Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/1456977
30 | M A R C H 2 0 2 2 Green Roofs & Walls The training comes at a time when the City of Vancouver is examining the efficacy of green roofing as one of many tools to further its Green Rainwater Infrastructure (GRI) pathways initiative, part of Vancouver's Rain City Strategy. The development of the GRI initiative comes as the City wrestles with a handful of issues: diminishing storm sewer capacity, aquatic pollution (the result of Combined Sewer Overflow, or CSO), and the anticipated effects of both climate change and future residential and commercial development. The City of Vancouver is presently engaged in a wide-ranging consultation process that includes green roofing. Steven Peck, founder and president of Green Roofs for Healthy Cities (GRHC), who is working alongside RCABC, is excited to be moving ahead with the pilot program and agrees that it couldn't come at a better time: "Given the horrible effects of climate change in B.C. in 2021, green roofing plays an important role in helping cities become more resilient in the face of various extreme weather events," he says. Another challenge facing green roofs, says Peck, is that the current system of governance in Canada is designed to look at single issues. "We need people who deal with water management to be talking with the folks who deal with the urban heat island issue, for example – but they currently work in a silo. Sustainability doesn't fit into one box. For change to truly happen, we need government struc- tures that cross over those boundaries and for there to be shared mandates." Peck adds that in order to future-proof our cities, greater investment needs to be made in vegetative technologies. Through The Living Architecture Academy (which falls under the GRHC umbrella), Peck and the team are helping to educate the masses on the urgency of the matter. During the last budget, great strides were made in this regard when $100 million was carved out for nature- based solutions to prepare for the impacts of climate change. "It's the first time Infrastructure Canada has been given a mandate to invest in green infrastructure technology. The feds are starting to get it; we still have a long way to go with the provinces however. The trouble is, unlike the pandemic, climate change is a slower moving crisis, but with a significantly greater mag- nitude: the question then is why are we unable to see this incredibly powerful threat to human existence and not address it? This isn't about saving the planet, it will carry on without us. This is about human survival, and we have solutions in the green roofing and wall industry – they are not perfect, but they deliver a hell of a lot more than other things we spend money on," Peck says. As the industry continues to evolve and grow, new acquisitions are bringing greater awareness to green roofs and providing greater options to customers. Last year Sika acquired American Hydrotech Inc. in the U.S. and its affiliate Hydrotech Membrane Corporation in Canada. The acquisition helps strengthen Sika's roof- ing and waterproofing portfolio, and complements Sika's sustainability focus. "With this acquisition, Sika establishes a leading position in the fast-growing application of green/garden roofing and waterproofing. This perfectly fits Sika's sustainability focus, and strengthens our position in the big cities where green roofs continue to gain momentum. We are very excited to welcome the Hydrotech employees to the Sika family and look forward to continue developing the business together," says Christoph Ganz, regional manager America. The green roof and wall industry is one that constantly looks to solve problems of today and the future. One great example of this is Soprema, the international manufacturer specializing in the production of innovative prod- ucts for waterproofing, insulation, soundproofing and vegetated roof solutions. The company has made a deeper commitment to deeply engage in developing sustainability initiatives within their communities. The company has a recycling program where employees who work at Soprema for 20 years get a tree planted on the property in their name. "It's an ongoing commitment, it's not just something that we take lightly, and we take it all the way through all of our processes," says senior product manager Tom Stuewe. When it comes to products, Soprema continues to innovate, and last year announced that Polyfleece (a proprietary non-woven polyester reinforcement used in waterproofing and flashings) is now available in 300-foot rolls. When used with Colphene LM Barr or LM Barr Spray, this additional size allows for faster installation on horizontal applications, which saves the customer time and money. Furthermore, this larger 300-foot roll saves time by handling less rolls per project. Colphene LM Barr or LM Barr Spray with Polyfleece is the perfect combination for waterproofing various applications such as plaza decks with overburden of pedestals and pavers or vegetated systems. A The JP Corporate Group had its inception 50 years ago as JP Welding, a small trailer repair & welding shop. In the past 5 decades, JP Metal Masters has grown into one of BC's top structural & miscellaneous steel fabricators & erectors. In 1997, we created JP Drafting to provide our clients with complete drafting & fabrication services. 50 YEARS & STEEEEL ~ ROLLIN'! 20090 Stewart Crescent, Maple Ridge, BC, V2X OT4 604-465-8933 | info@jpmetalmasters.com jpmetalmasters.com JP Metal Masters.indd 1 JP Metal Masters.indd 1 2022-02-28 2:36 PM 2022-02-28 2:36 PM