Sustainable Housing Represents a Win-Win for Everyone

January 2020 now seems like a lifetime ago. The way we lived, the priorities we had, the hugs we shared. Was that really us?

While our notions of safety, wellbeing and personal space have shifted dramatically in the last year-and-then-some, one issue hasn’t budged an inch: Climate change. Sustainable living was the biggest crisis the world faced 18 months ago, and while our mobility patterns have changed somewhat thanks to COVID-19, the overall issue of climate change continues to run deeper.

Now that we are hopefully seeing the light at the end of the pandemic tunnel, it’s time to move the issue of green living back to front and centre again. Did you know that cities are by far the biggest contributors to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions? In fact, 70% of the world’s GHG emissions come from cities and 53% of Toronto’s emissions are from buildings. It’s the by-product of living in a densely populated and prosperous urban centre; one that enjoys a relatively high standard of living while weathering dramatic shifts in climate patterns. 

The responsibility for igniting change rests with the homebuilding industry. With a renewed and urgent focus on sustainable homebuilding, Toronto can be part of the solution as we move toward a fully-functioning green economy.

The good news is that we have made significant progress over the past decade. Many condominiums are now allocating a certain percentage of parking spaces for EV chargers. Smarthome technologies are giving individual residents greater control over their indoor environments (and their energy bill). The number of green roofs cresting our city’s skyline has grown significantly. Every little bit helps!

The KING Toronto condominium by Westbank Corp and Allied Properties offers an excellent example in building toward a greener tomorrow. Inspired by a mountain range, the condominium’s revolutionary architecture incorporates over 200 plant species across the building’s façade.

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Sustainable Housing Represents a Win-Win for Everyone