The Speaker Series is an important component to the EcoLiving Fair. Visitors can listen to the experts share information about unique building techniques, alternative energy sources, innovative technologies, various initiatives and sustainable living techniques. Individuals from government agencies, academia, businesses, and community organisations share their knowledge and offer a question period.
The Speaker Series occur throughout the day of the EcoLiving Fair and will include speakers on various topics. Download the Speakers’ Schedule (61 KB, PDF – tentative) now. Then come down and listen to some speakers and don’t forget to check out the many exhibits!
2011 Speaker Series
- The Living Building Challenge
- Grid Parity – the true cost of Solar vs Coal with Carbon Capture and Storage
- Are Renewables the Next Double Glazing?
- The Importance of Being Local
- Opportunities in Alberta’s Renewable Energy Landscape
- Cohousing: Intentional Community in Calgary
- Solar Energy for Housing and Transportation
- Your Mother was Right – Electricity and Water Shouldn’t Mix
- Solar Thermal – more than hot water
- Going Solar at Home is Easy
- Greening Rooftops in Alberta – recent projects
- Importance of Building Science in Construction
- Cloth Diapering 101
- Landscape use of Native Woody Plants
- Equilibrium/ Net Zero Homes monitoring results – what worked & what didn’t
- Roadmap to Green Building Workshop
- Benefits of Spray Foam Insulation
- Challenging Environment
- Net Zero Discovery 5
- Building Envelope Workshop
- Forks over Knives Documentary Film
- University of Calgary Solar Decathlon
- The Future of Energy: Community and Collaboration
The Living Building Challenge defines the most advanced measure of sustainability in the built environment possible today and acts to diminish the gap between current limits and ideal solutions. This certification program covers all building at all scales and is a unified tool for transformative design, allowing us to envision a future that is Socially Just, Culturally Rich and Ecologically Restorative. Whether your project is a single building, a park, a college campus or even a complete neighbourhood community, the Living Building Challenge provides a framework for design, construction and the symbiotic relationship between people and all aspects of the built environment.”
Speaker: Tracey Loston
Grid Parity – The true cost of Solar vs Coal with Carbon Capture and Storage
Alberta is subsidizing coal fired generation with a $1B grant for carbon capture and storage. What is the real cost of electricity when the cost of CCS is accounted for? How does this compare to owning your own grid tied solar electric system? Given this reality, what does an investment in solar look like today?
Speaker: David Vonesch
Are Renewables the Next Double Glazing?
From the personal prospective living in Europe (UK, The Netherlands, Germany) all of which are advanced in renewable energy. The presentation by Anna De Paoli of Blackstone Energy Solutions is a light hearted way to highlight some key differences in geography, lifestyle choices, building codes and public policies.
Speaker: Anna De Paoli
One of the greatest things an individual can do is patronize local businesses. Compared to national competitors, local independent businesses contribute 25% more to the local economy and provide more support to the community’s non-profit, social and environmental needs. Learn more about the impact of living, shopping and being local.
Speaker: Stephanie Jackman
Opportunities in Alberta’s Renewable Energy Landscape
Alberta has stronger winds than Ontario and more hours of sunlight than world solar leader Germany; why are we lagging behind in developing renewable power? Learn more about the excitment percolating across the Province to turn renewables from an after-thought to a strategy.
Speaker: Roger Gagne
Cohousing: Intentional Community in Calgary
Cohousing is not a commune or a condo association – it’s about living intentionally. See and hear about the valuable aspects of cohousing which includes a multigenerational community, aging in place, ecological building methods, smaller urban footprint, common use of certain spaces and amenities, etc. Learn the steps one would take to begin a cohousing project in their own community.
Speaker: Zaak Robichaud
Solar Energy for Housing and Transportation
The what, how and why of it all.
Why do it? – for economic reasons and comfort with incidental environmental benefit.
What? – using solar energy to heat and power homes, bicycles and cars
How to do it? – the right concepts make it possible, but only the correct details can make it work.
Speaker: Brian Taylor
Your Mother was Right – Electricity and Water Shouldn’t Mix
An examination of the water-related impacts of our growing demand for energy, conventionally-generated electricity and possible better solutions
Speaker: Gary Fredrich-Dunne
Solar Thermal – more than hot water
Solar Thermal is commonly used to heat domestic water in our homes however the system is easily expanded to provide heat for our homes as well as pools or hot tubs. After an introduction on solar thermal, methods to incorporate the solar energy into other heating systems will be explained. Demonstration projects of domestic water, pool and space heating completed by Simple Solar will be highlighted. Summary cost-benefit as well as environmental savings will be explained.
Speaker: Tom Jackman
Learn about the components that make up grid-connected solar systems and how they are installed. Find out how Alberta homeowners are compensated for solar power exported to the grid. Should you wait for new breakthroughs in solar technology before taking the plunge? Join me for an entertaining and informative look at the tiny but growing solar industry in Alberta.
Speaker: Colin Dumais
Greening Rooftops in Alberta – recent projects
Green roofs, a new take on an ancient technology are becoming more popular in Alberta. Although more commonly integrated on commercial buildings, the local market is changing, bringing increasingly more residential installations. Attend this session to learn what you need to know including the costs, benefits and considerations associated with this exciting green building technology.
Speaker: Kerry Ross
Importance of Building Science in Construction
We will be touching base on the main topics covered by building science and how they impact building. Homes will be the target, but everything also applies to commercial buildings. How can we design the same types of building across Canada, when we have 4 different climate zones and very different needs? What are the keys to save money and time during construction?
Speaker: Amelie Caron
Despite improvements in the environmental footprint of disposable diapers, cloth diapers still come out far ahead of throw-aways in terms of not just environmental impact but also cost. Find out more about the types of cloth diapers available, how they work and how to properly care for them in this presentation.
Speaker: Lindsay Ross
Landscape use of Native Woody Plants
Native plants grow in this area because they like it here. They have evolved to survive and thrive in this climate, with our variable and unpredictable weather. We will show some of the interesting and unusual plants (trees and shrubs) available from more sustainable landscapes in the Calgary area.
Speaker: Ken Wright
Equilibrium/ Net Zero Homes monitoring results – what worked & what didn’t
Equilibrium is a national sustainable housing initiative led by CMHC that brings together the public and private sectors to build healthy housing for a healthy environment. Equilibrium represents the blue print for the next generation of housing in Canada. This presentation will highlight the insights and experiences gained from the construction of Equilibrium homes in Alberta. This presentation will also give tips on what homeowner can do today with government funds to make their home a healthy and environmentally-friendly place to live.
Speaker: Anand Mishra
Roadmap to Green Building Workshop
This workshop provides a guided tour of all currently available major green building programs in Canada. Programs will be compared and the benefits and drawbacks of each discussed. Strategies and potential pitfalls for starting out in green building will be covered to help builders and clients make the next step towards better built, better performing and more environmental homes. LEED Canada for Homes, Built Green, R2000, ENERGY STAR for Homes and EnerGuide will be covered.
Speaker: Tyler Hermanson
Benefits of Spray Foam Insulation
The building envelope over the last 10 years has become extremely important. Environmental concerns of burning fossil fuels have collided with envelope design making materials such as spray foam insulation very useful. This presentation will go over some of the benefits of foam insulation.
Speaker: Curt Janzen
Environmental issues that face Albertans and Liberal policies. Getting involved in politics to create a more sustainable world.
Speaker: Dr. David Swann
A key goal of the Green Building Technology applied research program is to develop a Net Zero energy standard (NZEH) and certification for Western Canada. Net Zero homes produce as much energy as they consume while optimizing water and waste consumption, indoor air quality, and improved envelope durability. The Discovery 5 home, built in conjunction with Avalon Master Builder, is a custom designed infill home recently moved to Calgary’s Altadore community. The Discovery 5 home was designed by SAIT GBT researchers and commenced construction in March 2011. D5 will meet Net Zero energy and LEED standards, while integrating rainwater harvesting, greenroof and living wall elements to meet architectural ecology and energy research goals.
Speaker: David Silburn
- Heat flow controls
- Impacts of air leakage
- Moisture controls
- Impacts of bad moisture management
- Building envelope protection
Speaker: Amelie Caron
Forks over Knives Documentary Film
FORKS OVER KNIVES examines the profound claim that most, if not all, of the degenerative diseases that afflict us can be controlled, or even reversed, by rejecting animal-based and processed foods. The major storyline in the film traces the personal journeys of a pair of pioneering researchers, Dr. T. Colin Campbell and Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn.
Presented by the Calgary Vegetarian Society in celebration of World Vegetarian Day.
University of Calgary Solar Decathlon
Solar Decathlon is an international competition held every 2 years in Washington DC organized by the U.S. Department of Energy, where 20 teams design and build energy-efficient houses powered by the sun. The winning team produces a house that is affordable, attractive, maintains comfortable and healthy indoor environmental conditions, and produces as?much or more energy than it consumes. Team Canada has partnered with the Native communities of Treaty 7 to design a home that meets their needs and interests. Integrating technology and tradition, TRTL is a unique celebration of innovation and cultural diversity.
Speaker: Susana Garcia-San Roman
The Future of Energy: Community and Collaboration
When Renewable Energy (RE) combines with Information Technologies (IT) and public engagement, it becomes a powerful force. We are witnessing a unique moment in history that is doing everything from changing peoples behaviours to influencing elections in the world’s greatest economies. Now THIS is how you start a revolution!
Speaker: Darryl Kaminski
We are still accepting registrations for 2011 exhibitors and speakers. Download your Exhibitor / Speaker Application (
92 KB).
