, Gold or Platinum - based on the total number of points earned by a project. The LEED Checklist is divided into (6) Categories that include: SS – Sustainable Sites WE – Water Efficient EA – Energy & Atmosphere MR – Material & Resources EQ – Indoor Environmental Quality ID – Innovation & Design Process USGBC established in ’98, CaGBC in 2002, and the uptake has increased rapidly every year since.
- http://www.calgaryherald.com/technology/Solar+house+lights+future/7525709/story.html
- http://www.landmarkgroup.ca/net-zero/calgary/the-new-normal/#!/house-as-a-system ASK YOUR LOCAL BUILDER IF THEY CAN DO THIS!
- www.dlsc.ca
- Basic energy efficiency measures and conservation before energy generation. Classic Energy Efficiency (EE) measures: Lighting Motor/fan upgrades Efficient appliances Water: aerators on taps, ultra low-flow shower heads, efficient plumbing fixtures
- RoW EMS Bldg – 20kW PV (RESOP connected) WISE – 25 homes, 1-5kW, RESOP connected – Phase II has started, 1 contract already secured
- Small not necessarily the best example Not a good wind regime locally Current projects: Confidential big-box retailer Confidential major industrial client
- Bottom line: There are some legitimate drawbacks to wind energy, but they’re extremely minor compared to the alternatives, or even compared to the risks we take when we get into the car and drive to work every morning. Note: wind is not unreliable – it’s intermittent. Important difference. Turbines are the most reliable generators around – far more so than nuclear. “ unfounded and unprovable silliness”: Ask for recent reports based on recent data – note that the industry has advanced significantly over the last few decades, and every year counts. All of reports against wind that actually have valid concerns are very obsolete. 20 yrs. of reports in Europe, Canada (yes local), and around the globe that deal with all the concerns raised thus far. “ There is nothing new under the sun”, especially with wind energy antagonists. Bird kill stats from CanWEA (per 10,000 avian fatalities): <1 from wind turbines 50 from communication towers 710 from pesticides 850 from vehicles 1060 from cats 1370 from high tension lines 5820 from collisions with buildings / windows
- Conserve! Then think about generating: Best financial returns are on the commercial scale: if you’re looking to invest, put your money in a wind coop. Biomass has some attractive opportunities, but … CREW focuses on mature technology that’s ready for mass market
- Basic energy efficiency measures and conservation before energy generation. Classic Energy Efficiency (EE) measures: Lighting Motor/fan upgrades Efficient appliances Water: aerators on taps, ultra low-flow shower heads, efficient plumbing fixtures
- Image from http://www.caribbeanelections.com/education/images/library_books_5516.jpg Prefer personal power instead of community owned (eg: coop)? Contact Mindscape. Keep brief: <1 min. Mindscape Innovations, the 2008 Gowlings "New Business of the Year", which provides core enabling services to both the green building sector and the renewable energy sector: from feasibility studies to renewable energy system solutions to processing grants and incentives to certifying ENERGY STAR or LEED buildings.