Is the climate changing?
What is the effect of climate change?
How do Canadians' housing choices influence the environment?
What does Vert Design do?
What is “green design”?
What is "sustainable" development?
What are the benefits of “green design”?
How can Vert Design save me money?
How can Vert Design improve my health?
What is the Vert Design process?
How long does planning, design and development take?
What are Vert Design’s fees?
Where can I get more information about green design?
How can I contact Vert Design?
How can I apply for employment with Vert Design?
Is the climate changing?
More than 2500 scientific expert reviewers, 800 contributing authors, and 450 lead authors from over 130 countries think so.
The United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's latest report summarizes the work of the world's top climate experts. Its latest report "Climate Change 2007" makes for some sobering reading. The report concludes unequivocably that the world is getting warmer, that the temperature is rising faster than ever, and that the change is as a result of human activities.
Carbon dioxide and other gases warm the surface of the planet naturally by trapping solar heat in the atmosphere. This is a good thing because it has kept our planet habitable. However, by burning fossil fuels such as coal, gas and oil, and clearing forests, we have dramatically increased the amount of carbon dioxide in the Earth’s atmosphere and temperatures are rising.
top
What is the effect of climate change?
The rapid increase of global temperature is creating an extreem environment that we are unfamiliar with. The changes to our world from global warming are obvious and drastic:
. The number of Category 4 and 5 hurricanes has almost doubled in the last 30 years. (1)
. Malaria has spread to higher altitudes in places like the Colombian Andes, 7,000 feet above sea level. (2)
. The flow of ice from glaciers in Greenland has more than doubled over the past decade. (3)
. At least 279 species of plants and animals are already responding to global warming, moving closer to the poles. (4)
The United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change predicts that global warming will continue to create extreem weather events including intense storms, floods, heat waves, and droughts. If the warming continues, we can expect catastrophic consequences including:
.
Deaths from global warming will double in just 25 years - to 300,000 people a year. (5)
. Global sea levels could rise by more than 20 feet with the loss of shelf ice in Greenland and Antarctica, devastating coastal areas worldwide. (6)
. The Arctic Ocean could be ice free in summer by 2050. (7)
. More than a million species worldwide could be driven to extinction by 2050. (8)
1 Emanuel, K. 2005. Increasing destructiveness of tropical cyclones over the past 30 years. Nature 436: 686-688.
2 World Health Organization
3 Krabill, W., E. Hanna, P. Huybrechts, W. Abdalati, J. Cappelen, B. Csatho, E. Frefick, S. Manizade, C. Martin, J, Sonntag, R. Swift, R. Thomas and J. Yungel. 2004. Greenland Ice Sheet: Increased coastal thinning. Geophysical Research Letters 31.
4 Nature.
5 World Health Organization
6 Washington Post, "Debate on Climate Shifts to Issue of Irreparable Change," Juliet Eilperin, January 29, 2006, Page A1.
7 Arctic Climate Impact Assessment. 2004. Impacts of a Warming Arctic. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. Also quoted in Time Magazine, Vicious Cycles, Missy Adams, March 26, 2006.
8 Time Magazine, Feeling the Heat, David Bjerklie, March 26, 2006.
top
How do Canadians' housing choices influence the environment?
Consider that:
. Canada is the fourth-largest producer of greenhouse gas emissions per capita within Kyoto Protocol participating countries (1).
.
17% of the energy consumed in Canada is used to operate our homes. Every time we use energy from fossil fuels such as coal, oil and gas, we produce greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change. Housing accounts for 16% of Canada's greenhouse gas emissions (2).
.
Individual Canadians contribute 5 tonnes of CO2 per person each year: household heating, cooling, lighting and appliances represent half of these emissions. The other half of Canadians’ personal GHG emissions comes from travel related to housing location and lifestyle (3).
1 Canada’s Third National Report on Climate Change 2001.
2 Natural Resources Canada. Energy Use Data Handbook; Residential
Sector, Table 2: Secondary Energy Use and GHG Emissions by End-Use.
3 Ibid.
top
What does Vert Design do?
Vert Design is a green planning and design firm. Specializing in residential, recreational, commercial, and community projects of a human scale, we realize projects that people can relate to. Our multi-disciplinary team turns spaces into living places in urban and rural environments.
Vert Design works to:
. interpret your goals
. define your constraints
. refine your needs
. provide you with options
. represent your vision
. save you time and money
. protect your health and that of our environment
. ensure your satisfaction
A detailed list of our professional services can be reviewed by clicking here
top
What is “green design”?
The adjective “green” is ambiguous when used in reference to the planning, design, and development process. Vert Design’s approach is rooted in an appreciation of the unique needs of every person, and their innate desire for change. All of our work is driven by a commitment to making tomorrow better without compromising our quality of life today – a commitment to sustainable living.
Vert Design projects are:
. low-impact – they minimize effects of construction
. high-efficiency – they use resources efficiently
. integrated – they become a part of the systems at play around them
. durable – they stand the test of time
. adaptable – they have the potential to serve multiple uses
. nontoxic – they protect your health and that of our environment
. beautiful – they invite your attention and instill a desire to preserve them
. functional – they work
. relevant – they are important and serve your individual needs
Vert Design successfully applies these tenets of “green design” while respecting your interest in challenging conventional planning, design, and development practices.
There are many shades of green in the forest. We can help them all grow.
top
What is "sustainable" development?
Development is sustainable when it "meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs". This understanding was first established in the 1987 Brundtland Report, prepared for the United Nations' World Commission on Environment and Development.
VERT design believes the world should continue to change - in a sustainable way. In a sustainable future we value economy, ecology, and society equally. Only through sustainable actions can we provide the best outcomes possible for humans and other living things, both now and into the indefinite future.
For buildings, land and communities, sustainable means living in a way that leaves the world still livable for future generations. Currently climate change, species extinction, and a host of other environmental problems are already leaving a very different world to our grandchildren that the one that we know.
top
What are the benefits of “green design”?
VERT design works hard to provide you with the best return possible for your investment in green design. The outcomes we facilitate:
. save you more money now and in the future - by configuring available construction technology intelligently we maximize resource and energy efficiency, ultimately lowering your operating costs
. make your life more comfortable - by tailoring solutions to your specific needs we help you adapt your environment to suit your unique lifestyle, ultimately increasing functionality
. bring you and your environment better health - by integrating locally sourced, non-toxic, sustainably-produced, and recycled materials into your project, ultimately minimizing our global impacts
. improve your life and the lives of future generations - by helping you make sense of the structures and community around you we encourage action, ultimately making positive places now - for later
top
How can Vert Design save me money?
Vert Design is aware of how rising energy costs erode your disposable income. We offer you design solutions that significantly reduce your demand on energy.
An energy efficient home design has advantages:
.
Lower energy bills – you can reduce yourenergy costs to zero over the course of a year, and insulate yourself from fluctuating energy prices
.
More reliable energy sources – you can have greater peace of mind in knowing that your home will continue functioning even during public-grid blackout situations
Our Net Zero Energy homes integrate high-performance, energy-efficient passive solar design with commercially available on-site renewable energy systems such as solar water heating, solar electricity and ground-source heat. They are designed to produce as much energy annually as they consume anually. Connected to the electricity grid, these homes draw power only as needed – and can sell excess power back into the system.
top
How can Vert Design improve my health?
Vert Design is conscious of the affects poor health can have on your quality of life (not to mention your earning potential). By investing in a Vert Design healthy home you are preparing yourself for a lifetime better health.
A healthy home design has advantages:
.
Healthier living – by building homes using non-toxic materials and finishes we promote our better health
.
Greater comfort – by maintaining steadier temperatures due to an energy-efficient building envelope, and by providing ample natural lighting and improved acoustics we create a better living environment
top
What is the Vert Design process?
The Vert Design process is focused on developing an understanding of your needs and responding to them. We listen, we look, we touch, we taste, and we smell – then we act. The quality of our work is dependent upon our ability to interpret your input. Through a series of consultations we explore all aspects of the project together. When appropriate our consultations engage other stakeholders to benefit from their perspective. These stakeholders might include including future owners or users, community groups, regulatory officials, and polititians. Ultimately, we ensure that you maintain a leadership role throughout the design process.
Once we have a clear understanding of your needs and the systems at play in your project environment, our responsibility is to develop options for your consideration. Vert Design is a multi-disciplinary firm that integrates conventionally independent professions to devise holistic solutions. We consult with all members of the project team (i.e. client, designers, engineers, ecologists, suppliers, contractors, community leaders) as early as possible so that we can move through the process as a unified group, with clear lines of communication, an established timeline, and a defined goal.
Vert Design applies new technology and traditional tools during your design’s development. The options we present you draw heavily on information that you have provided, while representing our professional expertise, and demonstrating our creative confidence. Instead of resorting to a conventional catalogue of components, we develop custom solutions that serve your unique needs. We facilitate your design experience by clearly outlining the advantages and disadvantages associated with every option we present so you can make decisions with assurance. Your options will always integrate with the systems at play in the project environment.
The Vert Design process ensures that you realize your project objectives. We are sensitive to the time and financial constraints ubiquitous in development. Our expertise is in helping our clients manage the relationship between those two factors, the built form, and the world around it. It is imperative that oversight exists in any development project. We inspect all construction to ensure that your design is built as we have specified, thereby giving you insurance that you are getting what you are paying for.
A detailed outline of the phases involved in a green home design process are available by clicking here.
top
How long does planning, design and development take?
How long do you have? Although we can work within extremely short timelines, our experience has demonstrated that clients often benefit from periods of reflection built into the project timeline. Some wines are ready to be drunk right away. Others can benefit from the passing of time.
We would be happy to talk to you about the external constraints (most often associated with regulatory approvals and climate) that may restrict the development process in a given jurisdiction.
top
What are Vert Design’s fees?
Our fees reflect the scope of work you require, and are tailored to suit the unique characteristics of each project to ensure that you are getting the best value for your money. Typical billing structure options available to you might include a flat fee, an hourly rate, or a percentage of your project's construction value. We would be pleased to meet with you to review your needs and discuss the value of our services without obligation. At your request we are happy to provide a proposal outlining our services and fees.
To facilitate the decision making process of prospective green home design clients, we have developed a standard fee structure. Click here to review our Green Home Design Service package.
Unlike other service providers in the planning design and construction industry, our core business is design. We provide excellent custom designs and experiences. Given the service we provide, we are certain that our fees are fair.
top
Where can I get more information about green design?
Call us! Alternatively, you may wish to review the information accessible through our links page. (Vert Design is not responsible for the content of any external sites.)
If you are interested in having Vert Design speak to your group about our firm, our projects, or our approach to design please contact us.
top
How can I contact Vert Design?
You are welcome to introduce yourself by telephone, email or snail-mail. Appointments are strictly by appointment only.
top
How can I apply for employment with Vert Design?
Vert Design is interested in expanding its team of professional associates and its network of community allies. You are welcome to introduce yourself by telephone, email or snail-mail. Specific employment opportunities with Vert Design are posted on our contact information page.
top |