Sustainable Infrastructure
Saskatchewan is characterized by extreme temperature variations from winter to summer and other extreme climatic conditions. This creates challenges for sustainable and efficient building design, especially one's that conserve energy. At the same time, the Saskatchewan prairies face significant water challenges and infrastructure costs associated with these water issues. Good housing is also central to people's well-being, their sense of belonging within a community, and their ability to sustain a livelihood. With the cold climate, Saskatchewan people must spend a considerable amount of time indoors creating a greater need for healthy homes and buildings.
Feeling at home in the prairie region in ways that economically provide for a high quality of life can help stem rural to urban migration and migration out of the province a historic challenge of the region. Buildings on the prairies have not traditionally been highly customized to local conditions nor make use of local materials. Education about what buildings and building materials are sustainable and how to build sustainably on the prairies creates livelihood opportunities in the region. Rural communities are also facing deteriorating infrastructure, especially water infrastructure, over the next 10 to 15 years that can be addressed by sustainable infrastructure initiatives. It also affords opportunities for cities to create more affordable housing and revitalized neighbourhoods. If communities are to become sustainable, citizens collectively need to be educated about the full life-cycle costs of their public and private infrastructure as opposed to merely upfront costs.
Wood windows workshops - Saskatoon and Regina (March 20, 21)
You are invited to attend an upcoming workshop on wood window repair and replacement.
Workshops are being offered in Saskatoon on Saturday, March 20 from 9-3:30pm and in Regina on Sunday, March 21 from 2-7pm. For information on location and the cost to register, please see the attached flyers.
The workshop will address the repair and replacement of wood windows. It is a technical workshop that is of particular interest to those with an interest in retaining the character of older buildings. Jim Stiven, the owner of Vintage Woodworks in Victoria B.C., will provide a hands-on demonstration and lots of useful information on how to conduct repair work while balancing energy efficiency and functional requirements.
Both workshops are provided with financial assistance from the Ministry of Tourism, Parks, Culture and Sport, the Saskatchewan Heritage Foundation, and Canada’s Historic Places Initiative. The workshop in Saskatoon is offered by the Saskatoon Heritage Society. The workshop Regina is offered by the Cathedral Area Community Association. Sponsors include the Saskatchewan Chapter of the Canada Green Building Council, the City of Saskatoon and Stantec Architecture.
SASKATOON
Saturday, March 20 from 9-3:30pm
Contact: Lenore Swystun, Saskatoon Heritage Society
Phone: (306) 222-8481
Email: lswystun@sasktel.net
REGINA
Sunday, March 21 from 2-7pm
Contact: Paul Dechene, Cathedral Area Community Association
Phone: (306) 757-9849
Email: caca@sasktel.net
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RCE International Conference (Curitiba, Brazil) and RFG Minutes
Hello RCE Members and Supporters,
This is just a quick note that if you are planning on attending the 5th International RCE Conference in Curitiba, Brazil (May 18-20, 2010) to submit your registration to the UN University by the March 12 deadline to ensure you have UN University accommodation. Details about the conference are included in the minutes from the RCE Facilitation Group meeting held this past Monday, March 1, 2010 (attached below). The mintues include not only a number of important notes about the conference but also a variety of important RCE items that were discussed along with action items agreed to (highlighted in bold). Please feel free to contact RCE members in relation to these activities. Also, if you are planning to attend the International RCE Conference in Brazil, please send a quick e-mail to me (Roger Petry; roger.petry@uregina.ca) by March 10 in addition to submitting your registration directly to the UN University by the March 12 deadline.
The minutes for our meeting are also posted on the RFG event posting on the website along with various documents related to 5th International RCE Conference (outlined with links in the attached minutes).
Thank you to everyone for your support of the RCEs work over the last year and the number of exciting upcoming activities outlined in the minutes.
Sincerely,
Roger Petry
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Request for Material for Next RCE Bulletin (Deadline March 15, 2010)
Hi Everyone. Please see the note below from Sampreethi. Also, please cc any submissions made directly to the UN University to myself (Roger Petry) and Lyle Benko.
Dear RCE colleagues,
It's time for the first RCE bulletin for this year and I request you to send news articles on your RCE's activities and events from January - March 2010. Information on upcoming events would also be helpful, as would be photos to accompany articles.
Please note that the deadline for submissions is Monday, 15 March, 2010.
Looking forward to your contributions.
Sampreethi
rceservicecentre@ias.unu.edu
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UN University RCE Communications Tools
Dear RCE colleagues,
Please find attached a short guide to UNU-IAS' communications tools for
RCEs. This document includes information on the RCE logo and how to apply
for permission for its use, information on the RCE bulletin, the RCE
websection, printed publications, online space for inter-RCE communications
and some information on other media.
We recommend that your RCE consults the document to make the best use of the
tools available.
Please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions you may have.
Thank you,
Sampreethi
Sampreethi Aipanjiguly
Communications Coordinator
ESD Programme, UNU-IAS
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