The Georgie awards, an annual competition that showcases B.C. home building, drew more than 500 entries this year, reports the Canadian Home Builders' Association of B.C.

Project location: 3707 Delbrook Ave., North Vancouver

There has been a lot of hollow talk about housing affordability during the campaign leading up to today's civic election, but very little discussion about specific initiatives that will help spur the construction of new market rental housing -- a key to providing more affordable housing in the region.

In 2004, 20 design leaders from HOK, one of the world's largest architectural design firms, attended a retreat with several leading sustainability visionaries.

Q I grew a hefty harvest of garlic this year, and am wondering now that the flu season is upon us whether I can transform some of it into an edible concoction that would help ward off illness while not tasting too nasty.

Dear Condo Smarts: We just closed the sale of our retirement condo in Kelowna and were appalled to be hit with over $450 in fees for documents from the strata corporation. I used a real estate agent and lawyer that advertise as condo specialists for purchases and sales, and never expected such a high fee. How is the strata corporation and its manager permitted to charge such fees in B.C.?

Q We live in a three-storey building. The downspout comes from the roof down five metres to a metal elbow and then another downspout to the ground. When there is a slow trickle of water off the roof running down the five-metre drop onto this elbow there is the noise of water hitting tin. In the quiet of the night it is loud and constant, keeping everyone on that side of the building awake. We have tried to deaden the sound by stuffing things into the elbow but to date have not been successful. Your suggestions will make us very happy.

Q I would like to dig seaweed into some of my emptied vegetable plots this fall. Which vegetables respond most favourably to seaweed-enhanced soil?