Building Green, Living Better
Our approach to sustainability isn't just about checking boxes - it's how we think
Look, we've been doing this for years now, and honestly? The whole "green building" thing used to feel like an add-on. Not anymore. It's basically the foundation of everything we do at this point.
The way I see it, there's no point designing gorgeous spaces if they're gonna cost the earth - literally. We're talking about buildings that'll be standing for decades, maybe centuries. That's a long time to be wasting energy or pumping out carbon.
Our team's gotten pretty obsessed with finding that sweet spot where beautiful design meets serious environmental performance. And yeah, it's totally possible - we've proved it over and over in projects across Toronto and beyond.
Here's the stuff we've actually achieved (with receipts)
Principal architect with LEED AP BD+C certification
Gold & Platinum certified buildings completed since 2018
Active Canada Green Building Council member since 2017
Designed 5 net-zero energy buildings to date
Average energy reduction vs. baseline
Litres of water saved annually
Construction waste diverted from landfills
Tonnes CO2 offset per year
Before we even think about fancy tech, we orient buildings properly, maximize natural light, and use thermal mass strategically. It's old-school physics, and it works incredibly well. Seen buildings cut their heating costs in half just from smart positioning.
Rainwater harvesting, greywater systems, low-flow fixtures - the whole package. One of our commercial projects in Toronto collects enough rainwater to handle 60% of its non-potable needs. That's thousands of litres we're not pulling from the city supply.
We're kinda picky about materials. Local sourcing when possible, recycled content, FSC-certified wood, low-VOC everything. Plus we calculate embodied carbon now - it's amazing how much emissions you can cut just by choosing smarter materials.
Solar panels are pretty much standard for us now. We also spec heat pumps, smart HVAC systems, and LED lighting throughout. Energy modeling helps us optimize everything before construction even starts - way cheaper to fix stuff on paper.
Green roofs, living walls, native plantings - we integrate nature wherever we can. It's not just about looking pretty (though it does). These features manage stormwater, reduce heat island effect, and improve air quality. Win-win-win.
We don't just hand over the keys and disappear. Post-occupancy monitoring helps us verify that buildings are actually performing as designed. The data we collect feeds back into future projects - constantly learning and improving.
This one's probably our proudest achievement so far. A 6-story mixed-use building right here in Toronto that hit LEED Platinum - no small feat in an urban infill site.
"What really made this work was getting everyone on board early - the developer, contractors, and city planners all understood the vision from day one."
We've signed onto the Architecture 2030 Challenge, which means we're committed to designing all our buildings to be carbon-neutral by 2030. It's ambitious, yeah, but honestly? We're already halfway there with our current projects.
Every project we take on, we're pushing boundaries and testing new approaches. Sometimes we fail, learn something, and come back stronger. That's how you actually move the needle on sustainability.
All new designs by 2030
Design for disassembly & reuse
Sharing knowledge with the community
Whether you're looking for LEED certification or just wanna make your project more sustainable, let's chat about what's possible.
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