Atlantic Canada’s first building to be certified Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Platinum is Nova Scotia Power’s Corporate Headquarters.

Designed by WZMH Architects and located on Halifax’s waterfront, the facility reused the Water Street Coal Fired Generating Station, which opened in 1911 but has been decommissioned since 1999.

Toronto City Hall’s vegetated roof project has earned building envelope contractor, Flynn Canada, a Canadian Nursery Landscape Association (CNLA) National Award of Landscape Excellence.

The assembly contains 3415 m² (36,760 sf) of green space, designed by Plant Architect and installed by Flynn. It is the city’s largest publically accessible green roof with modules containing various grasses, sedums, and perennials grown by LiveRoof Ontario Inc.

A new radioactive waste management facility (Port Hope, Ont.) has received $4.5 million worth of equipment for its water treatment plant.

The plant has received four water units and three water filtration tanks that will be used as part of the facility’s two-stage reverse osmosis treatment process.

A new national organization focused on providing the construction industry with a skilled workforce has been established.

BuildForce Canada, officially instated April 1, has replaced Construction Sector Council which was in operation for a decade. The council provided industry forecasts and research.

The tallest office tower in Calgary has made Emporis’s list of most impressive corporate buildings from around the world.

Designed by Foster+Partners, the Bow is the corporate headquarters for EnCana, a Canadian petroleum and gas producer.

Across Canada in the month of February, a total of $6 billion was issued in building permits—a 1.7 per cent increase from the previous month.

Although the overall value of building permits has been declining since late last year, the non-residential sector in eight provinces has increased the numbers.

EnerQuality Corporation has named the first qualified Canadian home under the new Energy Star for New Homes (ESNH) Standard.

Developed by Natural Resources Canada, the initiative aims to identify homes approximately 20 per cent more energy efficient than those built to the provincial building code.

The University of Calgary’s Energy Environment Experiential Learning (EEEL) centre has become one of the most efficient laboratories in North America with its Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Platinum certification.

The structure uses 78 per cent less energy than a typical laboratory, which are normally energy intensive. Triple-glazed windows provide extensive natural daylighting throughout the facility and light fixtures use sensors and schedules to control usage.

Recent survey results suggest Canadians want a national organization and standards to oversee the construction industry, including welding contractors.

In a public survey commissioned by the Canadian Welding Bureau (CWB), more than 1000 residents were questioned about product safety, internationally trained worker accreditation, and national industry supervision.

Canadian construction forecasts for labour supply and demand from 2013 to 2021 are now available online.

Prepared by BuildForce Canada, Construction Looking Forward, 2013-2021 Key Highlights, consulted contractors, labour groups, and government.