Toronto GTA 3D Digital Architectural Rendering

Toronto and the GTA offer a wide range of interiors rendering and architectural illustration services, whether it be for a new high-rise condominium project, for a heritage building renovation or an architectural rendering for Toronto-area custom homes builder.

I recently began working at DO HERE 3d Architectural Rendering and every day I am amazed at the quality of work we do with top Toronto and international architects, plus Toronto-area and GTA home builders and interior designers. For Toronto rendering services, DO HERE offers award-winning world-class artwork that will increase the success and profitability of your project.

Call Joe at DO HERE Architectural Rendering today, via 416.273.8288 x 369 or if you are out of the Toronto /Markham / GTA region, please use our 1.866.967.0868

New Ways of Working (New WOW) honors Dr. Judith Heerwagen

Dr. Judith Heerwagen is an environmental psychologist whose research and writing have focused on social impacts of sustainable design, workplace performance and behavioral change. She currently serves as Program Expert in the Office of Federal High Performance Green Builldings for the U.S. General Services Administration.

In recognition and appreciation of her contributions in workplace research, New Ways of Working (New WOW), an organization dedicated to examining the changing nature of work in a distributed world, has awarded Dr. Heerwagen an honorary fellowship for the 2011 calendar year.

Over the past decade, Dr. Heerwagen ran her own research and consulting business in Seattle. Previously, she was a research faculty member at the University of Washington, Department of Architecture, and a staff scientist at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. At both the University of Washington and PNNL, her research focused on sustainable architecture and the occupant experience in buildings. She has lectured widely on the human factors of sustainable design, workplace productivity, and the impacts of physical space on emotional, social and cognitive functioning. In 2005, she was named Environmental Champion by ASID. Dr. Heerwagen has been a member of the US Green Building Council since 2000 and currently serves as the vice chair of the USGBC research committee. She is a co-editor of Biophilic Design: The Theory, Science and Practice of Bringing Buildings to Life (Wiley, 2008) and author of numerous papers. She received a PhD in psychology from the University of Washington and a BS in communications from the University of Illinois.

Read full article on New Ways of Working honors Dr. Judith Heerwagen for green building research

EnviroCities calls for the Zero Carbon City

During the 2nd day of the EnviroCities conference in United Arab Emirates, "Sustainable Cities: Strategy, Elements and Indicators to Counterbalance Climate Change," was presented by Prof. Mohsen Aboulnaga, Government Strategy & Policy Advisor and main founder of Emirates Green Building Council.

"Creating and designing cities is one of the most complex and sophisticated processes as they ultimately consume most natural resources, an awful amount of energy, and use huge quantities of water as well as produce air pollution and generate waste. These pose a huge risk to our health and environment, and ultimately contribute to climate change; a phenomenon that is of prime global concern," Aboulnaga pointed out.
"Another crucial dimension impacting climate change is the gigantic rise in world population particularly, in urban areas and beyond," he pointed out.

According to the United Nations 2009 report on water shortage, and keeping in mind the world's high energy consumption rates, it is becoming assertive that strategy and policy, and its assessment tools in sustainable national planning should be firmly developed and exploited to put forward appropriate key performance indicators to encounter such great challenges and ensure our cities are sustainable," said Aboulnaga.

"To curb green house gases emissions and reduce its impact on climate change, it is vital to efficiently plan our cities to be sustainable yet, to diligently develop strategy and policies that promote sustainability to the extent these cities are eco-friendly and maintained," he said.

Full article on Creating and Sustaining Eco-friendly Cities

More Green links:

Green Mutual Fund Investing

3d Architectural Visualization Renderings

Best Green Stocks Blog

Greening an Office Tower; An Architect's Advice

The following is excerpted from an article by Dermot Sweeny (Sweeny Sterling Finlayson & Co) in the May 2010 issue of Sustainable Architecture and Building Magazine:

Natural light

There is lots of anecdotal evidence, and some empirical evidence, to support our contention that natural light and views to the outside are critical contributors to stimulation, human comfort and well being. Effective daylight harvesting depends on capitalizing fully on daylight penetration into the space while controlling direct sunlight and glare.

We achieve this by maximizing ceiling heights, arguing successfully with our clients that the best compromise between economy and performance is achieved with a 13ft. floor-to-floor height incorporating 18in. of raised floor, a 10in. slab, and ceiling heights approaching 11ft., with full height glazing for excellent natural light penetration.

ASHRAE has tended to discourage this fully-glazed approach in order to increase insulation levels and reduce solar heat gain or conversely heat loss. This resulted in a reduction of glazed surface from somewhere between 80% and 90% in Mies’ day, to about 40% in the 1990s. What ASHRAE fails to recognize is that over the same period, the relative importance of solar gain through windows has been reduced both by advancements in glazing technology, and by the dramatic increase in internal heat loads noted above.

While it is still important to work on reducing the amount of excess heat in buildings, we believe that the environmental and psychological benefits of natural light far outweigh the disadvantages of any additional solar heat gain. We do, however, work to control heat gain, and the negative effects of glare while maximizing the positive attributes of daylight.

Typically, an external solar shading device at a height of approximately nine feet creates a clerestory and shades the glass curtain wall below. At the same time, an internal light shelf aligned with the exterior solar shade reflects sunlight penetrating the clerestory off the concrete slab and deep into the building. The light shelf is coupled with a roller blind that lowers automatically [while the light shelf rotates upward] in response to solar intensity and potential glare. The blind never comes to the floor so some views are always maintained.

The additional ceiling height enables us to suspend indirect lighting fixtures fitted with T5 or T8 fluorescent lamps. The goal is to achieve even, ambient lighting. Experience has demonstrated that where there is too much variation the natural tendency is to enhance the dark spots by introducing more light. This of course uses more energy and costs more money.

We find that if we can achieve savings by designing for lower overall lighting levels, it is easier to convince clients to invest money in control systems that further improve energy efficiency. Maximizing indirect lighting also dramatically reduces glare which further increases human comfort.

Full article on Converting office towers to green sustainable technology

World Green Building Week honours top architects and retrofitters

Green buildings often cost up to 5 percent more than traditional buildings during construction, but will reduce waste output by 70 percent, water usage by 40 percent and energy usage by 30 to 50 percent. As part of the campaign, the World Green Building Council (WorldGBC) has released a new report outlining the impact of building green.

According to the United Nations Environment Programme, buildings consume between 30-40% of global energy. There is no single larger global contributor – and thereby potential reducer – of carbon than the building sector. Green buildings can also play a central role in providing affordable housing, job creation and disaster recovery, according to a new report from the World Green Building Council (WorldGBC) launched today at the start of World Green Building Week. The building sector directly employs 5-10% of the workforce in most countries.

Tackling Global Climate Change, Meeting Local Priorities highlights how green buildings can play a valuable role in meeting local needs worldwide, including in areas hit by natural disasters, as well as providing the most cost-effective way of tackling climate change.

"In the past some thought we could only address environmental concerns when the going was good and that 'green' had to take a back seat to economic growth when times got challenging" notes Jane Henley, CEO of WorldGBC. "This report shows that to be a false choice. We have a growing evidence base of international examples in which homes, buildings and communities are addressing pressing local needs and reducing carbon emissions at the same time."

"Buildings are simply the most cost-effective way of reducing carbon emissions and policy-makers around the world must recognize this at the upcoming international negotiations at COP16 in Mexico," Jane Henley says.

"This is a timely message. The impact of the financial crisis is still with us, while the situation in Pakistan provides a reminder of the terrible devastation that natural disasters can cause," says Paul King, CEO of the UK Green Building Council and Chair of the WorldGBC Policy Taskforce. "The challenges facing countries around the world may vary locally, but a common theme remains – the importance of the built environment in providing communities with a high quality of life. As we also strive to radically reduce carbon emissions we can't miss these win-win opportunities – tackling global climate change and meeting local priorities."

ABOUT WORLD GREEN BUILDING WEEK:

WorldGBC and its member green building councils celebrated the inaugural World Green Building Day on September 23 2009 to raise the profile of green buildings globally in the lead up to COP15 in Copenhagen.

This year's World Green Building Week will be celebrated through a number of key activities including the launch of the WorldGBC Special Report 'Tackling Global Climate Change – Meeting Local Priorities' and a host of synchronized green building events around the world.

Green building councils in over 20 countries around the world will be hosting an event in or around this week, including:

Australia: The GBCA will be hosting a 'Green Tie' Gala Dinner on September 22, as well as encouraging members to host their own events – from site tours and debates through to green treasure hunts. For more information on the range of activities: www.gbca.org.au/world-green-building-week-2010.asp

Colombia: The Colombia Green Building Council will be holding a Green Building Seminar on September 23 with invited government representatives to increase awareness of actions necessary to support the growth of green building initiatives across the country.

South Africa: The Green Building Council of South Africa will be holding its 3rd annual Green Building Convention & Exhibition on September 20-22. Drawing on the growing energy of the African Regional Network, the GBCSA will also be holding an Africa GBC Day on September 23, bringing together developing green building councils from across the African continent.

United Kingdom: The UK Green Building Council will be holding an event at City Hall in London, with keynote speaker Mayor of London Boris Johnson.

More Green Energy links:

Online Media Release about World Green Building Week

Geothermal Energy Investing website

PV Solar Stocks Investing blogs

Away to an Island Paradise; Canada's PEI

I'll be out of the office from July 3oth to August 10th, as my wife and I, plus our 20 year old triplets, are off to PEI this Friday (July 30th) for our Trainor Family Reunion (last one was 1989!!!).

If any of you are ecology-minded AND compassionate, please visit some of my other blogs also, and feel free to support our sponsors (eg click on the ads!!!):

Harness Horses Racing Breeding

Wind Energy Investing Info

Geothermal Power Stocks

PV Solar Power Companies

Windpower Stocks to Watch

Water Purification Desalination Stocks

A Green Realtor Blog Website

Peace 2 All,

Joe Trainor

MCS Real Estate Systems NEW LOOK SITES

Smart Phone Friendly Websites for Ontario Realtors

My employer MCS Real Estate Systems has recently launched 2 new leading edge templates, with tremendous functionality and they are also fully smartphone-friendly, and look amazing on an iPad!!!

Here are samples of the new T3 look:

www.ZacAttack.com (NEW Look T3 White/Silver, Level 4 Service)

www.OshawaBowmanville.com (NEW Look T3 White/Silver, Level 4 Service)

www.TeriLynnHilson.com (NEW Look T3 Black/Grey, Level 3 Service)

www.MartinEckert.com (NEW Look T3 Black/Grey, Level 4 Service)

Here are some websites created by MCS, the Canadian leader in elegance and fucntionality:

www.ErinHayes.ca (Fully custom, Level 4 Service)

www.IndiaWhite.ca (Basic Marketing Package, Style #2, Level 3)

www.JasonAtkins.com (Fully Custom, Level 3 Service)

www.RyanDeCastro.com (Basic Marketing Package, Style #14, Level 3)

www.MississaugaHomesCondos.com (Basic MP, NEW version Style #1, Level 4)

www.TorontoVaughan.com (Basic Marketing Package, Style #2, Level 4)

www.DeanSwanson.com (Fully Custom, Level 3 Service)

www.DebraBain.com (Executive Class custom, Level 4 Service)

If you are a realtor looking to have someone handle all your web stuff for you, MCS offers Full Service Web Support, and realtors love working with us because we do everything for you!

Call me, Joe Trainor (it's my real name, my family are PEI Trainors), at 1.866.470.4007 x 239 for a FREE Web Strategy Consultation.

Ontario Real Estate Links webpage

Here are some links that may be helpful to Ontario Realtors:

Ontario Real Estate Association

Websites for Ontario Realtors

RECO - Real Estate Council of Ontario

MLS.ca Online Home Listings Search

Happy Canada Day everyone!!!

Peace,

Joe T

Mesothelioma Information, effects of asbestos exposure

Another blogger asked me to post a link to this website about asbestos and mesothelioma cancers, but the website is so thorough and helpful that I thought I'd provide more than just a link.

Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma is a rare type of cancer that typically affects the lining of the lungs, heart and abdomen. Approximately 2,000 to 3,000 cases of mesothelioma are diagnosed each year in the United States, comprising around 3 percent of all cancer diagnoses. This cancer occurs about four times more frequently in men than in women and all forms of mesothelioma, except for benign mesothelioma, are invariably fatal.

The life expectancy for mesothelioma patients is generally reported as less than one year following diagnosis, however a patient’s prognosis is affected by numerous factors including how early the cancer is diagnosed and how aggressively it is treated.

Welcome To The Mesothelioma Center

Asbestos.com is committed to providing the latest, up-to-date information to our visitors in the hopes of spreading awareness about the dangers of asbestos cancer. This website offers a one-stop resource on all asbestos issues ranging from occupational exposure to mesothelioma treatment options. As the leading asbestos and mesothelioma resource, Asbestos.com offers more than 3000 pages of the most comprehensive and cutting edge information on the web.

Visit the Mesothelioma Center Official Website

Also check out malignant mesothelioma information on wikipedia

15 Clean Energy Technology Growth Stocks for 2010

15 Best Green Energy Stocks for 2010

Top Alternative Energy and Renewable Power stock picks for 2010:

1. ITRI - Itron, Inc. (Itron), provides products and services to utilities for energy and water markets globally, and is a provider of metering, data collection and software.

Itron company website link


2. AMSC - American Superconductor Corporation (AMSC) is an energy technology solutions company, offering products and services based on two technologies: programmable power electronic converters and high temperature superconductor (HTS) wires. The two primary markets it serves are the wind energy market and the power transmission and distribution or power grid market.

American Superconductor AMSC company website


3. CSIQ - Canadian Solar Inc. (CSI) designs, develops, manufactures and sells solar cell and module products that convert sunlight into electricity. CSIQ conducts all of its manufacturing operations in China. It sells its products under its Canadian Solar brand name and to original equipment manufacturing customers under their brand names. It also implements solar power development projects, primarily in conjunction with government organizations.

Canadian Solar photovoltaic stock


4. CLNE - Clean Energy Fuels Corp. (Clean Energy) is a provider of natural gas as an alternative fuel for vehicle fleets in the United States and Canada. CLNE designs, builds, finances and operates fueling stations, and supplies customers with compressed natural gas (CNG) and liquefied natural gas (LNG), and also helps them acquire and finance natural gas vehicles, and access government rebates and incentives. Clean Energy serves fleet vehicle operators in a variety of markets, including public transit, refuse hauling, airports, taxis, seaports, and regional trucking.

Clean Energy Fuels official website


5. LON-CWP - Clipper Windpower PLC (Clipper) is engaged in the design, engineering and manufacturing of advanced wind turbines and developing wind energy projects, including engineering, construction, and plant operation. The Company also retains partial ownership in certain wind energy projects. It manufactures the 2.5 megawatts Liberty wind turbine and actively develops wind power generating projects in the Americas and Europe.

Clipper Windpower PLC, CWP company website


6. BOM: 532667 - Suzlon Energy Limited (SEL) is an India-based wind power company. The Company is engaged in the manufacture of wind turbine generators (WTGs) of various capacities and its components.

Suzlon Energy global windpower leader


7. CVE:WND - Western Wind Energy Corp. (Western Wind) owns two wind energy electrical generation facilities and is developing wind energy projects in California and Arizona. WND currently owns over 500 wind turbines with 34.5 MW of rated capacity and a further 131MW of expansion power purchase agreements in the States ofCalifornia and Arizona.

http://www.westernwindenergy.com/


8. YGE - Yingli Green Energy Holding Company Limited (Yingli Green Energy) is a vertically integrated photovoltaic (PV) product manufacturer in China. The Company designs, manufactures and sells PV modules and designs, assembles, sells and install PV systems. Yingli Green Energy’s end-products include PV modules and PV systems in different sizes and power outputs. It sells PV modules under its own brand names, Yingli and Yingli Solar, to PV system integrators and distributors located in various markets worldwide, including Spain, Germany, the United States and China.

http://www.yinglisolar.com


9. TSL - Trina Solar Limited is an integrated solar-power products manufacturer based in China. The Company sell and market the products globally, including in a number of European countries, such as Germany, Spain and Italy.

http://www.trinasolar.com/


10. ORA - Ormat Technologies, Inc. (Ormat) is engaged in the geothermal and recovered energy power business. The Company designs, develops, builds, owns and operates geothermal recovered energy-based power plants, usually using equipment that it designs and manufactures. The Company develops, builds, owns and operates geothermal and recovered energy-based power plants in the United States and geothermal power plants in other countries around the world, and sells the electricity generated by these plants.

http://www.ormat.com/


11. APWR - A-Power Energy Generation Systems, Ltd. (A-Power) is a renewable energy company in China, engaged in providing onsite distributed power generation systems and micro power grids for industrial companies. The size of its projects range from 5 megawatt to 400 megawatt and allow its customers, which require heavy electrical input, to recapture previously wasted heat and gas from their manufacturing processes to generate electricity.

http://www.apowerenergy.com/


12. AMAT - Applied Materials, Inc. (Applied) provides Nanomanufacturing Technology solutions for the global semiconductor, flat panel display, solar and related industries, with a portfolio of equipment, service and software products. AMAT's clients include manufacturers of semiconductor wafers and chips, flat panel liquid crystal displays, solar photovoltaic cells and modules (solar PVs), and other electronic devices.

http://www.appliedmaterials.com/


13. JASO - JA Solar Holdings Co., Ltd. (JA Solar) is engaged in the development, production and marketing of photovoltaic (PV) solar cells, which convert sunlight into electricity, in the People's Republic of China (PRC).

http://www.jasolar.com/


14. AOS - A. O. Smith Corporation is a manufacturer of water heating equipment and electric motors, serving a diverse mix of residential, commercial and industrial end markets principally in the United States.

http://www.aosmith.com


15. OTC: SHCAY (Sharp Corp ADR) - Sharp Corporation is a Japan-based company engaged in the manufacture and sale of electronic telecommunication devices, electronic machines and components. The Company operates in two business divisions. The Sharp Solar division is a world-leading alternative energy manufacturer.

http://sharp-world.com/