The new building for the Oxford County Waste Management Facility replaces the original administrative office, and now includes a regional conference room and displays about waste management and conservation for public education and school field trips.

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The Net Zero project program and budget allowed the energy needs for both the new building and all existing site buildings and facilities to be met by a ground-mounted solar photovoltaic array situated along the access driveway in public view.

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ZON Engineering Inc. provided Net-Zero Energy and Solar PV Design services on this project.

A brand new Forensics Crime Scene Facility breaking ground next month at Trent University will set new academic and environmental standards all at once, as a first-of-its-kind professional forensics training building constructed on a Canadian university campus—and with a goal to be Canada’s first zero-carbon building certified by the International Living Future Institute.

With the new building, the University will combine its renowned forensics leadership with its reputation as one of Canada’s top environmental teaching and research universities.

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ZON Engineering Inc. is providing Mechanical Design, Net-Zero Energy and Solar PV Design services on this project.

Today we congratulate Greg Leskien, C.E.T., St. George - Grand Valley OACETT Chapter member, and VP at Zon Engineering Inc. for being nominated to receive two awards at the OACETT Provincial Honours and Awards Gala. - The George Burwash Langford Memorial Award and the Outstanding Technical Achievement Award in recognition of his contributions to the green building industry.

Greg is one of the few certified Passive House designers in Ontario and is regarded as an expert in the field of ultra-low energy designs that use 90% less energy for space heating than traditional buildings. A champion for green energy, Greg is currently working on Passive House and net-zero energy projects. Join us in celebrating Greg, and all the nominees at the 2019 Provincial Honours and Awards Gala on November 8 at The Old Mill Toronto.

In 2017, the County mandated that all Requests for Proposals (RFPs) for affordable housing developments include Passive House requirements as a building standard, an approach that offers residents comfort and affordability while reducing energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.

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Providing people with adequate, affordable housing has economic advantages beyond helping residents save money. The construction of affordable housing units offers opportunities for labour market participation and creates jobs. Currently, three multi-residential projects are under construction and two additional projects will begin construction in spring 2019. The owners of each project are hiring local contractors to construct the new buildings, contributing directly to the local job market and economic growth.

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ZON Engineering Inc. has been involved on each of the 4 Passive House projects highlighted by Oxford County.

Koko and Robert Saar began researching passive homes in 2016 before beginning to build one of their own in Wasaga Beach, Ont.

“We came from Mississauga, we had a business for 25 years, our three kids are all out of the house, so we thought this would be a good time to explore,” Koko, 54, told Global News.

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ZON Engineering provided Mechanical Engineering Design and Passive House Institute Documentation

Henry Wiersma is mighty proud of his walls. Packed with straw from his fields, they are 32 inches thick with an insulation factor of R60. And they are the epitome of natural construction.

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The jumbo straw bales occupy the exterior walls of a passive house Wiersma is building with the help of about 18 others on his 45-hectare farm in Cold Springs, roughly an hour’s drive northeast of Toronto.

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ZON Engineering provided Mechanical Engineering Design, Solar PV Design and Material Selection Design Support

NORTHUMBERLAND -- A Camborne resident has captured a top solar industry award.

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Jordan Hoogendam, who was born and raised in Cold Springs and now lives in Camborne, was named Solar Industry Leader of the Year by the Canadian Solar Industries Association at its annual Game Changer awards gala, held May 16 in Niagara Falls.

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Mr. Hoogendam is the president and senior engineer at ZON Engineering, an engineering firm based in Kitchener with satellite offices across Ontario. Plans are in the works to open a Zon Engineering office this summer in Cobourg. Mr. Hoogendam moved back to Northumberland a couple of years ago.

The Canadian Solar Industries Association (CanSIA) celebrated solar industry leaders and innovators at the annual Game Changer Awards Gala earlier this month, recognizing individuals and organizations that have helped the solar energy industry mature.

“Solar energy is a leading solution for the world’s climate challenges,” said John Gorman, CanSIA president and CEO. “The 2016 solar industry Game Changer award winners have showcased their creativity, ingenuity and passion in providing best in class products and services, as Canadians demand more progressive action on climate and energy issues.”

Zero House is an innovative green building designed and built by a group of students and faculty from Ryerson University, Toronto, and the Endeavour Centre, a school teaching sustainable design and construction in Peterborough, Ont.

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Zero House employs prefabrication and an organic palette of structural, insulation, and interior cladding materials to address affordability and sustainability

If you’re talking building science, there’s a solid chance beer is involved. Builders (we hear) like beer. So when beer brewing and building construction can both be done at a high level, it’s something close to heaven. This project located northwest of Toronto married the two when The Fourth Pig Green & Natural Construction renovated Goodlot Farmstead Brewing's old barn into a high-performance brewery.

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GoodLot Farmstead uses hops grown on their farm in combination with locally grown grains and other ingredients to create truly local Caledon ales and lagers. The brewery began with off-site contract brewing while doing a full renovation of a barn to a brewery by the Fourth Pig.

Builder Gateman-Milloy celebrated the opening of a modern new facility with its client Oxford County last week. The new building, located at 384060 Salford Rd., Salford, Ontario, was designed and built to meet aggressive energy efficiency and sustainability goals set by the County in 2015; it is anticipated the building will receive Zero Net Energy certification from the New Buildings Institute (NBI) after one year of monitoring.

The building will serve as the new Waste Management & Education Centre for Oxford County. Gateman-Milloy was the construction partner on the project, working closely with Oxford County and its other partners, including Michael A. Wilson Architect (Stratford) and Zon Engineering (Cambridge), on construction execution.

Stuart Evans discuss air source heat pumps in high performance homes, focusing on what makes them such a good fit, but also their limitations and code issues.

Stuart Evans is a mechanical engineer with ten years’ experience in high performance commercial and residential building design. This presentation was part of High Performance Design Meets Boots on the Ground (Toronto March 2018) presented by Passive Buildings Canada

The stately yet whimsical Bergeron Centre, a new building at the Toronto school by ZAS Architects, gets top marks for its distinctive design concept and flexible learning spaces.

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Home to York University’s recently-launched civil, electrical and mechanical engineering programs, the cloud-shaped Bergeron Centre by ZAS Architects is the playful new kid on a suburban Toronto campus block. Clad in undulating triangular glass panels laid out by a complex math algorithm, the technical marvel is a far cry from its neighbouring parking lots and Brutalist buildings.

This project is notable for its planning, with a six-storey atrium that functions not only as a light and ventilation well, but also as a social incubator that reinforces the academic program. The quality and quantity of natural light is extraordinary for a laboratory building of this type, and the energy performance is also exemplary. The project also creates a striking new landmark for the college.

Scott Rivard is a Project Manager for ZON Engineering Inc., a coalition of professionals focused on developing sustainable building solutions by way of building design and optimization, solar consulting and geothermal consulting. In his position as Project Manager, Scott focuses on delivering high-performance sustainable buildings throughout Canada and is known for his ability to transform problems into solutions, inspiring both clients and team members.

Situated within a civic campus, the 3,306-square-metre building sits along a pedestrian promenade that leads to the city hall. The library's "whimsical design" takes cues from a nearby theme park and is meant to stand in contrast to its immediate surroundings.

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"The playful form and roof line are inspired by the curved elements of a rollercoaster track at the nearby Wonderland theme park," said ZAS, a Toronto-based firm with additional offices in Vancouver, Abu Dhabi and Dubai.

Calvin College's newest building may look like a simple cabin in the woods, but between a solar photovoltaic system, a composting toilet and a host of other features - the final design incorporates enough environmentally friendly features to qualify it for a prestigious Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold rating from the U.S. Green Building Council.