Simplicity, adaptability delivers more space and efficient footprint

This infill project in Vernon, BC replaces a neglected 1950s era single-family home with a duplex that that affects a five-fold increase in conditioned floor area from the original 1,100sf, yet increases site coverage by little more than half that figure. It is one of the few houses in Canada to achieve the highest possible rating, LEED Platinum, from the Canada Green Building Council.

By  Hugh J. Bitz

(more…)

Warehouse to Office in Saskatoon - aodbt architecture + interior d

Through the mid 2000s, the steady growth in our firm made it necessary for us to look for additional office space. After a lengthy search for suitable premises, a rather unassuming egg warehouse was selected for re-development.

By Charles Olfert

View spreads of this article

(more…)

Sustainable with or without LEED

As structural engineers, Fast + Epp have been involved in many leading edge sustainable design projects, working with architects such as Busby Perkins+Will, Hughes Condon Marler and KMBR. Some projects have scored high on the LEED rating system, while others have chosen not to pursue certification.

By Duane Palibroda

(more…)

Sewage heat recovery plant an art object in city core

The False Creek Energy Centre [FCEC] is an innovative heating plant that produces domestic hot water and space heating for the Neighbourhood Energy Utility [NEU] that serves Vancouver’s emerging South East False Creek community.

By Walter Francl

(more…)

Sustainable design and mixed housing aim to make lives better

Regent Park is Canada’s largest and oldest public housing project. Located on 70 acres east of the downtown core, it replaced one of Toronto’s worst slums with a “garden city” development that, despite the best of intentions, isolated and stigmatized the community.

By Peter Clews

(more…)

Heritage home morphs to open modern

The renewal of this 125-year old small Victorian home presented a typical challenge in Toronto – altering and updating the existing residential urban fabric while preserving the historic character of heritage neighbourhoods.

(more…)

Renovated 50s home takes low-tech green approach

This developer-built bungalow – an ersatz version of the classic West Coast post and beam style house – dates from 1958. Typically a house of this age and in this condition would be torn down for redevelopment. Instead, the house has been renovated and extended, and now acknowledges its true heritage while retaining economy of the developer’s original construction materials and methods..

(more…)

Green agenda helps the chronically ill

The Darling Home for Kids provides high quality respite and palliative care services for families with children who are medically fragile and technology dependent, many of whom suffer from progressive or terminal illnesses. The building sits amid 31 hectares of woodland, among the rolling hills of the Niagara escarpment.

(more…)

Restored heritage warehouse targets LEED-Gold certification

The Salt Building is centrally located in Vancouver’s new Southeast False Creek [SEFC] sustainable neighbourhood. Dating from the 1930s, it is the only remaining structure in the first phase of SEFC that connects directly back to False Creek’s rich industrial past of sawmills, shipbuilding, and steel fabrication.

(more…)