Better Buildings Breakfast Ottawa
Ecodistricts: A Capital Idea
For the January 24th, 2012 Better Buildings Breakfast we are honored to have an outstanding guest speaker, Marcel Acosta the Executive Director of the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC) in Washington DC.
Washington DC is one of several U.S. municipalities that have established ecodistricts. Ecodistricts are urban areas that are committed to pursing environmental sustainability through a variety of community-based strategies involving building owners, managers, tenants and local residents.
Mr. Acosta is going to speak about the SW Ecodistrict Initiative and other sustainability programs that fall within his area of expertise and responsibility at the NCPD (Brochure PDF)
If it is good for Washington, is it good for Ottawa? Some people say yes to 'a grand vision of Ottawa' that includes an Ottawa Centre EcoDistrict (OCED). The Ottawa Centre EcoDistrict is a new initiative intended to accelerate sustainability in the downtown core of Canada’s capital city (Brochure PDF).
The Better Buildings Breakfast will host a panel representing the OCED to provide a progress report about the OCED and how it will accelerate neighbourhood scale sustainability in the downtown core while increasing Ottawa's competitiveness, citzen quality of life, better workplace environments and property owners' return on investment.
The panel will provide information about the value proposition for stakeholders in the downtown with particular reference to existing green buildings, new development, the LRT and Downtown Moves planning study.
A representative of the City of Ottawa will provide a presentation about its green building policies and related sustainability programs.
Now in its third season the Better Buildings Breakfast series is co-hosted by Real Estate News Exchange (RENX) and Cushman and Wakefield Ottawa's Green Real Estate Practice Group.
For this special Better Buildings Breakfast the City of Ottawa is both a host and providing the Jean Pigott Hall and the City Council Chambers as a venue. We would like to thank the City of Ottawa for its support and generously making City Hall available for the event.
Marcel C. Acosta
Executive Director
National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC)
Washington, DC
Marcel C. Acosta has more than 25 years of experience in urban and transportation planning. As executive director of the federal government’s central planning agency, he oversees a team of urban planners, architects, historic preservationists, and other professionals who are committed to preserving and enhancing the extraordinary qualities of the National Capital Region (NCR). Mr. Acosta is also a federal appointee to the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority’s Board of Directors, serving as a voting board member. The Metro Board of Directors determines agency policy and provides oversight for the funding, operation, and expansion of transit facilities in the NCR.
The SW Ecodistrict Initiative, Washington DC
The South West Ecodistrict Initiative is a comprehensive effort to transform a 15-block federal precinct just south of the National Mall into a showcase of sustainable urban development. In addition to accommodating the future space needs of the federal government, the Ecodistrict will extend the civic qualities of the National Mall, create new places to live, and promote a vibrant, open, and walkable neighborhood. The Initiative involves 17 federal and district agencies and is being led by the National Capital Planning Commission.
South West Ecodistrict Initiative Brochure
Video: NCPC Speaker Series event Shades of Green: Washington’s Emerging Eco-districts
The Ottawa Centre EcoDistrict (OCED)
The Ottawa Centre EcoDistrict (OCED) is an initiative to accelerate neighborhood-scale sustainability in the downtown core while increasing Ottawa’s competitiveness, citizens’ quality of life and property owners’ return on investment. The proposal is to develop a compelling vision, brand and suite of actions to: leverage existing assets; achieve ambitious sustainability performance goals; attract investment and community action; and track results.
The OCED will be a unique collaboration between developers, building owners, tenant businesses, employees, residents, social innovators, and the City to make the core more sustainable, competitive and vibrant; and to advance Ottawa’s reputation as a dynamic capital city.
Agenda:
7:15 - Doors open - Buffet breakfast
7:55 - Welcome & Introduction
8:00 - City of Ottawa Presentation
8:10 - Keynote: Marcel Acosta
8:50 - Ottawa Centre Eco-District Panel Presentation
9:25 - Question
9:30 - Wrap Up
Cost: $45 plus the EventBrite.com fee per breakfast.
On-site registration: The deadline to register is 12 hours prior to the event if tickets are still available. On-site registrants will be charged $50.
Enquiries:
Ann White, awhite@renx.ca, (613) 569-6300
James McNeil, jmcneil@cwottawa.com, (613) 780-1567
The Next Breakfast
March 2013 - dates and topics to follow.
May 2013 - dates and topics to follow.
About The Better Buildings Breakfast Series
The Better Buildings Breakfast Series is a golden opportunity to learn about sustainable buildings and network with your peers in the green real estate sector.
The breakfasts will serve an exciting line up of speakers, leaders in the Canadian real estate industry, who will start your day with informative presentations about how to create a sustainable built environment.
The Breakfasts are an opportunity to share knowledge and build the capacity of professionals in the green real estate industry in Ottawa to deliver sustainable building products and services.
Building owners, tenants, managers, property investors, real estate professionals and anyone else engaged in establishing and maintaining sustainable building strategies, products and services will benefit from learning from the experts and sharing ideas with their peers.
Anyone with a keen interest in Canadian real estate and greening the built environment is encouraged and welcome to attend.
The Better Buildings Breakfast are a joint venture between the Real Estate News Exchange and the Cushman & Wakefield Green Real Estate Practice Group.