Building Lighter on the Planet
Look, we've seen too many "green" projects that are just greenwashing. Here's what we're actually doing to make buildings that don't wreck the environment.
Look, we've seen too many "green" projects that are just greenwashing. Here's what we're actually doing to make buildings that don't wreck the environment.
% Average Energy Reduction
across our completed projects since 2020LEED Certified Projects
and counting, honestly% Waste Diverted
from landfills during constructionNet-Zero Buildings
operational and verified
Yeah, it's not always sunny in Vancouver, but we've figured out how to make renewable energy work even when it's drizzling 200 days a year.
These aren't just plaques on the wall - they're commitments we hold ourselves to.
Multiple AP credentials on staff
Certified designers and consultants
Challenge participants
Canada certified builders
We're done with the "ship it halfway around the world" approach. Local timber, recycled steel, low-carbon concrete alternatives - that's our jam now.
Last year we worked with a supplier who's making insulation from recycled denim. Sounds weird, works great. That's the kind of innovation we're after.
Even in rainy Vancouver, we can't take water for granted. Every project we do now includes some form of water reclamation - greywater systems, rainwater harvesting, you name it.
One residential project we finished last spring cut municipal water use by 60%. The owners are actually excited about their water bill now, which is a first.
Our team kinda geeks out over air barriers and thermal bridging. Sounds boring, but it's where the magic happens. A tight building envelope means you're not heating or cooling the neighborhood.
We do blower door tests on everything. Some contractors think we're annoying about it. We don't care - the performance data speaks for itself.
"The best energy is the energy you don't use in the first place."
We track everything because if you can't measure it, you can't improve it.
That's equivalent to taking about 620 cars off the road for a year. Not bad for a bunch of architects.
BC average is around 150 kWh/m² for commercial buildings. We're doing something right.
Solar panels, geothermal, even some micro-hydro. We'll use whatever makes sense for the site.
No corporate jargon, just real promises we're holding ourselves accountable for.
All new projects will be designed to achieve net-zero operational emissions. Not offsetting - actual zero.
We're calculating embodied carbon on every single project starting this year. Can't reduce what you don't measure.
Cutting construction waste by another 50% through better planning and material reuse. It's doable.
Monthly sustainability workshops for the whole team. This field moves fast and we're staying ahead of it.
Let's talk about making your project sustainable without compromising on design or breaking the bank. We've done it before, we'll do it again.