Toronto: Energy-related projects were well-represented in the release September 21 of the 2018 “Canada’s Clean50 Top Projects” list, which celebrates 20 sustainability-oriented projects completed by groups ranging from large corporations and municipalities, to university students and individuals from across Canada.
Representatives of the winning projects joined with the 2018 Clean50 individual leaders and emerging leaders and 30 Clean50 Alumni in Toronto at the Clean50 Summit 7.0 on Thursday September 28th. Together with their peers, they tackle sustainability problems facing Canada.
Awardees include a community solar garden in Nelson, BC that sold individual solar panels to community members in a shared “solar garden” where the energy produced by their panel reduced their energy bill at their home, often blocks away. The following renewable energy and energy efficiency-related projects constituted half of the total of 20:
• Canada Green Building Council: World's First Zero Carbon Building Standard, Ottawa, ON
• City of Nelson: Community Solar Garden, Nelson, BC
• Natural Step Canada: Energy Futures Lab for Alberta, Edmonton, AB
• Northern Village of Green Lake: Community Solar Installation, Saskatchewan
• Queen’s Solar Design Team: Solar Education Centre, Kingston, ON
• Resolute Forest Products: Vegetable Greenhouse using Waste Heat & Carbon, Saint-Félicien, QC
• Right At Home Housing Society: Net Zero Affordable Townhomes for Large Families, Edmonton, AB
• SES Consulting & VanCity: Vancity Waste Heat Recovery Project, Vancouver, BC
• Southbrook Vineyards & Enviro Stewards: Energy Conservation & Solar Net Metering, Niagara on the Lake, ON
• York University: Student Engineered Solar Charging structure for Electric Vehicles, Vaughan, ON.
Other awardees include a Campbell Company project that eliminated 1,000 tonnes of food waste; creation in Ontario of the most efficient insect farm in the world, and in BC the development of a platform and “app” that ensures that food waste gets diverted into the hands of food banks instead of landfill.
In all, the selected projects represent 20 different ways in which Canadians are demonstrating leadership and working to enhance overall sustainability. Each was selected “for their positive impact, innovation, and their ability to inspire other Canadians to attempt similar projects.” Each is described in some detail by author/writer Tabatha Southey at the Clean50 website.
Founded in 2011 by Gavin Pitchford and Delta Management Group, which describes itself as the leading sustainability, CSR and clean tech search firm in Canada, Canada’s Clean50 Awards and Clean50 Summit provides a means of bringing together thought leaders and environmental experts to tackle sustainability problems, and to recognize and promote their accomplishments in the hopes of inspiring action by others. This is the seventh iteration of the awards, and they are considered the leading individual award for environmental and sustainability-focused achievement in Canada.