The recently opened GO Station in Oshawa, Ont., has incorporated sustainable building elements in its design while making commuting easier for travellers.

The 14,864-m² (160,000-sf), $52-million facility houses 68 buses, a fuelling station, bus wash, and repair shops.

The Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH) has pointed out 2012 was a particulary productive year for Canadian high-rise construction.

Nationally, Canada saw four buildings higher than 200 m (656 ft) built last year, which is historically the most the country has ever completed.

From institutional construction to sustainable developments, the best in Ontario’s concrete projects have been named.

The annual Ontario Concrete Awards recognizes creative projects using one of the most common construction materials.

A retirement centre and a mixed-use structure were the two Canadian winning projects in this year’s Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute (PCI) Design Awards.

The predominately U.S. competition had 28 winners from across North America. Along with a number of best-in-class awards, it recognized industry advancement, sustainable design, and the best all-precast concrete structure or solution.

At the end of the month, the Master Painters Institute (MPI) will be moving its coating performance lab testing operations out of its Vancouver headquarters to KTA-Tator Inc., an accredited lab in Pittsburgh, Pa.

MPI has been testing proprietary coating products in its Vancouver lab since 1995 to determine whether they meet the third-party group’s performance standards and should be listed on its Approved Products Lists.

Toronto’s e11even restaurant has been named Canada’s best restroom. The recognition comes out of a competition held by Cintas Canada, a uniform, data management, and restroom-cleaning company.

Designed by New York’s The Rockwell Group, the washrooms—located in a downtown restaurant adjacent to the Air Canada Centre sporting venue—contain modern sink basins and washlets for women.

The first International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 50001, Energy Management System, certification in North America has been given to St. Marys Cement in Bowmanville, Ont.

“Certification to ISO 50001 enables our organization to follow a systematic approach to achieving continual improvement in energy performance; including energy efficiency, use, and consumption,” Fabio Garcia, plant operations manager, told Construction Canada Online.

Pollution Probe, a non-profit organization promoting environmental change through research, education, and advocacy, recently held its 2012 gala, bringing together Canadian leaders in sustainable development.

With the overarching theme of ‘learning,’ the event welcomed approximately 500 industry, government, law, and academic members to the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Toronto.

Building Industry and Land Development Association (BILD) has named its best in new Greater Toronto Area (GTA) home construction.

Beginning in 2004, the annual awards honour firms in 49 categories, ranging from supplier to homebuilder of the year.

Toronto researchers have discovered rethinking insulation, along with small lifestyle changes and a heat pump, can save up to 80 per cent on energy usage in homes.

Developed by Ryerson University professor Russell Richman and University of Toronto professor Kim Pressnail, a nested thermal envelope design incorporates zonal heating in residences that will cut down on energy and heating costs in the winter.