Clients | Past & Current Projects | Benefits

Profiles of Past and Current Projects

The following provides brief illustrations of the breadth of organisations SSG works with and the services we offer: from green and sustainable building, sustainability assessing and reporting, to climate change research and mitigation, community sustainabiity planning and food security.

BC Housing:

From 2007 to present, SSG has been conducting LEED and sustainability consulting on various BC Housing projects. Projects include M'Akola Housing Society Assisted Living project, Duncan BC, targeting LEED Gold, St. Vincent de Paul Society project, Saanich BC, targeting LEED Gold, BC Housing 12 Sites, Vancouver BC, targeting LEED Gold and GHG neutral, and the Garfield Assisted Living project, New Westminster BC, targeting LEED Gold and GHG neutral. SSG is working with Recollective Consulting to develop building design guidelines for the Provincial Housing Initiative to ensure that all BC Housing projects achieve LEED Gold and carbon neutral targets.
[ http://www.bchousing.org/ ]

BioRegional:

SSG provides support to One Planet Living, a joint initiative between Bioregional and World Wide Fund for Nature, for their development projects in North America. This includes providing sustainable community design and implementation consulting, facilitation and integrated design support, and green building advice. SSG has worked on major development projects in California and Montreal including Sonoma Mountain ($1 billion, mixed-use community) and Meadowbrook (1,200 residential units).
[ BioRegional's One Planet Living Programme ]

Canada Green Building Council:

SSG has conducted two main projects for the CaGBC: adapting the US Green Building Council's LEED for Homes Rating System standard for use in Canada in 2008 and developing and delivering a Public Sector Green Building course in 2006. Targeted toward public sector project managers, code officials, policy- and decision- makers, this latter project involves activities and presentations to cover issues including integrated development processes, project management, project delivery, the business case and consultant selection.
[ www.cagbc.ca ]

Canada Research Chair in Community Sustainable Development:

SSG is a member of the Canada Research Chair on Sustainable Community Development at Royal Roads University and through this partnership has prepared detailed case studies for a major project on sustainable infrastructure in Canada funded by Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council and Infrastructure Canada. The case studies involved the development of a research methodology including interviews, literature reviews and, in some cases, site visits. SSG completed case studies on the wind energy policy regime on Prince Edward Island, City of Calgary's green building policy, Quest's food redistribution program in Vancouver, deep water heating and cooling in Halifax and Toronto and a scan of best practice in sustainable community planning across Canada.
[ www.sustainablecommunities.crcresearch.org/ ]

Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation:

SSG facilitated the evaluation process for phase I of the CMHC's Net Zero Energy Healthy Housing (NZEHH) Pilot Project in 2006, and also edited and completed a background document on technologies and strategies for NZEHH. SSG was re-hired in 2008 to facilitate the second phase of the EQuilibrium Housing initiative evaluation process for proposals from BC, the North and Atlantic Canada.
[ http://www.cmhc-schl.gc.ca/ ]

City of Kelowna, BC:

In 2008, SSG partnered with BKDI Architects to produce a neighbourhood development concept plan and guidelines for a central, 15 acre, previously developed site in Kelowna called the Central Green. A cornerstone of downtown Kelowna that will include 20% affordable housing, SSG has taken the lead in developing several innovative and creative public engagement techniques, as well as in depth stakeholder and staff consultation processes. As the lead sustainability consultants, SSG has ensured that stringent environmental, social and economic goals are fundamentally instilled in the final concept. The result has been an overwhelmingly positive response from all those involved, from city staff to members of the public attending open house discussion forums.
[ http://www.kelowna.ca ]

Concordia University:

SSG had a standing contract with Concordia University from 2007-2008 to facilitate the development of a strategic sustainability plan for this university in Montreal, QC, including objectives with corresponding actions, timelines, responsible parties, and indicators to monitor progress. SSG also helped the university build and implement an environmental/occupational health and safety management system. Several SSG members initiated and developed the university's acclaimed sustainability program from 2002 onwards, with activities including assessment research and writing, and implementation of a variety of sustainability initiatives from a rooftop greenhouse to a sustainable transportation program.
[ http://sustainable.concordia.ca ]

Co-op la Maison Verte:

SSG facilitated sessions with staff and members of this community-based co-operative in Montreal, QC that offers ecological solutions for the home as well as resources for responsible consumption to create a sustainability assessment framework and indicators in early 2008. Also using a participatory process, a strategic plan was developed for staff/members to conduct the sustainability research and reporting on their Co-op. Finally, SSG evaluated the state of the Co-op's building and provided a cost assessment of renovations to reduce the building?s ecological footprint.
[ http://www.cooplamaisonverte.com/ ]

Ensemble Terre Ciel:

SSG created a community engagement strategy for Ensemble Terre Ciel's Maison Productive House (MpH), an ecologically responsible housing initiative currently under construction in Pointe St-Charles, a working class neighbourhood in Montreal, QC. A community listening event was also facilitated by SSG to enable community members to bring their questions and concerns to the table to discuss with the developer.
[ http://www.ensembleterreciel.com/ ]

Green Buildings BC Roundtable

SSG developed the Integrated Design Process (IDP) Information Session and Facilitation Training courses in 2007 and has delivered the course several times through to present. This project drew upon SSG's expertise in adult education, LEED, green and sustainable buildings and communities, facilitation, and IDP. Project results were one full day and one half day course, a resource guide, and an on-line community.

Islands Trust:

SSG worked with Holland Barrs Planning Group to develop a methodology for the first comprehensive evaluation of the impact of different build out scenarios on greenhouse gas emissions in Canada in 2007. Three different land use development patters were simulated for Salt Spring Island. A wedge methodology was then used to model the impact on building energy consumption, and transportation, including public systems, ferries and road construction, for each land use option. Based on the results, recommendations were made for the Official Community Plan.
[ Summary of Report ] - PDF
[ The GHG Implications of Different Settlement Patterns on Saltspring Island ] - PDF

KAIROS:

SSG worked with this ecumenical justice non-governmental organization in Toronto, ON in 2007-2008 to conduct a GHG inventory, including recommended actions to reduce emissions, and to develop an Energy Policy toward meeting ambitious GHG reduction targets.
[ www.kairoscanada.org ]

Loreto Bay Developments Inc.

This $US4 billion development project in Baja, Mexico, aims to demonstrate the principles of sustainable development and has created a team of North America's leading sustainability consultants to back this commitment. SSG worked on a Green Operations Strategy, a renewable energy technologies pilot study, green building strategies and a comprehensive sustainable purchasing system from 2005-2007.
[ www.loretobay.com ]

Microgeneration in Canada:

SSG initiated and continues to spearhead the idea of microgeneration as a key strategy to address climate change in Canada. Sponsored by Climate Change Action and in partnership with Royal Roads University, SSG published a discussion paper titled A Microgeneration Strategy for Canada that identified the potential benefits of microgeneration and strategies and policies to achieve these benefits. Sponsored by Vancity, SSG then partnered with the Community Energy Association to provide a background document a workshop on opportunities to use policies and incentives to promote microgeneration in the context of BC municipalities. SSG brought the planner who developed the Merton Rule to speak in Vancouver as part of this project. .
[ www.sustainabilitysolutions.ca/resources.php ]

Provincial Health Services Authority, BC:

SSG researched and authored a comprehensive resource guide that provides an overview of strategies and approaches for local governments to increase community food security and support local food systems in BC.
[ www.phsa.ca/ ]

Sierra Club of Canada, BC Chapter:

SSG developed a methodology for and completed a comprehensive Sustainability Assessment of SCCBC in 2006 using multi-stakeholder consultation techniques.
[ www.sierraclub.ca/bc/ ]

Windmill Developments:

SSG is currently working with Windmill on their green building development projects as their green building and sustainability consultants. Acqua + Vento are two mixed use projects located just outside of downtown Calgary. The Currents is a residential building with a public theatre company on the main level located in Ottawa. SSG also provides high level LEED, green building, and sustainable community consulting for Dockside Green in Victoria.
[ www.windmilldevelopments.com/ ] >

A further selection of LEED, green, and sustainable building projects that our team has worked on include:

Acera Office Project, Calgary, AB - seeking LEED Gold certification (2006)

Environmental Education and Ethics Centre, Calgary, AB - seeking LEED Gold certification (2006)

Green Value Study, collaborative lead by Royal LePage (2005)

Holy Trinity School, Okotoks, AB - seeking LEED Silver certification (2005-2007)

Le Vistal, Montreal QC - seeking LEED Gold (2006-present)

LEED Guide for contractors, team member (2005)

Loreto Bay Spa, Beach Club, Village Homes, Custom Homes phase I and II master planning, Loreto Bay, Mexico - seeking various levels of LEED certification (2005-2006)

Manchester Stores, Calgary, AB - seeking LEED Silver certification (2005-present)

Shawnessy/Somerset School, Calgary, AB - seeking LEED Silver certification (2006-present)

UBC Life Sciences Centre - LEED Gold certified (2003-2006)

University of Victoria's Engineering/Computer Science Centre - LEED Gold certified (2004-2008)

Vancouver Convention Centre Expansion Project, Vancouver, BC - seeking LEED Gold and Green Globes certifications (2005-present)

Vancouver Olympic Committee - high level LEED consulting for various Olympic venues (2005-2006)

Water Centre, Calgary, AB - Seeking LEED Gold certification (2005-present)