Louie Santaguida, Canadian real estate developer and community patron based in Toronto, has been key to the growing real estate trend in the area.
It has long been his goal to make a significant change in the buildings we inhabit by making them greener, thereby reducing CO2 emissions and bringing us in line with a more sustainable future. According to the Canada Green Building Council, office buildings create 30 to 35 percent of an urban area’s carbon emissions, greatly contributing to the world’s carbon footprint.
Net Zero Buildings
The growing real estate market presents great opportunities for creating more green buildings and promote green living in the city. Santaguida is aiming to build net zero buildings, or buildings that have zero net energy consumption. In other words, these building consume just as much energy as they create on an annual basis.
This movement has gained momentum last year through developers like Louie Santaguida. He has been working as a residential real estate developer for several decades, and his company is committed to bringing green technology into condominiums, starting with introducing geothermal heating and cooling technology.
Green Buildings in Toronto
The best green buildings in Toronto are those that are LEED certified. LEED means Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. It helps recognize sustainable building not just in Canada, but also around the world.
It has been recorded that there are more than 43,000 green building jobs in Toronto, making the city a global leader in green buildings. It is home to world-renowned sustainable architectural firms, green developers, green building suppliers, and over 25 per cent of Canada’s LEED professionals.
Toronto is indeed the condo capital of the world, with condominium buildings all advocating for green lifestyle with its green roofs and sustainable structures.
Energy Efficient Appliances
Santaguida is also recommending the use of energy efficient appliances that help reduce energy consumption. They consume less electricity when not in use or in “standby” mode. Energy star labels on the machine indicate that it is approved by the US Environmental Protection Agency.
Solar Panels
Solar panels are also all the rage right now. These panels are easy to install, but they are quite pricey. Luckily, more and more eco-conscious condo developers like Louie Santaguida are now using solar panels to collect alternative energy sources from the sun, and transform them into reusable energy for the entire building.
Indoor Plants
Indoor plants are no longer just for decoration. They can be helpful, too. As you know, plants act as natural air filters and help replenish our oxygen in exchange of the carbon dioxide that we exhale. It has also been proven that they can reduce stress.
Let’s do our part in taking care of our environment by going green. If more and more people are aware of the benefits of green living and take steps like Santaguida has done, this world will definitely a better and healthier place to live in.