Sustainable Building and Energy Consultants Inc.

Sustainable Buildings and Energy Consultants Inc. has a number of years of experience working with First Nations Communities.   We have assisted First Nations Communities with community energy studies and advised them on sustainable energy solutions.

SBEC can assist the First Nation Communities to build a neighbourhood with homes that are energy efficient, provide a healthy place in which to live, conserve water, protect the environment and encompass the community’s traditions and aspirations. We can represent the First Nations’ Council on the design and construction team, ensuring that the architects, engineers and builders incorporate the level of sustainability that the Council wishes to achieve in the project.  We will advise the Council on what is achievable and what is essential to construct a healthy environment. Following is a brief outline of how SBE Consultants Inc. can assist the First Nations’ Council (hereafter referred to as “the Council”) on their community projects:1.  Assist the Council to define the Community`s level of sustainability for the project.  This will be done through Community meetings and discussions with the Council.

2.  Assist the Council to locate funding opportunities for sustainable projects and write applications and proposals.

3.  Assist the Council to incorporate sustainability goals in architectural requests for proposals.

4.  Advise the Council on the selection of architects who are able to meet Council’s sustainability goals.

5.  Assist the project architects to incorporate the sustainability defined for the project in construction specifications, documents and drawings.

6.  Function as the Council’s sustainability representative at design team meetings and on the construction site, ensuring sustainability through advising on and overseeing:

·         Site Planning

      Orient streets and properties to allow building to take advantage of solar energy, incorporate wind buffers, reduce site disturbance and minimize construction damage to vegetation and reduce soil compaction, allow for natural storm water drainage and absorption into soil, design roads, parking, sidewalks to reduce solar gain (reduce paving), and to provide wildlife corridors.

·         Construction Waste Management

     Assist the architects and builders to develop a waste management plan.

·         Renewable Energy Opportunities 

• Ensuring that architects design for the defined passive solar heating and highly insulated and sealed  structures.
• Advising on sustainable energy opportunities – geothermal, sewer heat recovery, solar photovoltaic and solar hot water.
• Advise the architects on incorporating natural daylighting in buildings

·         Building Envelope 

• Advise the project architects on proper insulation, eliminating air infiltration through proper design and construction controls, effective glazing-to-thermal mass ratios for passive solar design, natural ventilation, moisture controls and advanced framing.
• Assisting the project architects to specify building materials to reduce embodied energy.

·         Water Conservation

• Reduce and control storm water runoff from the site and buildings.
• Design and construct buildings to conserve water inside and outside.
• Incorporate rainwater collection and reuse.

·         Healthy Indoor Environment 

•  Assist the project architects to eliminate red list toxic building materials and equipment, design for natural ventilation and control potential moisture issues.

·         Healthy Community Issues

• Design to meet the Community’s needs and heritage. 
• Designing and building to reduce maintenance costs and energy demands.
• Reduce water control and treatment demands.
• Provide community networking zones and neighbourhoods.

Throughout the project SBE consultants Inc. can function as the Council’s coordinator and representative, ensuring that the defined level of sustainability for the project is achieved.  SBE Consultants will provide regular reports on the status of the project to Council and will report on all violations of the sustainability specifications.