Reducing Emissions from Buildings by Supporting Building and Real Estate Professionals

The Biosphere Institute, in partnership with local organizations, is has worked with the development community to identify barriers to adopting higher tiers of the 2020 National Building Code. With support from Natural Resources Canada, the Town of Banff, and the Banff Canmore Foundation, we're developing educational tools to promote high-performance buildings.

We’ve also collaborated with real estate professionals to inform buyers about the value and benefits of high-performance homes, funded by the Alberta Real Estate Foundation.

These insights are shaping a tailored education program for Bow Valley and Alberta professionals. In partnership with ENBIX and SAIT, we’ll deliver workshops through 2025 to boost energy efficiency, reduce emissions, and fill key knowledge gaps.

See below for upcoming sessions and follow us on social media for updates!

ENBIX Workshop - Ground Source Heat Pumps for Builders

Join Joseph Henke for this presentation on Ground Source Heat Pumps for Builders. This training session will look at the fundamentals of Ground Source Heat Pumps in Alberta, examining design considerations and case studies. This session is presented with support from the Institute of the Biosphere of the Bow Valley. With content developed by Alpine Geothermal

When: November 18, 2025 9AM to noon

Where: Grande Rockies Resort 901 Mountain St, Canmore, AB

ENBIX Workshop - Building Envelope Fundamentals

Join Joseph Henke for this presentation on Building Envelope Fundamentals. This training session will look at the critical functions of the building envelope in residential applications and the importance of air tightness, thermal bridging and below grade insulation. This session is presented with support from the Institute of the Biosphere of the Bow Valley. With content developed by Building Knowledge Canada

When: November 18, 2025 1:30 PM to 4:30 PM

Where: Grande Rockies Resort 901 Mountain St, Canmore, AB

Upcoming 2025 workshops in partnership with ENBIX. Stay tuned for more information!

Life Cycle Assessment
- How to develop a net-zero for zero proforma; project integration of costs and benefits of energy efficiency, renewable energy systems, and sustainable materials.
Building the Business Case
- How to develop a net-zero for zero proforma; project integration of costs and benefits of energy efficiency, renewable energy systems, and sustainable materials.
- How to run the financials for total cost of ownership.
- How to market a net-zero project.

Learn more

Past Workshops

ENBIX Workshop - Solar Ready Design

Joseph Henke for the Emissions Neutral Building Information Exchange (ENBIX) presented on Solar-Ready Design. This training session looked at the fundamentals of solar energy in Alberta, design considerations for buildings, and examined how solar affects costs. This session was presented with support from the Institute of the Biosphere of the Bow Valley. With content developed by Solar Alberta and LEEP.

Learn more about solar ready design: https://www.enbix.ca/document/solar-ready-design-training-page/

Presentation Slides

Alberta’s Built Environment in a Changing Climate: Codes, Policies & Market Shifts

This free, interactive workshop was hosted by the SAIT Green Building Technology Access Centre (GBTAC) and the Biosphere Institute of the Bow Valley. Together, we explored how evolving building codes, energy policies, and climate commitments are shaping Alberta’s real estate and building industries.

With sustainability and efficiency taking center stage, this session offered valuable insights for builders, developers, and real estate professionals looking to stay ahead of regulatory and market shifts.

When: Tuesday, May 6th | 12:00–3:30 PM
Where: CanGOLF Canmore, 306 Bow Valley Trail #125B, Canmore, AB

ENBIX Workshop - Air-Source Heat Pumps

Join ENBIX and SSRIA to explore residential building technologies used in Alberta.

This session, recorded on November 14, 2024, focuses on Air-Source Heat Pumps (ASHP). Speakers outline conventional, hybrid, and cold-climate systems:

Don Curry (Weiss-Johnson) – focuses on gas hybrid systems
Jordan Hilton (AirTech Services Ltd.) – focuses on all-electric, hybrid systems
Darrell Durrand (Energy Saving Products Ltd.) – small duct high-velocity systems

This webinar series is perfect for builders, architects, engineers, consultants, and other professionals in the building, construction and renovation industry in Alberta.

Watch the Webinar

2024 Building for Sustainability Symposium

We shared our findings at the Building for Sustainability Symposium in October 2024 – where we also launched the first of our courses, workshops, and seminars to help raise awareness, build capacity, and develop skills with industry professionals.

See the slides