Tag Archives: environmental design
Minto’s green dream team
Ryan Starr – Toronto Star
Standing in the courtyard of MintoMidtown, Andrew Pride beams with delight as he lists off the property’s various green design elements.
The vice-president of Minto’s “green team” notes the LED exterior lighting, which provides ample illumination but uses minimal energy.
He directs his visitor’s attention to chairs made from recycled steel, and to a rainwater-fed fountain with wind sensors that ensure the water doesn’t blow all over passersby in the event of a sudden gust.
Pride points out that the limestone used throughout the courtyard is locally sourced, which cut down on transportation-related emissions.
“The courtyard is a great gathering place,” he says of the two-tower highrise condo on Yonge St. just south of Eglinton Ave. “It’s the heart of this sustainable community.”
The green courtyard helped Midtown in June become the largest condo in North America to be certified LEED Gold.
Midtown’s 891 units boast the latest in energy efficiency, including compact fluorescent lighting, Energy Star appliances and low-emission paints and carpeting.
Each condo is also equipped with heat recovery ventilators, which pipe in fresh outside air, remove stale air and save energy.
For Pride and his team, Midtown’s LEED Gold certification represents the culmination of a forward-thinking strategy that has put the company in the vanguard of Toronto’s green building industry
Minto currently has three LEED-certified highrises in Toronto, comprising more than 1,400 units; three more are slated to open in 2010.
“Building a code home today is building obsolescence into a home,” says Pride, who also sits on the executive committee of the Canada Green Building Council. “We have to be ready for the future.”
Leaders in eco thinking
Pride, who worked for years as an energy services consultant, joined Minto in 1999 with a mandate to drive the company’s green agenda.
“They were doing environmentally friendly things already,” he explains, “but they wanted me to put a team together and really attack our buildings.”
This was years before the green building revolution, and Pride was impressed by Minto’s progressive approach.
“I had been trying to sell (green building) for over a decade, trying to get existing buildings focused on it,” he says.
Pride went on to launch Minto’s Green Team, a dedicated division tasked with crafting the company’s sustainable building strategy.
To sell buyers on the idea of green building, Minto’s initial strategy put a stronger emphasis on the health benefits of the condos over energy savings.
“Today energy savings tend to be a bit more relevant,” Pride says. “People still want those health benefits, but it’s very much about value now.”
In 2004, following the advent of the LEED certification system for highrises, Minto committed to making all of its buildings meet that standard of sustainability.
Radiance@Minto Gardens, a 34-storey tower at Yonge St. and Sheppard Ave., was the first LEED-certified condo in Canada.
Completed in 2006, the 378-unit building became the testing grounds for an innovative technology now found in all Minto construction: heat recovery ventilators that bring filtered fresh air into the suites (versus the usual stale corridor air).
“Air quality is really poor in highrise buildings,” Pride says. “We wanted to create a healthier living environment.”
The condo also became the first in Minto’s portfolio to have water sub-meters in each unit.
“We put the cost of water into the hands of those who use it,” says Pride, noting this led to a 55 per cent reduction in overall water consumption.
The company’s next development, MintoRoehampton, a rental building at Yonge St. and Eglinton Ave., was the first multi-family building in Canada to achieve LEED Gold.
Roehampton, finished in 2007, was the company’s guinea pig for the harvesting of rainwater for use in landscaping and public toilets.
Rainwater harvesting, once illegal, is now included in the Toronto Green Standard, and Pride says Roehampton helped make the case for it. Roehampton also has a triple waste-stream system, which filters garbage, recycling and organics separately.
“Eventually the city is going to charge for garbage, and it’s a huge building,” Pride says. “So why wouldn’t we make recycling easy for people?”
Minto’s next condo project, Midtown, incorporated all of its predecessors’ innovations and added some new ones.
The building has motion-sensor stairwell lighting that can reduce consumption to less than 200 hours a year.
Each suite comes with “all-off” controls that allow all fixed lighting to be turned off with the flick of a switch and turn down the thermostat to an energy-savings setting.
Dual flush toilets are standard at MintoMidtown, helping reduce water consumption by 32 per cent.
What’s more, 50 per cent of the materials used in the condo’s construction were extracted and produced locally, Pride says.
This plethora of green features earned MintoMidtown the LEED Gold certification earlier this year.
“We are delighted to see multiple-unit residential buildings achieving this landmark,” says Mark Hutchinson, director of green building for the Canada Green Building Council.
“Hundreds of people will enjoy a healthier environment in their homes as a result, and the environment will benefit from the building’s reduced footprint.
“Midtown is a great example of what can be achieved.”
Pride adds Minto offers a bike-share program at Midtown, providing free bicycles for its residents.
Minto has several more buildings lined up for LEED certification in 2010: mintoSkyy, at Broadview Ave. and Pottery Rd.; Spring, the sister building to Radiance@Minto Gardens; and Richgrove Village, a four-storey project in Etobicoke.
The company is greening single-family homes, as well.
In Ottawa, Minto has built a net-zero “eco-home,” which runs on solar power and produces as much energy as it consumes.
The demonstration home, named “Inspiration — the Minto ecohome,” is part of the EQulibrium housing initiative, a Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. pilot project that will guide the creation of a development of net-zero homes.
Inspiration – which Minto calls “Canada’s greenest home” – has achieved LEED for Homes Platinum, the highest level of certification possible.
Built from mainly recycled and renewable materials, the eco-home uses rainwater harvesting, has double insulated walls, triple pane windows and a natural ventilation system that eliminates the need for air conditioning.
Anticipating the market
As the green revolution sweeps the home-building industry, Minto’s forward-thinking approach has put the company in a strong leadership position.
“Successful businesses anticipate where the market’s going to be,” says Peter Love, president of Love Energy Consultants and Ontario’s first chief energy conservation officer.
“Minto has concluded that people are interested in a more energy-efficient home and that the demand is growing, that it’s going to be major.”
Pride’s not bashful when it comes to taking credit for helping push the local industry to be greener.
“We knew green was coming,” he says. “By doing all the homework we’ve done over the last 10 years, we’ve been able to deliver a product that’s right on mark with what our customers want.
“For us, green is prosperous.”
LEEDing the way
LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, a third-party certification program for green buildings.
LEED ratings focus on a building’s performance in five areas: sustainable site development, water efficiency, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality
Certification is based on the total point score achieved, following an independent review and an audit of selected credits. There are four possible levels of certification: certified, silver, gold and platinum.
For more information: www.cagbc.org/leed/what/index.php
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Number of benefits to LEED-certified condos
Toronto Real Estate Board President’s column as it appears in the Toronto Star
There’s no doubt that homebuyers are drawn to the luxury and in many cases, affordability, that Toronto condominiums offer. As a result, the GTA’s population is booming; it currently ranks as the fifth largest city region in North America behind Mexico City, New York City, Los Angeles and Chicago. And it’s interesting to note that as the GTA grows up, it’s also going green.
From schools to office buildings, municipal facilities to retail outlets, buildings throughout the GTA are working to earn Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification.
It is a rating system in which points are awarded for environmentally friendly building characteristics in five key areas: sustainable site development, water efficiency, energy efficiency, materials selection, and indoor environmental quality.
An internationally accepted third-party certification program, it provides building operators with tools to have an immediate and measurable impact on their buildings’ performance.
According to recent reports, the Canadian Green Building Council (CaGBC), the non-profit organization that implements LEED, has more than one thousand projects registered, with approximately one-third of all projects located in Ontario.
In Canada for only five years, the LEED program has been widely embraced and certainly by no one more than Toronto condominium developers.
To qualify for this coveted status today’s condominiums are built with energy efficient heating and cooling systems, low VOC paints and finishes, and low-E argon-filled windows.
You’ll also find innovative energy-saving ideas like rainwater collection facilities, motion sensor lighting in stairwells, and two-chute disposal systems for convenient recycling on every floor.
LEED condos feature individual suite controls that allow you to monitor and limit energy usage, all off switches, programmable thermostats and energy-efficient appliances.
Building amenities include lush rooftop gardens, individual storage units, covered parking for bicycles, close proximity to transit lines and direct access to car sharing company services.
If you’re drawn to the idea of owning a green home you’re not alone. In a Nielson Canada-wide survey of attitudes towards green homes 85% of respondents claimed that certification of the home would play an important role in their buying decision and 82% said they would be willing to invest more money in a home purchase if it was certified.
Beyond helping the environment, there are a number of other benefits to buying a LEED certified condominium. You’ll enjoy better indoor air quality, lower costs for water and electricity usage and likely, a more active lifestyle. You might even enjoy a lower home insurance premium and achieve higher resale value.
If you’re interested in finding out about the many benefits of LEED-certified condos, talk to a Greater Toronto Realtor.
Toronto Real Estate Board Members not only have access to up-to-the-minute data on resale housing, they also have special access to a database that contains detailed information on 95% of all new construction developments in the GTA that are greater than 15 units in size.
Some Realtors have even pursued special training offered by the National Association of Green Agents and Brokers. Look for the ACCREDITED GREENAGENT™ and ACCREDITED GREENBROKER™ designations.
For more information on the home buying and selling process, neighbourhood profiles and the latest market statistics visit www.TorontoRealEstateBoard.com.
Tom Lebour is President of the Toronto Real Estate Board, a professional association that represents 28,000 Realtors in the Greater Toronto Area.
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2010 Toronto real estate trends
Things are looking up for 2010
Tracy Hanes – Toronto Star
When it comes to the Toronto condo market in 2010, relationships and values will play a key role. Neighbourhood and project identities or “brands” will figure prominently and builders and buyers will take more steps towards sustainable building and living.
Those are some of the coming trends identified by a panel of five industry experts, including real estate broker Hunter Milborne, architect Charles Gane, marketing and branding professional Ishan Ghosh, designer Enza Checchia and public relations consultant Danny Roth, during a recent roundtable discussion at the Toronto Star.
All were optimistic about the prospects for the 2010 market, especially after the real estate meltdown of late 2008/early 2009.
“If there is really such a thing as normal, we are returning to it,” said Milborne. “2010 should be an excellent year.”
Milborne said the Toronto real estate market is undersupplied and people aren’t really getting what they want in resale, so they are looking to new. Also, low interest rates and capped mortgage rates bode well.
“I think it’s time to exhale, I think the confidence is there,” said Checchia.
The market slump of early 2009 had some positive ramifications, they said. For one, it will spawn a “back to basics” sales approach, meaning that sales will be generated more by cultivating relationships with potential buyers.
“It was a bit of a breath that all of us were able to take and recalibrate our values,” said Roth. “That pause allowed us to rethink the industry a bit … developers recognized they had to come back to basics and value; it wasn’t about quick profits and flipping units.”
“It has changed mindsets about why people are buying and what they are going to be buying in future,” agreed Ghosh, saying that price will not be the only factor in people’s buying decisions.
That’s why “branding” will be popular, to create condos that have unique identities or attributes.
“Toronto was never an urban city like New York or London and the whole condo concept is really young here,” Ghosh said. “Up to now, it was almost like the highrise was treated like a commodity. Now you really have to brand them, like the L Tower or Ice. People want more than just a place to live.”
The Daniel Libeskind-designed L is associated with arts and culture as it will incorporate the Sony Centre for the Performing Arts; Ice is inspired by modern Scandinavian design.
“The trend is toward telling stories, toward building a profile and letting buyers understand what a project or developer is about,” said Roth.
Not just projects will have identities – neighbourhoods will too.
“People’s identities will be in line with their choices, in location and architecture,” said Roth. “It’s about living where your life is, such as the Distillery District or King St. West. Those residential areas say a lot about who you are.”
“An area is a brand in itself,” added Checchia.
“Marketing approaches will be more interactive,” said Ghosh. “Purchasers will want more information, want to be on top of game, want to know what’s happening. Facebook and Twitter are being integrated into marketing campaigns now.”
Milborne sees a trend to more transparency for buyers, “rather than holding things back and forcing people to come to sales office to find out what they want to know.”
When it comes to architecture, the city will further embrace contemporary buildings.
“What’s coming up is a whole generation of modernists,” said Gane. “These kids live in modern buildings and are used to glass, 10-foot ceilings, balconies. What happens when they move – they don’t want to go into their parents’ house, they don’t want a little Victorian house. All these modern schooled kids will completely change architecture in Toronto.”
“I think there is a lot of blending going on,” said Ghosh. “The generation of kids today are blending their views with that of their parents.”
Gane predicted we’ll see more of what he calls “hybrid” townhouses and townhouses with modern design, such as a project he’s doing at Richmond and Stafford Sts., which is clad in charcoal brick and Ipe wood with floor-to-ceiling windows. It combines a condo-inspired interior and townhouse exterior.
“Sooner or later, all those cool condo kids will want a modernist house to live in, so this could be the start of it,” said Gane.
The boom in small suites will continue, mainly due to affordability.
Checchia said designs will have to become more clever, incorporating multi-function pieces and compact European appliances.
Checchia said “lesstravagance” or understated elegance will be a trend, with suites reflecting eco-themed luxury. “The worn-out look is also very big, juxtaposing old fabrics with modern, sleek furniture or juxtaposing a rough textured wall with a beautiful velvet chair,” she said. “It’s a combination of ecological and luxury.”
A new buzz word will be “hypernature,” which is transporting a sense of nature into big city condos. Fresh colours will be paired with smoggy greys.
More builders will be adopting “green” measures, said the panel.
“I think the impact of the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) buildings will become more prevalent; certainly in one to five years almost mandatory for builders to do it to compete,” said Milborne, adding that buyers are realizing that while suites in LEED buildings may initially cost more, their carrying costs will be lower.
“A condo by nature is very energy efficient compared to a single family house; it is two to three times more efficient,” said Gane. “Builders are doing LEED because they know down the road it will sell – it will be worth more in the future.”
Affordably priced condos will continue to lead sales, said Milborne.
“I think 90% of sales will be between $200,000 to $450,000,” he said.
“The reason most people buy a condo is because it’s less expensive than a townhouse or single house. It allows single people or investors to purchase. That price range represents 80 to 90% of the market.”
The Harmonized Sales Tax (which takes effect July 1) will impact condo sales, as units priced at more than $400,000 will be hardest hit. (Units below that price point will be subject to rebates.)
“You won’t see a lot of condos priced between $450,000 and $600,000 because of the HST,” said Milborne. “It’s going to distort the market. There may be a hole in what gets delivered in terms of new product or it may make resales in buildings more popular.”
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