Sustainability
Existing condos: rising to modern standards
New regulations from multiple levels of government are forcing condominium boards and property management companies to consider more than just a simple cost-benefit calculation when examining repair and retrofit options.
Electric ride-sharing is the newest condo amenity
Residents of a freshly built mid-rise in the Annex neighbourhood of Toronto have a fleet of electric vehicles waiting for them to use, whether that’s for a trip around town, a weekend getaway to the cottage or visiting family out-of-province.
Ontario condo managers grapple with price hikes
As multi-residential buildings grapple with rising construction costs, condo managers in Ontario are experiencing the impacts up close.
Unconventional ways condos can reduce capital project costs
Ongoing challenges to capital replacement project costs are wreaking havoc on already stressed reserve funds and causing anxiety for boards and property managers throughout the province.
High-rises bringing health to new heights
Urbanites living in two up-and-coming condos won't have to escape their homes for fresh air and water.
Plugging into the future of EV charging
New buildings are subject to laws and regulations, which require them to be compatible with EVCs.
Electricity price embedding cycle begins anew
Ontario’s large commercial customers will have somewhat more straightforward parameters for carving out their share of the global adjustment as they prepare for expected summer peak demand.
Greening Ontario’s housing sector
Ontario’s housing sector emits more greenhouse gas emissions than any other province, primarily due to its high population rate. In the province, residential buildings are
Snow and ice contractors brave insurance blizzard
Contractors working in the snow and ice management industry are facing a blizzard of challenges on the insurance side, or what many are calling a crisis.
Subpar waste diversion trails Ontario target
About 85 per cent of waste from Ontario's businesses, public institutions, residential buildings with six or more units and construction/demolition sites ends up in landfill, including a vast amount of recyclable material.
Reserve funds ignore climate target impacts
We should be asking our reserve fund planners to look at the Paris accord target dates and compare the end-of-life replacement of our gas-burning appliances against the target dates.
Scanning the road ahead for EV-ready condos
As the country moves to accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles, questions are brewing among people living in multi-unit dwellings.
Retrofit funds tied to equity capital prereq
Retrofit proponents unable to contribute at least $6.25 million in equity capital will have to look to third-party interveners in order to tap into the Canada Infrastructure Bank’s $2-billion fund for commercial buildings.
Multi-res tackles zero waste during COVID
A growing number of multi-res high rises across Toronto have continued to reduce waste during the pandemic.
Insurance crisis affecting reserve fund planning
The insurance crisis in condominiums is affecting how boards are planning for disasters in Ontario.
Digging into the coming geothermal boom
While the relevance of geothermal has been percolating for years, the buzz is that more developers are starting to pay attention.
Gaps flagged in new CDM programs
After 2022, companies must use their own funds to reimburse embedded energy managers, but will be offered “an enhanced level of technical support and resources.” It's a move some see as more short-sighted.