Hundreds of built-environment decarbonization leaders recently gathered in Vancouver, BC, to recognize and celebrate their collective work advancing zero-carbon buildings.
The occasion marked the fifth anniversary of the Zero Emissions Building Exchange (ZEBx), a program of the Zero Emissions Innovation Centre (ZEIC) and one of a network of seven regional centers that work to support climate action across Canada.
A crowd of over 200 guests gathered in downtown Vancouver on the evening of September 14, 2023. Attendees included homebuilders and developers, construction and HVAC contractors, equipment manufacturers and suppliers, building owners and managers, architects and engineers as well as representatives of financial institutions, utilities, and universities and training institutions.
The festivities were kicked off by Dr. Peter Robinson, ZEIC chair, alongside ZEBx Director Roberto Pecora and ZEIC Executive Director Melina Scholefield. City of Vancouver Councillor Adriane Carr and Sean Pander, the City’s green and resilient buildings manager, also shared some remarks.
“Celebrating ZEBx’s 5th anniversary with such an illustrious group of people from the building industry and governments was a privilege. It’s a testament to how far we’ve come in five short years, as well the increasing impact and momentum we have as BC’s building decarbonization hub,” said Roberto Pecora, Director, ZEBx, a program area of ZEIC.
“Advancing climate and energy performance requirements for buildings is critical if we are going to successfully respond to the climate emergency,” said Sean Pander, green and resilient buildings manager, City of Vancouver.
“Adopting new policies depends on industry’s confidence that they can meet these new expectations; this confidence is not earned by academic papers and government studies but through the exchange of ideas with peers that have already succeeded in changing their standard way of doing things. ZEBx has been very effective at bridging the aspirations of public policy makers and industry norms by showcasing the successful innovation of industry leaders and fostering this exchange.”