Fewer buyers desire move-in-ready homes

Affordability was the most important necessity for the majority of homebuyers this year, according to the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation’s (CMHC) annual Mortgage Consumer Survey.

The price of a home also topped the list of must-haves for 80 per cent of buyers who responded. Other key factors were proximity to public transit and the number of rooms in a dwelling.

The type of neighbourhood wasn’t as important and listed as more of a want than a need. Being close to work, outdoor space and family and friends was also more of a priority compared to being near restaurants and entertainment.

Every year, CMHC surveys Canadians across the country to find out their thoughts, attitudes and behaviours about homeownership and the process of buying a home. This year, 1,385 first-time and repeat homebuyers took part, with 17 per cent living in a condo apartment.

Not as many buyers wanted a move-in-ready home this year and only six per cent listed a turnkey home as an essential. There was also a dip in people who purchased the most expensive home they could afford at 60 per cent, compared to 78 per cent in 2018. Nearly one third spent $300,000 to $499,000 on their home purchase and only around one in five buyers spent more than $500,000.

The purchasing process was a cause of concern for almost half of respondents who worried over unanticipated housing costs, living with home expenses and paying too much for the home itself. At the same time, 87 per cent of buyers felt sure about the long-term pay-offs of homeownership and their ability to make mortgage payments.

Renting

Since 2018, more Canadians said they rented for a decade or more before buying a home and most did not rent on their own. The majority lived with family and friends before buying, a number that increased 16 per cent since last year.

Increased interest in real estate professionals

Perhaps due to uncertainty, 78 per cent of buyers connected with a real estate agent to help guide them through the process. That’s a significant increase over the 61 per cent of buyers who used an agent in 2018.

There was also a strong increase in buyers’ perceptions of the value of working with a real estate agent. Some of the key reasons for this trend were an appreciation for the advice they received from their agent and their agent’s attentiveness to their specific needs.

More than 82 per cent of all buyers also interacted with a lawyer in 2019, compared to 53 per cent of buyers the previous year.

Impact of stress test rules

The new federal mortgage qualification rules have been in effect for more than a year now. The majority of homebuyers surveyed were aware of this new stress test and 76 per cent said the changes had little or no impact on their decision to buy a home.

Those impacted by the new rules were still able to buy a home using alternative methods, including buying a smaller or less expensive home, cutting back on other expenses or dipping deeper into their savings to come up with a larger down payment.

Nearly 65 per cent felt the stress test rules would help keep Canadian from taking on a mortgage they couldn’t afford later.

CMRAO licenses managers to protect condo owners and residents

Individuals and businesses need a licence to provide condo management services in Ontario. The Condominium Management Regulatory Authority of Ontario (CMRAO) is the licensing authority that regulates Ontario’s rapidly growing condominium market.

The CMRAO began operations in November 2017 to protect condo owners/residents and support high standards in condominium management. Regulation by the CMRAO means condo management professionals are licensed, meet education and experience requirements, and comply with a code of ethics.

Handling complaints is an important part of public protection and promoting ethical and competent condo management services. The CMRAO also maintains an online public registry on its website, making it possible to search for individuals and companies that are licensed in Ontario.

The CMRAO works in the public interest to build trust in condo management services and protect condominium communities.

Learn more about the CMRAO.

Building Envelope Condition Assessments

Whether it’s new or old, large or small, commercial or residential, all buildings benefit from Building Envelope Condition Assessments. A practice that has been around since buildings themselves were erected, the earliest form of condition assessments involved inspecting the building’s exterior for signs of weakness or impending danger. Leaks, cracks, and trouble spots would be monitored, fixed or replaced in an effort to maximize the structure’s useful life, and increase occupant comfort and safety.

Today, the goal is largely the same, but the scope of our understanding and the depth of knowledge gained from these periodic assessments is far superior thanks to technology.

“Simply put,” says Jelena Bojanic, Project Engineer with RJC Engineers, “any structure with an enclosure protecting the occupied space from the exterior elements requires some level of periodic assessment to understand how it is performing and what maintenance should be considered to uphold the envelope integrity and the comfort of the occupants.”

Far from rudimentary, today’s on-site condition assessments involve a holistic and comprehensive analysis conducted by a qualified inspector using advanced tools and measures to gain a complete read on the exterior building systems.

“An assessment can provide information on how the envelope is performing, as well as recommendations and budgeting for maintenance programs, life cycle renewal projections as well as an assessment of potential unsafe conditions,” Bojanic says.

Typically the first step is to review the building’s structural and architectural drawings, and any records related to its performance history — including past repairs, modifications and maintenance. Armed with this knowledge, the inspector then conducts the on-site portion of the assessment. Afterwards, a report outlining observations, conclusions and recommendations is developed and provided to the owner.

“The report presents our opinions with respect to potential unsafe conditions, remaining useful service life of the façade assemblies, options of future maintenance and renewal along with expected timing for service life replacement,” Bojanic says. “Opportunities to enhance occupant comfort, reduce energy consumption or modernize the building facades can also be explored.”

Signs of deficiencies

Most of the qualitative and quantitative information comes from the on-site portion of the assessment, which typically begins with an interior review to check for signs of moisture and air leakage. Signs may include: staining on interior finishes; damages to flooring and ceiling; wet areas on windows; or damp, musty smells.

During the concluding exterior façade review, inspectors are taking note of the building’s water and air tightness, the condition of its cladding, window systems and roof assemblies, with the intent being to identify if potential unsafe conditions exist, and to quantify deterioration or deficiencies that might impact the building’s useful remaining service life.

“The level and frequency of these assessments will depend on the age and performance history of the building,” says Bojanic, noting that in some cases it may be required by the local specifying authority.

Some of the tools and techniques employed by the inspector include:

Exploratory dismantling of cladding components;
Temperature, moisture, and humidity readings;
Thermographic scanning to identify areas of heat loss that may be related to air leakage, thermal bridging or other envelope deficiencies;
Air leakage testing of various assemblies with a hand-held smoke pencil, or similar methods;
Water penetration testing using a spray nozzle/rack;
Frost point testing on sealed insulating glass units to assess remaining service life before seal failure (fogging);
Sampling of materials for laboratory testing;
Sounding of the exterior façade surface with a hammer if material delamination is suspected on a façade.

It sounds comprehensive indeed, but—as Bojanic warns—not all building assessments were created equal, and getting what you pay for means hiring the right team. Building owners should be diligent about only enlisting the services of qualified, reputable, professional engineers.

“An example of a bad assessment would be one that does not provide the owner with useful information regarding the current performance of the building envelope, and does not provide the owner with recommendations for maintenance and repairs,” she says.

To find out more about Building Envelope Condition Assessments, please visit www.RJC.ca or email Jelena at [email protected] directly.

Resilient design in the workplace

We live in a time of constant change: News cycles, weather patterns, technologies, geopolitical and economic considerations moving and morphing faster than ever. All of these factors have significant impacts on our buildings and work environments. And so devising strategies to address this constant change becomes an important task for our city’s designers, architects and technology experts.

According to the Resilient Design Institute, resilient design is the “intentional design of buildings, landscapes, communities, and regions in response to vulnerabilities.” These vulnerabilities include climate change, resource destruction and depletion, and other challenges to human wellbeing. And it is becoming increasingly important to design resilient spaces that can weather these shocks.

When designing and building our environments, how can we become more resilient?

To explore these issues further, Canadian office furniture manufacturer Inscape invited Toronto-based design and real estate leaders to the first-ever Inscape Inspires: A Talk Series.

The panel of speakers explored the significant steps businesses, governments and learning institutions are actively taking towards the practice of resilient design in Toronto and beyond. Some key insights from the discussion surrounded sustainability, how to best prepare for major technological changes, and evolving real estate and workplace design strategies.

People-Focused Design

Kevin Katigbak, senior workplace strategist at Gensler, shared that resilient workplace design needs to include a plan for people and diversity. This means designing for equality, not just accessibility. He observed a change in workplace planning over time: 15 years ago, designers were focused on workplace strategies, including work styles and technology. Then 10 years ago, the hot topic turned to demonstrating the company brand in a way that resonated with the employees. Today, designers focus on the experience of the space, and how people use it.

Part of resilience is business continuity, and the ability to adapt and recover after some kind of stress or environmental difficulty. Suzanne Bettencourt, partner at figure3, says that to create resilient workplaces, design should focus on the people. She notes that, “if you focus on designing a space that makes people happy, then people will come together in difficult times.”

Lisa Fulford-Roy, SVP of Client Strategy at CBRE, concurs with this view, “finally we’re at a crossroad in the industry where facilitation, communications, change management and people-centric solutions are all fundamental to good design.” Resilient workplaces need to be able to adapt over time, and it must be done in a way that’s not disruptive or too costly. Focusing on people is how to create these resilient solutions.

Sustainability Practices

Businesses are increasingly focused on sustainable practices to be as resilient as possible. One interesting way we’re seeing this is the popular trend of co-working spaces or work-from-home strategies. Many organizations look at these tactics as a solution for short term needs that they can’t forecast for.

In the short-term, most organizations are benefiting from having this flexibility. The long-term challenge is that it is of course more costly. Overall, businesses that employ co-working or work-from-home tactics are able to occupy less space, consume less energy, and decrease the overall carbon footprint of the organization. Less fuel is used and less pollution created. It also means less wear and tear on the roads, which saves public money for investment in public transport or into the development of renewable technologies.

Technology Implementation

Fulford-Roy says that when it comes to resilient technology design, firms are looking for speed, ease of use, intuitiveness, and solutions that are ubiquitous across the organization. With 5G networks coming, workspaces are going to require more speed than ever. According to Russell Smith, solutions director at DTS, the best way to design for resilient technology that can handle this change is to invest in acoustics and the best cabling you can afford.

The most important thing that Smith tells his clients, however, is that it’s not possible to future-proof a company’s technology investment, “Five years from now, best-in-class technology will be completely different from today.” To plan for this change Smith recommends that businesses follow a 3-5-10 refresh-renew-replace rule, “in three years, you’re going to refresh your technology. In five, you’ll need to renew some of the key pieces. And in 10, get the cheque book out because it’s time to replace!”

Above all else, human well-being is the number one priority when addressing resilient design. In the workplace, employee satisfaction, happiness, engagement and physical health drive many of the critical decisions we make not just in amenity spaces, but in public circulation and workspace. Addressing personal wellbeing enables employees to respond and be resilient in the face of mass change when it comes.

David Gerson is Inscape’s chief brand officer, responsible for the overall brand and product marketing strategy for Inscape.

Oxford to build first multi-level industrial building

Oxford Properties Group has unveiled its plans to develop Canada’s first large bay multi-level industrial property.

Located at Oxford’s 65-acre Riverbend Business Park in south Burnaby, the building will have 707,000 square feet over two levels at the site of a former paperboard milling operation and a 14-acre landfill. Over 300,000 cubic metres of waste and debris was removed from the site and converted back into developable land.

Oxford purchased the land in 2011. The park is located close to the intersection of Marine Way and Highway 91A in Burnaby, next to the Fraser River.

The park already includes five industrial LEED certified buildings and the new development phase will also include an amenity pier that stretches out into the Fraser River and walking trails that connect to the public trail system.

“Vancouver is one of the tightest industrial markets in the world and space for businesses that service the region – be it through manufacturing, logistics or e-commerce – is in critically short supply,” commented Jeff Miller, head of industrial at Oxford Properties.

“This shortage requires bold solutions and progressive approaches, and we have studied innovative industrial projects from across the globe to inform our plan to develop Canada’s first multi-level property. By doing so, we can add density to the already established Riverbend Business park, a former brownfield site, without the need to encroach on greenfield or agricultural land.”

As the e-commerce revolution drives an increased need for supply chain and logistics innovations amongst traditional and online retailers, multi-storey industrial concepts have just started to emerge in other supply constrained markets such as San Francisco, Seattle and New York.

Oxford’s development will be on two levels. The ground floor comprises 437,000 square feet with 32-foot clear heights. The second storey, which is accessible to full size transport trailers via a heated ramp, consists of 270,000 square feet, 28-foot clear heights and a 130-foot truck court.

Anticipated for completion in 2022, Oxford is in the process of obtaining the required planning and permitting and has begun initial site preparation work.

“Over the last 10 years, we have built close to five million square feet of industrial space across Canada. Each park starts with a vision through collaboration with municipalities and stakeholders. We are excited to bring the first modern multi-storey industrial facility to Canada,” commented Rob Wheler, vice president of development at Oxford Properties.

The building at Riverbend Business Park can provide a single customer 707,000 square feet of contiguous space, making it the largest available industrial property in the Greater Vancouver Area.

The tech-savvy resident

It’s a content-streaming, always connected, on-the-go world of online entertainment, and condo residents expect nothing less.

No matter their location or accommodations, the fact is Canadian condo seekers are favouring accommodations with high-speed connections, cutting-edge entertainment, and the tools to connect with friends, family, and co-workers across the globe.

“Canadians have the same expectations for their internet, TV, and phone services regardless of where they live,” says Greg Stokes, Director of Sales with Rogers Communications. “They want fast, reliable, and top-quality access to their networks – and they want it on their terms.”

Certainly, the days of basic cable and landline services have passed. And to meet today’s tech-savvy demands, the telecommunication industry is forging stronger inroads with multi-residential owners/managers to bring industry-leading internet, phone, and TV services to Canada’s multi-res communities.

For example, says Stokes, “Our network is already 90% hybrid fibre-coaxial, which allows us to maintain more than one-gigabyte speeds through our Ignite internet service. That translates to 4K residents want, but what they are coming to expect.”

Connectivity and control

Internet Protocol television (IPTV) is among the technologies that are redefining home entertainment. The technology uses lightning-fast internet speeds to deliver 4K visuals, crystal-clear audio, and reliable streaming entertainment.

Moreover, says Stokes, IPTV is being used in concept with advanced applications and systems to provide consumers with greater customization and control over their internet and entertainment services: “The advance of streaming, cloud-based platforms, and mobile technologies has opened up so many ways for customers to get content, but it can be overwhelming. Customers want those options, but they also want them to be streamlined, user-friendly, and available when and where they prefer.”

To that end, Rogers has designed its services like Ignite TV provides to facilitate what it calls an “effortless TV experience.” Features that have proven popular with its customers include user-friendly search interfaces (including Netflix and YouTube); voice-activated controls; mobile streaming apps; and advanced parental controls.

Part of that control also means enabling residents to enjoy their content on their terms, whether within the comfort of their condo or on the go. Herein, Stokes says mobile streaming apps; download & go functionality; and cloud PVR capabilities are also gaining in popularity: “Customers are becoming accustomed to tailored, mobile, and on-demand service in all aspects of their lives, so it’s no surprise they expect that level of control over their home entertainment.”

To each their own

Multi-residential communities may share the same expectations for internet and TV, but individual unit owners’ needs will always vary. As such, it’s important to offer choices when it comes to packages and pricing.

“There are no cookie-cutter solutions; it all depends on the customer’s needs,” agrees Stokes. “A family with three teenagers is going to have different needs than that of a single professional, which is why we always make sure to determine who is using the service, how often they intend to use it, how many devices they may require, and even when they plan on using it the most. That way we can advise them on what packages might work best and cater a solution – and price – for them.”

It doesn’t matter where Canadians call home. Expectations for fast, reliable, and consistently exceptional internet, TV, and phone service is universal. And as those expectations evolve, it pays to align with telecommunication partners who can keep pace.

Greg Stokes is Director of Sales with Rogers Communications. For more information, visit www.rogers.com or call 1-888-764-3771.

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Alberta increases skilled trades funding

The Alberta government is increasing skilled trades funding to provide young people more opportunities to explore trades careers and showcase their talents on the national stage.

Skills Canada Alberta funding will be increased to $8 million over the next four years. The increased investment, to $2 million from $1.5 million annually, will help expand exposure to trades and technology at junior high and high schools, and enable more high school and post-secondary students to compete at regional, provincial and national skilled trades competitions with Skills Canada Alberta.

“Alberta’s high number of talented apprentices is a result of the strong links between industry, government and education stakeholders. We greatly appreciate this government’s support of Skills Canada Alberta as we work to promote respected careers in the trades and technologies, and ensure apprentices have the skills they need to succeed. Their success is good for Alberta,” said Ray Massey, president, Skills Canada Alberta.

The Alberta government also provided Skills Canada Alberta with $200,000 to support Alberta’s participation in the 2019 WorldSkills international competition, held in Kazan, Russia, in August. Four highly talented young Albertans were selected to join Team Canada and compete with more than 1,300 apprentices from over 70 countries around the world.

In addition to showcasing the talents of Alberta’s youth at provincial, national and international competitions, Skills Canada Alberta provides opportunities for young people to learn more about careers in the trades and technologies. By working collaboratively with industry, Skills Canada Alberta connects youth directly with employers and in-demand jobs.

Other apprenticeship funding announced include tripling the amount of scholarship funding through the new $1.5-million High School Apprenticeship Scholarship, providing $10 million over the next four years to Women Building Futures and increasing funding to CAREERS: The Next Generation, to more than $6 million a year by 2022-23.

IAQ standards dissect freshness of outdoor air

Newly released updates to the ASHRAE standards for ventilation and indoor air quality (IAQ) in commercial and residential buildings underscore that outdoor air is not necessarily synonymous with freshness. Guidance related to natural ventilation, particulate filtration and compartmentalization of multi-residential HVAC systems to support more direct and efficient air exchange are prominent in the list of identified “significant changes” compared to the incumbent 2016 version of the standards that are widely referenced in building codes around the world.

“These standards have undergone key changes over the years, reflecting the ever-expanding body of knowledge, experience and research related to ventilation and air quality,” says Jennifer Isenbeck, chair of the ASHRAE committee overseeing the development of standard 62.1-2019, Ventilation for Acceptable Indoor Air Quality for non-residential buildings. “The purpose of both standards remains unchanged, yet the means of achieving this goal have evolved.”

For commercial buildings, that includes: new procedures and assumptions for calculating system requirements; criteria specific to certain types of occupancies, such as outpatient health care facilities, which weren’t singled out previously; new requirements for intake and integration of outdoor air; and a prohibition on air-cleaning devices that generate ozone. Dew point temperature will replace relative humidity for expressing humidity levels, which is considered a more precise and appropriate metric.

The new regimen for natural ventilation is in sync with green and resilient building pressures to curb reliance on mechanical ventilation systems, while accounting for contaminants and other destabilizing factors outside buildings.

“Requirements for natural ventilation design instruct designers to consider outdoor air quality — whether smoke from wildfires or particulates, as is common in Beijing, London and other major cities — and to consider the interaction of outdoor air with mechanically cooled spaces. Bringing in outdoor air in hot humid locations, like Dubai, for example, can create significant condensation problems in mechanically cooled interiors,” explains Alex McGowan, an engineer and senior manager with WSP’s building sciences group.

“The green building movement brought natural ventilation back to designs, perhaps with some disregard to outdoor air not being so fresh. We need to consider that windows will be closed and how to keep IAQ at a reasonable level for occupants,” says Andrew Pride, an engineer and specialist in energy efficiency, sustainability and green project facilitation. “These ASHRAE changes are a breath of fresh air, and I think they will complement smarter controls that understand when a space is occupied in order to trigger outdoor air ventilation.”

Likewise, standard 62.2-2019, Ventilation and Acceptable Indoor Air Quality in Residential Buildings, reflects that progressive, energy-efficient multi-residential building design has evolved away from ventilation via corridor pressurization systems, allegedly delivering air through facing doorways, in favour of heat recovery ventilators (HRVs) or energy recovery ventilators (ERVs) in each suite.

“Cool innovations like HRV-fan coils started a new movement in Toronto condos, offering better IAQ and energy savings in one space-saving device,” Pride notes.

The updated standard stipulates compartmentalized, in-suite ventilation in newly constructed multi-residential buildings and requires designers to consider outdoor air in the context of balanced — i.e. intake equals exhaust — and unbalanced ventilation. It also allows for an alternative compliance path with extra controls for particulate filtration.

“It will be important for property managers to service and clean the filters on a regular basis,” Pride advises. “Positive intentions, such as good air quality from HRVs or ERVs, can be undone by poor service.”

As with other types of sustainable and energy-efficient features, McGowan projects that resulting operating cost savings should compensate for the likely higher capital costs to comply with the standards.

“Some items will be more challenging due to the additional design considerations, but, arguably, these things should always have been considered, if we have the right information,” he maintains. “At the same time, some design procedures have been simplified, which is good.”

Although ASHRAE’s pace in producing updated versions of its standards is famously faster than most building code cycles, McGowan suggests the 2019 iteration of the 62.1 and 62.2 standards could soon be referenced and show up in various building certification prerequisites or credits. “Some codes refer to the latest version of the pertinent standard, which keeps designers on their toes,” he affirms.

Barbara Carss is editor-in-chief of Canadian Property Management.

National home sales remain stable in October

National home sales recorded via the Canadian MLS System held steady from September to October 2019, according to statistics from the Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA).

Since last year at this time, activity was up 12.9 per cent and the national average sale price was around $525,000, climbing 5.8 per cent. But excluding sales in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) and Greater Vancouver Area (GVA), the national average price drops to about $400,000.

Transactions, meanwhile, rose in 80 per cent of all local markets in October, including all of Canada’s largest urban markets. Sales activity is now almost 20 per cent above the six-year low reached in February 2019, but remains 7 per cent below heights reached in 2016 and 2017.

There was an almost even split between the number of local markets where activity rose and those where it declined. Higher sales in GVA, the neighbouring Fraser Valley and Ottawa, offset a monthly decline in activity in the GTA—particularly in Central Toronto—and Hamilton-Burlington.

“Steady national activity in October hides how the mortgage stress-test remains a drag on many local housing markets where the balance between supply and demand favours homebuyers in purchase negotiations,” said Jason Stephen, president of CREA. “That said, all real estate is local, so market balance varies depending on location, housing type, and price segment.”

The number of newly listed homes fell by 1.8 per cent in October, with the GTA and Ottawa recording the largest declines. Almost a third of all housing markets posted a monthly decline of at least 5 per cent, while about a fifth of all markets posted a monthly increase of at least 5 per cent.

“It’s a full-blown buyer’s market or on the cusp of one in a number of housing markets across the Prairies and in Newfoundland,” said Gregory Klump, CREA’s chief economist. “Homebuyers there have the upper hand in purchase negotiations and the mortgage stress-test has contributed to that by reducing the number of competing buyers who can qualify for mortgage financing while market conditions are in their favour.”

Steady sales and fewer new listings further tightened the national sales-to-new listings ratio to 63.7 per cent. This measure has been increasingly rising above its long-term average of 53.6 per cent. Its current reading suggests that sales negotiations are becoming increasingly tilted in favour of sellers; however, the national measure continues to mask significant regional variations.

Based on a comparison of the sales-to-new listings ratio with the long-term average, just over two-thirds of all local markets were in balanced market territory in October 2019, including the GTA and Lower Mainland of British Columbia. Still, sales negotiations continue to favour buyers in housing markets located in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Newfoundland & Labrador.

Home Price Trends

The aggregate MLS Home Price Index rose 0.6 per cent, marking its fifth consecutive monthly gain.

Recently, home price trends have generally been stabilizing in the Lower Mainland and the Prairies. While that remains the case in Calgary and Saskatoon, home prices in Edmonton and Regina have moved lower. By contrast, home price trends have started to recover in the GVA and the neighbouring Fraser Valley.

Meanwhile, price growth continues to rebound in the Greater Golden Horseshoe (GGH). In markets further east, price growth has been trending higher for the last three or four years.

Declines have mostly been seen in western Canada and price gains in eastern Canada.

In the GVA and Fraser Valley, declines are becoming smaller at -6.4 per cent and 4.2 per cent, respectively, but are still below year-ago levels.

Calgary, Edmonton and Saskatoon posted price declines in the range of -1.5 per cent to -2.5 per cent on a y-o-y basis in October, while the gap between this year and last year widened sharply to -6.8 per cent in Regina.

In Ontario, price growth has re-accelerated well ahead of overall consumer price inflation across most of the GGH. Meanwhile, price growth in recent years has continued uninterrupted in Ottawa, Montreal and Moncton.

LEED v4 hits 1,000 Canadian project milestone

Green Building Certification Inc. Canada (GBCI CA) and the Canada Green Building Council (CaGBC) are celebrating a new milestone as Canadian LEED v4 project registrations surpass the 1,000 mark.

LEED is the most widely-used green building rating system in the world. With more than 2.6 million square feet of space certifying each day, millions of people around the world live, work, learn and relax in LEED certified buildings, homes and communities.

LEED v4 has seen strong uptake in the Canadian market, and revisions in LEED v4.1 are further ensuring the program is embraced as a solution to help the industry contribute to Canada’s carbon emissions targets.

“High performance, continuous improvement, and holistic solutions have been hallmarks of LEED since day one,” said Thomas Mueller, president and CEO of CaGBC and CEO of GBCI CA. “We listened to the market, and these principles are reflected in the newest version of LEED. In LEED v4.1 we are shifting to performance management and recertification to ensure buildings live up to their potential from an environmental, financial, and health perspective.”

Canada has consistently ranked among the top countries in LEED adoption. As of this fall, Canada has achieved more than 4,350 LEED certifications overall and is a world leader in the adoption of the latest LEED version.

Of Canadian LEED v4 projects, almost half are commercial and institutional new construction, with Ontario leading the way regionally with 27 per cent of projects, followed by British Columbia at 17 per cent and Alberta at 15 per cent.

New homes account for a quarter of LEED v4 projects, with Quebec’s very early adoption of LEED v4 for home construction resulting in a full 74 per cent of home projects coming from that province.

Existing buildings are a growing segment of LEED v4 registrations as streamlined documentation requirements tied to building performance drive uptake across more markets and building classes. In fact, existing buildings account for a quarter of total LEED v4 projects, and large commercial owners are leveraging LEED v4.1 Operations and Maintenance (O+M) to help them meet their sustainability goals and speed up the recertification process.

GTA home sales up since last October: TREB

Greater Toronto Area realtors reported 8,491 home sales through the MLS System in October, according to the Toronto Real Estate Board (TREB). This represents a 14 per cent increase compared to October 2018, with sales up for all major home types.

Both sales and price growth grew year-over-year for condo apartments. Sales sit at 2,219 this month, with an average price of $617,419.

Overall, sales growth versus annual decline in new listings continued with new listings down by 9.6 per cent compared to last year at this time. The resulting tighter market conditions over this year have led to a higher annual rate of price growth across the GTA.

“During the recent federal election, some parties committed to more flexibility on the mortgage lending front, including the reintroduction of a 30-year amortization period for insured mortgages and more flexibility in the application of the OSFI mortgage stress test,” said Toronto Real Estate Board President Michael Collins. “These and other housing-related policy options should be brought forth in the new minority parliament.”

The average selling price for all home types combined was up by 5.5 per cent to $852,142, compared to $807,538 in October 2018.

“While the current pace of price growth remains moderate, we will likely see stronger price growth moving forward if sales growth continues to outpace listings growth, leading to more competition between home buyers,” added Jason Mercer, TREB’s chief market analyst.

B.C. introduces climate transparency legislation

The B.C. government has introduced first-of-its-kind climate legislation in North America, setting out legal accountability requirements to help ensure the province achieves its carbon pollution targets. The new Climate Change Accountability Act outlines a blueprint for climate accountability and transparency that will provide accurate, timely and publicly accessible data to ensure climate commitments are achieved.

To make sure the province is on track for long-term legislated emissions reductions, government will be required to set an interim emissions target on the path to the legislated 2030 target – which is 40 per cent in greenhouse gas reductions below 2007 levels. Separate 2030 sectoral targets will also be established following engagement with stakeholders, Indigenous peoples and communities throughout the province. This will make sure carbon pollution is reduced effectively across B.C.’s economy, homes, workplaces and transportation choices.

The recently tabled legislation includes new reporting requirements on actions to reduce carbon pollution, their cost and how they will achieve government’s legislated emission-reduction targets. The annual reports will outline the latest emissions data and projections, as well as actions planned for future years and the effect they are expected to have.

“We’re committed to meeting our climate targets and making sure our CleanBC plan gets us to where we need to go – that means being honest and transparent about our progress to make sure people can determine we’re on the right track,” said George Heyman, Minister of Environment and Climate Change Strategy.

“People across this province, and especially young people, are demanding we take the climate crisis seriously and that we make sure everyone works together to secure a stronger, cleaner future. That’s why we will work with communities, people and industry to put in place targets for each sector. What’s more, we’re mandating that the steps we’re taking are reported to the public every year, by law.”

Additional legislative changes will establish an independent advisory committee that will be modelled on the Climate Solutions and Clean Growth Advisory Council, now that the council has fulfilled its mandate.

Upon passage of the amendments, interim emissions targets will be established by ministerial order by no later than Dec. 31, 2020. Sectoral targets will be established no later than March 31, 2021.

“By strengthening the Climate Change Accountability Act with first-of-its-kind legislation in North America, the B.C. government is showing real leadership in responding to the climate emergency. The government’s willingness to be held accountable for its progress on climate change is worthy of commendation,” says Karen Tam Wu, B.C. director, Pembina Institute.

“These changes will allow anyone to track the province’s progress in the short term, including by sector, and help ensure we stay on track toward achieving B.C.’s long-term vision. We can no longer afford to miss our climate targets.”

Assitive tools released ahead of foam container ban

The City of Vancouver has launched toolkits to help businesses find recyclable and compostable alternatives to foam containers, ahead of the city-wide ban taking effect on January 1, 2020.

When that date arrives, businesses will no longer be able to serve prepared food or drinks in polystyrene foam cups and foam take-out containers. This is part of a series of actions to reduce single-use item waste and achieve zero waste by 2040.

The toolkits are available in English, Traditional Chinese, Simplified Chinese, Vietnamese, Punjabi, and Filipino (Tagalog). Beside packaging guidelines to help find options to foam, the kit offers questions that businesses can ask suppliers and customer-focused posters and till toppers to notify of the ban.

There are also details on compostable and degradable plastics, which are not accepted in either the City’s Green Bin program or Recycle BC’s residential recycling program.

“The people of Vancouver expect the City to demonstrate leadership when it comes to environmental initiatives, and the elimination of foam take-out containers is a step in that direction,” said Mayor Kennedy Stewart in a press release. As we take strides towards our zero waste 2040 goal, it’s critical to bring businesses along – the toolkits are here to help businesses transition to more sustainable options.”

Businesses can download or request printed toolkits here.

Ontario could lift pesticide ban in cemeteries

The Ontario government is considering allowing cemeteries to resume pesticide use, but proposed amendments to the provincial Pesticides Act will have little impact on landscaping and grounds-keeping on commercial and residential properties. The current prohibition on pesticides for cosmetic purposes will continue to apply.

“There is still a pesticide ban for ornamental purposes and the government believes that pest control for lawn care and gardens is ornamental,” says Tony DiGiovanni, executive director of Landscape Ontario, an association representing the horticultural trades and winter property maintenance sectors.

Currently, the Pesticides Act allows the possibility for pesticides to be used on golf courses, sports fields, specialty turf for tennis, cricket, lawn bowling or croquet surfaces, or to address invasive species, poisonous plants, stinging or venomous insects and/or plants, fungi or animals that undermine the soundness of infrastructure or buildings, while the pesticide regulations spell out the details of how that is to be done. For example, golf courses must have an approved integrated pest management (IPM) plan to qualify.

“Ontario is proposing to add cemeteries to the list of exemptions from the ban, under certain conditions,” states a backgrounder released with the tabling of legislation in late October.

Other changes line up with the provincial government’s agenda to streamline administrative processes and eliminate regulatory redundancies. This takes form in more than 80 initiatives introduced in Bill 132, the proposed Better for People, Smarter for Business Act, omnibus legislation to amend or repeal dozens of statutes. In addition, numerous regulations will be revised or negated — a step that does not require approval in the Legislature.

“They also made some minor changes (in the regulations) to the IPM process for golf courses,” DiGiovanni notes.

As outlined in Bill 132, Ontario will dismantle its separate process for classifying pesticides and instead adopt Health Canada’s classification system — which is already the practice in all other provinces. “This change will ensure a more standardized regime across Canada,” the provincial government’s backgrounder states.

Proposed amendments also refine the wording of the Act to state that classifications pertain to an “active ingredient” rather than the more generic “pesticide”. This will match the terms used in the regulations, where pesticide categories are defined and specified.

“The current banned list (Class 9) and permitted list (Class 11) contain lists of active ingredient pesticides, not pesticide products. There can be several different pesticide products, used for different purposes, that are formulated using the same pesticide active ingredients,” explains Gavin Dawson, region technical manager for TruGreen Canada and chair of Landscape Ontario’s Turfgrass Management Group.

Department store repurposing nets Urban Design Award

The repurposing of the late 19th-century Kingsmill’s department store in London, Ontario, into a multi-disciplinary centre of learning for Fanshawe College has received an Award of Excellence in Urban Design for Adaptive Re-Use.

The City of London presented the award to Diamond Schmitt Architects and associate Phil Agar Architect, with ERA Architects as heritage consultants. The new 114,000-square-foot hybrid facility is home to the Schools of Tourism, Hospitality and Culinary Arts and Information Technology.

In a press release, the city said the awards are a “chance to recognize and celebrate original design, innovative concepts and visionary thinking in the field of urban planning.”

The seven-storey structure includes a setback three-storey addition above a terrace on top of the original building. Colourful metal panels and varying densities of frit on the glazing enliven the new façade. The building retains its street character by preserving the stone facade and awning on Dundas Street while the adjacent red brick annex was dismantled and rebuilt using the heritage brick.

A student-run restaurant animates the ground floor, which also features a two-storey biofilter living wall, amphitheatre seating, and an open corridor that links the Dundas and Carling Street entrances. Other original features incorporated in the design include reclaimed wood joists, a tin ceiling and locally made yellow brick.

Co-working to see higher demand in Halifax

A recent CBRE forecast for Atlantic Canada’s commercial real estate industry in 2020 predicts an increasing need for flexible space in a market where co-working has yet to be fully adopted compared to other parts of Canada.

“A realistic assessment of office tenant needs should include flexible workplace options, and local landlords will be forced to think outside the box in 2020,” said CBRE Atlantic Region Vice President Andrew Bergen. “Co-working is coming and it’s only a matter of when.”

Tech incubators in Halifax are producing expanding businesses in need of permanent office space. But these growing companies may not have the upfront capital to invest in a long-term office solution, or the traditional office model doesn’t fit with their culture.

The growth for scaling companies is also hard to predict. What may start out as a 1,200-square-foot workplace requirement in the first year may be a 12,000-square-foot requirement in five years.

“Locking into a long-term lease with significant upfront construction costs is not a favourable option for many companies today,” said Bergen. “The business case for a large co-working provider establishing a presence in Halifax should be taken seriously.”

Flexibility is now a fundamental part of negotiations and tenants and landlords are having to adjust. Square footage and price are not the only factors being considered when selecting a new location.

“A workplace that promotes company culture and lifestyle as a differentiator is a priority,” added Bergen. “A strategic real estate model tailored to embrace flexibility and attract and retain top talent will reduce turnover and overall costs, while accommodating future growth strategies.”

Retaining talent will be a key issue going into next year, reports CBRE. The population of Halifax is expanding at a faster rate than the Canadian average, growing 1.6 per cent in 2018. For the past three years, young people between 25 to 39 made up more than half of the city’s growth. The region has reportedly become accustomed to losing its skilled young workers, so the need to retain this talent will be imperative.

Vancouver laneways win international award

More Awesome Now has won the 2019 IOC IAKS Bronze Award from the international sports community. The two laneway activations in the heart of downtown Vancouver transformed underutilized laneways into engaging public spaces. The project was designed in collaboration between HCMA Architecture, the Downtown Vancouver Business improvement Association (DVBIA) and the City of Vancouver.

Presented by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), and the International Association for Sports and Leisure Facilities (IAKS), the award is considered one of the world’s top international prizes for sports, leisure, and recreational facilities.

Of the 98 entries submitted from14 countries, seven facilities were recognized by the jury with the Gold award, six with Silver, and seven with Bronze.

“This award recognizes the profound impact that the re-imagined laneways can have on the City of Vancouver,” says HCMA architect Paul Fast, principal-in-charge of More Awesome Now. “These are spaces that will change the way in which we move, live and work. They provide an opportunity to reconnect neglected urban spaces to the fabric of the city and to create environments that are inviting to all.”

One of the laneways is Alley-Oop on Granville and West Hastings in the business district. It comes with basketball hoops and hopscotch courts, while its bright, pink-and-yellow walls have also made it a popular Instagram haunt.

A few blocks away, behind Orpheum Theatre, is Ackery’s Alley, named after the Orpheum’s famous impresario and manager, Ivan Ackery. The alley features a red ground, walls painted with an ‘S’ pattern, and gold panels, plus an interactive light installation called FIELD.

The project is a result of Re-Imagine Downtown Vancouver, a public engagement project by the DVBIA where more than 11,000 people shared what they wanted for the city. Among those ideas was the need for more welcoming public spaces, and More Awesome Now was born.

People from all walks of life are now using the laneways, from servicepersons and commuters, to professionals, students, and tourists. Since opening in 2016, hourly traffic at Alley-Oop has more than doubled, while the number of female users has increased by 50 per cent.

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