Tales From the Trenches, (Aka “A River Runs Through It”): A Deep Energy Retrofit Panel Discussion
11:00a.m. – 12:00 p.m. on the Main Stage
A major addition and deep energy retrofit project can be a lot to handle. Add on the ambition to also build a low-embodied and low-operational carbon multi-generational home, with solar power, a cool roof, and potable rainwater harvesting. Then do this in the City at the bottom of a ravine, make access challenging, add the imminent threat of a complete tearing up of the roadway in front of the home for water main replacement...and discover the home is built on top of a river! Get an unscripted, all too real account direct from the homeowners, their architect, builder and foundation specialist of the triumphs...and stresses...of a cutting-edge green build in Toronto that is currently under construction and due for completion this summer.
Presenters: Chris Phillips, Terrell Wong, Nate Charach, Shannon Milroy, Angelo Garaci
Chris Phillips: Chris formed Greening Homes Ltd. in 2007 with the mandate to minimize the environmental impact of his work wherever possible. Chris holds a MBSc from TMU, is a graduate of the Sustainable Design & Build program at Fleming College, and is a LEED® AP. He has lectured on a variety of green building-related topics at institutions throughout the GTA.
Greening Homes has won numerous awards, including a national award in 2014 for what was at the time North America's most energy efficient retrofit. In 2016, Chris won the CaGBC’s prestigious Leadership Award for his contributions to the green building industry.
Terrell Wong: Terrell won the national award for the Archetype Sustainable Home in 2006 and won the award for Renovated Home of the Year in the Home Sweet Home for her own 100yr old residence in 2011. Her pioneering work with rammed earth was showcased in “Fine Homebuilding”. She is the past president of Passive Buildings Canada and is an active member of Ontario Natural Building Coalition and Passive House Canada. At Stone’s Throw Design we utilize integrated design to provide our clients with the gamut of architectural services. Our respect for natural systems guides our company philosophy Conversation over Technology, Longevity over Fashion.
Angelo Garaci: Angelo is the owner and operator of Watertite Waterproofers Ltd., the industry leader in providing the latest and most advanced waterproofing solutions for wet, damp, seeping and mouldy basements. Watertite’s team of licensed professionals has over 27 years of experience in dealing with problem basements in the Greater Toronto Area. Fully Licensed as a City of Toronto Contractor, Angelo is a Drain Layer, Drainage Contractor, General Contractor, Underpinning, Waterproofing, Concrete work and various other endorsements. He has been the go-to guy for many media outlets, and City building officials, during his 40 years in the industry.
Nate Charach and Shannon Milroy are undertaking a renovation to transform their house into an intergenerational home built to thrive in a post-fossil fuel world. Nate is a psychiatrist who has shifted his work to running psychiatree groups – a branch of mental health treatment to foster compassion, empowerment and connection to address our collective challenges. These groups integrate concepts from Joanna Macy’s Work That Reconnects with his group psychotherapeutic skills. After completing his psychiatry residency at the University of Toronto in 2016, he studied at the Earthship Academy. He finished a Permaculture Design Certificate at The Living Centre in 2018 and completed a Work That Reconnects Facilitator Training in 2023/24. He graduated from Elder Dennis Windego’s first training cohort for Land-Based Focusing Oriented Therapy – the first Indigenous-led evidence-based psychotherapy in 2024. He nurtures his inspiration from his Paw Paw trees in his backyard edible forest garden.