ABOUT
Sustainability + Net Zero
In 2019, Number TEN signed the Canada Architects Pledge to lead action against climate change. The declaration, titled Canadian Architectural Professionals Declare Climate and Biodiversity Emergency and Commit to Urgent and Sustained Action, is a grassroots effort developed by architects across Canada and members of the RAIC Committee on Regenerative Environments.
As part of this commitment, we have assembled our own Net Zero Knowledge Community to build our internal knowledge base in low and zero carbon design, and to share this expertise with clients, community and industry partners.
In 2019, Number TEN signed the Canada Architects Pledge to lead action against climate change. The declaration, titled Canadian Architectural Professionals Declare Climate and Biodiversity Emergency and Commit to Urgent and Sustained Action, is a grassroots effort developed by architects across Canada and members of the RAIC Committee on Regenerative Environments.
As part of this commitment, we have assembled our own Net Zero Knowledge Community to build our internal knowledge base in low and zero carbon design, and to share this expertise with clients, community and industry partners.
Our Approach
Our integrated design approach addresses the inter-relationship between environmental responsibility, resource efficiency, comfort, community development, and the economics of building construction and operation. We consciously make choices based on efficiency of systems, local proximity of materials and services, minimal waste production, life-cycle economics, and overall community well-being to best serve our clients and the environment.
Our experience has shown that it is possible to address high-performance cost barriers and deliver green projects that add value and improve the health and wellbeing of both building occupants and the community.
- Charting a Path: Establishing a clear set of sustainable design parameters to be used as a touchstone following each project milestone. These parameters are drawn from client led guiding principles and philosophy, related building rating systems, as well as incentive program and funding requirements.
- Green Building Criteria: LEED®, Net Zero Carbon, Passive House, FitWell ® and more, as well as a look into incentive programs and funding requirements.
- Performance Targets: Setting energy performance targets early for Energy Use Intensity, Carbon Use Intensity, and Thermal Energy Demand Intensity – embedding the language of energy in design and creating clear, metrics-based success indicators.
- Cradle-to-Cradle: Selection of low embodied carbon and low emitting materials, furnishings, and construction practices to improve indoor air quality and help to drive down each projects carbon footprint
- Driving Innovation: Once the first principles of a design have been optimized in terms of mass, orientation and window-wall-ratio, identifying proven and any emerging system technologies that further drive energy savings.
- Design Analytics: Early energy modelling, daylight analysis and embodied energy analysis in collaboration with our engineers to evaluate and optimize massing, orientation, glazing design and system selections.
Our Commitment
Number TEN’s Net Zero Knowledge Community
The Number TEN Net Zero Knowledge Community has been established to help provide clients with high performing, resilient buildings to address climate change and rising energy costs.
The Knowledge Community’s Mission:
- Contribute meaningfully towards the carbon reduction targets outlined by all levels of Government and as set out in the AIA 2030 challenge.
- Deliver evidence-based solutions rooted in life-cycle costing for innovative, high-performance buildings.
- Design buildings and spaces that improve occupant health and wellbeing.
What We Do:
Some of the initiatives we have undertaken include ongoing data tracking to chart our projects modelled and actual energy performance, the annual measurement and management of our own organizational carbon footprint, the development of in-house capability in early energy modelling, embodied carbon and daylight analysis, along with ongoing advocacy and sustainable design education.
