Promethea Rising

Milfred Hammerbacher - Building Better

Episode Summary

A net zero neighbourhood means that no energy is drawn from the electricity grid or from pipelines and no greenhouse gases are released. Easier said than done but my guest Milfred Hammerbacher is figuring out how.

Episode Notes

Changes to the country’s building codes are helping us build more energy efficient buildings but what do we miss when we only focus on buildings?

Turns out, the most cost-effective pathway to a net zero building sector involves highly-energy efficient buildings combined with an integrated community-based approach that considers district energy systems - either thermal networks and electricity micro-grids.

Developing net-zero communities requires strategic, system-level interventions that engage many stakeholders. This includes provincial, and municipal governments, planners, engineers, developers, utilities, regulators and more. The building practices, technologies, and user interface of a net-zero community are all disruptive to status-quo. Provincial legislation and regulations, municipal land-use planning policies, by-laws, and operational practices (e.g., engineering and building standards), energy regulations, utility practices, development industry business models and suppliers will all need to co-evolve.

This is not easy work and comes with additional risk especially for the private sector developer. As with all sustainability transitions, there are key visionaries who make a difference. Milfred Hammerbacher and his team at S2E Technologies are such visionaries.

Their Smart Community group creates healthy, resilient, and connected communities. Their goal is to develop innovative projects with a strong design aesthetic that support neighbourhoods and leave no carbon footprint.

Milfred shares his thoughts about making change in the real estate sector and their bold net-zero project in London, Ontario called Eve Park.