This past year has been memorable and filled with hardships felt across the planet. The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted multiple aspects of our lives including the economy, our work and social lives, our knowledge and interest in health, politics and decision-making processes. At Zibi, it has truly reinforced the value of One Planet Living (OPL). As we navigate our new reality, the importance of health and happiness, local economy and community are top of mind. We consider ourselves fortunate to have been able to safely continue construction work, with some short-term interruption, while providing our growing community with as many opportunities for connection as possible in a physically distanced reality.
2020 was a year of progress, Zibi welcomed new residents, our first in Ottawa. Construction began on our first affordable housing project, Block 10, which will also house our District Energy System central plant. Our partnerships with local organizations such as Roots and Shoots and Alvéole, allowed for us to not only foster a sense of community but provided our residents with local and sustainable food options. Remote work provided our Sustainability Team the opportunity to strategize and focus on process including the development of monitoring protocols and documents that act as tools to help us achieve our OPL targets.
Finally, despite its hardships, 2020 was also a year marked with successes at Zibi, namely the team demonstrated how solution oriented and adaptable it is in the face of ever changing restrictions, particularly around construction. The seeds of our community were planted in 2020 as the garden committee was created and thrived setting the tone for Zibi community. Finally, significant progress was made with respect to the construction of infrastructure tied to our district thermal energy system, and financial resources were secured. Our hope is that our model will serve as inspiration and guidance for other zero carbon communities.
