A SUSTAINABLE LIVING WORKSHOP and LECTURE SERIES

sponsored in part by  

A free or low-cost workshop and lecture series on green-building construction and design beginning February 2nd until May 10th 2008. Learn about a variety of green-building techniques and technologies from the experts, including straw-bale construction, renewable energies, eco-home design, rainwater harvesting, plastering, earthen building, solar hot water, and much more!

Space is limited, so please register to reserve your spot.

Download a registration form and email or mail it back to us

.pdf registration form or .doc registration form

*Dates are subject to change
**Please click on a title for a description or see below

*Download the schedule here*

Please contact Laird at
ghcoop@gmail.com or 519-721-2014
for more information or to register

Locate us on our MAP!

Workshop and Lecture Descriptions

February

Solar Power Workshop/Forum (CREW, OSEA)

Saturday, Feb 9th
Time: 9:00am-12:00 pm
Location: Region of Waterloo, Main Council Chambers (150 Frederick St.)

Description: The Ontario Sustainable Energy Association, in partnership with CREW and the Grand House Cooperative is hosting a solar power educational forum entitled Solar Workshop: Putting the Power Back in Your Hands in Kitchener on February 9th, 2008. This is a great workshop for anyone interested in purchasing solar power, and will provide an excellent overview of the technologies available, payback times, and other resources. A bulk buy of solar panels for the Region of Waterloo will also be discussed at this forum.

Join CREW SIDE and the bulk solar purchase here
Download the flyer here
Visit our partner's website here

Resources: follow this link to workshop details and additional information

Radiant Flooring: Design and Installation

** Rescheduled - TBD **
Sorry for any inconvenience
Time: ??
Location: The Grand House Cooperative
Instructor: TBD

Description: Curious about radiant flooring? Learn the benefits of radiant flooring and gain hands-on experience in the installation of radiant tubing. This workshop also looks at how radiant flooring ties into the design of green-building. Workshops participants will be working on site at the Grand House Cooperative, learning to install the tubing. Bring warm clothing and steel toe boots!

Earth Energy Talk (Community Renewable Energy of Waterloo, CREW)

Tuesday, February 26th
Time: 7:00 pm
Location: KPL Main branch library
Website: www.crewzone.ca

Description: Considering whether an earth energy/geo-thermal heating & cooling system is a sensible option for you? This is a mixed-media presentation of his first-hand experience with a solar thermal/earth energy project. Glen's visionary project, which included the first 'sonic' vertically-drilled loops in the region and integrates both solar and “de-superheater” hot water heaters, was video-documented by CREW volunteers during each step of the project. This particular talk will include a basic description of how a residential earth energy system works. This event is recommended for anyone interested in this innovative combination of technologies.

Resources: follow this link to workshop details and additional information

March

Green Roof

Saturday, March 8th 
Time: 9:30am-12:00pm
Instructor: Kees Grovers of Caradoc Green Roofs
Location: Room# 2026 in the School of Architcture, 7 Melville St. S.

Description:  Learn about the benefits, applications and materials need to construct green roofs. This workshop focuses particularly on building a small demonstration green roof, and will teach participants the various materials and layers that make up green roofs.

Resources: follow this link to workshop details and additional information

Clay-Straw and Wattle and Daub

Saturday, March 15th
Time: 9:00am-3:30pm
Instructor: Joshua Thorton, Timber-Framer and Natural Builder
Location: Room 2026 UW School of Architecture and the Grand House Cooperative

Description: This workshop is comprised of two sections: an introduction to earthen building at the School of Architecture, and an on-site workshop at the Grand House. Gain hands-on experience in earthen building techniques such as clay-straw and wattle and daub, which are two beautiful, low-energy intensive building techniques, building several interior walls with a professional earthen builder.

Resources: follow this link to workshop details and additional information

Introduction to Natural and Green Building

Sorry this workshop is FULL
Saturday March 29th
Time: 9:00 am-3:30
Instructor: Joshua Thorton, Timber-Framer and Natural Builder
Location: School for Community Development, 58 Queen Street South, The Working Centre, Kitchener

Description: Curious about building your own green home? This is a great general introduction for anyone interested in learning more about natural and green building design, techniques and materials. Taught by a professional builder, this overview looks at design, materials, technologies and techniques.  It covers straw-bale construction, earthen construction, renewable energies, and a host of other pertinent green-building information.

Resources: follow this link to workshop details and additional information

April

Sustainable and Non-Toxic Materials

Saturday, April 5th
Time 9:00am-12:00pm
Instructor: Mel Scott, Interior Designer
Location: Room 2026 UW School of Architecture

Description: Learn how to choose ecologically responsible and non-toxic materials. This is a particularly valuable workshop for anyone wishing to renovate with sustainable materials and for those interested in building non-toxic homes. Gain insight into off-gassing and other health hazards.

Resources: follow this link to workshop details and additional information

Do-It-Yourself Home Energy Saving Workshop (REEP)

Saturday, April 12th and Sunday April 13th (Note this is a two day workshop)
Time: 1:00pm-4:30pm
Instructor: Residential Energy Efficiency Project
Location: Room 2026 UW School of Architecture

Description: Are you tired of paying too much for energy?  Thinking of renovating your home this season?   The Residential Energy Efficiency Project (REEP) invites you to attend free workshops on "do-it-yourself" home improvements.  Join Glenn Schmidt, Certified Energy Advisor from the Residential Energy Efficiency Project (REEP), to learn about cost savings, proper technique, and avoiding pitfalls.   

Day 1:
- Intro to home energy efficiency, energy evaluations, and electrical savings
- Energy efficiency improvements to attic, main walls, windows and doors

Day 2:
- Basement renovations and air leakage
- Appropriate ventilation and furnace upgrades

Resources: follow this link to workshop details and additional information

Urban Gardening: Growing Healthy Food in Urban Spaces

Saturday, April 19th
Time: 9:00am-12:00pm
Instructor: Karin Kliewer and Greg Roberts (www.littlecityfarm.ca)
Location: The Grand House Coop

Description: Learn how to create a beautiful small-scale garden in the city which will produce bushels of produce! Covering different techniques such as raised beds, intercropping and community gardens, this urban agriculture workshop is great for beginner or advanced gardeners! This workshop looks specifically at raised bed gardening.

Resources: follow this link to workshop details and additional information

Making Concrete Countertops

Saturday, April 26th
Time: 9:00am-12:00pm
Instructor: Keith Dietrich, Earthen Builder
Location: Room 2026 UW School of Architecture

Description: Make beautiful concrete countertops at the Grand House Coop. Build molds and pour the concrete, while also learning about finishing and maintenance. This is also a technique that can be applied to earthen countertop construction. A fun hands-on workshop with a master earthen builder!

Resources: follow this link to workshop details and additional information

May

Wastewater Treatment and Living Machines

Saturday May 3rd 2007
Time: 9:00 am-12:00pm
Instructor: Andrew Hellebust, P.Eng, Rivercourt Engineering Inc
Location: Room 2026 UW School of Architecture

Description: This workshop looks at systems for treating greywater and blackwater in green-building design. Gain insight into the technologies that are available for treating both drinking water and wastewater, including living machines, storage and separation systems such as that used in the Grand House, and constructed wetlands.

Resources: follow this link to workshop details and additional information

Natural Landscaping: Design and Installation

Saturday May 10th
Time: 9:00am-3:00pm
Instructor: Jay Cranstone of Stantec and Larry Lamb, Natural Landscaping expert
Location: Grand House Cooperative

Description: Natural landscaping is the use of native plants and natural features to create low-maintenance and low-water usage landscapes. Learn about the design theories behind natural landscaping. Based on the landscape plan for the Grand House Coop and then gain hands on experience installing the landscape at the Grand House Coop site.

Resources: follow this link to workshop details and additional information

Cob Building: Freeform Mud/Straw Construction

Saturday May 24
Time: 9:00am-3:00pm
Instructor: Adam Krop, Grand House Coop Staff
Location: The Grand House Cooperative

Description: Build a free form cob (mud and straw) structure on site at the Grand House! Cob construction is a low-energy intensive building technique that uses clay, sand and straw to create free form, monolithic earthen structures. It's a lot of fun. It’s like playing in Mud! Cob is constructed of clay, sand, and straw, and creates durable long-lasting earthen structures.

Resources: follow this link to workshop details and additional information

Innovative Green Insulation: Icynene and Mineral Wool

Date:TBD
Time: 9:00am-12:00pm
Instructor: TBD

Description: Icynene is an innovative spray foam green-building insulation. This workshop looks at how Icynene works in conjunction with straw, as well as other kinds of insulation such as mineral wool that are used in green-building construction. Featuring a live demonstration from the manufacturer, this workshop is valuable for anyone interested in learning more about spray-foam insulation.

Thursday Nights with the Grand

Thursday Nights with the Grand: Straw Bale Homes

Thursday, March 27th
Time: 7:00pm-9:00pm
Instructor: Ben Polley, Harvest Homes (www.harvesthomes.ca)
Location: Main Lecture Hall, 1st floor, School of Architecture

Description: What exactly is straw-bale construction? Learn about the pros and cons to building with straw, and see beautiful examples of straw-bale homes already built. This introduction to straw-bale building is a great opportunity to learn about this unique green construction method, from one of Canada’s leading straw bale home builders.

Resources: follow this link to lecture details and additional information

Thursday Nights with the Grand: Green Building Design

Thursday, April 3rd 2008
Time: 7:00pm-9:00pm
Instructor: Charles Simon (www.simon-archplan.com/)
Location: Main Lecture Hall, 1st floor, School of Architecture

Description: Join Charles Simon, a renowned local green-building architect for a lecture on the principles and theories behind green-building design and construction. Charles Simon’s buildings are beautiful examples of holistic sustainable and low-impact design. This will be a very exciting and informative evening, and we are very pleased to have Charles Simon as the lecturer for this talk!

Resources: follow this link to lecture details and additional information

Thursday Nights with the Grand: LEED for Homes

Thursday May 8, 2008
Time: 7:00pm-9:00pm
Instructor: Mindscape Innovations (http://www.mi-group.ca/index.html)
Location: Main Lecture Hall, 1st floor, School of Architecture

Description: Derek Satnik will present a lecture on Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED standards), which has become the new benchmark for standards in green-building construction. Learn about the standards, and how LEED applies to home and residential construction. The Grand House will meet LEED standards.

Resources: follow this link to lecture details and additional information

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