Urban / Guides

...urban and agricultural droughts, we have to begin implementing commercial and residential water conservation measures immediately. And THAT cheery preamble, is actually to lay the groundwork about an innovative and award-winning solution for water conservation that we find to be really good news; a significant advance ...

...Urban farming - a guide to growing edible perennials in your yard How to build a backyard greenhouse in cold climates How to reduce climate impact with green food choices Find more about green lifestyle choices and home construction in the Ecohome Green Building Guide pages and find out about the bene...

...urban areas, as they require an abundant source of ground water and a high water table. Will geothermal heating save me money? That truly depends on the size of the project to heat. No geothermal system is cheap to install , and because it offers only a reduction in consumption, the return on investment is really o...

...urban areas, it does not pose the same health risk when they're used in more remote or off-grid areas, on condition that you choose a model of wood pellet stove that has manual rather than electric operation for feeding in the wood granules. How 'green' they are has more to do with what you burn, how you burn and the...

...urban core such as downtown Toronto, we find it difficult to justify constructing entirely independent systems, particularly in terms of their environmental impact. In an urban neighbourhood you have easy access to existing service networks, which is the most economical option in every respect, particularly in terms of...

...urban infill building Urban infill construction slows urban sprawl and protects green space. That’s a good thing. But as so often is the case, those living in established older neighborhoods are often loath to see changes to their communities and increases in traffic, which is a fully understandable sentiment. But it...

...urban garden. Lettuce planted on vertical trays, what a great way to brighten up an ugly outside wall in an urban yard Which edibles lend themselves to vertical gardening you may be wondering; well I'm happy to report that the list is long. Here are just a few to get you started: Tomatoes: Cherry tomatoes i...

...urban areas. Smoke from wood stoves © Arboristsite.com A high concentration of woodstoves in an urban setting will have a more noticeable impact on the surrounding air quality and consequently find its way into other homes. When there are lots of neighbouring wood stoves, a bigger concern for indoor air quality...

...urban areas and parks as partition walls or even as outdoor furniture. They can also be covered with dirt and used to introduce plants. Of course, over time, nature will supply many varieties to fill the structure if you don’t get in first. Gabion retaining walls in modern architecture Gabion walls in modern ar...

...urban sprawl. Sustainable Sites (22 points) Any new construction will have an ecological impact. This category seeks to limit that impact on the building site, as well as the surrounding environment and waterways. Points are awarded for responsible site stewardship during both construction and the lifecycle of th...

...urban lot that's to the south side of high or mid-rise buildings, is going to spend most of it's life in the shade. In a warm climate this might be an advantage, but in a colder climate this basically deprives any future home from any possible passive solar heating - so should be considered suboptimal. Distance from ...