Talk about eco homes and some may expect to see unusual designs and baffling heating systems. But the reality is quite different. We take a look at some of Nottinghams greener homes

When The Hockerton Housing Project started life nearly 25 years ago the techniques they were using in their earth sheltered homes on the outskirts of Southwell were ground-breaking - installing wind turbines, solar PVs, recycling waste material.

It may have taken many years, but the systems and principles of the project - building homes that use minimal energy and have little environmental impact - are finally spreading.

Private owners, builders and councils around the country are adopting various eco measures for some of their latest projects. Air and ground source heat pumps, high levels of insulation and solar panels are just some of the features that are now increasingly being used in Nottinghamshire homes.

The City Council has already installed solar panels on more than 4,000 council houses and has plans to roll-out the pioneering Dutch housing system, Energiesprong, to create net zero carbon homes. The plan proposes to make use of untapped heat from water in disused local mines, look into ways to ensure new buildings have sustainability features and aims for high energy efficiency standards for homes on council land.

While the council has its sights on tackling climate change - based on its pilot scheme in Sneinton of 10 refurbished homes - over at Blueprints Trent Basin site, private ownership low energy homes are being built alongside a Community Energy project - a pioneering renewable energy storage system.

The project team, which includes a large consortium headed by the University of Nottingham, created what is the largest Tesla community battery in Europe and the first in the UK.

The responsible developer anticipates using other technologies in its forthcoming project, The Elms, where it aims to include air source heat pumps (a heating system that draws warmth from the air). The firm is also currently researching the possibility and feasibility of building Carbon Positive Homes.

Nottingham based modular house builder, Positive Homes has launched its latest development of energy efficient new homes at The Newlands in Fernwood, Newark.

Nine, three-bed modular houses, all with an energy performance certificate (EPC) rating of A are currently being built. These homes will have solar panels, LED lighting, high levels of insulation and mechanical ventilation as standard.

Manufactured off site in a factory, the modules are delivered to the development, lifted into position and then joined up with the other modules and roofed, laying the guttering and commissioning the power services inside.

Build time is much quicker on a site of this type. For instance, modules were delivered to the Newark site on Monday, January 13, 2020 and the firm aims for a mid-February completion.

Martin Valentine, CEO of Positive Homes said: "We are passionate about building energy efficient, sensibly priced homes at a time when the climate change agenda is at the forefront of everyones minds.

"These new builds in Newark, like all our houses, are a revolutionary design that will not only help save money, but also make a perfect home for first time buyers hoping to get onto the property ladder."

A mid-terrace is priced at 175,000 and end-terrace at 180,000.

But eco saving measures arent restricted to new build homes. Theres a wave of homes in Nottingham undergoing eco retro fits.

Gil Schalom, principal at GSD Architecture, which specialises in ecoficient design, has turned older housing stock into Passive, near Passive and energy efficient homes.

A Passive house (or Passivhaus) is an ultra-low energy building that requires little energy for space heating or cooling. It is a voluntary standard for energy efficiency.

Gil says that many people, when looking to improve or extend their existing home, regardless of its age, are now very conscious of both the environmental and monetary benefits of doing this sustainably.

He says that even if they cant afford to carry out a whole renovation project at one time, they are looking to carry out stepped renovation. Taking a fabric first approach, and making sure each step is to the best standard possible before embarking on the next element, when they have perhaps saved up another pot of money.

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With clients across the county and beyond he has undertaken renovation to a near passive house level in West Bridgford and a Certified Passive House renovation in Cheshire.

One West Bridgford homeowner, who had commissioned Gil to extend as well as undertake a whole house energy refit, added what Gil calls The icing on the cake - a green roof. A living roof planted with sedum and native flowers and herbs.

Home owner Tim Saunders said: We have always wanted to have a warm, cosy and energy efficient home, with low energy bills and to be able to power it using renewable energy at least in part, so that is what we set out to achieve working with Gil.

"We already had solar panels and the opportunity to secure some grant funding, which was available at the time, kickstarted us into getting the insulation installed and that was also the perfect time to replace the ageing windows with new triple glazed ones.

"Gil then drew up very detailed plans for the extension to provide a larger kitchen and dining room space which we did to a very high standard of energy efficiency working with experienced builders to provide a very comfortable home."

A mechanical ventilation and heat recovery was also included in this deep energy efficient retrofit.

Tim added: "The green roof over the extension is ever changing with each season providing year round interest, it slows the runoff of rainwater and is awash with bees in the warmer months this was the perfect opportunity to create my own piece of wildlife habitat."

These homes are only a snapshot of what is changing in the housing industry right now and potentially there are exciting innovations innovations and changes ahead as technologies become more available and affordable.

Read more:
The homes in Nottingham that are helping to tackle climate change - Nottinghamshire Live

This is yet another example of why we need a diverse combination of public and private investment to address the UKs housing crisis.

Under changes to the PWLB rate, local authorities will pay more on borrowing next year.The change is being widely reported as a move to detertheir aggressive acquisition of commercial real estate but, as Hill notes, a significant amount of the 12bn borrowed by LAs last year was funnelled into housing and regeneration projects.

A rise in the PWLB rate is likely to affect the extent to which LAs are able to invest in housebuilding and regeneration. And although in the general election campaign the Conservatives pledged to build one million new homes by encouraging private sector housing, the provision of low-cost, accessible homes remains a pressing need.

It is estimated that 8.4 million people are affected by the housing crisis, living in unaffordable, insecure or unsuitable homes, or are homeless. Shelter has said that three million new social homes must be built in England over 20 years to solve the housing crisis.

Given the scale of this issue, we need to access as broad a pool of capital as possible and we should think of new ways in which fast-growing alternative finance and private investment can be committed to support accessible housing developments. For instance, allowing LAs to channel funds through alternative finance platforms would see the money go directly to developers to help them build the homes the country so urgently needs.

In addition, private investment could be promoted by policies such as tax breaks for individuals lending to accessible housing developers or relaxing the rules around pensions and SIPPs to allow private pension holders to include such loans in their portfolios.

Property developers are turning to all manner of creative solutions, such as an array of modular housing and modern methods of construction, to try and speed up housebuilding. We should be similarly innovative and resourceful in seeking the right funding mix, to allow these urgently needed housing developments to be built as quickly as possible.

Roxana Mohammadian-Molina, chief strategy officer, Blend Network

Excerpt from:
Housing requires diverse investment | Insight - Property Week

You just need to walk through Croydon town centre to see that it is changing very rapidly.

With building sites all over the place it can be hard to keep track of projects that are underway.

So as we enter 2020, weve rounded up the big projects which have already started or are in the pipeline and will change the face of the town the most in the coming decade.

The area next to Fairfield Halls, which reopened to the public in September, is set to completely change in the next few years.

The Fair Field Masterplan which was granted hybrid planning permission back in 2017, is expected to see 400 new homes, shops, office space and public spaces come to the area.

But Croydon College sold the former School of Art building meaning plans for this part of the scheme have been submitted separately.

Part of the plan is to create a public square as well as a link for pedestrians to access the town centre from Barclay Road.

This was the former headquarters of Croydon Council, which is now based in Bernard Weatherill House on the other side of Fell Road.

Construction by HUB started in May 2018 and the building has gone up quickly in the past few months.

Work is expected to be completed in 2021 and as well as a 35-storey tower, there will also be 21, 19 and 13-storey buildings constructed as part of the major development.

It will be made up of more than 500 flats, of which 40 per cent are set to be affordable.

The Nestle building is currently being converted to look like three three tower blocks of 288 flats.

It is part of 500 million plans to redevelop St Georges Walk into a public square outside Croydon Town Hall from Chinese developer R&F Properties.

In November 2018 offices, including the Fairfield Business School, opposite the town hall were demolished.

A walkway underneath formed part of St Georges Walk and businesses left on the other side of it say they are struggling since the area has become a building site.

Approved by Croydon Council back in December 2015, these plans from Optivo to build more than 100 new flats are due to be completed this year.

The 25 million development will offer 113 new flats at shared ownership or affordable rent.

The tower is close to West Croydon Station.

The worlds tallest modular building went up in an incredibly quick 35 weeks last year.

The two towers of 44 and 38 storeys can be seen near East Croydon Station.

The project from Henderson Park and Greystar is made up of 546 build to rent homes.

Modules were made at a factory in Bedford before being transported to Croydon and slotted onto a central tower. They even include pre-installed kitchens, bathrooms, plumbing and wiring.

It is set to be ready to open in May, with 50 builders working on the finishing touches floor by floor, including painting and floor fitting.

It is expected that a decision will be be made on proposals to build more than 800 co-living flats in a part 49 part 34 storey block from Tide Construction. The same company behind 101 George Street.

The co-living model would see each room being on average 27 square metres with a small kitchenette and en-suite bathroom

Residents would have access to a range of communal spaces, including a kitchen and dining areas.

The plans include a second tower of 120 flats.

More here:
6 big things set to change the face of Croydon in the 2020s - MyLondon

Each years CES is overrun by concept TVs that are destined to either remain prototypes for years to come or be released with such high price tags that they might as well not have come out at all. And look, Im not going to try to claim that CES 2020 was much different. Samsung had a weird rotating 4K TV meant to show off vertical videos, 8K TVs were still just as pointless as ever, and LG Display showed up with another rollable TV that descends downward rather than rising upward.

But if you look a little closer, youll see some real progress among the TVs people might actually buy. The more important story from each years show is in the often-overlooked midrange, and that happened in a big way at CES 2020. High-end technologies trickled down after years of being unaffordable or impractical for most people, while the slow emergence of the new HDMI 2.1 standard is beginning to open up a lot of functionality that was previously exclusive to niche sections of the market.

OLED TVs are a good example of high-end tech entering the midrange. Just a few years ago, they were unaffordable for the vast majority of people, but last year, we started to see LGs sets getting discounted to that all-important $1,000 mark, which is the upper price limit for 90 percent of buyers, according to NPD sales data. Even then, OLED TVs were still only available in bigger TV sizes, presenting another barrier to entry for many households.

At CES 2020, however, we saw signs of change. Vizio, which has a strength in affordable TVs, announced that it will be releasing an OLED model this year, while Chinese manufacturer Skyworth said it plans to enter the US market for the first time with an OLED TV in tow. Meanwhile, LG and Sony, which have been producing OLED TVs for years, announced 48-inch versions, making it the first time weve seen 4K OLED TVs under 55 inches in size. Pricing for all three models is yet to be announced, but all the signs point toward the technology inching toward mass-market affordability and accessibility.

Also continuing to emerge at this years show is the HDMI 2.1 standard, which is important not so much because of its topline specs (such as support for 4K at 120Hz or 8K at 60Hz), but because of the new features it brings to the table. Features like variable refresh rate technology will be a massive benefit for gamers once game consoles catch up, while others, like support for Dynamic HDR, will deliver picture quality improvements for TV and film content.

These features arent completely new. Variable refresh rate tech has been available on PC monitors for a few years, while Dynamic HDR is available via the dynamic metadata baked into the Dolby Vision and HDR10+ standards. But HDMI 2.1 has the potential to one day turn these into basic, standardized TV features. In theory, you wont have to make sure you buy certain models of Samsung TVs to pair with your Xbox One or LG TVs to pair with your Nvidia-equipped gaming PC to get variable refresh rates. Instead, you should eventually just be able to mix and match HDMI 2.1 devices to get these benefits as standard.

Thats the theoretical future, and at CES 2020, were seeing TV manufacturers inch toward it. Vizio says its made the upgrade across its lineup, while LG and Sony have confirmed support in their 8K models. But weve still got a long way to go before you can take all of HDMI 2.1s features for granted. TV manufacturers are allowed to pick and choose which of the standards features they support, and a lot of them are currently doing exactly that. In a rundown of Sonys A8H 4K OLED, for example, HDTVTest notes that Sonys latest 4K OLED will support just one of the HDMI 2.1 standards many features: eARC. Weve still got a long way to go before HDMI 2.1s benefits become ubiquitous.

Beyond the devices coming this year, CES is also a show where you get a glimpse of what TVs might look like in a few years time. Samsungs 8K Q950 (aka its bezel-less 8K TV) is a prime example. Thats not because it has an 8K resolution, but because the idea of a TV with barely there bezels seems both highly desirable and almost inevitable, given the way TV designs have been going. Not to mention the fact that manufacturers have already gotten very good at almost eliminating screen bezels on smartphones to the delight of consumers. Throughout the week, the worst thing Ive heard people say about the Q950 is that they wish its bezel-less design was available on a 4K TV, which feels like a good sign for its wider demand.

8K TVs made yet another appearance at this years show. The jurys still out on whether the new resolution is the future of TVs, but everyone can agree its definitely not the present. That was true last year, and its still the case today where 8K content is more or less nonexistent, not to mention very bandwidth-intensive to stream. In fact, with LG and Samsung now involved in a minor proxy battle over how exactly to measure 8Ks roughly 30 million pixels, it almost feels like weve taken a step backward over the past 12 months.

Personally, Im still unconvinced that 8K is even necessary in the first place. 4K has already given us a massive resolution bump over 1080p, and even then the more important improvements were less about the resolution itself, and more about the technologies it bundled together like HDR, a wider color gamut, and increased color bit depth. Maybe one day 8K will find its own collection of picture performance enhancements, but Im skeptical that the resolution justifies the upgrade by itself.

But that hasnt stopped manufacturers from announcing 8K TVs that youll be able to buy this year. LG had a grand total of eight of its Real 8K models to show off, ranging in size from 65 to 88 inches, Samsung has three 8K series that range in size from 55 inches to a massive 98 inches, which includes the aforementioned bezel-less Q950, Sony has the Z8H (75 or 85 inches), and even TCL reiterated its plans to launch the 8K TV it originally announced last year. Impressive feats of engineering these TVs may be, but ultimately, its still not time to buy one.

The final TV technology that sits in this maybe its the future, but at this point, its hard to say category is microLED. Samsung announced new sizes of its microLED TVs this year, but they didnt make as much of a splash at CES 2020 as they have previously. It might have something to do with the fact that this is the third year weve been able to gawp at The Walls modular panels on the show floor and the first since they actually went on sale. We know the technology works, and we know the tech could theoretically offer a best-of-both-worlds compromise between OLED and LCD, but Samsung is yet to prove that it can manufacture these TVs and sell them for the kinds of prices that mortals can afford, not to mention at the sizes that actually fit in most peoples homes.

Finally, I suppose its only fair to mention the rolling and rotating TVs of CES 2020. Bezel-less, 8K, and microLED TVs have a chance of one day actually becoming mainstream devices, but Id be very surprised if the same thing happens to a TV like Samsungs Sero, which has a mechanical stand that can rotate its display 90 degrees to better show off the kinds of vertical videos that youll find on Instagram or TikTok.

Cast aside the fact that the TV is limited to being just 43-inches big to give itself enough room to rotate, and try and forget that it currently retails for a 1.95 million won (around $1,600) in South Korea, and just think about how long your typical vertically shot video is. Theyre made for mobile, theyre super short, and the idea of cozying up in front of your TV to watch them feels bizarre to me. I like the creativity, but I just cant see the design being useful.

Contrast that with LGs rollable TVs, which I really want to work but feel completely out of reach right now. LG is, once again, promising to release its rollable TV this year, but remember that it made a similar claim last year before going completely silent for 12 months. If and when it does release, there are also reports that it could cost as much as $60,000, which doesnt do much to shift the perception that this is a consumer release in name only.

CES is a show filled with press events and keynotes that are, almost to a fault, obsessed with the future of technology. But away from the flashy concepts and presentations, the TV industrys high-end past is slowly but surely merging into its mainstream present. When manufacturers start announcing firm pricing over the coming months, well see how much progress theyve made.

Correction: A previous version of this article said that dynamic metadata is a feature of the Dolby Atmos standard. Its actually a feature of the Dolby Vision standard. We regret the error.

Read the original:
TVs at CES 2020: a year for the mass-market - The Verge

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (PRWEB) December 04, 2019

The Casita is a uniquely designed 1,070 square foot 2-Story home that features a spacious open first floor layout with living room, kitchen, nook and powder room. On the second floor there can be 1 to 2 bedrooms with a full bathroom and a laundry area.

To complement the exceptional design of The Casita, the home features airy 9 first floor ceilings with large casement windows and transom windows above for lots of natural light. The energy efficient tankless gas water heater doesnt eat of valuable space, and along with the recessed LED lights, helps reduce monthly utility bills. The recessed front entry and 14/12 gable peak adds dimension and curb appeal to the exterior of the home that would fit into any community or neighborhood. The kitchen is modern and well-appointed with a center island, tall pantry cabinet, 42 wall cabinets and modern stainless-steel appliances.

The second-floor master bedroom is spacious and perfectly sized with a large closet, as well as private entry to the bathroom. The bathroom features a full tub/shower combo with a large double bowl bath vanity and separate door to the hallway. The homebuyer has the choice of doing one or two bedrooms on the second floor and both options provide space for a second-floor laundry area.

For more information The Casita from Manorwood Homes, visit: https://www.manorwoodhomes.com/casita.

About the Modular Home Builders Association:The MHBA is the only national non-profit trade association exclusively serving the modular home industry. Each month the association selects a home from its members to highlight the advantages of modular construction. For more information on MHBA, modular homes, and the monthly contest, please visit http://www.modularhome.org.

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The Casita by Manorwood Homes wins Modular Home of the Month - PR Web

The recent study, Modular Homes market forecasts the business performance of the Modular Homes market for the forecast period, 2019 to 2026. The study considers the estimated period as the base duration and brings to light the important information associated with the market size, share and growth rate of the Modular Homes market. Apart from this, the research closely examines the market share occupied by some of the prominent market players in the Modular Homes market for the forecast period, 2019 to 2026. Researchers behind the research unmask vital statistics on market segmentation including product types, application, sale and geography.

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The major manufacturers covered in this report:

Bouygues ConstructionLendlease CorporationLaing OrourkeSeikisui HouseClayton HomesChampionModular Space CorporationDaiwa HouseCavco Industries, Inc.Algeco ScotsmanRed Sea HousingRedman HomesFleetwood AustraliaKwikspace Modular BuildingsHorizon North LogisticsKleusberg GmbH & Co. KgKEE KaterraPleasant Valley HomesAlta-Fab StructuresArts Way ManufacturingNRB Inc.Wernick GroupWestchester Modular HomesModscapePratt Construction IncorporatedKoma ModularNew Era HomesGuerdon Enterprises LLCHickory GroupLebanon Valley Homes

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Most important Products of Modular Homes study covered in this report are:

RanchCape CodTwo-story homesCabin/Chalet

Most important Application of Modular Homes study covered in this report are:

999 sq ft Floor1000 sq ft 1499 sq ft Floor1500 sq ft 1999 sq ft Floor2000 sq ft 2499 sq ft FloorMore than 2500 sq ft Floor

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Region and country-wise assessment from the period 2016-2026. For the study, 2016-2017 has been utilized as historical data, 2018 as the base year, and 2019-2026, has been derived as forecasts for the Modular Homes market.

Regional Competitors pipeline analysis.

Demand and Supply GAP Analysis.

Market share analysis of the key industry players.

Strategic recommendations for the new entrants.

Market forecasts for a minimum of 6 years of all the mentioned segments, and the regional markets.

Industry Trends (Drivers, Constraints, Opportunities, Threats, Challenges, and recommendations).

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Key points from Table of Content:

Chapter 1. Market Synopsis

Chapter 2. Executive Summary

Chapter 3. Indicative Metrics

Chapter 4. Modular Homes Segmentation & Impact Analysis

Chapter 5. Modular Homes Market By Product Type Insights & Trends

Chapter 6. Modular Homes Market By Application Insights & Trends

Chapter 7. Modular Homes Market By End Use Insights & Trends

Chapter 8. Modular Homes Market Regional Outlook

Chapter 9. Competitive Landscape

Chapter 10. Company Profiles

Chapter 11. Modular Homes Market Dynamics

Chapter 12. Modular Homes Market Effect Factors Analysis

Chapter 13. Modular Homes Market Research Finding/Conclusion

Chapter 14. Modular Homes Market Appendix

Chapter 15. Methodology

Chapter 16. Analyst Introduction

Chapter 17. Data Source

Chapter 18. List of Tables and Figures

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Modular Homes Market Research Report And Predictive Business Strategy by 2026 | Market Expertz - The Bay State Herald

Willie Gadbois knows a thing or two about designing and building houses for a climate most Canadians would find too harsh to bear.

Gadbois is president and co-founder of Nunavik Building Inc., a company that constructs houses for Canadas north in communities like Kuujjuaq, the largest of 14 Inuit villages in the Nunavik region of northern Quebec.

On the edge of the tree line near Ungava Bay, Kuujjuaq is about 1,500 kilometres north of Montreal. Winter winds blow up to 100 kph and temperatures drop well below minus 40 C for extended periods.

Its not a climate for poorly designed or under-insulated homes but Gadbois, a plumber and heating mechanic by trade, says many homes in the north dont meet standards they should. Chilly interiors, frozen water lines and exterior building envelopes unable to withstand the harsh environment are common.

That is why Gadbois decided about a dozen years ago to research house designs better suited to northern climates. His investigation led him to Montreal and Claude Jannelle, a modular home builder who improved energy performance through a building envelope with injected foam insulation. The pair founded Nunavik Building and built their first house last year for the president of the Nunavik government.

Gadbois, who says it was very expensive to complete because the company had to send up a crew from the south for assembly, decided to cut costs by building the houses in a 200 x 100-foot factory in Sherbrooke, Quebec.

Its kind of a plug and play operation, he says, noting the first house was shipped to Kuujjuaq in September to be on show for residents.

It was ready for occupancy about three hours after being placed on site on a foundation of steel tripods. In the future, Gadbois and Jannelle plan to use ground screws drilled into the rocky terrain of the north as foundations.

It cost about $40,000 to ship a prefabricated house from the port of Montreal to Kuujjuaq but Gadbois says that price and the cost of materials and labor is still a lot less than the tab for constructing a house in the village.

He says one of his small houses (roughly 600 square feet) will cost a buyer about $220,000, while larger two- or three-bedroom homes go for about $100,000 more. By comparison constructing a conventional house from scratch on site will run $500,000 to $1 million in the region.

While the companys first houses are 26 wood frame, Gadbois says the company is looking into a light steel gauge frame design.

The houses come with a non-toxic and inflammable injected foam insulation comprised of 70 percent agricultural soy and 30 percent water. The walls are R-48 while floors and ceilings are insulated to an R-52 rating. Windows are triple-pane and siding and roofing consists of durable steel panelling that stands up to high winds and cold temperatures.

Nunavik Companys houses feature water-proof wood flooring, pine panelled walls and LED lighting. All the homes come with radiant floor heating and wall-mounted radiators.

Gadbois keeps the heating/plumbing systems as simple as possible for easy repair even by homeowners, in instances where he cant be on hand quickly.

Gadbois, who says the company has the capacity to prefabricate 15-20 homes at a factory in Sherbrooke, adds that since the show home was installed in September in Kuujjuaq, Nunavik Building has received three orders for residences.

Homes are built in the factory in about a month. Shipping time by sealift is about a week, he says, noting the shipping window is June to October.

If we start building enough houses up here, I would like to set up my own factory in Kuujjuaq, he says.

Gadbois says the companys market is widespread and includes the Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Nunavik, Labrador and even overseas.

Read this article:

Nunavik Building sets foundation for Canadian north homes construction - Daily Commercial News

Housing activists in Vancouver marked another anniversary in the ongoing sagato rebuild social housing at a prominent, mostly empty site in the city.

In 2009, more than 200 social housing units were dismantled and taken away from the Little Mountain public housing complex at Main Street and E37th Avenue.

Residents who were forced to move were told they would be allowed to come back once a new development was completed. But since then, very little of what was promised has been built at the site.

Norm Dooley with a citizens advisory group says the project is a failure.

"We think the deal that was signed ... with a private developer has been a disaster.It's a disaster because as you can see, there's nothing here," he said motioning to the six-hectare site, which has one completed building but looks mostly like a neglected greenspace.

Little Mountain became home to Vancouver's first large-scale modern social housing project in 1954 and was initially managed by the federal government and then passed onto the province in 2007 before it was sold that year to developer Holborn Holdings Ltd.

Its proposal was to build three 12-storey mostly residential buildings, which would include around 1,400 market value homes, but also 234 social housing units, childcare, and a new community plaza and public park, but company didn't make publicwhat it would all look like until 2015.

According to a statement from the City, council approved rezoning for the site in 2016 and currently, five development permit applications have been submitted, which include 164 social housing units.

A building was completed in 2015 prior to the rezoning and has53 units, but asfor the others, they remain part of applications, which are at various stages of approval.

Temporary modular housinghas been constructed at the site, which the city says will not delay the completion of permanent housing at Little Mountain.

Holburn did not initially respond to CBC News requests on Saturday about when it expects buildings to be completed, but in the past has maintained the project is proceeding.

Vancouver-based architect Michael Geller was part of a team that bid on the property back in 2007 but lost out to Holborn.

He says the province should have done more to make deadlines part of the sale.

"The real problem I think is the nature of the deal that was struck between provincial government and the developer that didn't put in place the normal time restrictionsrequiring a pace of development that everybody hoped would happen," he said.

People at the rally on Saturday said they want the province to step in take the site back over from Holborn so that housing can be more permanently built.

"We think it's time to act and to call off the deal," said Dooley. "This land is incredibly valuable, it could be used for many purposes, many forms of housing."

Housing minister Selina Robinson did not say if expropriating the property is something the province could do.

Instead, she criticized the former provincial government, the B.C. Liberals in a statement.

"It's disgraceful that the old government threw away the potential this site represented," said in the statement. "Instead of a vacant lot, we could today be building hundreds of affordable homes."

She said her government is making "different choices" in responding to the housing crisis by investing in affordable housing.

Read this article:

Activists mark 10 years since housing demolished at Vancouver's Little Mountain - CBC.ca

The premiers of Ontario, Saskatchewan and New Brunswick have committed to collaborate on developing nuclear reactor technology in Canada.

Doug Ford, Scott Moe and Blaine Higgs made the announcement and signed a memorandum of understanding on Sunday in advance of a meeting of all the premiers.

They will be working on the research, development and building of small modular reactors as a way to help their individual provinces reduce carbon emissions and move away from non-renewable energy sources like coal.

Small modular reactors are easy to construct, are safer than large reactors and are regarded as cleaner energy than coal, the premiers say. They can be small enough to fit in a school gym.

SMRs are actually not very close to entering operation in Canada. Natural Resources Canada released an"SMR roadmap"last year, with a series of recommendations about regulation readiness and waste management for SMRs.

In Canada, about a dozen companies are currently in pre-licensing with the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission, which is reviewing their designs.

"Canadians working together, like we are here today, from coast to coast, can play aneven larger role in addressing climate change in Canada and around the world," Moesaid.

Canada's Paris targets areto lower total emissions 30 per centbelow 2005 levels by 2030.Moe says the reactors would helpSaskatchewan reach a 70 per centreduction by that year.

The provinces' three energy ministries will meet in the new year to discuss how to move forward andby the fall a fully-fledged strategy for the reactors is expected to be ready.

However, don't expect to see them popping up in a nearby field anytime soon. It's estimated itwill take five to 10 years before they're built.

The provincial leaderssaid it could be an opportunity for economic growth, estimating the Canadian market for this energy at $10 billion and the global market at $150 billion.

Ford called it an"opportunity for Canada to be a true leader." At a time when Ottawa and the provinces areat odds, Higgs said it's the perfect time to show unity.

"It's showing how provinces come together on issues of the future."

No other premiers have signed on to the deal at this point, but Ford said all are welcome and "the more, the merrier."

But developing new energy technologies is a daunting task.Higgs admitted the project will need national support of some kind, though he didn't specify what.The agreement signed by the premiers is also not binding.

About 8.6 per cent of Canada's electricity comes from coal-fired generation. In New Brunswick that figure is much higher 15.8 per cent and New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs has said he worries about his province's energy producers being hit by the federal carbon tax.

Ontario has no coal-fired power plants. In Saskatchewan, burning coal generates 46.6 per cent of the province's electricity.

The federal governmentdescribessmall modular reactors (SMRs) as the "next wave of innovation" in nuclear energy technology and an "important technology opportunity for Canada."

Traditional nuclear reactors used in Canada typically generate about 800 megawatts of electricity, orenough to power about 600,000 homes at once (assuming that 1 megawatt can power about 750 homes).

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the UN organization for nuclear co-operation, considers a nuclear reactor to be "small" if it generates under 300 megawatts.

Designs for small reactors ranging from just 3 megawatts to 300 megawatts have been submitted to Canada's nuclear regulator, the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission, for review as part of a pre-licensing process.

Such reactors are considered "modular" because they're designed to work either independently or as modules in a bigger complex (as is already the case with traditional, larger reactors at most Canadian nuclear power plants).A power plant could be expanded incrementally by adding additional modules.

Modules are generally designed to be small enough to make in a factory and be transported easily for example, via a standard shipping container.

In Canada, there are three main areas where SMRs could be used:

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Group of premiers band together to develop nuclear reactor technology - CBC.ca

November 25, 2019 | David Kennedy | Senior Architect, Bailey Edward

The American Dream as we have known it is no longer part of the American success story. With a shortage of six million homes to house our families, the United States is facing a housing attainability crisis.

Today, only 18 percent of the Americans earning the medium income can afford a home in their communities, a number that inflates to 30 percent in urban areas. By taking advantage of existing Low-Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC), the government and the private development community can work together to increase the supply of affordable housing to minimize the current crisis.

Based on the Low-Income Housing Act of 1989, corporations and investors can receive tax credits for investments in building low-income housing across the country. These tax credits are a popular tool to provide millions of dollars to developers for the design and construction of low-income housing. There are two primary vehicles for LIHTC: 4 percent bonds and 9 percent investment credits. While both provide funding for low-income housing projects, the type you chose will depend on your project.

Although some of the 4 percent projects are new developments, most are acquisition/rehabilitation projects. These renovation projects typically prove to be less costly per unit but also are common in areas where low-income housing is not in as much demand. The more lucrative 9 percent investment credits are more ideal for new construction as they cover a larger percentage of development costs.

Unfortunately, these tax credits are severely underfunded. The current federal budget allocates around $9 billion nationally for these tax credits. Because these funds are so limited, the guidelines and applications for all LIHTC projects are comprehensive and onerous. Its important to ensure what little funding there is goes to projects that are built efficiently, both for cost and energy. But knowing why others have been turned away can give great insight to fine-tune a potential project and better your chances of receiving these tax credits.

Private developers can increase their opportunity to receive LIHTC credits and thus increase the supply of low-income housing by reducing costs. Perhaps the best route for a developer to take is to lower construction costs through thoughtful construction management and design. One such way to decrease construction costs is by minimizing the number of trades used to build a housing project, therefore increasing efficiency. Most housing developments take a minimum of fifteen separate trades to complete a home or apartment building and this inefficiency adds cost to the project. While it may be difficult to modify the traditional trade skills, by self-performing a few of the trades, general contractors can reduce some of the cost.

Developers should also consider modular construction as an opportunity to decrease construction costs as well as delivery time. While this technique is not new and is used in many areas of the country, the wide-spread use of modular construction is hampered by a lack of production companies. Going this route means committing to a contractor well in advance of the construction start to get in their production schedules. But the ability to construct wall and floor panels in an enclosed factory setting allows progress to continue during inclement weather. The precision of factory construction should save some time in the field. The walls and floors can even be pre-fabricated with electrical and plumbing rough-ins, thus saving additional time.

Developers should request energy efficient design in all their projects. The current codes require tight building envelopes, but do not require net-zero energy or use of renewable energy for the buildings power source. The overall cost of maintaining and managing the new affordable developments would decrease if this were the case.

Mixed-use developments, primarily consisting of retail below housing, is a great solution for affordable housing developments because the retail uses in the building will most likely be beneficial to the residents. This could reduce transportation cost and energy usage. The retail portion of the development is not typically funded by the LIHTC. However, if the project is large enough (over $5 million on the commercial uses), they could qualify for New Market tax credits, another government-sponsored funding source.

Of course, the best way to ensure affordable housing projects receive funding is to ensure the right people are in office to increase budgets to these programs. When it comes time to cast your vote, be sure to investigate the candidates stance on affordable housing and zoning. But in the meantime, these energy- and cost-effective solutions can help developers navigate the current LIHTC situation and improve their chances of receiving these credits, thus chipping away at the current affordable housing crisis.

About the Author

David Kennedy has nearly 40 years of experience working on a variety of project types, including multi-family, healthcare, office and retail. Projects have included affordable housing units, mixed-income developments and high-rise apartments. As a Senior Architect at Bailey Edward, David has led design teams, business development efforts, client management and staff development on projects. He is a thoughtful architect of the highest integrity who invests his time and vision greatly into the projects he leads.

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Solving the housing attainability crisis - REjournals.com