Paths for Housing Co-operatives
By: Rural Development Network & Alberta Community and Co-operative Association
Grant Number: 2020-15

The goal of this project is to support the creation of sustainable, efficient, and resilient housing co-ops in Alberta. Despite minimal growth of new housing co-operatives in Alberta, a co-op model can effectively engage tenant-members in making decisions that provide affordable options, a range of community benefits, and be good stewards of the housing stock.

The Sustainable Housing Initiative, a division of the Rural Development Network, partnered with the Alberta Community and Cooperative Association and the Northern Alberta Cooperative Housing Association to create new resources to support the growth of co-operative housing in northern Alberta.

Explore the Research Report, Guidebook, and the Calculator Tool here.

This project was funded in 2020 through the Foundation’s Grant Program.

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Heritage Inspires YYC
By: Calgary Heritage Initiative
Grant Number: 2020-32

Heritage districts and heritage places of interest can create niche markets for shopping, living, and eating in “differentiated” heritage environments that contribute to urban liveability and the attraction of talent. The Calgary Heritage Initiative’s Heritage Inspires YYC includes a tab for realtors and comprehensive FAQs that cover everything from place-making to urban planning policy and the steps needed to designate a heritage property. It features 36 community histories, 17 flyover videos of potential heritage districts, 50+ examples of new uses for old buildings, as well as success stories of revitalization and designation. Visitors to the website can learn about how heritage contributes to economic recovery, sustainability, and urban liveability.

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Evict Radon
By: University of Calgary, Cumming School of Medicine
Grant Number: 2018-27

Canada contains many radon gas-generating regions and, because we have constructed population centres across all of them, radon is the primary cause of lung cancer in 10,000- 40,000 Canadians per decade. We have conducted detailed radon gas analysis of 11,000+ homes spread across Alberta and Saskatchewan, finding that 1 in 6 contain hazardous amounts of radon with newer homes in many regions (but not all) having much higher total radon. We have revealed an unknown “X factor” within environmental design practice across regions that is a major contributor to radon exposure, and our goal now is to understand this and develop solutions to protect the population. We aim to (i) identify modifiable behaviors and environmental design practices influencing chronic radon exposure in our changing world and (ii) define engineering and community intervention solutions applicable within the Canadian context to eliminate radon as a source of cancer in the future.

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A Design Guide for Affordable Housing
By: Alberta Rural Development Network
Grant Number: 2018-17

The primary goal of this guide is to provide design recommendations – derived from evidence-based scientific literature – that may enhance mentalwellbeing. This guide hopes to be a benchmark to allow affordable housing stakeholders to consider the psychological impact of certain design elements. This is achieved by considering a balance between the cost efficiency of the design elements, and the benefit as supported by peer-reviewed psychological studies.

 

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Subsidiarity in Action: Effective Biodiversity Conservation and Municipal Innovation
By: University of Alberta, Faculty of Law
Grant Number: 2018-04

This report examines the important contribution that municipalities can make to biodiversity conservation in Alberta where amendments to the Municipal Government Act empower, and indeed require, Alberta’s municipalities to enhance their environmental protection efforts. An examination of these changes, assessed using the principles of subsidiarity, environmental governance, and biocultural diversity, reveals that municipalities, both large and small, urban and rural, can innovate with novel legal initiatives to improve their biodiversity related conservation actions. Concurrently, while municipal innovation is possible, improving local biodiversity conservation action also requires innovations in funding, citizen engagement, and regional environmental governance. Municipalities are already recognized contributors to biodiversity conservation and great strides have been made at the municipal level to increase habitat connectivity. Current municipal conservation efforts need to be augmented to harness new statutory powers, capitalize on local knowledge and initiative, and enhance citizen education and engagement.

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Attic Insulation
By: Alberta Real Estate Association
Grant Number: 2017-07

The Alberta Real Estate Association (AREA) has partnered with the Pembina Institute to educate REALTORS® and their clients on the value of energy efficiency. As a collaboration, the project will leverage AREA’s expertise on the needs of REALTORS® and homeowners and the Pembina Institute’s expertise on clean energy, climate change and energy issues to transform how Alberta’s REALTORS® understand and serve homeowners on this topic of increasing importance.

This fact sheet on attic insulation is the first part of a series of energy efficiency educational tools for Alberta’s REALTORS® and their clients. Look for more resources in the near future here.

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Energy Efficiency Savings Opportunities for Alberta’s Homeowners
By: Alberta Real Estate Association
Grant Number: 2017-07

The Alberta Real Estate Association (AREA) has partnered with the Pembina Institute to educate REALTORS® and their clients on the value of energy efficiency. As a collaboration, the project will leverage AREA’s expertise on the needs of REALTORS® and homeowners and the Pembina Institute’s expertise on clean energy, climate change and energy issues to transform how Alberta’s REALTORS® understand and serve homeowners on this topic of increasing importance.

This fact sheet outlines current energy efficiency savings opportunities in Alberta, offering more information on how you can take advantage of energy efficiency.

Look for more of these collaborative resources in the future.

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What Lies Beneath? Buyer Beware.
By: Environmental Law Centre
Grant Number: 2009-17

It’s every homeowner’s nightmare: You buy a home, move in, then find out there’s an abandoned gas well beneath, leaking and contaminating your property.

Think it can’t happen to you? It can. According to the Energy Resources Conservation Board in November 2012 over 150,000 abandoned wellsites dotted the Alberta landscape, making it essential that buyers do their homework.

“These nightmares happen because of gaps between what Albertans should know, could know and actually do know about their environment,” says Adam Driedzic, Staff Counsel and author of a new Environmental Law Centre publication, What Lies Beneath? Access to Environmental Information in Alberta.

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Education of Condominium Owners and Buyers
By: University of Alberta
Grant Number: 2013-23

The government of Alberta is about to institute a major change in its condominium laws. Along with changes to the law itself, this provides an opportunity to review the mechanism through which Alberta consumers are educated regarding this complex legislation.

This document is the result of a study funded by the Alberta Real Estate Foundation in which the program in Real Estate and Urban Economics at the Alberta School of Business, scanned and examined best practices around the world regarding communicating key aspects of condominium legislation and services to industry participants with a specific focus on condominium buyers and owners.

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Grow Op Remediation
By: Alberta Real Estate Association
Grant Number: 2009-19

The intent of the recommendations in this report is to ensure that properties used as illegal drug operations produce no adverse health effects or building code implications that will hinder their resale or habitation. This report describes particular contaminants and hazards of marijuana grow operations and methamphetamine labs. Recommendations for education, communication, organization, roles and responsibilities, and reporting are also included in this report.

 

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Sustainability Primer
By: The Natural Step
Grant Number: 2008-17

These latest publications offer creative methods to help municipalities, businesses and organizations find the balance between planning futures and protecting the environment. The Sustainability Primer offers strategies to difficult planning challenges, while Planning for Sustainability: A Planners Guide details the framework to develop strategic and sustainable goals.

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Future of Alberta Land Use Customized Land Use Presentations for the Real Estate Industry by Brad Stelfox
By: Alberta Real Estate Foundation
Grant Number: 2008-14

This is a customized and interactive powerpoint presentation focused on the real estate industry in Alberta, with emphasis on residential growth.

o Comparison of growing out (sprawl) vs growing up. o Indicators on land footprint, infrastructural construction and maintenance costs, commuting time, fuel requirements, etc. o Projected population growth in urban, rural residential, and agricultural residential settings.

o Changes to family metrics (size, age, other demographics) and how they will influence demand side for different growth forms.

Grant #: 2008-14
Author: Alberta Real Estate Foundation
Year: 2008
Format: Alberta Land Use Presentation

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Building Towards Water Efficiency: Policy Innovation and Education in New and Existing Homes
By: University of Waterloo
Grant Number: 2008-09

Residential builders and REALTOR®s have been neglected in water efficiency research. But these groups can be a highly influential and there are some exciting examples of innovation in Ontario, the Canadian West and in California. This two-year research project investigates the sample groups’ deep beliefs and values – their tacit knowledge. The results will be used to contribute to effective policy for residential water efficiency.

 

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Sustainability at home – A toolkit
By: The Natural Step
Grant Number: 2007-07

Sustainability at home is a toolkit that helps homeowners understand how to apply sustainable development concepts to everyday household decisions The toolkit covers an explanation of sustainability; questions to ask while making household decisions; concrete and simple suggestions for every room in your house; renovations; resources for further information and idea and more.Designed for Alberta, this guide will be useful for REALTOR®S® to distribute to new and experienced homeowners alike.

 

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Farm, Ranch and Acreage Property Program: Needs Assessment December 2004
By: Olds College
Grant Number: 2004-30

A unique training opportunity for REALTOR®S® to achieve excellence in rural client service . The course includes: * Presentations from experts in related fields * Touring country residential properties and looking at characteristics that affect value * Critical thinking and group discussion to turn industry challenges into solutions.

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On the Living Edge: Your Guide for Waterfront Living
By: Sylvan Lake Watershed Stewardship Society
Grant Number: 2003-36

On The Living Edge contains information specifically for lakefront and streamside properties in Alberta. REALTOR®S® use this publication as a gift for waterfront purchasers, information for consumers and for pre-purchase support. The publication includes information on erosion, septic systems, building by water and purchasing tips.

 

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Consumer Receptivity and Environmental Performance of Transit Oriented Development (TOD)
By: University of Calgary - Faculty of Environmental Design
Grant Number: 2003-18

The purpose of the project is to enhance commercial REALTOR®S® understanding of the development potential around LRT stations for mixed use development/redevelopment and to enhance residential REALTOR®S® understanding of affordable housing strategies for first time buyers (starters) and mature buyers (finishers). This resource is available in hard copy format at the AREF office.

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Your New Home – A Guide to Healthy Living & Environmental Cost Saving
By: Green Calgary formerly known as Clean Calgary
Grant Number: 2001-34
Buying or Renting a New Home? Learn about improved home health and cost savings through energy efficiency, indoor air quality, water conservation and waste management. This guide will enable the reader to identify homes that offer a healthy living environment and below average operating costs. Included in the guide are checklists, websites and valuable information on assessing operating costs. The guide offers tips for assessing the health of a home and is a resource for both home owners and renters. More information can be found on the Clean Calgary website.

 

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