Building Envelope
Prioritizing value in engineering procurement
Condo boards face mounting pressure to manage reserve funds efficiently while protecting future owners from unnecessary financial strain.
Barriers stall deep energy retrofits in condo sector
Condominiums are among the fastest-growing types of housing, a trend that is particularly significant in a country where the built environment accounts for roughly 18 per cent of all greenhouse gas emissions.
Solar-powered condo living at The Well
The 1,080-square-foot residence is said to be the developer’s most eco-friendly model yet—where health and wellbeing meets reduced energy use and carbon emissions through innovative technologies.
Managing water leaks 101
The causes of water leaks are often related to materials, installation, maintenance and operational issues.
Addressing hidden damages in condominiums
Condo managers who understand a condo’s life stages, hidden damages, and inspections are more likely to develop effective reserve fund plans with logical budget allotments.
Considerations for deferring capital project work
The industry panel discussed what capital repairs and replacement costs could potentially be deferred by prolonging the life of various building components and what professional resources to seek for guidance.
Reducing embodied carbon in capital projects
Condo owners now have the opportunity to understand the embodied carbon impacts of capital replacements work at their buildings.
WELL evolves into residential communities
Minto Communities is the first developer in Canada to pilot the WELL for residential program, which sets out to create healthier homes.
Overhauling reserve funds in Ontario
As the landscape of aging condos continues evolving, the need for adequate reserve funds to pay for these repairs assumes greater importance.
A guide to understanding noise in condos
Resolving noise complaints requires an understanding of how sound moves through a building and the obligations of a condominium.
Actuaries garner new insight into condo finances
The Canadian Institute of Actuaries’ latest insight statement on the longevity of condo infrastructure explores several risks.
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.
Construction costs rattle the condo industry
Construction cost increases are a significant concern if a condo needs to complete work in the next year or so. But the concern isn't just the here and now.
Cases shed light on maintenance and repair obligations in condos
Maintenance and repair obligations of both owners and condo corporations are defined in the Condominium Act, which sets out the minimum default obligations. T
Condos at high risk from reserve fund shortfalls
The growing crop of condo owners across Canada will likely encounter huge annual fee increases and lump-sum payments due to low reserve fund contributions, authors of a new research report are warning.
The fatal flaws behind the Surfside condo collapse
Building failures of this horrific scope are seldom seen in North America. But it is important to examine what happened so we can learn and prevent similar collapses in the future.


















