Dialogue Reports

Reports on the discussions and recommendations emerging from our invitational dialogues:

• Transportation futures for BC
  This dialogue convened academics and staff from government, the private sector, and non-profits to chart research for a low-emissions transportation future for BC.
• Increasing energy efficiency in BC's built environment
  Building experts from around BC helped to develop a research program on increasing energy efficiency in the built environment.
• Time to ride: Creating a welcoming cycling network for everyone in Victoria
  We convened a group of non-cyclist citizens with the City of Victoria to better understand the barriers to cycling.
• A natural gas research agenda for BC: Bridging gaps in research and action
  This dialogue convened some of BC's leading experts to explore the gaps in research around the development of BC's emerging natural gas sector.
• Flood-proofing Vancouver: Policies for a resilient city
  This dialogue examined the 'new normal' of increased flood risks for Vancouver's built environment and its associated architectural, construction, engineering, planning, and policy impacts.
• Sustainable use of biomass in a low-carbon Canada
  Most of the biomass used for energy in Canada is derived from forest waste, which represents about 25 to 30 million dry tonnes a year. In a low-carbon energy scenario, Canada could need as much as 100 to 200 million dry tonnes of primary feedstock per year.
• Creating and enabling a municipal environment for district energy
  The purpose of the dialogue was to move from discussion to action on the successful implementation of district energy (DE) as a heating and cooling solution in Calgary, as part of the City’s efforts to reach its goals outlined in the Calgary Community GHG Reduction Plan.
• Finding innovative financing for the green built environment
  The dialogue was intended to explore what options are already available, and what options may be developed or explored moving forward for how to adequately finance energy efficient, low-carbon buildings in Calgary.
• Directions and discussion: Transportation 2040
  Vancouver seeks to be the greenest city in the world by 2020 but faces the challenges of any growing metropolis, particularly with respect to moving goods and people. The City of Vancouver has developed a draft transportation plan for public input, Transportation 2040.
• Vancouver as a global urban sustainability centre
  The City of Vancouver and its six public post-secondary institutions are well-advanced in their sustainability collaboration. This dialogue has demostrated that there is considerable interest in the private sector in joining the process of collaboration.
• Density in a city of neighbourhoods
  As Vancouver looks forward, it is important to discuss how to achieve city-wide goals and honour neighbourhood individuality.
• What lies beneath: incorporating Geoexchange in building retrofits
  Toronto’s buildings are responsible for upwards of 50 percent of the City’s greenhouse gas emissions - predominantly emissions associated with the use of natural gas for space heating and water heating, but also with the use of electricity for cooling and plug load.
• The energy future of Salt Spring Island
  The objectives for the day and a half dialogue included: discussing key energy trends and issues affecting Salt Spring Island, identifying the challenges and opportunities of the BC Hydro smart meter program, and developing options for securing Salt Spring Island’s energy future.
• Financing low-carbon buildings and retrofits
  The goal of the full-day dialogue was to identify best practices and practical opportunities for financing low-carbon buildings and retrofits, particularly for commercial and multi-urban residential buildings.
• Reducing carbon in the retail supply chain
  The objective of the dialogue was to address the key challenges, solutions and opportunities for managing and reducing carbon in the supply chain.
• How to move in a green city: Planning for Vancouver in 2040
  The goal of the full-day dialogue was to stimulate discussion on the ways and means to implement a new Transportation Plan for the city while meeting the Greenest City goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 33% by 2020.
• Low carbon heat energy options for Vancouver
  The focus of the full-day dialogue was to stimulate discussion on the ways and means to reduce the green house gas emissions of Vancouver’s buildings by exploring renewable heat energy options.
• Defining, measuring and reducing fugitive emissions in the oil and gas sector
  The subject of this dialogue was defining, measuring and reducing fugitive emissions in the oil and gas industry.
• Carbon neutral buildings by 2020
  The focus of the full-day dialogue was to stimulate discussion on the ways and means to reduce the green house gas emissions of Vancouver’s buildings by exploring renewable heat energy options.