Three Canadians were honoured with Lifetime Achievement Awards at the 2013 Green Building Festival for their work in creating a sustainable building environment.

Presented by Sustainable Buildings Canada (SBC), winners are recognized for their contributions to development, building efficiency, and design leadership.

This week marked the Canadian Wind Energy Association’s (CanWEA’s) 29^th Annual Conference and Exhibition in Toronto.

The event took place October 7 to 10 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, and was open to more than 1500 industry experts and 150 exhibitors.

Ontario’s government is entering into contracts that will make inspections and independent testing for quality and safety of various infrastructure projects’ construction, repair, and maintenance not mandatory.

Some design-build and performance-based contracts and projects will no longer require third-party testing to ensure they comply with building standards. This is something with which Canadian Council of Independent Laboratories (CCIL) takes issue.

A report released by the Ontario Association of Architects (OAA) outlines financial impact of site plan review delays on owners, commercial tenants, and building developers.

“A Review of the Site Plan Approval Process in Ontario,” commissioned by Bousfields Inc., and Altus Group, reviewed close to 500 provincial site plan applications. The approval process is technical and considers layout, access, and safety, among other things.

International buildings data firm Emporis has named a Greater Toronto Area (GTA) condo complex the best skyscraper built in 2012.

Absolute World Towers (Mississauga, Ont.) was chosen by an expert jury panel from more than 300 structures completed in 2012 and all exceeding 100 m (328 ft).

The Canada Green Building Council (CaGBC) has launched an online database of the country’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certified projects.

The LEED Project Profiles collection includes more than 4000 registered, certified projects with design details, building teams, and photos.

University of Toronto (UofT) Department of Civil Engineering professor and Construction Canada author, R. Douglas Hooton, PhD, has been honoured with the Frank E. Richart Award from ASTM International.

A member since 1981, Hooton was awarded for his contributions to ASTM International Committee C09 on Concrete and Concrete Aggregates.

EPCOR Tower—Edmonton’s first downtown office structure to be built in nearly two decades—has been certified Gold under the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program.

Designed by Kasian Architecture Interior Design and Planning Ltd., the 30-storey tower stands 148 m (488 ft) high.

Two Ontario projects have been honoured with a 2013 International Architecture Award from the Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design and the European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Design.

Brook McIIroy and Ojibway architect Ryan Gorrie were awarded for The Gathering Circle, an outdoor pavilion on Thunder Bay’s waterfront.

A Vancouver project and a Canadian researcher are among this year’s winners of the 11^th annual Green Roof and Wall Awards of Excellence.

Presented by Green Roofs for Healthy Cities (GRHC), the honours are distributed in 11 categories, and are chosen by a jury panel of industry experts.