The goal of this initiative, to which students in mechanical engineering are contributing, is to build a small house to demonstrate affordable and environmentally responsible construction methods. Emphasizing energy-efficiency strategies such as building orientation, insulation, efficient windows, and thermal mass storage, every detail of the house has been planned with optimum energy consumption in mind.
This initiative is part of Ivanhoé Cambridge’s partnership with Habitat for Humanity Canada, whose mission is “to bring communities together to help families build strength, stability and independence through affordable homeownership.” In the past five years, Ivanhoé Cambridge has contributed close to $300,000 for the organization in support of that mission, while at the same time making use of our expertise, our resources in volunteer programs, and materials from our reconstruction sites.
In every province and territory of Canada, local chapters of Habitat for Humanity help rebuild and rehabilitate decent, affordable dwellings, from single-family homes to multi-unit buildings. Their one-of-a-kind model of affordable home ownership is instrumental to the construction of sustainable cities, towns and communities—one of the UN Sustainable Development Goals, to which Ivanhoé Cambridge adheres as well.
One of the objectives of Ivanhoé Cambridge’s corporate social responsibility strategy is to have a significant and lasting impact in our communities. We contribute to it with our Donations and Sponsorships Policy, where we have decided to provide financial support to groups providing housing assistance to disadvantaged people. We also strive to find initiatives in which our employees can participate. The partnership with Habitat for Humanity illustrates this synergy: we have been offering construction activities on the site for several years with Giving Back Day, our annual volunteering day, and with the women’s builds.
This is how our commitment comes to life.