SUSTAINABILITY

Sustainable Construction is at the forefront of our business operations. Our ICI Division practices green building to help eliminate and/or reduce the impacts our industry has on the climate and natural environment. 

Leaside Village Building A, featuring a vegetated green roof system.

For every project, our ICI team does the following to aid in reducing our carbon footprint on construction sites: 

• Develop a schedule for environmental deliverables to our clients.
• Establish environmental goals and objectives. 
• Identify environmental aspects and implement control strategies.
• Incorporate environmental protection/management requirements.
• Identify environmental legal requirements.
• Meet with subcontractors to review environmental management requirements. 
• Develop monitoring strategies for environmental controls.

The following are some of the minimum environmental requirements we implement on our construction sites:

• Protect stockpile of dirt from wind using tarping.
• Workers will place all waste debris in appropriate bins. Upon completion of work activities, the workers will close the lids and properly secure them. 
• Where possible, we recycle all waste material as per client waste management policies. 
• Any equipment and/or machinery used for construction work will meet the manufacturer’s recommendations regarding maintenance activities and frequency. 
• Management frequently works with local suppliers to find sustainable products that are better for the environment and are ethically sourced.

Over the years we are proud to have achieved LEED Certification for many of our ICI builds. This includes: First Capital Leaside Building A & B,  Shopper’s Drug Mart, CIBC, RBC, and a medical office in the First Capital Plaza in Milton; LCBO in Olde Oakville Marketplace; LA Fitness in Rutherford’s Marketplace in Vaughan; and two Canadian Tires’ in Bowmanville and Oakville.

As we continue to reduce our environmental impacts, our Luxury Custom Home & Cottage team is equipped with the training and qualifications to build a Net Zero Home and a Net Zero Ready Home (everything is ready but the solar panels on the roof, but with the space to install them). 

Net Zero homes produce as much energy as it generates. They are designed, modeled, and constructed so that over the course of the year they produce the same amount of energy on-site that the homeowner will use.

Facts on Net Zero Homes:

• Net Zero homes can take an average home from 100gi to 45gi.
• Net Zero homes envelope is super-insulated and airtight. This improves the durability of the structure, comfort to homeowners, and is more energy-efficient. 
• This reduces thermal bridging, acts as an air barrier system, and has high-performance windows and doors. 
• Reduces electrical consumption.
• Includes high-performance mechanicals (i.e. heat pumps, furnace backups, water heaters). 
• The heat pump water heater takes heat from the interior air to warm the water, and has an Energy Factor of at least 2.45.
• Net metering and net billing allow consumers who generate their own electricity to export their surplus power back to the grid for a credit.

To learn more about Net Zero Homes and its benefits, check out our blog post! 

We offer our clients the option to install a Geothermal Heating & Cooling System as a way to be more sustainable. Geothermal systems use the temperature of the Earth to heat and cool a home. Powered by the Earth’s core and ambient external factors, this system creates a steady, reliable, and sustainable stream of energy. 

Maple Grove Modern Project.

From mold remediation, water and fire damage to restoring your property, our Emergency Services & Restoration team strategically find new ways in being more sustainable on the job sites.

• To minimize carbon footprint, we dispatch crews who are either on the road or close to the location.
• Mitigation practices include minimizing waste by drying structures rather than tearing down unnecessary walls.
• In addition to recycling paper, debris, plastics, aluminum, and cardboard at construction sites, we also donate salvageable items that clients no longer want.
• Our sustainable drying techniques allow us to prevent the unnecessary replacement of building materials while ensuring indoor air quality standards. 
• Reduce contaminated stormwater from leaving the project by installing silt fencing/filter sock as per the manufacturer’s instructions.
• Housekeeping will be maintained in the work area using a vacuum rather than sweeping.
• Using a dust suppressant, such as water as required to reduce dust levels.
• Promote the use of environmentally friendly chemicals.

Watch for additional green initiatives our Emergency Services division is practicing in their day-to-day operations.