imagineCALGARY Award Winners
The imagineCALGARY Partnership recently had a chance to acknowledge some of the community’s leaders in sustainability with the presentation of the first-annual imagineCALGARY Awards. Winners were recognized for the efforts they are making to create a sustainable community and achieve the imagineCALGARY Vision.
Presented for the first time Nov. 12, 2008, the Awards were made in two categories – the imagineCALGARY Partner in Action Award, and the imagineCALGARY Leadership in Sustainability Award.
“The imagineCALGARY Awards were created to celebrate ongoing efforts to create a sustainable future for Calgary,” says Jesse Row, Chair of the imagineCALGARY Steering Committee. “imagineCALGARY has been recognized by its peers internationally as a leading movement to create a sustainable, healthy community for citizens for generations to come, and the award winners are excellent examples of organizations taking the initiative to contribute to creating a more sustainable city.”
Nominated by Alderman Joe Ceci, Vibrant Communities Calgary received the imagineCALGARY Partner in Action Award. “Vibrant Community Calgary has been a long-time supporter of imagineCALGARY, its vision and goals,” Alderman Ceci says. Their work in initiatives to support affordable transportation options for Calgarians (the Fair Fares initiative) resulted in the creation of a Low Income Transit Pass Program for adult Calgarians with low incomes. Their efforts to promote Living Wage policies across Calgary have encouraged employers to pay staff a wage of at least $12 per hour – the minimum necessary to meet the basic needs of food, shelter and health care in the city.
Vibrant Communities Calgary is also working to develop a Civic Engagement initiative that will support imagineCALGARY’s Governance Self Determination Target, which supports 75 per cent turnout in municipal elections.
Vibrant Communities Calgary’s ongoing activities are supporting at least seven different imagineCALGARY Targets in areas including the built environment and infrastructure, economic and social issues, and governance.
“Vibrant Communities Calgary’s work has created a resilient communal fabric and a collective spirit that generates opportunities, prosperity and choice for us all – in support of imagineCALGARY’s Vision,” Alderman Ceci added.
In accepting the imagineCALGARY Award, Salima Stanley-Bhanji of Vibrant Communities Calgary noted the importance of imagination and creativity in making change within the community, particularly in places like Calgary. “It takes a certain amount of humility, courage and vision to say we need change when things are good,” Salima noted. “Our goal is to engage and inspire the community through action.”
Nominated by Dr. Alex Zahavich of SAIT’s Applied Research and Innovation Services, DIRTT was honored with the imagineCALGARY Leadership in Sustainability Award. This Award is offered to Partners and non-Partners alike that demonstrate excellence, innovation, involvement and leadership in practices that support the long-term sustainability of Calgary within the scope of the imagineCALGARY Plan.
DIRTT – Doing It Right This Time – was honored for the company’s outstanding leadership in environmental and sustainability issues. DIRTT produces movable, pre-fabricated walls in Calgary with a keen focus on sustainability.
“DIRTT’s environmental impact on the built environment in Calgary has resulted in less construction waste to our landfills, less transportation pollution emitted during construction and their clients understanding that environmentally sensitive choices can actually be good for the bottom-line,” Dr. Zahavich says.
In their day-to-day operations, DIRTT uses electronic means to market their products and services, avoiding printed brochures and catalogues that are detrimental to the environment. The company uses non-toxic, eco-friendly materials in their manufacturing processes, and is putting solar panels on the plant roof to reduce their demand on the electrical grid.
DIRTT has received extensive international recognition for their work, which is featured in iconic buildings including Frank Gehry’s InterActiveCorp building in New York City.
Julie Pithers of DIRTT accepted the award, noting that over the past three years, the company has gone from $0 to $100 million in sales, all while maintaining a commitment to sustainability. “True environmental sustainability means improving business and improving life,” Julie says.
Vibrant Communities Calgary and DIRTT received awards that were sponsored by Intelligent Futures, and created by local artist Bill Anthony of Unique Stained Glass Works. In developing the custom awards, he was inspired to reflect the spirit of the imagineCALGARY initiative.
“When I was asked to design and create two pieces for imagineCALGARY ‘s Awards, I immediately thought of Calgary’s unique skyline. I wanted to make the entire piece from recycled material,” Bill says. “The skyline is made from discarded computer boards. The mirror was taken from a remodeled hair salon. The frame is made from an old barn beam. The 104-year-old barn lumber with its nail holes and weathered surface is in complete contrast with the very recent recycled computer board skyline – demonstrating how inclusive sustainability can be.”
For more information on the imagineCALGARY Award winners, please visit www.vibrantcalgary.com and www.dirtt.net.
