The GreenWorks building was constructed at the Kortright Centre for Conservation in the City of Vaughan to highlight state-of-the-art techniques in resource efficiency, wastewater treatment, and renewable energy technologies.  The goals of GreenWorks are to:

• Demonstrate and promote sustainable technologies; and
• Inform and educate visitors about sustainable lifestyle practices.

GreenWorks highlights three main areas of sustainable technology:

• Wastewater treatment
• Resource efficiency
• Renewable energy

In the past, the Kortright Centre experienced problems with the septic system that serviced its visitor centre. These problems provided Kortright with a unique opportunity to replace the old system with a new, state-of the-art biological waste treatment system that not only effectively treats waste, but provides educational opportunities for visitors to the centre.

The system, which simulates natural wetland functions, is designed to decompose and filter sewage using plants and bacteria. The filtered water from the wetland (clean enough to support fish) is sterilized and reused to flush toilets in the adjacent Kortright Centre.

This simulated wetland is operated in a greenhouse to allow it to function through the winter. Normally, greenhouses are inefficient buildings that result in high heating costs during the colder months.  To promote improved energy efficiency, the Greenworks building was constructed using a variety of renewable energy technologies.  These technologies minimize operating costs while creating the necessary temperature and light conditions for the wetland to flourish.