construction industry to lead green charge

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Ontario’s environment minister urges construction industry to lead green charge

VINCE VERSACE

STAFF WRITER

In Ontario’s move to a green economy, the construction industry must help lead the charge, the province’s environment minister says.

“We are seeing a dramatic change from what was business as usual,” John Gerretsen told an audience at the recent Construct Canada industry conference and trade show.

“We are looking to the construction industry to provide us with answers and advice to bring our economy into the 21st century and the green economy.”

Gerretsen told construction-industry leaders at the conference that Ontarians are looking to both government and industry to lead the way in “going green”. The construction industry is so large that it has the capacity to drive that change, he said.

“The public health and environmental health of our communities go hand-in-hand,” said Gerretsen. “It is no longer the environment versus industry. Environmental health is the key to economic prosperity.”

Construct Canada’s goal to once again be a “zero waste” event was commended by Gerretsen.

This goal is an example of the type of leadership required in a green economy. Energy conservation efforts by the province include a revamped building code, he noted. “Over the next seven years the power we will save through the new building code will save enough power to power 380,000 homes,” Gerretsen said.

The province’s Three R program, designed to divert waste from landfill sites, through a reuse, recycle and reduce approach, is another key initiative in the greening of the economy, said Gerretsen. This type of program can only be successful through leadership and participation from the construction industry, said the environment minister.

“We need to start seeing the value of waste as a commodity,” said Gerretsen. “More needs to be done on diverting waste from landfills.”

Ontario’s goal to have all its new buildings achieve LEED Silver certification is another key step in provincial leadership on the environmental front, added Gerretsen.

John Gamble, Consulting Engineers of Ontario president, said during a question-and-answer session with the minister that government services themselves “need to be brought to the table” to improve their policy and procurement practices to meet the government’s environmental goals.

Gerretsen agreed that a change in the culture of doing business, not just by industries and consumers but also by the government itself, is required.

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