The cross laminated timber “CLT” construction of a new condo in West Toronto will be prefabricated off-site to significantly reduce embodied carbon. The project will be a first in the city as plans are realized through a joint venture between Windmill Developments and Leader Lane Developments.

“Our team believes real estate is ripe for innovation, especially when it comes to making an impact in the fight against climate change,” says Jonathan Westeinde, CEO of Windmill Developments. “Not only will these buildings be built faster, and with less waste, they will be the most sustainable homes available on the market.”

In total, 83 condo units will be spread between three properties, each of which is located next to each other and anchored by the Mimico GO Train Station.

Each building is being developed to Passive House standards through the use of a CLT structure and will be targeting LEED Platinum certification with inspiration from the One Planet Living principles.

R-Hauz will be the design-build contractor on each building, following its pre-fabricated pilot project which is the first all mass timber six-storey residential building in Ontario, located on Queen Street East.

Leader Lane partner Don Manlapaz says the new partnership with Windmill is intended to support missing middle housing types, introducing soft density into supply-constrained neighbourhoods that are experiencing high demand.

“Not only will our approach allow for a total construction timeline of eight to twelve months, but we anticipate efficiencies in planning and approvals as well,” says Manlapaz. “The scale of projects we are pursuing means we should avoid a lengthy re-zoning process, focusing instead on Site Plan Approval and Minor Variances. The net result is both speed to market, and speed to occupancy, both of which are critical in a city experiencing a housing crisis. We’re excited to be getting started.”

All three properties will be receiving funding from the One Planet Living Fund.