Did you know that cleaning can be hazardous to your health? That’s because some of the products we use to clean residences contain chemicals are associated with eye, skin, or respiratory irritation, as well as a range of other human health issues. But the impact isn’t just on the cleaner alone – due to the air tightness of today’s buildings and the amount of time Canadians spend indoors (90% on average), all occupants are affected. Children are particularly vulnerable.

The good news is that today you can take control over this. You can implement a green cleaning program, which considers the health of building occupants and staff and the environmental impacts of the products and processes.

Here are 6 tips for starting a green cleaning program:

1. Choose products with less toxic ingredients, such as corrosives, ozone depleting and volatile organic compounds. Look for ingredients from biologically-based renewable resources and those that are not harmful to aquatic life.  Consider purchasing products certified by a third party like Canada’s EcoLogo certification which is recognized world-wide and provides assurance that the products meet stringent standards of environmental leadership.

2. Consider other environmental attributes of the product, such as the packaging (pump sprays vs. aerosols, recyclable vs. non-recyclable packaging materials) and the production process.

3. Always store and dispose of any cleaning product according to the manufacturer’s recommendations.

4. For households, home-made products, using just a few simple ingredients, are an effective alternative to store bought products. They are also easy on your budget and environment.  Check out this video about making cleaning products for your home:

5. Consider improving the indoor air quality by opening windows and letting in fresh air, especially while cleaning (but not during heating or air conditioning seasons).

6. A green cleaning program uses appropriate tools and equipment which allow for fewer products to be used in the cleaning process. The less products used, the less the impact. For example, a microfiber cloth may do the job on its own, without additional chemical-based products, or with just plain water.

Stay tuned for more information about GLOBE’s green cleaning products program, which will be available soon on the GLOBE website.

The Dirt on Cleaning: What it Means to Building Occupants, Staff and the Environment

• Chemicals in traditional cleaning products have been associated with eye, skin and respiratory irritation
• Indoor air can be 5 to 10 times more polluted than outdoor air
• Canadians spend on average 90% of their time indoors
• Roughly 70,000 cleaning chemicals seep into the air, soil and water through their use, storage and disposal
• Aquatic systems are particularly vulnerable – for example the phosphates common to many laundry detergents and cleaners destroy fish and animal habitats because they simulate excessive growth of algae and other aquatic vegetation

Green cleaning programs can help clear the air and protect the environment

Retrofitting post-war homes into net zero energy homes is an important addition to the renovation and retrofit market. Net Zero energy homes produce as much energy as they use on an annual basis. This is what Jim Steele, CEO of Windsor Essex Community Housing Corporation (CHC) wanted to bring to his post-war bungalow housing stock – creating the Now House Windsor 5 project.

Windsor Essex CHC Creates the Now House Windsor 5

5 post-war bungalows in Windsor Essex CHC’s portfolio received an energy audit to determine which energy reduction method was best suited for it. A base model was applied to each home, which included:

• Air sealing and insulation
• Fixtures
• Appliances
• Solar technology

The Now House Windsor 5 project was accomplished with the assistance of Lorraine Gauthier, President of Work Worth Doing. Her Now House Project was one of 12 winners in the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation’s (CMHC) EQilibrium^TM Sustainable Housing Demonstration Initiative.

“Frankly, we’ve got a few years left where we have the option to make some kind of change. The home is a fantastic place to start.” – Lorraine Gauthier

The Results

The base model improvements on each model home are expected to result in a 58% energy reduction alone. Also, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions were dramatically reduced and the EnerGuide measurement, a measurement for home energy efficiency, was also greatly improved. The results have been a great way to measure the amount of energy savings the retrofits have brought to the post-war bungalows.

50,000 is the number of ‘green’ jobs that is frequently used as the anticipated outcome from implementing Ontario’s Green Energy Act (GEA). 50,000 is a lot of new jobs. Given the economic gloom and doom, any province would be happy with that kind of growth. So I thought it might be a good idea to see where that number comes from and if it is, in fact, an accurate prediction.

Defining a “Green Job”

To verify that number, one can either track the number of green jobs, or determine the number of new jobs created by green policy.  To do the first, it is necessary to have a standard definition of a green job.  Which, it turns out, does not really exist. Defining environmental employment is a complex undertaking.  For example, is someone who works in a steel mill doing a green job?  What if some of that steel is used for building a tower for a wind turbine?  Not so easy, eh?

Another way to see if the GEA will be an economic engine is to estimate the number of jobs likely to be created by climate change reduction policies.  In a 2009 study, Robert Pollin and Heidi Garrett-Peltier compared the number of jobs created under the GEA vs. business as usual. Their conclusion was that the GEA would actually contribute to 90,442 total new jobs per year vs. 35,189 under the business as usual scenario.

Green Jobs on the Rise

While some of this may sound overly theoretical and is often debated in the media as a marketing ploy for the green movement, there are lots of positive, local examples of job growth spurred by green policy.  In a June, 2011 article in the Windsor Star, Time to set the record straight, Manish Nayar describes how in his group of solar companies alone, 27 new jobs have been created.  He goes on to say that the current estimate for new jobs created in the solar industry stands close to 18,000.

Manish also provides some other interesting information that strongly refutes claims that the commitment to GEA takes away from the real business of the economy.  According to Manish, the Independent Electricity System Operator paid $2.78 per kilowatt hour in June, 2011 to meet peak electricity demand.  So, in actuality, supporting renewable energy isn’t taking away from economic issues – it addresses it head on.

REDY Graduates Finding Success

I would like to share one other local story, which has to do with GLOBE’s 2011 REDY (Reducing Energy Demand with Youth) program.  Just launched this year, this green jobs program connects the dots between youth unemployment, energy retrofit work, housing and the green economy.  Of the 53 2011 REDY youth graduates, almost 90% have found at least temporary employment. That’s got to be good for the environment and economy, not to mention the REDY graduates.

So for any green sceptics out there, whether you worry or not when you see a lonely polar bear on a melting ice floe, the GEA is good for Ontario. Now, all of this does presume that the Government of Ontario stands behind its commitment to direct public dollars towards climate change solutions, including energy conservation and the transition to new skills development. Let’s hope they do.  Because after all, what could be better than policy that addresses climate change, improves the liveability of housing and generates strong, new job growth?

YWCA Elm Centre’s 300 Units

• 150 affordable apartments to single women and women with children
• 100 apartments to women and women-led families living with mental health and/or addiction issues
• 50 apartments to families of Aboriginal ancestry with 10 units for Aboriginal women fleeing violence
• 15% of the apartments are designated for women over 50 years of age.

Later this summer, the doors will open at the new YWCA Elm Centre. From a building perspective, the Elm Centre is a unique affordable housing project for two key reasons. First, it integrates Toronto’s first homeless shelter, which is one of the city’s oldest remaining structures, within its three modern towers. Second, it has emphasized the integration of building green. Built to the LEED^® Silver standard, the Elm Centre will include one of the largest residential applications of geothermal technology in North America.

The geo-thermal/in-slab radiant heating and cooling system the Elm Centre will be incorporating, uses the Earth’s thermal energy to heat and cool the residential buildings. Making this decision involved careful analysis. “Given that this is among the largest residential applications of geothermal in North America, we made sure that we did our due diligence. We did a lot of research and asked a lot of questions,” says Joan White, the YWCA’s Director of Housing, Support and Development. “While the geo-thermal system would cost $7 million and the baseline system would cost $3 million, we knew that going geo-thermal was the right thing to do,” she adds.

Such systems are typically three to five times more efficient than conventional systems. In this case, it is estimated to create a saving of 45% (415 tonnes per year) in greenhouse gas emissions, which goes beyond the City of Toronto’s green building standards of creating a saving of at least 25%. While the estimated payback period is 12-15 years, geo-thermal equipment can last up to 100 years.

The complex will incorporate numerous other green features:

• All 300 apartments will be outfitted with ENERGY STAR^®-rated appliances.
• Window installations will consist of energy-efficient LoĒ³-366^® windows, built with a triple layer of silver to provide the highest level of year-round comfort and energy savings.
• Each building will contain a tri-sorter waste system, where residents can dispose of their garbage, recyclables and organics from a single garbage chute on their floor.

The Elm Centre will also offer three green roofs, two rooftop gardens and an outdoor play area to reduce the heat island effect. To support green travel, bikes takes precedence over cars, with a large secure parking area fit for hundreds of bicycles. Being in the heart of downtown, the complex is also widely accessible by public transit.

Being one of Canada’s largest and most innovative green housing projects, these green additions will offer economic, community, and environmental benefits.

Economic Benefits:

• Roof materials will last twice as long as a conventional roof, which will minimize the cost of maintenance and replacement fees.

• The geo-thermal technology and energy-efficient appliances and windows will reduce the cost of energy usage.

Community Benefits:

• Residents will have the opportunity to recycle and compost, allowing them to take part in sustainable practices.

• Residents will have green spaces and gathering areas, which will provide a secure and relaxing space for their leisure.

Environmental Benefits:

• The reduced distribution of dust and particulate matter will enhance resident comfort.

• The building’s improved air quality will create a healthy environment for residents.

Visit the YWCA Elm Centre website to learn more about this project.

[slickr-flickr tag="REDY" id="63520439@N05" caption="no"]

I am not a huge fan of acronyms, but REDY (Reducing Energy Demand with Youth) is pretty cool. Let’s Get REDY; REDY, Set, Go; REDY or Not…well you get the picture. But what makes REDY really cool is a lot more than how well it works in those phrases. This green jobs youth training, just wrapping up in London after successful sessions in Toronto and Kingston, is one of those great ideas that connect all the dots. Those dots are youth unemployment, energy poverty, building retrofits and green jobs.

What’s a Green Job?

The idea of green jobs is relatively new and is used in different ways so it may be helpful to start off with a bit of a discussion of what a green job means.

A green job is any job whose primary intention minimizes environmental impact. It can be a service job or it can also be related to a manufacturing process or a product. It is a job that releases fewer toxic emissions, reduces waste, promotes alternatives to fossil fuels, conserves energy or maybe does all of those things together. A green job includes both new technologies and new ways of thinking about old technologies.

Buildings Contribute 50% of GHG Emissions

For the REDY program the green jobs training focused on building retrofit work. Why? Here is where the connection between the dots really starts to happen. Buildings in Canada contribute about 50% of all greenhouse gas emissions so there is both need and opportunity to conserve energy and lower the environmental impact. In addition, more than 15% of Ontarians live in apartments that are among the least energy efficient. Retrofit work that is designed to conserve energy also contributes to building longevity, reduced utility bills, improved resident comfort and lower maintenance demands. It is considered one of the best ways to improve economic, social and environmental well-being.

Youth Unemployment is 2x National Average

One final statistic that I want to mention is that currently youth unemployment in Canada is about twice the national average at just over 14%. This leads to another connection: and that is to train youth to be part of the solution. Training and hiring youth in the evolving green jobs sector is the perfect opportunity to engage youth in sustainable, valuable work that’s good for the economy and the social fabric of our communities.

The Youth Participants

Working with our fantastic community partners from the Ontario Association of Youth Employment Centres and our training partner, Housing Solutions Inc., 60 youth participants have already completed the REDY program. The participants have come from a variety of backgrounds and interests and have been inspired to use this entry level opportunity to identify their next steps whether that is employment, or further education or training. All participants have been enthusiastic about the opportunities in this sector and the knowledge that they are part of the green revolution. And that leads us to the final connection: we also need to have businesses provide job opportunities for these REDY graduates. Businesses have a lot to gain too; from the positive outcomes of green retrofit work to employing trained, enthusiastic youth who can do the job, not to mention access to training incentives.

Be REDY

So here it is; my last play on words. Be REDY for the future. Start the conversation about how you and your residents can go green; implement a green office policy, consider a long range green retrofit plan, write a youth hiring policy, participate in GLOBE’s Community Champion program or hire a REDY graduate. There are lots of ways for you to get involved.

You can also go to the upcoming OMSSA conference to hear Keir Brownstone, General Manager of GLOBE discussing REDY as part of a panel discussion on

Housing Careers as a Pathway out of Poverty
Wednesday, June 8 – 9:30 to 11:00 am

Call us today at 1.877.733.SHSC (7472) and ask about hiring a REDY (Reducing Energy Demand with Youth) graduate

On April 15, 2011, GLOBE and SHSC’s Energy Smart Initiative was recognized by the City of Toronto’s Green Toronto Awards at the Green Living Show. A finalist in the energy conservation category, the Energy Smart Initiative involved implementing a selection of ‘deep’ electrical retrofit and conservation measures in 11 electrically-heated social housing properties. This totalled 850 units which also utilized GLOBE’s acclaimed Community Champions program to educate residents on the measures and how to conserve. Together, all participating buildings received a wide range of energy conserving upgrades, from weatherization to lighting technologies. The savings from just the installation of compact fluorescents and power bars alone equal an energy savings of 1300 kilowatts, which is equivalent to taking 64 cars off the road.

Want to reduce your energy demand at home or at work?

Here are some energy saving tips from the Energy Smart Initiative that you may consider implementing either personally, in your buildings, or to pass on to residents:

1. Use a programmable thermostat and lower the temperature at night. Even 1 degree lower in winter, and 1 degree higher in summer, can deliver significant energy savings over time without compromising comfort.
2. Plug electronics into a power bar and turn it off when not in use. Electronic devices consume ‘phantom’ power just by being plugged into the wall. This is eliminated when using a power bar.
3. Arrange your furniture and drapes so they don’t block baseboard heaters or forced air vents.
4. When washing dishes, instead of consistently running hot water, plug the sink and fill it up. Don’t forget — when you waste water, you waste electricity too.
5. Pull shades or drapes over windows on winter nights to keep the cold air out and on summer days to keep out the hot sun.

Reducing Energy Demand with Youth

On a related green note, GLOBE’s current initiative, REDY (Reducing Energy Demand with Youth), is a program that trains youth in jobs that range from retrofit work to the installation of new, renewable energy technology. Over the course of the next three years, REDY will provide training and assist with placements for 120 youth participants in 6 cities.

If you have been reading the paper, listening to the radio or watching the news lately, you will be aware of just how precarious our reliance on stable and affordable energy, clean air and water, and healthy food really is.

The price of this reliance is high, not only financially, but socially and ecologically as well. It’s time to re-think how we use (and waste) resources.

So, what can be done? We can start by adopting more sustainable practices, such as:

1. Becoming more energy and water efficient. When you use water and energy, use it well. Fix leaks. Insulate. Use efficient appliances, lighting and equipment. Look for the ENERGY STAR® symbol: you’ll know your using models that are best-in-class.
2. Recycling, reducing and reusing as much as possible. Reduce the amount that you send to landfill. Recycle 100% of your glass, aluminum, plastic, and paper and compost organic waste if possible.
3. Turning off appliances and electronics when not needed: They draw energy, even when they are switched off. If you want to make sure you are not unknowingly feeding these “energy vampires”, unplug them when not in use, or use a power bar to easily turn them on and off with the flick of a switch.
4. Supporting organizations and individuals who are working for change. Encourage groups, friends and staff who are committed to reducing waste and improving the health and welfare of our society.

SHSC is doing its part: we have adopted a green office plan to reduce waste and improve the efficiency of our business practices. We are committed to purchasing greener, healthier cleaning and office products. Staff are being challenged to improve their own individual habits and attitudes around waste, transportation, and energy use. And as part of our sustainability plan, we have pledged to turn off all non-essential lights and office equipment on March 26th, 2011, in support of Earth Hour. This will continue on an ongoing basis as part of our green office program.

Of course, these are only small steps, but they are steps in the right direction. The question is, in what direction are you heading?

To learn more about GLOBE’s green office plan, download the Sustainability Toolbox.

Spring is finally here, and as we celebrate lengthening days and the return of warmer weather, it is also the time to recognize and celebrate the resources that we enjoy and –more often than not – take for granted.

It is often difficult to recognize the contribution that a resource such as water makes to our economy, our society, our health and welfare. Yet on March 22nd, World Water Day attempts to do just that by reminding us that we all rely on a steady supply of clean, fresh water.

The common perception is that Canada is blessed with an abundance of fresh water, and we are indeed fortunate to be home to so many lakes, river, and glaciers. But although Canada has a significant amount of fresh water, we possess only 7% of the world’s renewable freshwater supply, and pressure on this supply is growing quickly. Our basic supply of water is replenished over and over again through the hydrologic cycle, but it is not limitless: supply remains constant despite a continuously growing human population. So as time goes on, more and more users will be competing for the same finite supply of water.

Did you know?

• Although 70 % of the world is covered in water, only 1 % of it is useable. 97.5% is salt water while the rest is frozen in glaciers or ice caps.
• Nearly 1 billion people do not have access to safe drinking water
• In 2004, the average daily Canadian per capita domestic use of fresh water was 329 litres
• Although costs are rising, many areas of Canada still pay less for water than the actual cost of processing and delivering it. Canadians pay about 30 cents per cubic metre, significantly less than most developed countries including the U.S. (40 to 80 cents); the United Kingdom ($1.28); and Germany ($2.16).

Many think that because water is “renewable”, it makes no difference how much water we use or what we use it for. As a result, we tend to overuse and abuse it, not only affecting the quantity of water that we have access to, but also the quality. In fact, the capacity of our lakes, rivers and oceans to purify the waste we dump into them is much more limited than we once thought. So the way we use water is very important. We must take great care not to overuse and abuse this precious resource.

The solution is quite straight forward: using water more efficiently by doing the same with less. With just a few changes to the way we do things and/or the equipment we use, we can reduce water consumption in our homes and businesses by 40% or more. Using water more wisely will reduce pollution and health risks, lower water costs, extend the potential of our water supply and reduce pressure on expensive treatment facilities.

This World Water Day, use water more efficiently. Identify the areas within your home, business, buildings and processes where water is wasted, and make appropriate changes either to your fixtures, or to your water-using habits. Fix water leaks, install low-flow toilets and showers to reducing water waste, lower your utility bills, and help protect the health of our society, economy and natural world for generations to come.

Not sure where to start? Download GLOBE’s Sustainability Toolbox for some easy tips on how to become more water-efficient.

Marc Aguanno

Rooftops Canada is an international development agency that works on housing-related issues. For about 10 years Rooftops has been sending young professionals overseas to work with one of its partner organizations for a six-month period. Program costs are met by the International Youth Internship Program (IYIP), which is funded by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA). Last year, SHSC committed to making a financial contribution as well as pre-departure briefing and logistical support for two interns on projects related to SHSC business operations. Marc Aguanno is a 2010 intern who was sent to Mumbai, India to help increase the use of green building technologies. He talks about his work at a debris recycling plant below:

Rooftops Canada has been supporting an unusual project in Mumbai, India. The CIDCO-YUVA Building Centre is a joint initiative set up by Rooftops Canada’s partner, Youth for Unity and Voluntary Action (YUVA), and the City Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO). The Centre recycles construction waste – reclaiming what was seemingly useless debris in a cost-effective and sustainable program.

The CIDCO-YUVA Building Centre has been successfully picking up construction waste – including brick, mortar, masonry and ceramic tiles – for a small fee. The debris is sorted, crushed and turned into new paving stones, bricks and mortar. The Centre has created jobs in its recycling of old debris from construction sites and building demolitions and renovations, and its success has led to recognition by the city.

The Indian brick industry, which is the second largest producer in the world next to China, consumes more than 24 million tons of coal annually. While the government has been emphasizing the use of more efficient kilns to reduce the industry’s greenhouse gas emissions, it also realizes that efficiency alone will not solve the problem. In response, the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM) has extended a call to the international engineering community to design, construct and manage a 500-ton per day construction and demolition (C&D) waste recycling facility for the city. The ultimate goal of the project is to substitute a portion of clay brick production with recycled material collected from the overwhelming amounts of C&D waste produced in the city each day.

The CIDCO-YUVA Building Centre has been approached by the city to help in this ambitious undertaking. A plant of this size has never been constructed in the country and will also require the experience of international partners to carry it out effectively. The Indian construction industry remains unconvinced about recycling technology. This project is therefore an important opportunity to demonstrate that alternative methods not only function just as well as traditional practices but offer significant benefits for the environment and people of India. With an estimated one year remaining until landfill space in Mumbai is completely gone, the new large-scale recycling facility is urgently needed.

Rooftops Canada is committed to support the CIDCO-YUVA Building Centre meet this challenge by providing technical support.

With rising energy costs, more and more people are becoming worried about their utility bills. Are you one of them?

The social housing sector is a large consumer of electricity, natural gas, water and materials. In fact, the sector spends approximately $400 million a year on utilities and these costs are rising.

In response to these concerns, GLOBE recently launched the Sustainability Toolbox: a free, interactive online tool that focuses on no-cost and low-cost ways to run a more profitable and sustainable business.

When you download the Sustainability Toolbox, you will find some easy solutions for keeping utility costs down both at home and at work. It comes down to following three basic rules:

1. Use efficient technology.

• Replacing or buying new equipment or appliances? Choose the most efficient models available. Look for the EnergyStar logo – it’s an easy way to recognize the most energy-efficient choices!
• Replacing toilets, taps and/or showerheads? Install low-flow models to reduce your water use by 25%-50%.
• Not ready for big upgrades? Faucet aerators are inexpensive and easy to install, and will reduce water use without affecting water pressure.
• Change your lightbulbs! CFL bulbs are up to 75% more efficient and last up to 10 times longer – you’ll not only save energy, but maintenance costs as well.
• Get automatic results. Occupancy sensors and/or motion detectors will optimize lighting and fan use and reduce waste. Programmable thermostats allow for comfort and convenience while managing energy used to heat and cool the area.

2. Make sure that the equipment you have, works the way it’s supposed to!

Maximize efficiency by making sure to follow operations and maintenance recommendations.

• Clean and/or replace furnace and exhaust filters regularly.
• Improve circulation: make sure that nothing blocks radiators, registers or vents.
• Repair leaky toilets, faucets and showerheads immediately. A leak of one drop per second can waste as much as 10,000 litres of water a year!
• Insulate and seal windows and doors against drafts. Caulk all cracks and gaps in and around windows, doors, baseboards etc.

3. Stop wasting!

• Turn lights and electronics off when not in use.
• Don’t heat or cool unoccupied space.
• Use cold water to wash your clothes, and only wash full loads of laundry.
• Don’t leave the tap running when washing dishes or brushing your teeth.
• Reduce the amount of garbage you produce. Compost and recycle as much as possible. Keep hazardous materials out of landfill.

To maximize results, it is important to follow all three of these guidelines – neglecting one will reduce the effectiveness of the other. So if you want to take a bite out of your utility bills, remember that a building includes more that just walls, roofs, doors and windows – it also includes the people who live and work within it. How each part of a building interacts with each other (including residents and staff) will define just how sustainable – and cost-effective- your operations will be.

Looking for more useful tips and tools? Visit the GLOBE website to get your FREE copy of the Sustainability Toolbox. Download here