The ZEBx Podcast

ZEBx: The Zero Emissions Building Exchange
  • 0.0 (0)
  • EDUCATION
The ZEBx Podcast

We bring together people from across the building industry to identify solutions and opportunities in the zero emission buildings space. In our podcasts we speak with people across the BC building industry and beyond, and learn how they navigate the barriers to advance the development of cost-effective, attractive, zero emission buildings at scale. ZEBx is a centre designed to rapidly accelerate the knowledge, capacity and passion for zero emission buildings and is part of the Metro Vancouver Zero Emissions Innovation Centre.

  1. JUN 24

    Practical Approaches to No-Renoviction Retrofits - ZEBx Decarb Lunch May 30, 2025

    Overview Too often, addressing the housing and climate crises are seen as conflicting priorities. In reality, Canada urgently needs to both decarbonize its building stock and increase the supply of affordable housing.   Addressing both challenges concurrently will require new practices and processes that allow existing buildings to be retrofitted while residents continue to live and work comfortably in place. As deep energy retrofits move from concept to implementation, they offer valuable opportunities to understand how residents are affected by decarbonization and to test and refine methods for minimizing disruption.   In this session, we’ll explore the retrofit of BentallGreenOak's Forte building—part of the FortisBC Deep Energy Retrofit Pilot—including the successes and lessons learned in supporting tenants navigate the process. We’ll also review the Tower Renewal Partnership’s foundational Field Guide to Retrofits in Occupied Buildings and share practical insights gained from field experience since the guide’s publication in 2019.  Resources Slides ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Speakers Candace Le Roux, Regional Property Manager with BentallGreenOak. Ya’el Santopinto, Architect, Principal, and practice lead at ERA Architects.  Podcast Production Gordon Patrick Newell, Communications at ZEIC

    1 hr

  2. MAY 12

    Optimizing Heat Pumps in Commercial Buildings - ZEBx Decarb Lunch Mar 4, 2025

    Season 5, Episode 5 Recorded on Apr 23, 2025 Overview With their ability to provide highly efficient electric heating and cooling, heat pumps are our most promising and important building decarbonization technology. Installing a heat pump in a commercial building can be complex and requires careful engineering and attention to detail. As the first generation of air source heat pumps in BC are coming to the end of their service life, projects to replace them offer valuable opportunities to take advantage of improved technology and optimize these systems. This ZEBx webinar shared real world experiences and lessons learned from retrofitting the HVAC system of the Atrium, an iconic office and retail building in downtown Victoria. The session covered all aspects of the Atrium project, from planning and procurement to design, construction, and commissioning. This discussion provides valuable insights into how to make heat pumps work for those who own, design, work on, and live/work/play in these buildings. Thanks to the generous support of BC Hydro, NRCan, and the City of Vancouver, this event was free. Resources Slides ⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠ Speakers Brad White, President, SES Consulting Jason Finster, Energy Manager, Jawl Properties Podcast Production Gordon Patrick Newell, Communications at ZEIC

    1h 2m

  3. APR 30

    Vancouver’s GHG Reporting Bylaw: Reflections & Projections - ZEBx Decarb Lunch Apr 3, 2025

    Season 5, Episode 4 Recorded on Apr 3, 2025 Overview At this webinar, the City of Vancouver staff shared insights from the first year of the City’s mandatory energy and carbon reporting program and previewed what industry can expect in the current reporting cycle and beyond. Co-host BOMA BC kicked off this event by highlighting industry engagement, challenges, and opportunities—before handing things over to the City of Vancouver’s Gurmeet Gherra and Micah Lang. They gave a recap on the city’s GHG bylaw, outlined its phased requirements, and shared key takeaways from this past year’s first reporting cycle. They also outlined how building managers can prepare for 2025. In 2024, more than 200 of Vancouver’s largest commercial properties—spanning more than 47 million square feet—submitted their energy and carbon data to the City. With the requirements now expanding as scheduled to include nearly 900 commercial, residential, and hotel buildings, the City is working to ensure building owners and operators are aware of both the regulation and the available compliance support tools and resources. The session concluded with a Q&A. Thanks to the generous support of BC Hydro, NRCan, and the City of Vancouver, this event was free. Resources Slides ⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠ Speakers Zosia Brown Kevin Hatch, Co-Owner/President, Twin Lions Contracting Hosts Natalie Douglas, ZEBx Program Manager, ZEIC Shaun St-Amour, ETRO Construction Podcast Production Gordon Patrick Newell, Communications at ZEIC

    59 min

  4. APR 16

    Words of Wisdom: Craig Edwards, City of Vancouver - Apr 2025

    An interview with Craig Edwards from the City of Vancouver.After many years implementing the City of Vancouver’s building and utility decarbonization initiatives, Craig Edwards, the City’s Manager of Energy and Utilities is retiring. His track record is humbling, with countless projects that have helped the City decrease its carbon footprint drastically over the last 12 years. Electrification has been a fundamental strategy in his work. As the largest city in the province, it owns and operates over 600 buildings ranging from libraries and recreation centres to firehalls and community centres, not to mention City Hall. In this interview, Craig provides a comprehensive overview of the City’s energy and emissions requirements for both city-owned and non-city-owned buildings – new and existing. You’ll also hear how important policies are in achieving big reductions in emissions and how the City has led by example.Hosts:Roberto Pecora, Director Building Decarbonization, ZEICMariko Michasiw, B2E Program Manager, ZEICPodcast Production:Gordon Patrick Newell, Communications at ZEIC

    40 min

  5. MAR 18

    A Net Zero Retrofit: Lessons from the Cutting Edge - ZEBx Decarb Lunch Mar 4, 2025

    Season 5, Episode 3 Recorded on Mar 4, 2025 Overview Achieving Net Zero Energy in existing homes comes with unique challenges—but also major opportunities. High-performance building envelopes, low-carbon materials, and integrated renewable energy are key to reducing emissions while improving comfort and resilience. In this ZEBx webinar (co-hosted with HAVAN), we take a deep dive into North Shore’s first NZE retrofit, a project that pushed the boundaries of sustainable homebuilding. The homeowner and builder (Twin Lions Contracting) shared real-world insights from navigating design and permitting hurdles, optimizing air tightness, selecting efficient heating and ventilation systems, and integrating solar power and energy monitoring. With 80% of construction waste diverted from landfill and a fully electrified system performing in below-zero temperatures, this project sets a new standard for deep retrofits. The session covers both technical takeaways and key policy challenges, from foundation reuse complexities to wildfire resilience requirements and the need for more streamlined permitting and incentive structures. Whether you’re a homeowner, builder, or industry professional, this discussion provides valuable lessons to help accelerate the transition to net zero retrofits. Thanks to the generous support of BC Hydro, Vancity, and the City of Vancouver, this event was free. Resources Slides ⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠ Speakers Zosia Brown Kevin Hatch, Co-Owner/President, Twin Lions Contracting Hosts Natalie Douglas, ZEBx Program Manager, ZEIC Shaun St-Amour, ETRO Construction Podcast Production Gordon Patrick Newell, Communications at ZEIC

    59 min

  6. MAR 4

    Where Embodied Carbon Meets Circular Economy- ZEBx Decarb Lunch Feb 13, 2025

    Season 5, Episode 2 Recorded on Feb 13, 2025 Overview Reducing embodied carbon and advancing the circular economy are increasingly important efforts in the sustainability realm - but how do they relate to each other in practice?   For example, directly reusing structure and envelope components to serve new functions is the most carbon-efficient end-of-life scenario for a building. However, if this isn’t an available option to owners, builders, and designers – the next best thing is to reuse materials and design flexible and adaptable structures that can be deconstructed at the end of a building’s use. By holding onto materials at the end of life and optimizing their reuse potential, not only will this disrupt industry with a flow of low-carbon materials, but this will also increase diversion of construction and demolition waste from landfills and reduce extraction and use of virgin materials.    In this Decarb Lunch we learn more about the relationship between embodied carbon and circular design principles and how embodied carbon reductions can be achieved through deconstruction, reuse, and designing for disassembly.  Thanks to the generous support of BC Hydro and the City of Vancouver, this event was free.  Resources Slides ⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠ Speakers Stephanie Dalo, Carbon Leadership Forum BC Program Manager, ZEIC HostsNatalie Douglas, ZEBx Program Manager, ZEIC Podcast ProductionGordon Patrick Newell, Communications at ZEIC

    57 min

  7. FEB 6

    Decarbonization in Cold Climates - ZEBx Decarb Lunch Jan 24, 2025

    Season 5, Episode 1 Recorded on Jan 24, 2025 Overview Decarbonizing buildings in colder climates presents unique challenges and opportunities. Ground-source heat pumps (i.e., geo-exchange) and cold-climate air-source heat pumps are emerging as critical solutions to reduce emissions, while maintaining performance in cold climates.  In the first ZEBx Decarb Lunch of 2025, we dive into real-world examples of these systems in action in British Columbia’s northern and interior regions. Jeff Quibell of Falcon Engineering shares insights from implementing geo-exchange systems in some BC school districts, while Keith Bate of Creative Energy discusses the use of air-source and water-source heat pumps on a groundbreaking project at Thompson Rivers University (TRU). Both speakers highlight the role these technologies play in reducing peak energy demand, improving efficiency, and overcoming the challenges of cold-weather applications.  The session covers both the details of the mechanical systems and the need to build trust with end-users as these technologies are introduced to regions they haven’t been used before. Learn how their experiences can inform your approach to adopting and integrating innovative systems for decarbonizing buildings in colder climates.  Thanks to the generous support of BC Hydro and the City of Vancouver, this event is free of charge.  Resources Slides ⁠⁠here⁠⁠ Speakers Jeff Quibell, Energy Principal, Falcon Engineering  Keith Bate, Director of Engineering, Creative Energy  Hosts Mariko Michasiw, B2E Program Manager, ZEIC Natalie Douglas, ZEBx Program Manager, ZEIC Podcast Production Gordon Patrick Newell, Communications at ZEIC

    1 hr

  8. JAN 3

    Laying the Groundwork: A New Deep Retrofit Service in BC - ZEBx Decarb Lunch Dec 12, 2024

    Season 4, Episode 13 Recorded on Dec 12, 2024 Overview Deep energy retrofits are a critical piece of achieving our carbon pollution reduction targets and improving the comfort of homes and workplaces. Programs offered as part of the BC Retrofit Accelerator provide guidance to building owners to identify and plan for retrofit projects to significantly reduce building emissions, including commercial and multi-unit residential strata, rental, non-market, and off-reserve Indigenous housing. At the last ZEBx Decarb Lunch of 2024 we heard about the gap that the BC Retrofit Accelerator and its numerous partners – like BC Non-Profit Housing Association (BCNPHA) and Aboriginal Housing Management Association (AHMA) – seeks to fill, the benefit they provide to organizations like housing societies, and the crucial role they play in the ideation phase of project development before engaging professional consultants. Representatives from BCNPHA and AHMA presented on how they can assist with early-stage project development and financial planning, and talked through an example of a roadmap to achieving zero emissions, as well as the benefits and potential challenges. If you’re a retrofit development consultant, a local government looking to support building retrofits, housing provider looking to embark on some retrofits, or just someone interested in how we can accelerate and scale building retrofits, this is a webinar for you. Thanks to the financial support of BC Hydro, NRCan, and the City of Vancouver, this event was free of charge. Resources Slides ⁠here⁠ Speakers Edward Beckett, Building Energy Manager, BC Non-Profit Housing Association Atoine Archie, Capital Projects Manager, Aboriginal Housing Management Association Shahed Shafazand, Energy Project Advisor, Aboriginal Housing Management Association Hosts Natalie Douglas, ZEBx Program Manager, ZEIC Darla Simpson, BCRA Program Manager, ZEIC Podcast Production Gordon Patrick Newell, Communications at ZEIC

    58 min
See All (52)

About

We bring together people from across the building industry to identify solutions and opportunities in the zero emission buildings space. In our podcasts we speak with people across the BC building industry and beyond, and learn how they navigate the barriers to advance the development of cost-effective, attractive, zero emission buildings at scale. ZEBx is a centre designed to rapidly accelerate the knowledge, capacity and passion for zero emission buildings and is part of the Metro Vancouver Zero Emissions Innovation Centre.

Information

  • Creator
    ZEBx: The Zero Emissions Building Exchange
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2025
  • Episodes
    52
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © ZEBx: The Zero Emissions Building Exchange
  • Show Website
    The ZEBx Podcast

You Might Also Like

To listen to explicit episodes, sign in.

Stay up to date with this show

Sign in or sign up to follow shows, save episodes, and get the latest updates.
Select a country or region

Africa, Middle East, and India

Asia Pacific

Europe

Latin America and the Caribbean

The United States and Canada