Summary

• Qualico approaches sustainability through practical decisions embedded in daily operations
• Environmental considerations shape how communities are planned, built, and supported over time
• Teams across Qualico’s regions and business units are making steady improvements that add up

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Winnipeg, MB – Earth Day invites the same question every year: what does sustainability look like when it moves from principle to practice?

At Qualico, the answer is grounded in its corporate responsibility approach: building sustainably, community connection, and responsible management. Of the three, building sustainably is where the work is most visible: in the choices that shape how communities and homes are planned, built, and supported over time.

Some of that work is driven by innovation and technology. Much of it comes down to steady, practical decisions made every day by teams in our regions and business units.

To focus the work, building sustainably is organized into five key areas that help guide decisions and action:

“When evaluating sustainability opportunities, we focus on solutions that fit our operations and deliver long-term benefits for the business, the planet, and our customers,” said Katie Doerksen, Director, Communications & Corporate Responsibility, Qualico.

“Because each region and business unit is working in its own context, the solutions vary, but the commitment is the same: keep improving in ways that benefit the people who live in the homes and communities we build and the cities they become part of.”

This Earth Day, we’re proud to share these spotlights to recognize our teams’ efforts and encourage continued action. The examples that follow show what building sustainably looks like across Qualico today, from conservation partnerships to higher-performing homes and jobsite innovations.

Building sustainably: Stories from across Qualico

Helping pollinators thrive

In 2023, Qualico Communities BC partnered with the Honeybee Centre to host honeybee hives on undeveloped parcels, turning “in-between” land into an active habitat for pollinators.

Since then, the initiative has grown to about 1,300 hives across 49 land parcels. Each hive is a living city of its own, home to a colony that can range from 10,000 to 50,000 bees depending on the season.

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On average, the world loses roughly 35% of its honeybee colonies each year. Rebuilding those colonies each season comes with significant cost and effort.

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By hosting the hives at no cost to farmers, Qualico Communities BC is helping local beekeepers grow and stabilize colonies that go on to support pollination for regional crops, including blueberries, raspberries, and cranberries.

Powering conservation in Manitoba

Since 2013, Qualico Communities Winnipeg has supported the Nature Conservancy of Canada, helping protect ecologically significant areas like the Assiniboine Delta Natural Area. This region includes mixed-grass prairie, aspen parkland, and the largest sandhill complex in Manitoba, home to species such as the endangered prairie skink and large herds of elk.

Qualico Communities takes pride in the natural elements found in our neighbourhoods. By partnering with environmental consultants and contributing to the Nature Conservancy of Canada, they are continually working to create and preserve important landscapes throughout the province.

Little fish, big reminder

In Rivers Edge and The Uplands at Riverview, Qualico Communities Edmonton has introduced the Yellow Fish Road Program as a simple way to make stormwater awareness part of everyday life. Small fish stencils near storm drains prompt residents to pause and consider what can enter the storm system.

When rain hits the street, it runs into storm drains and through the storm system, not to a water treatment plant. From there, stormwater typically drains to a storm pond or continues on to the North Saskatchewan River, which is why keeping pollutants out of the system matters.

The program is a small practical way Qualico Communities Edmonton helps protect local water quality using clear, everyday cues that are easy to spot and remember.

Turning sunshine into savings on-site

At Qualico Properties, energy efficiency is part of how buildings are designed to perform today and into the future.

At N170 Henday Business Park in northwest Edmonton, the 48,000 square foot office and warehouse flex building is now generating renewable energy on site through rooftop solar power. The system includes 408 panels and produces 185 kWac, helping reduce reliance on grid power during daylight hours.

The solar installation supports tenants and building operations while returning surplus energy to the grid. It reflects Qualico Properties’ approach to advancing building performance through thoughtful design and construction practices that support long term energy efficiency and sustainability. Peak demand on energy usage during working hours on weekdays is about 40–50 kW.

Precision in every cut

At the Star Building Materials facility in Calgary, computer-guided manufacturing for wall panels, trusses, and floor systems helps teams hit the mark, cut after cut.

Software-driven cutting and inventory optimization tools – like the Boise SawTek I-Joist saw – automatically feed, measure, and cut multiple home packages while maximizing yield from each bundle of I-joists. With accuracy down to 1/16-inch, fewer errors mean more usable material stays in play and out of the landfill.

The newly built campus also reinforces sustainability and efficiency. By consolidating all operations on one site, the team reduces material transfers between locations and cuts the fuel used to move and handle products. The facility also supports efficiency gains through higher R-value building envelopes, daylight-first orientation, and LED lighting.

Around the office

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Qualico’s head office in Winnipeg has achieved remarkable results through its composting program. In 2025, composting increased from 80 kg to an impressive 1,173 kg.

Sterling Homes Edmonton continues to deepen adoption of paperless workflows with an estimated elimination of approximately 1,500 reams of paper through paperless job files.

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Building better – right down to the materials

At Sterling Homes Edmonton, energy efficiency is part of the baseline. In 2026, every home continues to earn BUILT GREEN Canada certification and receive an EnerGuide label, with sustainability requirements built into the core specifications from the start.

Building better also carries through to how materials are sourced and selected. By weighing local, low-carbon, low-VOC, and durable options alongside price and service, the team uses purchasing decisions to reduce impacts across the supply chain. Building on previous years’ progress, key finishes like paint, carpet, and luxury vinyl plank now use Canadian-sourced products, helping strengthen supply reliability.

High-performance living in Langley

Cascadia by StreetSide BC is raising the bar for energy-efficient living south of the Fraser River. This 18-home townhome community in Langley, BC is designed to be Net Zero Ready – built with the performance features needed to reduce energy demand and support a lower-carbon lifestyle.

Compared to a traditional townhome, Cascadia includes higher-performance insulation (roof and exterior), tighter air sealing (including garage and party walls), and all-electric upgrades such as a heat recovery ventilator, heat pump water heater, air-source mini-split heat pump.

The homes have achieved Step 5 (the highest level) under the Provincial Energy Step Code and Step 4 (the highest level) under the Province’s Carbon Code and are registered and certified as Net Zero Ready through the CHBA rating system.

Smart Energy Comes Standard

Smart Energy is a standard part of how homes are built at Sterling Homes Calgary. Each home includes a Smart Energy package, which brings together energy‑efficient construction practices and smart home components designed to better manage energy use. This includes stronger building envelopes, well‑insulated walls and windows, and systems that support consistent indoor comfort while reducing wasted energy. Every home is BUILT GREEN® certified and includes an EnerGuide rating, providing a third‑party measure of energy efficiency and overall performance.

By focusing on efficient building envelopes, smarter energy systems and future‑ready designs, including Net Zero ready options, Sterling Homes Calgary aims to reduce environmental impact while supporting homes that are built to perform well over time.