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Green Toronto Awards: Water Efficiency

(Apr 29, 2008) The Green Toronto Awards took place this weekend at the Green Living Show. The Water Efficiency Award rewards efforts to sustainably manage and reduce water use and promote water conservation. This year's winner are Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Deborah Dale and Brookfield Place.

Many people consider Canada blessed with a plentiful fresh water supply, and Toronto is no exception, situated on the shores of Lake Ontario, with a number of rivers running through our city. Water, however, is a scarcer commodity than most people think, and it needs to be responsibly managed to meet the needs of future generations.

Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre
Sunnybrook has made significant headway in reducing the centre’s consumption of water. Initiatives have included repairing and replacing almost 250 pieces of steam traps used on the water lines in the facility. The repairs provided instant savings by reducing the rate of condensation loss from 29 percent to nine percent, and allowed the investment to be paid back within six months of implementation.

Deborah Dale
Through the Community Program for Storm Water Management, Deborah Dale promotes urban stewardship, community-outreach activities and strategies that support the more efficient use of urban water. She encourages residents to disconnect their downspouts and conserve/redirect this water into a downspout bog garden. She demonstrates that water-efficient gardens can be colourful and aesthetically pleasing in addition to supporting environmental and community-based water-management strategies.

Brookfield Place
Operated by Brookfield Properties, Brookfield Place is creating innovative ways to conserve water and implement new environmental services that benefit both tenants and the community. Initiatives include automatic faucets that use a rechargeable battery and run only when required, and the replacement of all existing standard toilets with low-flow models. The replacement of 995 toilets in the common areas and on all 98 floors provides a water savings of 50 percent.

Photos: Top left: Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, bottom left: Downspout feeding a bog garden, top right: Brookfield Place.

Sponsored by Toronto Waters.

Judges
Ian Hamilton, Ryerson University
Monica Kuhn, Architect
Peter Love, Ontario Power Authority
Angelo Poto, Toronto Water
Dathe Wong, Stantec Consulting & Stantec Architecture

Learn more about the other categories and the winners:
http://www.greenlivingonline.com/OurWorld/toronto-green-community/
http://www.greenlivingonline.com/Energy/green-toronto-energy/
http://www.greenlivingonline.com/OurWorld/green-toronto-environmental/
http://www.greenlivingonline.com/HomeGarden/green-toronto-design/
http://www.greenlivingonline.com/Business/green-toronto-green-roof/
http://www.greenlivingonline.com/HealthNutrition/green-toronto-health/
http://www.greenlivingonline.com/Business/green-toronto-leadership/
http://www.greenlivingonline.com/Business/green-toronto-market/
http://www.greenlivingonline.com/Family/green-toronto-youth/
http://www.greenlivingonline.com/Business/green-toronto-hunter/



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