Ontario Home Builder - Spring 2013

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table of Contents

35

11

59

Columns 7 one Voice By Joe Vaccaro separating the facts from media hype 19 human Capital By David Taub employers’ rights when dealing with departing employees 21 marketing ByNick Monteleone tips for creating award-winning marketing campaigns 23 health & safety By Cheryl Edwards the due diligence defence is alive and well 25 technology By Mark Evans tools to increase your email efficiency 82 outside the box By Avi Friedman Bringing the outdoors inside

cover: Minto@lAnsdowne, ottAwA. photo courtesy Minto

dePartments 11 ontario report ready to work with Ontario’s new premier/ queen’s diamond Jubilee Medal winners/ cMhc honours heathwood homes 28 top shelf new products to help you build better 69 better builder project innovaton/Banishing bugs/recycled products for building 77 Product focus windows and doors

www.ohba.ca

features

35 toP builders

Meet OntariO’s Biggest Builders

By Steve McNeill

43 stePPinG uP sales

Marketing BeyOnd the Media‘s negativity

By Pierre Lachaine

47 aCtiVe Vs. PassiVe house the Battle Of the super green

By Elaine Kapogines

53 sinGle minded

the rise Of the single persOn hOusehOld

By Meredith Birchall-Spencer

59 sustainabiltY stars

highlights frOM enerquality’s 2012 awards Of excellence gala

By Marc Huminilowycz

ontario home builder spring 2013

3

The official publication of the Ontario Home Builders’ Association Spring 2013 | Vol. 29 Issue 2

editor

Elaine Kapogines, ext. 250 elaine@laureloak.ca associate editor

Norma Kimmins, OHBA art director

Erik Mohr copy editor

Barbara Chambers contributors

Meredith Birchall-Spencer, Cheryl Edwards, Mark Evans, Avi Friedman, Marc Huminilowycz, Pierre Lachaine, Robert Luke, Steve McNeill, Nick Monteleone, Dan O’Reilly, Andy Schonberger, Alice Sinia, David Taub photoGraphy Rodney Daw, Dave West president

Wayne Narciso, ext. 240 publisher

Sheryl Humphreys, ext. 245 sheryl@laureloak.ca advertisinG sales

Mary Denyes, ext. 232 mary@laureloak.ca Tricia Bird, ext. 223 tricia@laureloak.ca published by

Laurel Oak Publishing www.laureloak.ca

www.ohba.ca

info@ohba.ca

Ontario Home Builder is published six times per year (Spring, Renovation, Summer, Fall, Awards, Winter).

All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without the written consent of the publisher © 2013. Single copy price is $4.00. Subscription Rates: Canada $11.95 + HST per year, USA $29.95 USD. Mail payment to: Laurel Oak Publishing 1062 Cooke Blvd., Burlington, ON L7T 4A8 Phone (905) 333-9432 Fax (905) 333-4001

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ontario home builder SPRING 2013

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one voice

Educating consumers to see beyond the headlines Separating the facts from media hype

By Joe vaccaro

photo: margaret mulligan

OHBA has always believed the best

consumer is a well-informed consumer and today’s buyers can certainly benefit from a wealth of fact-finding resources readily available to them before purchasing a new home or signing a contract for a renovation.

On the other hand, a consumer can also be overwhelmed by the amount of information a simple news search generates. Waves of media stories, commentary, analysis, forecasts and advice create perceptions that don’t always reflect reality and may negatively impact consumer confidence. We’ve all see those dramatic headlines predicting the imminent and catastrophic demise of the housing market – bubbles bursting and devalued homes leaving consumers confused and concerned. Like a frantic ‘chicken little’ pointing to a falling sky, the cries of doom and gloom are, more often than not, simply not valid. (See page 8 for more details).

The supposed health of Ontario’s new housing market has dominated the front page of newspapers, graced the covers of magazines, led the lineup on national television news programs and had phone lines buzzing on talk radio stations not to mention the endless blogs and websites. Given that a home is generally the single largest purchase a consumer will likely make in their lives, it makes sense that people want to talk about the housing market. But among all this opinion, hype and commentary, what are the facts?

If we take a step back and analyze the sta-

www.ohba.ca

tistics, review the information and lay out the facts, then we would see that Ontario continues to support a healthy and stable housing market that should give consumers confidence.

Statistics - Charting the Ontario housing starts over the last 10 years we can see that outside the “financial meltdown” of 2007 the overall numbers have remained stable with CMHC forecasting 65,000 starts for 2014. The shift in new housing from ground-related to highrise is a response to provincial legislation and municipal intensification policy.

Information - Ontario continues to be a destination for new residents with 1.5 million people coming to Ontario from 2001 to 2011 and a population forecast of 17.7 million for 2031. In the GTAH specifically 100,000 people come to the region every year, and they need homes for their families.

Fact - Interest rates continue to be at historic low levels and will likely stay there for the rest of the year - shielding the purchaser from the dramatic increase in government imposed charges and new homes prices.

Perception sometimes shapes our reality but in the case of consumer confidence and the new housing market, a well-informed consumer preparing to make the biggest purchase of their lives should look beyond the daily headlines, hysteria and commentary, review all the stats, info and facts and make a confident, thoughtful decision based on their housing needs, wants and options. OHB

...ontario continues to support a healthy and stable housing market that should give consumers confidence.

Joe Vaccaro is the COO of the Ontario Home Builders’ Association.

ontario home builder spring 2013

7

2005

2006

Population: 12,528,500*

2007

Population: 12,665,300*

September 2005

deCember 2007

Macleans, “Buy? Sell? Panic?”

Toronto Life, “The Incredible, Unstoppable Market”

2008

Population: 12,792,900*

Population: 12,934.500*

marCh 2008

Macleans, “‘Mortgage Slaves”

Average Sale Price

$275,000

68,123

Skyfall Is the sky really falling or should we be calling foul?

Housing Starts **

auguSt 2008

Macleans, “It could happen here: Inside Canada’s brewing real estate storm”

September 2008

Macleans, “Canada’s looming Real Estate Crisis”

By ElaInE KapogInEs

2006

OCt/2007

feb/2008

Mar/2008

deC/2008

CMHC raises the amortization period on insurable mortgages from 35 to 40 years and announces an interest-only payment plan

U.S. housing bubble pops, resulting in the bank crisis

Toronto’s municipal land transfer tax takes effect

• Collapse of the U.S. economy;

OHBA sends out a press release to counteract some of the negative media attention plaguing the industry

This year really started out with a bang — or should I say

crash? Only nine days into 2013, Macleans magazine splashed the “Great Real Estate Crash” across their cover. Complete with flames and apocalyptic-style imagery, writer Chris Sorensen proclaims that “the housing bubble has burst, and few Canadians will emerge unscathed.”

So, the question becomes: did we really hear the bubble pop or is Chicken Little up to his old tricks? For every Doomsday prediction, a quick search of mainstream media yields numerous positive predictions. In February alone, the Toronto Star declared, “Home sales pick up steam in Toronto,” “First-time buyers are back after 2012 slump in sales,” and “Fears of a Canadian housing bubble unfounded: BMO report.”

8

ontario home builder SPRING 2013

the crisis spreads into Europe • The Bank of Canada cuts interest rates by 175 basis points • CMHC discontinues the 40-year amortization term, back to 35 years

Who’s right? In reality, odds are that if you say something often enough, eventually it could be true — it may take years, or even decades, but the odds are in your favour. There’s no denying that the real estate industry has been riding on a high and eventually things will slow down. Does a slowdown warrant talk of crashing and burning? Maybe, but maybe not.

At the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) annual Housing Outlook presentations in late 2012, many of the presenters spoke of “levelling out” and “balance.” CMHC predicted, yes, we will see numbers start to slow this year, but rather than bursting a bubble, the dip indicates the market is simply finding a sustainable equilibrium.

When comparing the CMHC’s prediction with Macleans’ www.ohba.ca

* statIstIcs canada, ** cMHc

TOTAl HOUSING STARTS (APPROxIMATE) SOURCE CMHC

sources:

RESIdENTIAl REAl ESTATE PRICES (APPROxIMATE) SOURCE CREA

2009

2010

Population: 13,072,700*

2011

Population: 13,227,800*

2012

Population: 13,372,966 (projected)* Average Sale Price

$342,590

Population: 13,505,800 (projected)*

January 2012

Macleans, “What happens when Canada’s housing bubble pops?”

September 2010

Canadian Business, “Canada’s Housing Bubble: Why real estate is a lot more vulnerable than you think”

december 2011

The Globe and Mail, “‘Classic bubble’ signs in Canadian housing market”

october 2011

National Post, “Mike Brock: The hidden Canadian housing bubble”

may 2010

Financial Post, “Is Canada’s housing bubble about to burst?”

april 2012

67,821 Housing Starts**

February 2009

CBC News, “Be very afraid of the Canadian housing bubble”

September 2012

Macleans, “The shocking truth about the value of your home”

Canadian Business, “Canada’s housing crash begins”

February 2010

Macleans, “Awash in a sea of debt”

2009

jan/2009

2010

2011

Global financial crisis continues; major U.S. banks start to fold 5-year mortgage rates continue to slide, hitting 3.6%

In the Winter 2009 issues of OHB, then-president Frank Giannone writes a One Voice column about negative media coverage of the “housing market crash.”

He urges members to take the media coverage with a grain of salt and encourages everyone “to take an active role in voicing an accurate perspective on what’s really happening in Ontario’s real estate market.”

CMHC reduces the refinancing amount from 95% to 90% and borrowers must now qualify for affordability based on a 5-year fixed rate 5-year conventional mortgages rates continue to decline

CMHC reduces the maximum amortization term for insurable mortgages from 35 to 30 years and changes the maximum high ratio mortgage to 85% from 90%. Rates for conventional 5-year mortgages, gaining 15 basis points since 2010

proclamation, what we need to consider is that Macleans is out to sell magazines. If the headline had been “The Great Levelling Off,” would readers have bothered to pay the $6.95? Probably not. The old newspaper adage comes to mind: If it bleeds, it leads.

The chart presented here highlights only a fraction of the Doomsday predictions to hit mainstream media in the last seven years. As illustrated, we can see this chatter picking up just before and during the recent economic slowdown — not surprisingly, it would have been very easy to highlight a headline from practically every month in 2010. However, when you map these headlines against housing starts and prices, an interesting pattern starts to emerge — or should I say doesn’t emerge.

The market’s going to do what the market’s going to do — www.ohba.ca

despite headlines. Intense chatter about a “crash” or “bursting bubble” may weigh on consumer confidence, but we can’t look at these headlines without seeing them in the context of the broader market. What’s going on at the Bank of Canada? What are interest rates looking like? What’s going on in the U.S.?

By putting together this visual — comparing housing prices, housing starts, headlines and major economic events — we hope you’re able to look beyond the headlines and view the industry as a whole with many moving parts. Historically, we have not seen the apocalypse that’s been predicted for the last few years. Is it possible? Anything’s possible, but it’s important to remember to take headlines with a grain of salt and, as the Brits so eloquently put it: Keep Calm and Carry On. OHB ontario home builder SPRING 2013

9

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ontario report

OHBA president Leith Moore, Premier Kathleen Wynne, BILD chair Steve Upton and BILD past chair Paul Golini met just prior to Wynne’s election as leader of the Ontario Liberals.

ohba ready to Work with premier Wynne Kathleen Wynne was elected leader of the Ontario Liberal Party, and will serve as the provincial premier. OHBA has a long and productive history with Premier Wynne. In her various roles as a minister, the new premier has made an effort to meet and discuss issues of concern with the association and has participated as a speaker at several events.

OHBA looks forwards to working with Premier Wynne to

build a stronger economy, improve infrastructure throughout the province and deliver necessary transit to Ontario. OHBA is focused on improving housing affordability and choice for Ontarians, exploring further opportunities to improve the land-use planning system and bringing issues like the College of Trades and the underground economy to the forefront of discussion with the premier.

Waterloo Welcomes dragons’ den celebrity The Waterloo Region HBA’s 22nd Annual Industry Luncheon will feature David Chilton, renowned author of The Wealthy Barber and newest “Dragon” on CBC’s Dragons’ Den. Chilton’s high energy, charm and unpretentious approach will motivate, educate and entertain those attending the WRHBA’s premier networking event of the year. OHBA members from across the province are invited to what promises to be a sell-out event, so order your tickets soon!

Date: Tuesday, April 30 time: Networking @ 11a.m., Lunch @ 12p.m.

Venue: Bingeman’s Ballroom tickets: WRHBA Member Rate: $84 + HST, Non-Member Rate $94 + HST, Corporate Table (8 people) $650 + HST Contact Event Coordinator Stephanie Lake for tickets or further information at 519-884-7590 or at stephanie-lake@wrhba.com.

www.ohba.ca

ontario home builder SPRING 2013

11

ontario report

LocaL associations’ goLf tournamEnts 2013 Date

aSSocIatIoN

coNtact

coNtact PHoNe NuMBeR

thursday, May 23, 2013

BILD

tiffany Kohl

(416) 391-3446

tuesday, June 4, 2013

Brantford Home Builders’ association

Fred Decator

(519) 442 - 3855

tuesday, June 4, 2013

Greater ottawa Home Builders’ association

John Herbert

(613) 723 - 2926

tuesday June 4, 2013

Seaway valley Home Builders’ association

Jeff Lavallee

(613) 932 - 4413

Wednesday, June 5, 2013

London Home Builders’ association

christyn andrade

(519) 686 - 0343 ext. 221

thursday, June 06, 2013

Waterloo Region HBa

Melissa Jonker

(519) 884 - 7590

thursday, June 13, 2013

Greater Dufferin Home Builders’ association

Margaret Janssen

(519) 938 - 6086

thursday, June 13, 2013

Peterborough & the Kawarthas

Lorraine Stratton

(705) 876 - 7604

tuesday, June 18, 2013

Quinte Home Builders’ association

Linda Wikkerink

(613) 970 - 2216

tuesday, June 18, 2013

Hamilton-Halton Home Builders’ association

Mathieu Langelier

(905) 575-3344 ext. 1

thursday June 20, 2013

Sudbury & District Home Builders’ association

Laura Higgs

(705) 988 - 5519

thursday, June 20, 2013

Greater Windsor HBa

Marla tullio

(519) 948 - 3247

June 2013 (tBD)

BILD

tiffany Kohl

(416) 391-3446

June 2013 (tBD)

Niagara Home Builders’ association

Lynda Busch

(905) 646 - 6281

June 2013 (tBD)

Lanark Leeds Home Builders’ association

Darlene Fendley

(613) 523 - 5656

Friday, June 21, 2013

Grey-Bruce Home Builders’ association

Glenn Gray

(519) 376 - 9085

Wednesday, July 17, 2013 Saugeen Home Builders’ trade association

Lisa MacDonald

(519) 589 - 6866

Wednesday, July 17, 2013 Stratford & area Home Builders’ association

Ross Dale

(519) 271 - 4795

thursday, July 18, 2013

Simcoe county Home Builders’ association

Sheila Hissa

(705) 728 - 5030

thursday, July 25, 2013

St. thomas & elgin HBa

John Gundry

(519) 476 - 5811

Friday, July 27, 2012

Sarnia-Lampton Home Builders’ association

Matt Mceachran

(519) 862 - 1188

august 2013 (tBD)

BILD

tiffany Kohl

(416) 391-3446

LocaL associations’ EvEnts 2013 Date

eveNt

aSSocIatIoN

coNtact

coNtact

March 15-24, 2013

National Home Show

BILD

tiffany Kohl

(416) 391-3446

March 22-24, 2013

SteHBa Home, Garden & outdoor Living Show

St. thomas & elgin HBa

John Gundry

(519) 476-5811

March 22-24, 2013

Sudbury Home Show

Sudbury & District Home Builders’ association

Laura Higgs

(705) 988-5519

april 5-7, 2013

Stratford Spring Home Show

Stratford & area Home Builders’ association

Ross Dale

(519) 271-4795

april 5-7, 2013

Quinte Home Builders’ association 42nd annual Home & Renovation Show

Quinte Home Builders’ association

Linda Wikkerink

(613) 970-2216 (905) 579-8080

april 11, 2013

awards of excellence

Durham Region Home Builders’ association

anita Devries

april 16, 2013

GDHBa Industry Business Luncheon

Guelph & District Home Builders’ association

Stacy cooper

(519) 836-8560

april 18, 2013

auction & Kawartha chair challenge

Peterborough & the Kawarthas HBa

Lorraine Stratton

(705) 876-7604

april 20-21, 2013

Home and cottage expo

Grey-Bruce Home Builders’ association

Glenn Gray

(519) 376-9085

april 25, 2013

awards of Distinction

Hamilton-Halton Home Builders’ association

Mathieu Langelier

(905) 575-3344 ext. 1

april 26, 2013

33rd BILD awards

BILD

tiffany Kohl

(416) 391-3446

april 26-27, 2013

Stratford & area Builders’ association Parade of Homes

Stratford & area Home Builders’ association

Ross Dale

(519) 271-4795

april 27 - May 2, 2013

BILD High-Rise Housing Study tour

BILD

tiffany Kohl

(416) 391-3446

april 30, 2013

Industry Luncheon

Waterloo Region Home Builders’ association

Stephanie Lake

(519) 884-7590

May 3-5, 2013

Goderich Home & cottage Show

Bluewater Builders’ association

Hugh Burgsma

(519) 524-0250

May 3, 2013

ace (awards of creative excellence) Housing awards

Simcoe county Home Builders’ association

Sheila Hissa

(705) 728-5030

May 16, 2013

Business Showcase and 60th anniversary

Durham Region Home Builders’ association

anita Devries

(905) 579-8080

May 16, 2013

casino ‘n’ cocktails

Greater ottawa Home Builders’ association

John Herbert

(613) 723-2926

May 21-23, 2013

amazing Building challenge

London Home Builders’ association

christyn andrade

(519) 686-0343 ext. 221

May 28, 2013

Land & Development conference

BILD

tiffany Kohl

(416) 391-3446

12

ontario home builder SPRING 2013

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ontario report

OHBA Members Awarded Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal

Cindy Gu (left), publisher of The Epoch Times.

OHBA past president Dick Brouwer (right) were honoured with the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal.

Congratulations to Dick Brouwer and Cindy Gu who were awarded the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal.

Dick Brouwer, an OHBA past president and past president of the London HBA, was honoured for his committed support of apprenticeships and raising awareness for the industry and industry careers. Brouwer has devoted more than 20 years to encouraging young people to pursue careers and apprenticeships in the residential construction industry and currently serves as an employer representative on the Plumbing and Steamfitter Trade Board at the College of Trades.

Cindy Gu is the publisher of the Chinese newspaper, The Epoch Times and a member of BILD. Gu’s work to raise awareness of human rights abuses in China and the organ harvesting of Falun Gong practitioners prompted her nomination for the award. Gu came to Canada from China 20 years ago with just $200. She joined The Epoch Times in 2003 and has built the publication into Canada’s top print and online media for mainland Chinese immigrants in Canada.

The Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal was created to mark the celebrations in 2012 of the 60th anniversary of the Queen’s accession to the throne.

The medal is awarded by Canada’s Governor General to honour significant contributions and achievements by Canadians.

horwath meets with ohba OHBA 1st vice president Vince Molinaro presented Andrea Horwath, leader of the provincial NDP, with the association’s toolbox kit brimming with information about the residential construction industry. Horwath addressed members at the OHBA Presidents and Executive Officers seminar held earlier this year and outlined her party’s position on a number of housing-related issues. OHBA continues to foster constructive working relationships with all political parties to ensure the housing industry and the province grows and prospers.

14

ontario home builder SPRING 2013

OHBA Pre-Budget Submission The Ontario Home Builders’ Association has provided the Minister of Finance and all MPPs from all political parties with industry recommendations for the 2013 provincial budget, including: • OHBA recommends that both the provincial and federal governments implement a broad-based permanent renovation tax credit to encourage consumers to utilize legitimate contractors and to create a paper trail to limit underground economic activity.

• OHBA is supportive of the Seniors Healthy Homes Renovation Tax Credit to allow seniors to improve accessibility and to age-in-place. Furthermore, the collection of receipts will support legitimate business and assist to combat underground economic activity.

• Over the long term OHBA believes the HST threshold for the new housing rebate ($400,000) is too low for most modest income new home buyers and should be reviewed on a regular basis to reflect inevitable increases in average new home prices.

This would substantially improve housing affordability for the middle class new home buyer.

• OHBA supports core infrastructure funding for roads, transit, water and waste-water facilities to ensure that the province remains economically competitive. It is critical the budget and the longterm capital infrastructure plan focus on targeted core infrastructure investments in support of economic growth and improving productivity as priority investments.

• OHBA recommends that the province amend the Ontario Building Code to allow for six-storey wood structures that provide more design and affordable cost options for developers while also supporting northern Ontario’s forestry sector.

www.ohba.ca

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ontario report

Christine Sinclair with OHBA COO Joe Vaccaro (top left). OHBA President Leith Moore presented Christine Sinclair with an OHBA toolbox to thank her for her keynote address at the association’s Annual Industry Leaders’ Dinner (top right). Christine Sinclair demonstrates her soccer skills to an impressed group of OHBA members (bottom).

Heathwood Homes Recognized for Healthy Housing Practices Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) has honoured Heathwood Homes under the CMHC Healthy Housing recognition program for their efforts in building healthier homes.

CMHC’s Healthy Housing recognition program honours builders and others in Ontario who put their knowledge of CMHC’s five Healthy Housing principles into practice. These five principles include: occupant health, energy efficiency, resource efficiency, environmental responsibility and affordability.

Heathwood Homes built the green Home in richmond Hill, demonstrating a commitment to providing housing that is efficient and sustainable. it was featured the Trends 2011 issue of Ontario Home Builder.

The Heathwood green Home was designed with the latest innovative “green” features, making this model a leading edge example of the future of healthy homes. it is the first environmentally advanced house to be monitored and compared to a second house built to the Energy star standard. partnering with ryerson University to monitor and document the home’s energy performance will enable Heathwood Homes to identify proven results to advance technologies and energy-saving products in their homes.

Sinclair Scores Big at Industry Leaders’ Dinner OHBA welcomed Christine Sinclair to its Annual Industry Leaders’ Dinner. The captain of Canada’s Women’s Olympic Soccer Team won over an enthusiastic crowd with her remarks about “Leadership Under Adversity.”

As a member of the bronze medal-winning team at the 2012 London Olympic Games and winner of the Lou Marsh Award as Canada’s Top Athlete last year, Christine related how hard work, determination and the desire to lead by example helped the team reach its goal, noting that the same qualities can be applied to business and family environments.

16

ontario home builder spring 2013

From left to right: Bob Finnigan, COO, Heathwood Homes; Steve Jacques, Ontario manager, community development, CMHC; Hugh Heron, president, Heathwood Homes; Paul Bailey, president, Bazil Developments Inc.

www.ohba.ca

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human capital

Fiduciary Facts

Duties of departing employees to their former employers: Part II

By DavID TauB In my previous column, we explored a

scenario in which a sales manager quit and went to competitor, taking the company’s client clist with her. But what if the departing employee is a senior vice president now calling all the company’s customers to solicit their business? In this case, there may well be something the employer can do. When the law balances the competing interests of employers and their departing employees, employers are entitled to greater protections against such conduct from senior management and key employees who are called “fiduciaries.”

Determining whether a departing employee is a fiduciary will be a question of fact that can be unclear and will be determined by a court. Employers are quick to assert that a departing employee is a fiduciary, and departing employees are quick to deny that characterization. For that reason, employers should give job titles that correspond to the employee’s actual job description and employees should be provided with written job descriptions. In www.ohba.ca

this manner the court will rely on the written job description rather than the selfserving descriptions that often surface in litigation.

When a former employee owes fidu-

employers should give job titles that correspond to the employee’s actual job description. ciary duties to the ex-employer, that former employee must place the interests of the employer above the employee’s own self-interest because the employer is particularly vulnerable to attacks upon it by such former key employees. Therefore, in addition to the duties of confidentiality owed to employers by all departing employees, departing fiduciaries are generally not permitted to solicit business from clients

of their former employer. This prohibition applies for a reasonable period of time (typically for one year or less), sufficient to permit the employer to adjust to the departure.

Further, if the departing fiduciary breaches the duty not to solicit, the employer can take steps to prevent the solicitation in addition to simply suing the former employee for the resulting damages.

There is certain conduct that the court will prevent by ordering an “interlocutory injunction” — which prevents the impugned conduct until a trial can finally decide the issue. Successfully obtaining an interlocutory injunction is often critical because once business is lost, it may not be recoverable and in some cases put the enterprise at risk.

Interlocutory injunctions are not awarded lightly by the courts. In deciding whether to order an injunction, the court determines if the departing employee was a fiduciary and reviews the evidence of solicitation. It balances the competing interests of the employer in restraining the solicitation against the employee’s right to compete. Finally, the court looks at the actual and potential harm caused by the solicitation and decides whether there is a need for an immediate interlocutory injunction or, alternatively, whether an award of damages at a trial months or years later will be a sufficient remedy for the employer.

It’s critical for the employer to have solid evidence of the solicitations. Often an employer learns of the solicitations by phone calls from customers , but has little documentary evidence. Because customers are so highly valued, employers do not want to obtain direct evidence regarding the solicitation in the form of affidavits, summoning the customers as witnesses, etc. If the evidence of solicitation is only “he said, she said,” that will usually not be sufficient for the court to order an injunction.

As with all employees, a well-written employment contract that prohibits solicitation following the employee’s departure will aid the employer in both obtaining an injunction and in deterring the departing employee from soliciting business. These contracts can set out the period of nonsolicitations and provide further protections from departing fiduciaries. OHB David Taub is a partner with Robins, Appleby & Taub LLP. His litigation practice includes employment law. ontario home builder SPRING 2013

19

*See actual warranty for complete details at Hurd.com

MADE IN THE USA

There are windows that are more expensive.

But none more impressive.

Today’s upscale homebuyers demand distinctive styling, gorgeous craftsmanship and superb performance. Hurd custom built windows and patio doors deliver like no one else.

We have the world’s most energy-efficient window, the best wood protection in the industry, limitless options & design choices, and the unique confidence to offer a lifetime warranty*.

Truly, Hurd windows are second to none.

marketing least you’ll need strong site signage and a website. A handout presentation is also required. A brochure or pamphlet, if your budget allows for it, is great; however, if your budget can’t afford a full brochure, certainly include renderings of your project.

You may also want to consider planning for a “teaser” direct mail campaign involving a mail drop around the area or targeted audience. To create an immediate response, you will also need to look at social media and/or online ad presence.

Both of these tend to create a dialogue around your project while your fulfillment material, brochure, etc., goes to the more engaged potential purchaser. the tWo ‘rs’: registratioN & reteNtioN

52 Pick-Up Inc.’s design for The Schoolhouse (Empire Communities) won Best Low-Rise Ad Campaign and Best Low-Rise Sales Brochure at the 2010 OHBA Awards of Distinction.

Creative Marketing How to make your campaign shine

By Nick MoNteleoNe When a client comes to us with a

project to bring to market, the first thing we do is pay the site and surrounding area a visit. The best way to approach a marketing project is to fully understand the project from the ground up. That initial reconnoitre is where our creative juices get inspiration. But it’s back home in the studio, where we start to define and develop the “brand” and prepare it for market. Here are some of the key issues we look at that you might want to consider when you’re building your own campaign.

Who, What, Where

We love the initial brainstorming that kick-starts a project. Who is going to live there? What kind of lifestyle are they looking for? Are they young with kids, downsizers, hipsters or first-time www.ohba.ca

buyers? The reason for this exercise is simple. If you don’t know who you are trying to engage then how can you bring together the voice and visuals that will resonate with them?

NamiNg & PositioNiNg

Naming and defining the “personality” of your project aptly is another creative challenge. At 52 Pick-up Inc. we go through an entire naming process until we find one that suits the product and that is available. A good name, brand and positioning line should paint a picture of the place and add to the compelling nature of the project.

Your first goal should be to get interested purchasers to respond — typically through a preliminary registration website, but sometimes by phone or a visit to the presentation centre. Your second goal should be to retain their interest in the project — that means working your database!

Develop an electronic marketing plan designed to keep the potential purchaser engaged in the development of the project. Well-designed emails can feel more personal and be more informative than mass social media. However, adding a Facebook/Twitter stream onto your website also helps in keeping your online profile up to date with little effort. maiNtaiNiNg the momeNtum

Hot launch? Chances are that after a few months you’ll experience a cooling off in interest as the season changes or more competition enters the field. To maintain the buzz, keep your marketing efforts active. This could mean creating more ads with unique incentives or increasing community involvement — for example, supporting the local school baseball team or drama club with an ad in the program.

There are many ways to keep your development in the public eye. It’s your job to explore them all and find the one that works for you and your sales team. ohB

CommuNiCatiNg

Once the project is named and the brand is established, we start to consider the collateral you’ll require. At the very

Nick Monteleone is the principal/creative director at 52 Pick-up Inc., an award-winning strategic design and communications company based in Toronto. www.52pick-up.com ontario home builder SPRING 2013

21

2854 builders were asked this question in 2012:

Which insulation has the best quality?

Their answer:

spray foam insulation The evolution of insulation.

6.0

™

2.0

3.0

4.0

5.0

7.0

Source: 2013 Hanley Wood/ReadEx Builder Brand Use Study.

Icynene is ranked #1 by builders for product quality across all types of insulation according to the 2013 Hanley Wood/ReadEx Builder Brand Use Study.

In the most recent survey, 2854 builders were asked which insulation had the best quality. Icynene was ranked in first place, ahead of other internationally recognized competitors.

Builders trust Icynene because it is specifically dedicated to spray foam insulation solutions, with the highest standards for building science research, product quality and innovation.

The evolution of insulation.™

Call 1-800-758-7325 or visit www.icynene.com

health & Safety

health & Safety

Reasonable Doubt

OHS due diligence defence is alive and well

By CHeryl A. edwArdS In prosecutions under the Ontario

Occupational Health and Safety Act, it’s common for the Ontario Ministry of Labour (MOL) to rely on the argument that an accused employer cannot show due diligence in respect of a charge if it cannot establish that it took all reasonable measures to avoid the offence.

In practice the crown prosecutor for the MOL can often point to just one more thing that was arguably reasonable for the employer to have done prior to an accident, but which it did not do.

Often this “negligence” on the part of the employer is conceived with the benefit of hindsight and is not viewed through the prism of what was reasonably foreseeable prior to the accident.

This is frustrating for constructors, employers and supervisors who labour to ensure that policies and procedures are in place, risk assessments are conwww.ohba.ca

OHB_SPRING2013_HealthSafety.indd 23

ducted, workers are trained and safety is monitored on the jobsite.

However, this approach of finding something — anything — that was reasonable to have been done to defeat a due diligence defence has never been entirely correct in the eyes of the law. Thankfully a recent Ontario Court decision in the construction sector reminds us that the due diligence defence is alive and well.

In R. v. Thomas Fuller and Sons Ltd., the Ontario Court of Justice found that the crown failed to prove beyond a reasonable doubt the charge against the accused employer, which was that a wooden brace used in a construction project was not designed and constructed to withstand the forces likely to be exerted against it.

The court also determined that the employer had been duly diligent in the circumstances. Of particular note, the court rejected the crown’s argument that

the employer was negligent, and therefore not duly diligent, in failing to involve a professional engineer in designing the equipment that was involved in the accident. As the court wrote: “Nor am I dissuaded by the failure of Thomas G. Fuller and Sons Ltd. to obtain engineering assistance or to put gauges on the system to measure the force it was exerting. (The Court below) already resolved this matter when he held that there was no necessity to have the installation process designed by a professional engineer or for forces to be calculated.

Even leaving that holding aside I am of the same mind. Due diligence did not require these steps be taken.

“I am making this finding knowing that it is common for the cases in this area to recite that ‘it is open to the accused to avoid liability by proving that he took all reasonable care,’ a phrase that might in isolation suggest that since engineering consultations and gauges are reasonable steps to take, the failure to do so precludes due diligence. As a matter of law, though, the phrase ‘all reasonable care’ cannot and is not understood to require the accused to take each and every precaution that would be reasonable to take in the circumstances. As indicated, due diligence is a negligence-based standard.

The pertinent question is whether the accused ‘took all of the care that a reasonable [person] might have been expected to take in the circumstances.’ In other words, the call for ‘all reasonable care’ is an abridged call demanding ‘all reasonable care that a reasonable [person] would have taken in the circumstances.’”

The court rejected the argument of the MOL prosecutor that Thomas Fuller and Sons, the defendant, could have done “one more thing” to prevent a wooden brace from falling. While they could have consulted with an engineer, or even used a steel structure instead of a wood one, the court found that a reasonable employer would not have done so, and therefore Thomas Fuller and Sons was acquitted of the charge. OHB Cheryl A. Edwards, a former Ontario Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) prosecutor, is a partner in Heenan Blaikie LLP’s Labour and Employment Group and lead in the firm’s national OHS & Workers’ Compensation Practice Group. She can be contacted at cedwards@heenan.ca or 416-360-2897. ontario home builder SPRING 2013

23

13-03-04 12:00 PM

Reasonable Doubt

OHS due diligence defence is alive and well

By CHeryl A. edwArdS In prosecutions under the Ontario

Occupational Health and Safety Act, it’s common for the Ontario Ministry of Labour (MOL) to rely on the argument that an accused employer cannot show due diligence in respect of a charge if it cannot establish that it took all reasonable measures to avoid the offence.

In practice the crown prosecutor for the MOL can often point to just one more thing that was arguably reasonable for the employer to have done prior to an accident, but which it did not do.

Often this “negligence” on the part of the employer is conceived with the benefit of hindsight and is not viewed through the prism of what was reasonably foreseeable prior to the accident.

This is frustrating for constructors, employers and supervisors who labour to ensure that policies and procedures are in place, risk assessments are conwww.ohba.ca

ducted, workers are trained and safety is monitored on the jobsite.

However, this approach of finding something — anything — that was reasonable to have been done to defeat a due diligence defence has never been entirely correct in the eyes of the law. Thankfully a recent Ontario Court decision in the construction sector reminds us that the due diligence defence is alive and well.

In R. v. Thomas Fuller and Sons Ltd., the Ontario Court of Justice found that the crown failed to prove beyond a reasonable doubt the charge against the accused employer, which was that a wooden brace used in a construction project was not designed and constructed to withstand the forces likely to be exerted against it.

The court also determined that the employer had been duly diligent in the circumstances. Of particular note, the court rejected the crown’s argument that

the employer was negligent, and therefore not duly diligent, in failing to involve a professional engineer in designing the equipment that was involved in the accident. As the court wrote: “Nor am I dissuaded by the failure of Thomas G. Fuller and Sons Ltd. to obtain engineering assistance or to put gauges on the system to measure the force it was exerting. (The Court below) already resolved this matter when he held that there was no necessity to have the installation process designed by a professional engineer or for forces to be calculated.

Even leaving that holding aside I am of the same mind. Due diligence did not require these steps be taken.

“I am making this finding knowing that it is common for the cases in this area to recite that ‘it is open to the accused to avoid liability by proving that he took all reasonable care,’ a phrase that might in isolation suggest that since engineering consultations and gauges are reasonable steps to take, the failure to do so precludes due diligence. As a matter of law, though, the phrase ‘all reasonable care’ cannot and is not understood to require the accused to take each and every precaution that would be reasonable to take in the circumstances. As indicated, due diligence is a negligence-based standard.

The pertinent question is whether the accused ‘took all of the care that a reasonable [person] might have been expected to take in the circumstances.’ In other words, the call for ‘all reasonable care’ is an abridged call demanding ‘all reasonable care that a reasonable [person] would have taken in the circumstances.’”

The court rejected the argument of the MOL prosecutor that Thomas Fuller and Sons, the defendant, could have done “one more thing” to prevent a wooden brace from falling. While they could have consulted with an engineer, or even used a steel structure instead of a wood one, the court found that a reasonable employer would not have done so, and therefore Thomas Fuller and Sons was acquitted of the charge. OHB Cheryl A. Edwards, a former Ontario Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) prosecutor, is a partner in Heenan Blaikie LLP’s Labour and Employment Group and lead in the firm’s national OHS & Workers’ Compensation Practice Group. She can be contacted at cedwards@heenan.ca or 416-360-2897. ontario home builder SPRING 2013

23

technology

the emergence of these kind of tools reflect the new ideas and innovation around email. insight about what is going on. The service is $4.99/month or $49.99/year. www.contactmonkey.com RappoRtive

A free plug-in for Gmail, Rapportive displays a wealth of information about the people who have sent you email — their bios, employers, location, LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook activity and Skype IDs. Rapportive also lets you make notes about each contact. www.rapportive.com BooMeRang

One of the key things missing from Gmail is the ability to schedule emails to be sent at a later date. Boomerang makes this a snap.

You can send 10 emails a month for free, and there are two premium plans ($4.99 and $14.99/month) that offer more features. www.boomeranggmail.com

Making Mail Magic Tools to make your email more efficient

By Mark Evans Love it or loathe it, email is a huge part

of our working lives. Whether it’s sending proposals, communicating with clients and colleagues or asking for information, email takes a lot of time and effort. So how can email be a more productive and efficient tool? One approach is being more disciplined about using it. For example, it might be a good idea to only check it three times a day (for example, 9 a.m., noon and 5 p.m.), but for anyone lives in their inbox, this approach may not be ideal.

Fortunately, there are a growing number of tools and services that enhance, improve www.ohba.ca

and change how we use email and what it delivers. Here are a handful of the more interesting options: ContaCtMonkey

One of the biggest problems after clicking “Send” is not knowing whether an email arrived or attracted any interest. ContactMonkey is a plug-in for Gmail and Outlook that tells you if, when, how often and where an email was opened, as well as the device or web browser used. For anyone who needs to know how their emails are being received, ContactMonkey delivers valuable

SMaRtR inBox

Like Rapportive, Smartr Inbox provides insight about the people that you email the most. It provides information about someone’s job title, address, phone number and social media accounts, as well as a photo.

Smartr is a free app for Gmail (www.xobni. com/download/gmail) and Outlook (www. xobni.com/download/outlook).

SaneBox

For anyone who feels overwhelmed by email, SaneBox is a way to better manage the flow. It offers filters, prioritization tools, reminders and unsubscribe options so you control email rather than having it control you. SaneBox claims the average user saves eight hours per month. There are three options: $2.04/month, $5.79/month and $19.54/month. It works with a variety of email clients, including Outlook, Mac Mail, Gmail, AOL and Yahoo! Mail. www. sanebox.com ontario home builder SPRING 2013

25

Yesware

Calculated Comfort: Make the Invisible Valuable Homesol’s energy design specialists deliver the modeling, testing, verification and labeling services you need for today’s higher standards.

• R-2000 • Energy Star

• SB-12 Design Summaries • LEED Canada for Homes

• EnerGuide Rating System

• Passive House Design

Want higher sales, happier buyers and fewer comfort call-backs?

Connect with Homesol today!

613-256-0427 Helping Ontario builders save energy since 1999 EnerQuality Evaluator of the Year 2006, 2011

PH

R

www.homesol.ca hbsi@homesol.ca

Billed as “Email for Salespeople,” Yesware is a Gmail-based tool that includes email templates so salespeople can become more efficient. It provides analytics such as who opens your email and the links they click.

As well, Yesware easily syncs with your customer relationship management (CRM).

Pricing ranges from $5 to $20/month. www.yesware.com writethat.name

For people who want to better manage their contacts, WriteThat.name is a tool for Outlook and Gmail that automatically updates your address book and CRM. A key part of how it works is the ability to extract information from email signatures, and then register them in your contacts. There is a free version with limited functionality, while individual plans are $35/month and $59/month. www.writethat.name wisestamp

WiseStamp is an email app that provides new features and functionality to email signatures. Rather than simply using a standard signature, WiseStamp makes it easy to insert other services such as LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, an RSS feed or YouTube channel. Plans start at $36/year for five signatures, $48/year for unlimited signatures and from $199/year for companies. www. wisestamp.com By exploring these services, you may discover new ways to make email a better, smarter or less time-consuming activity.

From a larger perspective, the emergence of these kind of tools reflect the new ideas and innovation around email. Truth be told, the email market is ripe for change and disruption, given it really has not changed that much since its introduction in 1971. For the most part, people still use email the same way they have always done.

But with the web allowing new services to be launched quickly and in a cost-efficient way, you can expect many more new and interesting email services to be unveiled in the coming months and years. They might not reduce the number of emails hitting your inbox, but they could make things a lot more manageable. OhB Mark Evans is a principal with ME Consulting, which works with start-ups and entrepreneurs to drive their digital marketing activities. www.markevans.ca

26

ontario home builder SPRING 2013

www.ohba.ca

Create a lasting impression... discover the warmth and authenticity of real wood doors & mouldings…

261 Regina Road, Woodbridge, Ontario, Canada L4L 8M3 Telephone 416.747.1992 Fax 905.850.3581 Toll Free 877.226.9930 WWW.TRADITIONALDOOR.COM

LEADING THE WAY IN EFFICIENCY AND COMFORT Now you can deliver the super efficiency of Rinnai’s condensing Tankless Hot Water Heater and New Home Heating Hydronic Furnace.

Plus you can offer both the matchless beauty of Redmond Hearth Fireplaces and the cozy comfort of Amana Furnaces. Redmond/Williams has it all!

Redmond/Williams Distributing, 5190 Timberlea Blvd., Mississauga, ON L4W 2S5 www.redmondwilliams.com 1-888-571-2627

ace idea pllders i for buv ators o n e r &

Drain innovation

top shelf

Infinity Drain offers the only site-sizeable linear drain with the ability to modify the length and locate the outlet on-site for a perfect wall-to-wall installation. Ideal for zerothreshold shower stalls, pools surrounds, patios, balconies, driveways and storm drainage, Infinity Drain systems provide an architectural aesthetic and limitless possibilities. www.infinitydrain.com

Simple pleaSureS

Pfister Thermostatic Shower Panels can really take your morning cleaning routine to the next level.

Instead of just a basic shower head, you get four different water outputs: a large shower head that creates a rainfall effect, a handheld shower head for mobility and hard-to-reach places, swivelling massage water jets and a tub filling water spout on the bottom.

Each panel has two knobs, one to control each function, and a master knob that controls water pressure and temperature. www.pfisterfaucets.com

Green WinDoWS

Windows and sliding glass doors were added to the list of products that are eligible for Energy Star in April 2004, but it can still be a challenge to find qualified products in your area. But all windows manufactured by All Weather Windows are Energy Star qualified. Energy-efficient windows will increase your comfort, cut down noise levels from outside the home and have less condensation in cold weather than standard products. www.allweatherwindows.com

www.ohba.ca

Radical RadaR

DEWALT’s Hand-Held Radar Scanner (DCT418) offers new innovation in the form of radar sensing technology that detects and identifies wood, ferrous metal, non-ferrous metal, live electric wires and PVC behind multiple types of wall surfaces. www.dewalt.com

ontario home builder spring 2013

29

top shelf

Happy Heating

Napoleon’s Ultimate 9700 Series high-efficiency gas furnace is the highest efficiency two-stage furnace on the market, boasting up to 97.1 percent AFUE. It features an industry first Sureview burner system window that allows you to see the flames in operation and is the only gas furnace with a built-in Ultra Violet Light Air Purifier for indoor air quality. www.napoleonheatingandcooling.com

Singing in the Shower

Kohler’s Moxie Showerhead + Wireless Speaker breaks the boundaries on staying connected.

Syncing with any Bluetoothenabled device, Moxie streams music directly into the shower. www.kohler.ca

BeHind tHe tile

Contributing to easier, faster and cost-effective tile installations, Diamondback GlasRoc tile backer from CertainTeed Gypsum is now available for floor and countertop applications. Reinforced with embedded glass mats for added strength and moisture and mould resistance, Diamondback features a polymer coating with a unique textured surface that creates a strong bond, reducing tile slippage during installation.

luxury ride

Whether you are looking for ease of mobility or for an added touch of luxury, a residential elevator is the solution for adding both convenience and increasing the resale value of your home. Federal Elevator’s team will design the perfect custom elevator for either your new build or existing home. Select from a multitude of custom cab configurations to fit your preferred design style and taste. www.federalelevator.com

www.certainteed.com/gypsum

30

ontario home builder spring 2013

www.ohba.ca

Let us help you turn houses into homes No matter how great a house is, it isn’t a home until someone moves in.

Our RBC Royal Bank® Regional Builder sales managers and mobile mortgage specialists can offer:

 Fast, firm approvals at the time of application that will be held until your client’s possession date

 Competitive, extended fixed- and variable-rate commitments  Our extensive branch network to provide a full range of financial solutions  Mortgage financing for upgrades  HomeProtector life and disability insurance coverage for purchasers ®

during the construction phase of the house

Greater Toronto Area

Reza Shohreh

647-967-9815

Ontario North and East

Cathy Corner

613-614-2268

Ontario South West

Paul Keizer

519-400-3729

Talk to us today.

TM

All personal lending products and residential mortgages are offered by Royal Bank of Canada and are subject to its standard lending criteria. ® / ™ Trademark(s) of Royal Bank of Canada. RBC and Royal Bank are registered trademarks of Royal Bank of Canada. HomeProtector is a creditor’s group insurance program, underwritten by The Canada Life Assurance Company, and is subject to terms, conditions, exclusions and eligibility restrictions. Please see the HomeProtector Certificate of Insurance for full details. VPS82290 101446 (01/2013)

top shelf

Vital Storage

With the Vitocell 100-VH/ BH series, Viessmann adds several economy options to its line of indirect-fired domestic hot water storage tanks. www.veissmann.ca

enhanced air

Trane has introduced CleanEffects, the patented whole-house air filtration. Designed from the ground up to clean the air like nothing before, CleanEffectsM makes the air in your home feel cleaner and fresher than you thought possible, removing up to 99.98% of allergens from filtered air. CleanEffectsM filtration can bring welcome relief to anyone with respiratory difficulties. By filtering down to .1 micron, or 100 times smaller than a human hair, it’s extremely effective at removing spores, mould, pollen, pet dander, dirt and dust, preventing them from entering your air and your lungs. www.trane.com

exterior appeal

Stone Selex specializes in manufactured stone products, offering professional exterior wall stone veneer installation at competitive prices.

House facades, stone wainscoting, stone wall accents, doors and windows trimming, bay-window treatments, post and pillars, exterior kitchens and landscaping stone walls are just a few examples of typical use of stone veneer. All Stone Selex products are backed with a 50-year warranty. www.stoneselex.com

32

ontario home builder spring 2013

Welcome to canada

Superior Walls recently announced that its Xi precast concrete insulated wall panels are now evaluated for Canada. Xi wall panels feature steel reinforced concrete and 2 1/2-inches of DOW Styrofoam insulation to create a permanent barrier against sidewall water penetration. www.superiorwalls.com

www.ohba.ca

T:7.125”

PICK YOUR BATTLES. ALL OF THEM. In the f igh t agains t the el emen t s, onl y L enno x ® o f f ers a ful l l ine o f H VA C equipmen t t o cover every home. From tempera ture con trol to air qual i ty to energy e f f iciency, w e o f f er the bes t range to ensure tha t v ic tory is yours. To see w ha t el se i t does, v isi t l enno x .com or cal l Bob Smi th a t 416-7 25 -0 106.

T:4.833”

INNOVATION NEVER FELT SO GOOD.™

Facebook.com/lennox

Follow us on Google+

YouTube.com/lennox

© 2013 Lennox Industries Inc. Lennox dealers include independently owned and operated businesses.

LEN_M_13_707_A.indd 1

2/19/13 10:12 AM

PRODUCTION NOTES APPROVALS

BY

DATE

FINAL FOR PRODUCTION

Studio

X ASTERN ONTARIO DISTICT AD 707 Output At: 100%

Art Director: Copywriter: Print Mgr: Client Serv: Colour: Fonts:

NONE NONE GINA SEARY STEPHANIE CHAN, REBECCA SPIECE 4C REGISTER, HELVETICA NEUE, TT SLUG OTF

Type Mgr. Proofreader Print Mgr. Art Director

Trim: 7.125” X 4.833” Bleed: NONE

X 4.833”

13 2:13 PM REPRESS

TA,

®

Copywriter Creative Dir. Typesetting: Optic Nerve This advertisement prepared by PUBLICIS

YELLOW,

BLACK

www.ohba.ca

Title: PICK YOUR BATTLES. Pubs: ONTARIO HOME BUILDER

LASER%

Acct. Mgmt.

100%

Client

Region/Layer Code: AD NUMBER/COMPONENT:

LEN_M_13_707_A REVs

0

DUE DATE: FEB 15

ontario home builder SPRING 2013

33

HOT COLD

Model 22

WOODFORD 22 SERIES HOT/COLD WALL FAUCETS

Now, the convenience of year-round outside cold and hot water is easy, reliable and maintenance-free.

Woodford models 22 and V22 are freezeless, anti-rupture, and drain automatically with the hose removed. Our patented Pressure Release Valve (PRV Stem) releases at approximately 300 psi, eliminating the chance of pipe rupture.

We’ve also improved water flow and added long-lasting, more ergonomic powder-coated oval handles. And Woodford quality comes at no extra charge.

BECAUSE MAN

DOES NOT LIVE BY COLD WATER ALONE.

WOODFORD MANUFACTURING COMPANY 2121 Waynoka Road Colorado Springs, CO 80915 800.621.6032 tel www.woodfordmfg.com

Model V22

RepResented in OntaRiO by: Armco Agencies phOne 905-238-8448 Les Ventes Bergeron Sales phOne 613- 445- 4170

bIG buIldeRS, bIG buSINeSS

Top TwenTy Builders

What makes a top builder? Is it customer service, a high volume of sales, a good reputation? According to some of the big names in Ontario, success in the building industry appears to require a number of key ingredients.

Ontario Home Builder set out to uncover what some of the most successful builders are doing to maintain a leading role in the industry. At first blush the selection may be dismissed as being Toronto-centric. Fair or not, the big builders concentrate on the large markets. Toronto, of course, is the number one attraction and presents the most opportunities. Ottawa, however, is also a major arena and fast becoming an attractive fresh market for large builders is Waterloo Region.

The builders highlighted in this article provide a number of reasons why they have been so successful. Product offering, customer service and innovation play a major role to varying degrees with these builders. There is no one formula that fits all; they have all found a particular niche and dedicate their resources to attracting consumers who are looking for what they offer.

If there is a lesson here, it is to know your market, to understand who your best prospective owners are going to be and learning to speak their language or how to position your company or product to resonate with that particular demographic. We cover two categories — high-rise and low-rise. We wanted to shine the spotlight on these legends and were able to interview several who were willing to share their secrets.

www.ohba.ca

ontario home builder SPRING 2013

35

Top condo Builders

Top Ten

ontario HigH rise buiLDers (in alphabetical order)

daniels Great Gulf homes lanterra developments liberty development pinnacle international plazacorp investments times Group tridel Urban capital property Group Urbancorp

Liberty DeveLopment

Mixed-use developments — the main focus for Liberty and World on Yonge in Toronto — put the firm on the map, says Marco Filice, director of development, claiming that World is Liberty’s “poster child” for mixed-use.

It was the first project to “bust through the recession” and filled the Toronto skyline with eight cranes constructing six buildings at a time when everyone was still fearing a relapse in a struggling economy.

Liberty, a member of BILD, has several multiplanned buildings in the future including more residential, commercial and office for Weston Road and Highway 7. Mixed-use is the future, Filice says, explaining that as commuting costs rise more and more people are looking to live closer to work — similar to the trends 50-plus years ago when immigrants moved into homes around the factories.

Marketing takes a three-pronged approach, he says, explaining that the strategies involve building a close relationship with real estate brokers, developing marketing material that suits the development and knowing their audience and speaking their language.

The challenges in the 905-area are the municipalities, Filice says. Increasing fees mean consumers pay more for their homes, which dampens the efforts to keep housing affordable. The key is to work with municipalities to reduce housing costs, Filice explains, adding that all levels of government need to weigh in to determine the best way to deliver services without burdening the homeowner.

Future growth for Liberty continues to be the GTA where there is critical mass and responding to the demand for mixed-use development.

Centro Square Condos in Vaughan.

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PlazacorP

Building relationships with customers and business partners, such as realtors and brokers, who represent several demographic groups has helped Plazacorp to maintain its position as one of the top builders in the province, explains senior vice president Scott McLellan. As well, the fact that the company has had well over 3,000 sales in the past 36 months is a signal that it has earned the consumer’s trust and confidence in its product and commitment to customer care during the construction process, move-in experience and after sales service, McLellan adds.

The project that was a launching pad for Plazacorp in recent years was the release of 1,634 suites in two projects at Liberty Village — a community that was viewed by many as a location that would become a great community in several years. However, Plazacorp’s success as a brand and a company expedited the development of that area to become a vibrant community much quicker than anticipated, he says. Since the launch in 2009 of Liberty Village, Plazacorp has sold and started construction on four other projects in the downtown core (Epic on Triangle Park, Edge on Triangle Park, York Harbour Club and Ivory on Adelaide).

Plazacorp’s future projects in Toronto’s downtown core include 50 Wellesley (Yonge and Wellesley) and Musee (Bathurst and Adelaide), and outside of the downtown core will

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The Tower at Liberty Village in Toronto.

be The Metropolitan located next to the subway station at Jane and Highway 7 in Woodbridge. McLellan explains that opportunities that will be successful and meet the demands of the marketplace will be projects located close to public transportation, easy access to 400-series highways and lifestyle amenities, such as restaurants and schools.

Success, he says, will continue to be the strength of Plazacorp’s brand and the existing relationships that it has established over the years. “Our strategies are based on those relationships and understanding the marketplace, which are just a few of the fundamentals necessary to maintain the status of a top builder in this very competitive market.”

As with every top builder in Ontario, finding locations for future development will always be a challenge, McLellan says, adding that the cost associated with construction and labour along with levies and other costs will be a challenge.

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Pinnacle international

As other high-rise builders downsized their product to make it more affordable, Pinnacle International maintained a larger profile, refusing to go below the 300-square-foot threshold and maintaining the three-bedroom as a staple in order to attract a wider range of investors and end-users.

The flagship is the Pinnacle Centre, just south of the Gardiner Expressway and a stone’s throw away from the Air Canada Centre. The development turned this sea of parking lots into a vibrant community of more than 2,000 residents over the past 10 years, says vice president Anson Kwok. It was an undesirable area, he says, adding that it created a woeful disconnect between the financial core and the waterfront Today, a full range of amenities, wide sidewalks and promenades make this a highly desirable area.

Future growth for the company, however, is Mississauga. This fastgrowing centre holds perhaps the most opportunities for Pinnacle, according to Kwok. Pinnacle has two large scale projects there which are transforming older areas and creating upscale and modern living for the next generation of residents who might otherwise have moved out of their parents’ homes and out of town altogether. Rejuvenating older areas and contributing to the rapid population growth will create a demand for LRT, Kwok says.

Marketing is done over a wide variety of platforms — a layered, multipronged approach. Pinnacle still does a substantial amount of print, but is also growing its social media strategy. The challenge is the diverse demographics.

Online marketing may attract young buyers, but since they seek advice from parents, print is still needed.

Pinnacle, a member of BILD, began in Vancouver, expanded into San Diego, California, and is in Toronto and Mississauga. These will continue to be the prime markets where Pinnacle will concentrate on mixed-use developments, Kwok says.

Pinnacle Grand Park 2 in Mississauga

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Top freehold Builders

Top Ten OntariO lOw rise Builders (in alphabetical order)

brookfield homes countryWide homes Fernbrook homes Great Gulf homes Greenpark homes h. & r. developments Mattamy homes Minto Monarch royal pine homes

Hawthorne Village in Milton.

MattaMy

Being aggressive and taking advantage of opportunities has been a key to Mattamy’s success, says chief operating officer Brian Johnston. He credits owner Peter Gilgan’s “dynamic vision” and the entrepreneurial culture he has fostered within the company.

It has also taken hiring the right people and having the financial resources to be ready to jump on opportunities as soon as they present themselves.

Hawthorne Village in Milton is Mattamy’s flagship. More than 10,000 residents have moved in over the past decade to become one of the largest residential developments in North America; it literally put Mattamy on the map.

Mattamy is firmly entrenched in the GTA, but will be looking at getting into more high-rise and brownfield development as land prices continue to rise, Johnston reveals, adding that the firm is also eyeing Western Canada and plans to expand its reach in the U.S. with developments in Florida and North Carolina. New housing in the U.S. is coming back strongly, so Mattamy is “very bullish” on the predictions that starts will triple there over the next three years. The areas that attract Mattamy are cities with strong population growth. In Ontario that means Toronto and Ottawa, and, perhaps in the near future, Kitchener.

Mattamy’s strategy has been to create a community feel and produce for a wide range of demographics with a wide price range — to be everything to everyone. Local newspaper advertising still plays a major role in its marketing efforts to reach a broad audience. Signage and attractive model homes are important and websites are critical. And like the majority of Ontario builders, Johnston complains about development charges and lengthy plan approval processes.

Mattamy is a member of BILD, the Hamilton-Halton Home Builders’ Association, the Waterloo Region Home Builders’ Association and the Greater Ottawa Home Builders’ Association.

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MonarCh

Customer service, community and history are the cornerstones of Monarch’s success, says president Brad Carr. Monarch is Canada’s oldest real estate company, he says, adding that the company has been in business since 1917, and is one of the largest and most diversified builders today.

It’s the customer service, however, that proves to be the key ingredient, he says, explaining that long ago they recognized that location and value were only part of the equation. “The most important part is our customer. It’s all about them and what they want.”

Since its first home in the former village of Forest Hill in Toronto, Monarch has built a number of communities throughout the GTA and Ottawa.

Its strongest legacy is probably in Scarborough where the company built thousands of small wartime bungalowstyle houses throughout the ‘40s and ‘50s. From there, Monarch migrated to Markham where today it has its strongest brand recognition. Monarch has been building master-planned communities for the past 40 years, including prestigious neighbourhoods such as Bridle Trail, Bridle Walk, Cathedraltown, Victoria Square and Nichols Manor.

Monarch entered the Ottawa housing market in 1980 and built a number of award-winning communities such as Stonebridge, which is built around the prestigious Stonebridge Golf and Country Club. Later came Kitchener where it has developed a multi-decade master plan called Doon Mills/Topper Woods.

The future for Monarch will be highrise in the Toronto core and low-rise in areas such as Caledon, Kitchener, Halton Region, Peel Region, Durham Region, Kleinburg, Barrhaven and Kanata. The company also plans to be more innovative in its designs, especially in the highrise market. There is more of a premium when it comes to construction costs, but iconic buildings will differentiate the company in the marketplace.

Monarch is a member of BILD, the Durham Region Home Builders’ Association, the Greater Ottawa Home Builders’ Association and the Waterloo Region Home Builders’ Association.

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Minto CoMMunities

Innovative and progressive are perhaps the best ways to sum up Minto Communities, a four-time winner of the OHBA Green Builder of the Year award and recipient of numerous other green awards from other organizations.

The company continually challenges itself to deliver thoughtfully designed, energy-efficient, comfortable, quality homes that customers will value and that reduce the impact on the environment, says president Michael Waters. A long history of innovations, and a focus on understanding and exceeding its customers’ expectations around design, lifestyle and sustainability, has kept Minto in the forefront.

Waters is hard pressed to come up with a single project that stands out as its flagship. However, there are two projects that come to mind, he says. The first is company’s two-tower Quantum project at Yonge and Eglinton in Toronto, which is made up of over 900 units and was the largest LEED Gold condo building in North America. The other project was Stonefield Flats, a 200+ unit project in Ottawa, which was the largest LEED Canada for Homes multi-family community that received Silver certification.

Last year and this year, Minto will launch 15 new projects or communities in Ottawa and across the GTA spanning from Oshawa to Etobicoke and Oakville. One of the most exciting projects, according to Waters, is the 280-unit project that will form the residential component of the redevelopment of Ottawa’s Lansdowne Park, transforming 40-acres next to Rideau Canal into a large mixed-use residential, retail, sports and entertainment development.

When it comes to marketing, Minto focuses on product quality and customer satisfaction, trusting that its reputation for integrity and delivering on the promise will attract new buyers and keep repeat customers. This focus on quality and customer service has brought numerous accolades, most recently, the 2012 Avid Gold Award for Best Customer Experience in Ontario, Waters says.

Like many builders, Minto sees the current economic challenges affecting the marketplace. More specifically, the urban planning environment continues to change with implications for Minto’s land pipeline, development costs, timelines and project economics.

Minto is a member of BILD, Greater Ottawa Home Builders’ Association and the Canada Green Building Council.

The Mahogany in Ottawa.

Ampersand, Gallery Suite

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Introducing the United Collection window JELD-WEN is pleased to announce the rebuilt United Collection of vinyl windows.

Built for performance, beauty and efficiency, the United Collection is now available in Tripane for increased energy efficiency and in home comfort year round. Inside, structural reinforcement and enhanced weatherstripping – along with new hardware options – make the United Collection by JELD-WEN the gold standard for your next project.

To see how our United Collection is stronger than ever before, visit your local sales centre. jeld-wen.ca

g n i t e k ar m a i d e m e h t eyond b

ting efforts e rk a m d n a s le a s p u Stepping e to navigate the negativ ine

By Pierre Lacha

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P

otential homebuyers can be skittish these days. And with words like “bubble” and “crash” being thrown at them nearly daily from all sides — government, newspapers, magazines — it’s a wonder they are buying any houses at all.

According to Richard Luciani, president of Cedar Point Real Estate Corporation and chair of the OHBA’s Sales and Marketing Committee, fighting back against these negative characterizations of the real estate market is one of the biggest challenge facing builders these days. “There are so many different stats that come out — when you consider new home sales, resales, housing starts, when you look at the Toronto market and national numbers. So it’s pretty easy for any media outlet to find stats to serve any angle they want to take on it.”

While the pervasively gloomy outlook in the media has made many potential buyers gun-shy, sales and marketing has become crucial for builders. But in a Tarion Warranty Corporation builder impressions research report, released in May 2012, sales and marketing challenges have become increasingly frustrating for builders — moving from the fourth most critical challenge to the second.

“It’s no secret that things have cooled off a bit,” says Robert Galletta, managing partners at Blackjet, an integrated marketing firm that has represented builders such as Signature, Zancor, Monarch and Lifetime. “We’ve experienced such a great market [in the past] and it’s been quite easy in a lot of instances for builders to sell. [The slow down] has forced everyone to be a little bit sharper.”

As a result, many builders have turned to incentives and price slashing, but the experts advise against that approach.

“It’s not only about incentives. There are always people who shop for the least expensive product and who want the biggest bang for their buck, but that’s a slim number of buyers. If I’m a builder, I don’t know that I’m going after that guy because I may

be the cheapest guy today, but if tomorrow somebody else is cheaper than me, my customer is gone,” says Luciani.

Instead, the experts agree that success comes down to connecting with potential buyers — and that starts with knowing who those potential buyers are. As Galletta puts it: “Be analytical. Understand your audience. Be clear about who you’re targeting and spend the time to analyze data. Look at the way your consumers are behaving, and look at the way they’ve behaved in the past. Understand what they want, what their likes and dislikes are and develop programs specifically tailored to those consumers.”

For those smaller builders who don’t have the cash for expensive market research, Galletta suggests gathering consumer insight can be as easy as looking at their consumer database, and then picking up the phone.

With consumer insight in hand, it’s much easier for a builder to connect with their potential buyers. “If [you] only have five buyers out there now where [you] used to have 20, how do you differentiate yourself so that you are connecting with your intended market who is then going to buy a home from you?

There’s no magic formula. Some take the ‘green’ aspect, which is great. Others [sell] a lifestyle, like the empty nesters,” explains Luciani.

Galletta agrees, and his company encourages builders to focus on the storytelling aspect. They recently worked on a downtown Toronto project called Karma. True to the condo’s name, Blackjet focused on bringing out community support.

“Consumers today are a lot more conscious about where they get their products, and where they’re made, and we brought that idea into the condo market. We reached out to some charities that were hyper local to the community that we were building in and every time someone would register for that specific condo, we’d give five dollars back to the charity of their choice.” Galletta noticed, ultimately, those who registered also often shared that message through social media, such as Facebook and Twit-

“in away,you can have thousands of Product ambassadors out there working foryou.”

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SaleS and marketing tipS for renovatorS While builders sometimes spend upwards of 5 percent of their project’s budget on sales and marketing, it’s often an afterthought for renovators.

But Richard Luciani shared a few things these renovators can do to help themselves without breaking the bank.

“it’S not only about incentiveS. there are alwayS people who Shop for the leaSt expenSive product andwhowant the biggeSt bang for their buck, but that’S a Slim number of buyerS.” ter. The campaign was a success.

While the real estate market has slowed somewhat, the advent of social media has proven to be a real boon for marketing. Michael Waters, president of Minto Communities Ontario, says his company has had great success with social media and e-marketing techniques. It’s an ideal way to quickly spread your messaging. “Condo projects are very big on creating a big buzz about their projects before launch through social media and getting everyone else out there to be your spokesperson. In a way, you can have thousands of product ambassadors out there working for you,” says Luciani.

Luciani also touts the importance of the often overlooked fundamentals of marketing, including the company website.

“Sooner or later, [most] of your buyers are going to look at your website and it needs to be accurate and up to date. It sounds like

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Take Before & After Pictures “Renovators tend to be smaller guys and a lot of the principals are guys who are hands-on and doing a lot of the work, and they’re so busy all the time.

They intend to take before and after pictures, but I can’t tell you how many times I hear ‘I forgot to take these pictures, I was just so busy.’ It’s helpful to be able to showcase their product much better because they do some great stuff.”

Communicate with Your Customers “Unfortunately, it’s pretty common for renovators to take longer than expected and there are often many hidden surprises that come throughout the process. Communicating with your client — keeping them in the loop with what’s going on — will help avoid some communication issues that could arise, or some frustrations that could lead to a custumer using social media negatively against the builder. Or vice versa being proponents for the builder, saying ‘these guys did a great job.’”

a simple thing, but a lot of people fall down on that and it kills credibility and trust when a buyer sees something at a certain price and they come into the sales office and it’s no longer available or the price is different.”

And, with skittish buyers taking longer these days before making decisions, the one-on-one experience in the sales office is as important as ever. “Excellent training and preparation of the sales team to guide a customer throughout the process is key. Our team is prepared for the buying process to take a bit longer, and we coach them on specific ways to nurture relationships with prospective purchasers over many months,” says Waters.

Finally, while the relationship with the potential customer is very important, the experts all underlined the importance of another player, particularly in smaller towns and the condo market: the real estate agent. Builders should be asking how they can get real estate agents to be part of their sales force, and bring their customers with them. “Of course, you have to cooperate with them and you have to pay them,” says Luciani. “Right now, some condos are offering more and more towards [agents], like higher percentages of commissions.” OHB

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S O U L O F T H E C I T Y S E R I E S : T H E R E D R O C K E T. A N E N D A N G E R E D S P E C I E S ?

SOUL OF THE CITY TORONTO STAR “More subways!” It’s a refrain heard over and over, while the plan calls for more LRTs. The future of streetcar is far from certain, but the place it holds as a symbol of a people-friendly city will remain forever – perhaps because looking out a subway car offers just a flashdance of grey concrete streaming by.

For charm, and the view, the Red Rocket wins, hands down. It’s got soul.

The Toronto Star knows its readers, many of whom ride “The Better Way.” Check it out: 70% more women and 48% more 25-54 year-olds read the Star than our closest competitor.* When the spread in readership is that great, you can bet advertisers know it too. When you place your media, place it where the people are. Advertise in the Toronto Star and on thestar.com *Source: NADbank Fall 2011/Spring 2012, Toronto CMA, Weekday Readership

vs. n e e r r-g e p su inEs e h t f Kapog o e l t t y ElainE a b B The

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S

ituated in the cozy neighbourhood of Brockton Village in west-end Toronto, a community of 20 luxury townhouses is in the works (expected occupancy November 2014). Its modern, angular design and muted-tone aesthetic will set it apart of your typical townhouse complex — and at up to nearly 3,400 sq.ft. and with a $1-million-plus price tag ,these certainly aren’t your typical units. But dig a little deeper you’ll realize that the uber-modern design is not the only thing that sets this community apart. Great Gulf’s Lighthaus Brockton is a certified Active House community — the first in Canada.

Nearly 500kms from Brockton near downtown Ottawa sits the three-storey, 1,500-square-foot Rideau Residence duplex.

Stylish and sophisticated, the design is understated and relatively indistinguishable from the current building aesthetic.

But, like Lighthaus, there’s more going on than meets the eye.

In 2011, Homesol Building Solutions gave this urban duplex one of Canada’s first Passive House Certifications.

If you’re unfamiliar with the terms “Active House” and “Passive House” you may rightly mistake them for polar opposites.

But really, Active House and Passive House are two sides to the same coin — the same green coin.

Active House is a European-based principle that focuses on “building houses that give more than they take from society and the environment,” says Kurt Emil Eriksen, general secretary of the Netherlands-based Active House Alliance. “We have 48

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The Rideau Residences in Ottawa. A LEED Platinum Passive House designed and built by VERT Design.

a vision of building that contributes positively to the environment by being optimized on the energy issue, on the comfort issue and on the environment issue.” And it’s those three issues — energy, comfort and environment — that are at the core of the Active House philosophy. It’s a holistic approach to green building that “puts human beings in the centre,” adds Eriksen.

Passive House is also a green building philosophy with its roots in Europe, but Passive House focuses specifically on energy efficiency, boasting an energy savings of 80-90 percent.

The focus of Passive House standards includes insulation, airtightness and maximizing passive solar gain. “It’s about finding that sweet spot between efficiency and economy,” says Malcolm Isaacs, director of the Canadian Passive House Institute. “Net zero may not be affordable, but Passive House can be.”

So, with all the discussion today about green building — especially in light of the Ontario Building Code changes — are these standards the future? Are “green builders” heading in the direction of Active or Passive House principles? And will these homes appeal to buyers who are not only educated in terms of what they offer, but who expect tangible return on their investment?

Although “Ontario — and Canada — are so far behind...Passive House has to be the future,” says Isaacs. “If you don’t get on board with this you’re going to be left out of the loop.” And Ross Elliott, president of Homesol and a Certified Passive House Consultant, not only thinks Passive House is the future, but www.ohba.ca

Exterior view of Great Gulf’s Lighthaus Brockton Canada’s first certified Active House community.

that it’s just around the corner as a general building standard.

“I think we can get to Passive House by 2030. It’s easy to get there if we do it incrementally, like we’re doing with Energy Star right now,” explains Elliott. He argues that if Energy Star continues to increase its standards by 25 percent better than code every five to 10 years, “then in 17 years we will have seamlessly and very gradually made our way up to a net zero-ready home.” This theory is based on The 2030 Challenge, an initiative of Architecture 2030.

The same sentiment of achievability is echoed by proponents of Active House as well. Great Gulf, with their Lighthaus community, not only helped to prove that Active House is achievable in Canada, but also achievable for production builders — an argument made by detractors of these types of uber-green programs. Tad Putyra, president and chief operating officer of low-rise at Great Gulf, believes Active House will only continue to gain popularity as more people become aware of the benefits.

“If something is attractive to the buyer they will ask for it,” says Putyra. “The question is then, how do we bring it into the level of new construction and into mass production?” For Great Gulf, their use of Brockport Home Systems, a company that manufactures pre-fabricated components for the home building industry, has helped bring their concepts to the mass market.

Elliott also sees the demand for these types of houses as www.ohba.ca

Passive house has to be the future,” says isaacs.“if you don’t get on boardwith this you’re going to be left out of the looP.” consumer-driven. “We’re not seeing a whole lot of buy-in from the big builders right now,” says Elliott. “We definitely see them excited about Energy Star — it’s safe and easy for them. I totally understand where they’re coming from. But where we’re starting to see the interest is on the custom builder side, and this is being driven by the buyer.” And the transition from custom builds to production builds will happen as buyer demand increases.

“If only 1 percent of the market wants a house that has a 75 percent reduction in energy use, then the track builders will ontario home builder SPRING 2013

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say that there’s no market there,” Elliott continues, “but when it gets to be 20 to 30 percent of the market, that’s when we’ll reach a tipping point. And the only way we’re going to get to that point is when the 1 percent who are moving into their Passive Houses are telling their friends and neighbours about their $250 annual energy bill.”

There also seems to be a consensus that at this point in the evolution of super-green standards, the certification itself may not be the most important element — it’s the awareness and understanding that comes along with going through the process and doing the analysis. “We have this holistic view to building,” says Active House Alliance’s Eriksen, “so we want to focus on the performance of the building, not the individual

components. For example, we want you to focus on the air quality in your room, not how you get there.”

Elliott agrees, using the example that sometimes you’re not able to build a south-facing house — the ideal orientation for Passive House. “In that case, you may not be able to squeeze those last few kilowatts out of it. But it’s the Passive House building principles that are the most important thing.”

So in the battle for green superiority, which standard — if any — will emerge as the Blu-Ray of the industry? Only time will tell, but in the meantime, as more people become aware of what’s out there, the builders, designers and suppliers will continue to push the limits — which can only be good for the industry as well as the environment. OHB

opponent #1:

opponent #2:

active house

passive house

According to Kurt Emil Eriksen, general secretary of the Netherlandsbased Active House Alliance, the basis for Active House principles are rooted in three areas: energy, comfort (or indoor comfort) and environment.

According to the Canadian Passive House Institute (CanPHI), design parameters for achieving Passive House standard are:

Energy “Forty percent of the energy we use in the U.S., Canada and Europe is for the maintenance of buildings — heating, hot water, lighting, etc.,” explains Eriksen. “So the potential for minimizing the impact on the environment in the construction sector is quite good.”

The Active House Alliance outlines three ways to tackle the energy issue: 01. Minimize the inherent energy demand of the building through architectural measures, such as orientation, materialization and shape of the building.

02. Source the remaining energy requirement as much as possible from renewable and CO2-free energy sources, either on the building, plot or the energy system.

03. Any remaining energy demand may be fulfilled by using fossil fuels through highly efficient energy conversion processes.

Comfort “People spend about 90 percent of their time inside buildings, so we need to focus on the design of buildings from the perspective of creating indoor comfort for people,” says Eriksen. “Indoor climate can be even more important than energy because it’s about our

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health. It can be argued that the only reason to use energy in buildings is to create better indoor comfort; to heat the building, to light the building, to use air conditioners.”

The Active House Alliance breaks down comfort into four categories that should be considered: light and view out, thermal environment, indoor air quality and noise and acoustics.

Building Envelope: U ≤ 0.15 w/ (m²K), thermal bridge-free Triple-glazing: Ug ≤ 0.8 w/ (m²K), g-value (SHGC glass) > 50% Mechanical Ventilation: ventilation with ≥ 75% heat recovery over total system.

Environment “I think that we have all learned that we have limited resources and that we need to focus on how to utilize our resources,” says Eriksen. “So we are focusing on things like analyzing the life cycle of buildings and construction products and how to minimize the use of our domestic water.”

the main criteria for Passive House certification are: Space Heat Demand: max.

15 kwh/m²a, or heating load max.

10 w/m² Pressurization Test Result: max. 0.6 ACH @ 50 Pa (pressurizing and depressurizing) Total Primary Energy Demand: max. 120 kwh/m²a Other standards, as stated on the CanPHI website, fall into the categories of air sealing, building envelope, thermal bridge and windows.

The Active House Alliance specifies key parameters to consider: Resource and Emissions: Consumption of non-renewable energy resources; environmental loadings from emissions to air, soil and water; and fresh water consumption and wastewater treatment.

Air Sealing the Passive House standard demands a minimum tested airtightness level of 0.6 air changes per hour (ach) at 50 Pa, both for underpressure and overpressure, during a blower door test, which must be conducted by a licensed technician.

FOR MORE INFORMAtION ON ACtIvE HOUSE StANdARdS OR ON tHE ACtIvE HOUSE AllIANCE, vISIt www.ACtIvEHOUSE.INFO.

Building Envelope Passive Houses are super-insulated compared to conventional construction. depending on the climate zone, houses built in Canada will need between three

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and seven times better insulation performance than that required by current national and provincial building codes.

Thermal Bridge In order to achieve Passive House building performance in our cold climate, it’s necessary to eliminate significant thermal bridges from any design. Passive House designers follow principles of ‘thermal bridge-free design’, using tried and tested solutions. this limits thermal bridge losses to < 0.01 w/mK. Windows As the thermally weakest part of a building envelope, windows are a critical component in Passive House design. the surface temperatures of glazing and frame surfaces need to remain warm enough on cold nights to minimize interior downdrafts and loss of comfort in adjacent areas. In all Canadian climates triple glazing is essential, with two low-e coatings and argon (or krypton) gas fill, as well as insulated spacers between each glass pane. Passive House windows should have an overall (including the frame) U-value of at least 0.8 w/ m2K (R-7), but higher performance levels will make it easier to achieve the Passive House standard.

FOR MORE INFORMAtION ON PASSIvE HOUSE StANdARdS OR ON CANPHI, vISIt www.PASStIvEHOUSE.CA.

www.ohba.ca

E! T A D E

V A S

H T E

For more information call 1-800-387-0109 or go to www.ohba.ca

“ Building homes is a reputation business. We build the best homes we can, dealing with the best subcontractors, but when a windstorm hits or thieves break in, you have to be able to make things right. We’re experts in building homes, not insurance. That’s why we have Federated Insurance.

Knowing your business matters Find out more at http://ohba.federated.ca

Our Federated Insurance rep Michael is excellent. He’s quick to respond to our needs, with fast turnaround on those certificates of insurance you always get asked for. And he and his team have the expertise to make sure we’re properly covered, which turned out to be key.

With only a few phone calls, they handle everything, and we could get back to doing what we do best. That kind of service and expertise has kept us with Federated Insurance for a decade and counting.”

Jennifer Bartos, Saberwood Homes, Concord, ON OHBA Members for 25+ years Pictured at left, with Michael

Federated Insurance is a proud supporter and the recommended insurance provider of the Ontario Home Builders’ Association.

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(

Single Minded The rise of the single-person household

By MerediTh Birchall-Spencer

)

The idea of the “swinging single” — a carefree 20-something happily bouncing from bar to bar and job to job with no responsibilities — has been replaced by the image of hard-working, professional men and women of all ages eager to carve out a niche of their own on their own. And it seems that more and more people are opting for the single life.

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T

he numbers don’t lie. For the first time ever, in 2011, Stats Canada reported more oneperson households than couple households with children. And between 2001 and 2011, the proportion of one-person households increased from 25.7 percent to 27.6 percent, continuing the upward trend that started several decades ago. This trajectory is expected to continue — Baby Boomers are aging and many find themselves living alone, young people are marrying later; and divorcees are in less of a hurry to walk down the aisle again.

And this growing group of singles is no longer a fringe market for developers; opportunities abound for builders to capitalize on this demographic, but only if they are acutely aware of this market and their unique set of needs and wants.

Liberty Village, a revitalized neighbourhood in the west end of Toronto, has become a flagship of sorts for singles. According to a real estate website, 54 percent of the area’s population is single, with 57 percent between the ages of 25 and 44. Condos in the area are being built smaller with approximately 80 percent having one to two bedrooms — ideal for single dwellers and certainly a deterrent for families. And where the singles go, businesses targeting that demographic will follow. From fancy coffee shops and highend bakeries to a furniture store catering to the “space-challenged,” Toronto Life even labelled this area “the next Chelsea Market” and ranked it as one of the top places in the city to meet singles.

Builders including Monarch, Can Alfa and Plazacorp recognize this area as a land of opportunity and have taken up residence in the area with numerous — successful — condo projects. But it’s not just specific areas that are being lauded for their single-friendly styling. Jim Ritchie, senior vice president of sales and marketing at Tridel told The Globe and Mail earlier this year that single women account for one-third of all new sales.

“Every one of our communities’ amenities are designed to meet the needs of the single person,” said Ritchie, specifically in terms of features such as state-of-the-art gyms and exercise classes, as well as proximity to entertainment, shopping, transit and — most importantly — work.

Tridel’s approach seems to have struck a chord with the consumers they’re targeting. Condo dweller Cynthia Shipley, a marketing and communications professional in her early 40s, said she chose her one-plus den unit in midtown Toronto four years ago primarily because of access to transit, green space and it was within walking 54

ontario home builder SPRING 2013

Demographics

By The NumBers Based on the 2011 census, single homeowners, both men and women, are on the increase. Here’s a breakdown of what the singles are across Canada:

3,673,305 one-person households.

3,524,915

couple households with children.

Between 2001 and 2011, the proportion of one-person households increased from

25.7% to 27.6% of all households.

Lone-parent households rose

7.8%

between 2006 and 2011.

Households consisting of couples without children increased

9.3%

in the same period.

3 in 10

households in Quebec (32.2%) and Yukon (30.7%) were one-person households.

Trois-Rivières (36.7%), Sherbrooke (35.7%), Québec (34.6%) Montréal (32.6%) and Victoria, B.C. (33.5%), had the highest proportions of singles in metropolitan areas.

Hawkesbury, Ont. (36.2%) and Elliot Lake, Ont. (36.0%), had high proportions of singles for regional communities.

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distance to shops and restaurants. “It’s all about neighbourhood character and convenience for me,” she said. And the fact that her unit had a pool and a great gym, which helped offset the maintenance fees, sealed the deal.

This trend of offering a variety of amenities is spilling over from the big cities in the U.S. and seems to be to be attracting the lucrative singles market. “Internet cafes, coffee bars, party rooms, attractive gyms — these are just a few of the amenities that developers are putting into high-end buildings catering to singles in big U.S. cities now,” says Eric Klinenberg, a professor of sociology at New York University, and author of Going Solo: The Extraordinary Rise and Surprising Appeal of Living Alone. “Singles will forego a little living space if they are in buildings that have appealing, well-used common areas, and places where they can socialize with friends or neighbours,” he says.

Toronto real estate agent, Holly Chandler, has seen this trend firsthand. “Singles want a sense of community (possibly a source for not remaining single) but, interestingly, this seems to be more prevalent among the guys I have worked with than it is for my women clients.”

Developers who build homes arranged around a courtyard or surrounding other green space — rather than homes all lined up in a row, facing a street — are more conducive to a neighbourhood feeling, says Bella DePaulo, visiting professor of psychology at the University of California, Santa Barbara, and expert in social psychology of singles. Condos or townhouse complexes will be more appealing to singles if they feature outdoor areas designed to be welcoming to spontaneous gatherings. Well-manicured gardens with benches on pathways and outdoor eating areas with tables invite people to stop and chat.

Winning With Women If you haven’t considered that gender is influencing home-buying rates, think again. According to the 19th Annual RBC Homeownership poll, among Canadians who plan to buy a home within the next two years, women (49 percent) are more likely than men (35 percent) to be firsttime homebuyers. What’s more, 51 percent of women who are likely to buy in the next two years already own a home.

These data are confirmed by Statistics Canada. The Statistics Canada Survey of Household Spending in 2009 revealed 34 percent of single- women households and 52 percent of separated, divorced and widowed owned homes. As for condos, single women made up 33 percent of condo owners; only 18 percent of separated, widowed and divorced women owned condos.

“We are seeing more single women entering into the housing market, as income levels, changing demographics and lifestyle patterns shift purchasing habits,” said Marcia Moffat, head of home equity financing at RBC. “But women are being more cautious than men, weighing cost, affordability and job security before buying a home.”

But while women do heavily consider the financial burden, they are eager to commit to homeownership. “Over the past few decades, one thing that has really changed for single women is that they are embracing their single lives,” says Bella DePaulo, psychology of singles expert and visiting professor of psychology at the University of California, Santa Barbara. “Part of that approach to single life is buying a house and making it their home. Single women create homes that fit their preferences and personalities. Spaces that can be easily adapted to individual needs and preferences are likely to be particularly attractive to single women.

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ontario home builder SPRING 2013

“gone are the days When you got married and lived in the same house for 30 years” Ritchie agrees that builders need to continue addressing the idea of green space. “It’s harder to come by in the core especially, so we turn rooftops into public areas with outdoor amenities to enable people to spend all day outside without leaving the complex if they want to.”

Grounded in reality, today’s singles also know that practicality weighs heavily in a purchase decision, especially for buyers of homes in subdivisions where there can be many similar units on the market at the same time. For singles especially, investment potential and resale value are important factors in their buying decision.

“Gone are the days when you got married and lived in the same house for 30 years,” says Sandra Rinomato, Toronto real estate broker. A condo, townhouse or small detached home can be a stepping stone to something larger — with or without a partner.

Singleton Sylvie Audet said, “I’m willing to pay a premium for something that feels exclusive. I wanted something that was marketable if the economy softens.” And Mark Luceri, a senior HR manager in his early 40s, agreed. “I wanted to make sure I was in an up-and-coming neighbourhood from an investment perspective,” he said about choosing his urban townhouse.

In addition to location and convenience, the ability to customize in advance is a big motivator for singles. Isabelle Glinka, president of Lux Design in Toronto, spends a lot of time with clients customizing their condo spaces. “People, especially women, want to add uniqueness to their homes,” she says. She often adds electrical outlets, lighting and dimmer switches, and builds out closets and feature walls all to make spaces more personalized.

Most singles, however, don’t have or want to pay for this level of design service, but that doesn’t mean they are willing to settle.

“In the last 10 years, condo developers have done a fabulous job on upgrading their standard feature finishes, says Rinomato. “Things like granite and engineered hardwood are de rigueur in most condos now. Ten years ago that was unheard of.” Ritchie agreed that the condo industry has become much more design savvy. “Very rarely do you see carpet or laminate in suites anymore.”

By all indications, this trend of single-person household is only going to continue. Builders have an opportunity to tap into this market as long as they understand the needs of the consumers.

And this is not just a market for condo developers — singles have the desire to own their own space and are not willing to wait for a partner to make the investment. OHB www.ohba.ca

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Champions of Better Built homes HigHligHting tHis year’s enerQuality awards of excellence winners

By Marc HuMinilowycz

The 2012 EnerQuality Awards of Excellence Gala, which followed a busy day of sessions during the OHBA’s annual Builder/Renovator Forum at Blue Mountain, Ontario in February, marked its first year of celebration as a gala awards dinner. By all accounts, the event was a resounding success, drawing approximately 250 Forum participants and other guests. Recognizing the noteworthy efforts of leaders who set an example for green building, the EnerQuality Awards of Excellence acknowledge the spirit of innovation in Ontario’s building and renovation industry, encouraging members to strive towards improving the performance of their homes and reducing their environmental impact.

www.ohba.ca

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IT TURNS OUT THAT GREEN AND GOLD GO WELL TOGETHER. To all the gold winners at EnerQuality’s 2012 Awards of Excellence, we offer our congratulations. To our amazing partners who helped make the event possible, we offer our thanks. And to everyone in attendance, we hope you had an exceptional evening.

TOP RIGHT: Andy Goyda of Owens Corning Canada accepts the Industry Partner of the Year award from presenter Andrew Pride of Ontario Power Authority.

BOTTOM RIGHT: R-2000 Builder of the Year winner Steve Snider with presenter Bruce Bolduc of Simcoe County Home Builders’ Association.

ABOVE: Derek Hickson, Jessica Huddleston and Wells Baker accept the Leader of the Year award on behalf of The Minto Group from presenter Jim Dunstan of Union Gas.

For the fourth time in five years, The Minto Group has once again won the coveted Ontario Green Builder of the Year honour at the annual EnerQuality Awards of Excellence held in February at Blue Mountain Conference Centre in Collingwood.

In his introduction, Joe Vaccaro, COO of OHBA described The Minto Group as a company which has “singularly gone above and beyond energy efficiency to embrace the broader concept of sustainability as a cornerstone of their approach to business, setting a very high bar for the industry as a whole.” Minto’s commitment to energy-efficient, healthy and affordable homes has enabled the company to exceed current ENERGY STAR specifications and prepare for the next generation of green building. The Minto Group also took home the Leader of the Year award in recognition of, among other initiatives, the establishment of a dedicated Green Team and targeting EnerGuide 85 for its houses and LEED Silver certifications for its multi-residential communities.

When presenting the awards for EnerQuality’s ENERGY STAR for New Homes Builder of the Year, Andy Goyda of Owens Corning Canada commented on the large number of entries received in the category this year. The Small to Mid Volume honour went to Doug Tarry Homes, now a three-time winner. Fully committed to ENERGY STAR for all of its homes in St. Thomas, Aylmer and Ingersoll, Tarry takes just as much pride in educating other buildwww.ohba.ca

ers on the advantages and challenges involved in ENERGY STAR certification.

EnerQuality’s ENERGY STAR for New Homes Builder of the Year – Large Volume was presented to Eastforest Homes. Recognizing the importance of building green many years ago, Eastforest remains fully committed to meeting and exceeding the ENERGY STAR specifications. The company provides up-to-date ENERGY STAR training on the standard, including quality controls and best practices standards for its construction, sales and Design Studio staff and subcontractors. As of spring 2013, ENERGY STAR for New Homes will be standard in Eastforest projects located in KitchenerWaterloo, London, Paris, Cambridge, Baden, New Hamburg, Brantford and Simcoe.

Steve Snider Construction was the winner of EnerQuality’s R-2000 Builder of the Year award. Building homes to “Best-in-class” R-2000 for more than a decade, the company’s principals continually educate themselves on the most advanced techniques and technologies, offering clients options that exceed all other building performance standards. One of Snider’s recent projects is a 19-lot cul-de-sac, which will be completely certified R-2000. The company has received numerous building and energy efficiency awards, garnering local, provincial and national recognition.

Gary Botelho was honoured with EnerQuality’s ENERGY STAR ontario home builder SPRING 2013

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TOP RIGHT: Winner of ENERGY STAR for New Homes Champion of the Year, Gary Botelho with presenter Shannon Bertuzzi of Enbridge ; BOTTOM RIGHT: Hall of Fame Winner, the late Stephen Dupuis; ABOVE: The Rain Condominiums in Oakville built by Building Innovation and Excellence award winner Empire Communities.

for New Homes Champion of the Year award. Gary educates homeowners on the benefits of owning an ENERGY STAR qualified/ ECO2 home, spoken at numerous green building conferences and serves on various green advisory committees, including the OHBAEnerQuality Technical Committee.

Empire Communities received the Building Innovation & Excellence award for its participation in the technology demonstration program, LEEP / TAP, and successfully pushing the envelope. Its Wyndfield project in Vaughan is a prime example, which features exterior CodeBord Air Barrier systems, drainwater heat recovery units and whole home energy monitors. Since last September, Empire had built four homes with CodeBord air barrier systems, 27 with combination water and space heating technology and 301 with ECO2 requirements, which surpass ENERGY STAR guidelines.

Owens Corning Canada was once again honoured as Industry Partner of the Year. In his presentation of the award, Andrew Pride of the Ontario Power Authority (OPA) praised the company for “going the extra mile for builders through innovative programming and technical training.” With a reputation in the industry for always putting builders first, Owens Corning continues to develop insulation products that are efficient, forward-thinking, easy to install and economical. The company works directly with builders to help them attain ENERGY STAR qualified homes, providing onsite training for trades, exterior air barrier manuals and easy-toread insulation charts at no cost.

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This year’s Evaluator of the Year is John Harris of DSG Home Inspections. Always involved on the front lines of the construction industry, John is dedicated to equipping builders and trades with the tools and knowledge they need to do their jobs more effectively and efficiently. He has served on committees for R-2000 and ENERGY STAR and been involved in training with HRAI, building inspectors, home building associations and other groups.

EnerQuality’s Hall of Fame award is a special recognition of an individual who has made a significant and long-term impact advocating energy efficiency and green building practices in the new housing industry. This year’s honour was presented posthumously

by BILD past chair Paul Golini to Stephen Dupuis. Stephen was the inspirational leader of the Building Industry and Land Development Association(BILD) for more than 25 years and served as President and CEO of BILD until his sudden passing on September 23, 2011.

Always putting the needs of members first throughout his career, Stephen penned hundreds of published media articles highlighting industry issues and consumer concerns, making BILD a leading advocacy association in the GTA. He championed BILD’s partnership with EnerQuality and the training of members in sustainable building practices. Under Stephen’s leadership BILD’s strategic plan set out environmental stewardship objectives, a Green Policy Statement was created and members formed a Green Leadership Committee. www.ohba.ca

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EnErQuality awards: Big Winner Profiles EnErQuality’s EnErGy star for nEw HomEs BuildEr of tHE yEar large Volume BuilDer winnEr: easTforesT Homes

Rick Martins, Darlene Fraser of Eastforest Homes with presenter, Andy Goyda of Owens Corning Canada.

Rick MaRtins, Vice-President of East-

forest Homes, is just as proud being a part of the ENERGY STAR program as he is of winning the 2012 ENERGY STAR New Homes Builder of the Year-Large Volume award. “There are some great builders in the category this year, and we’re really honoured to have been chosen among

them,” he said with humility.

Eastforest Homes, a company with roots in Europe and values inherited from generations of skilled family craftsmen, has built more than 5,000 homes in Ontario. Continually learning to “green” its homes, improve its construction science and optimize its customer service,

EnErQuality’s EnErGy star for nEw HomEs BuildEr of tHE yEar small-miD Volume BuilDer winnEr: Doug Tarry Homes

Doug Tarry of Doug Tarry Homes with presenter, Andy Goyda of Owens Corning Canada.

Doug taRRy is flush with emotion after

accepting the ENERGY STAR for New Homes Builder of the Year-Small to Mid Volume honour for the third time. It’s not just the warm glow from wining and dining with his peers on a stellar evening at Blue Mountain Conference Centre in Collingwood. For Tarry, the award is both recognition and an affirmation of his company’s pledge to build homes in a sustainable way.

The Tarry name has long been renowned in and around St. Thomas, 64

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Ontario for quality and integrity in residential construction. Doug Tarry Sr. started the company over 50 years ago, living his dream of designing and building superior homes. Today, Doug Tarry Jr. continues the family tradition, taking his company – and its home offering to the next level of environmental sustainability.

Doug Tarry has been an advocate of green building technologies for many years. As past President of OHBA, he stated in an interview following last

the company also prides itself on pushing the envelope beyond the building codes to create better homes, with better value for homeowners.

From a green building perspective, Eastforest has shown leadership in its commitment to ENERGY STAR. Believing that better built homes offer a healthier, happier environment, the company “walks the talk.” Of 400 Eastforest homes constructed last year, 370 (93%) were built to ENERGY STAR specifications.

All of Eastforest’s construction staff and subcontractors are required to complete technical training (arranged and paid for by the company) to prepare them for building to ENERGY STAR. Trades, which have environmental and best practices included in their scope of work, are regularly evaluated for accountability.

Eastforest as well leads the way in site waste management. Utilizing value engineering analysis, every home is designed

year’s EnerQuality awards that building sustainably goes beyond reducing the industry’s environmental footprint. “It’s about making a corporate commitment to internal and external change, challenging employees and customers to do things differently and look for green solutions,” he said.

“We’re proud of how we build our homes,” Tarry beamed after receiving the ENERGY STAR for New Homes award. “Everything we’re doing is to new ENERGY STAR standards.” All new Doug Tarry Homes include an impressive array of energy-saving features that offer superior comfort and economic value to home buyers.

That starts with a superior building envelope design and detailing: attics contain R50 blown cellulose; exterior walls are built with advance framing technology and R24 insulation; basements are cozy thanks to an innovative R20 wall insulation system; passive solar design includes advanced high-performance windows.

Rounding out Doug Tarry Homes’ green features are energy recovery venwww.ohba.ca

in such a way as to minimize materials and waste. In 2008 alone, the builder diverted over 496 metric tonnes of drywall, lumber, packaging and other construction materials away from landfills and into recycling and reclamation programs.

“When you think about where we were, the industry has come a long way,” reflects Rick Martins on green building and ENERGY STAR. “We started on this road 14 years ago, and now we’re light years ahead. I think we’re doing the right thing, for the right reasons.”

Martins praised the efforts of trade partners – specifically evaluators, suppliers like Owens Corning and utilities like Union Gas – in easing the way for builders to learn new rules and new ways in their quest to “go green.” “Change is hard to manage,” he says. “But forces are now working together with a common goal of building a better tomorrow for our kids.”

tilators, 95% efficient furnaces and even electrical/mechanical systems ready to take advantage of solar power. In order to meet and maintain its efficiency targets, the company keeps standardized technical details of each home’s air sealing properties and performs ongoing testing to ensure that its performance is not only measured, but improved over time.

As part of its pledge to promote ENERGY STAR in its marketing and sales, Doug Tarry Homes consistently features the brand in its advertising (print and radio), site signage and model home brochures. In addition, a detailed description of the ENERGY STAR for New Homes program is included on the Doug Tarry Homes website.

It is obvious that Doug Tarry is committed to and passionate about ENERGY STAR. In addition to championing ENERGY STAR through his own projects, he also devotes some of his time to educating both builders and consumers of the benefits of buying into the program. “It’s about giving back,” he says.

www.ohba.ca

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EnErQuality awards: Big Winner Profiles

OntariO GrEEn BuildEr Of thE yEar: The MinTo grouP “It’s all about building a better home

for the customer,” remarked Jessica Huddleston, Communications Specialist - Sustainability with The Minto Group in an interview following the EnerQuality Awards dinner. Considering that The Minto Group had once again claimed top honours at the ceremony – Ontario Green Builder of the Year and Leader of the Year it was a simple and modest claim. But the statement speaks volumes about the company’s continued leadership in the building of green homes and sustainable communities.

Formed in 1955, The Minto Group has worked for almost 60 years to establish a reputation for delivering “better product, service and value” through the ideas and actions of its talented personnel, offering “value, innovation, lifestyle, design, sustainability and quality.” Minto’s environmental policy affirms “a corporate responsibility to the environment” and 66

ontario home builder SPRING 2013

states that “the active pursuit of green initiatives is compatible with growth and prosperity.” To this end, the company has initiated several green programs within the organization.

Sustainability orientation and environmental targets (with performance measures) have been implemented to challenge Minto’s construction, operations, customer-liaison and other staff, while an internationally-recognized Green Team focuses on greening internal operations. Minto’s Green Task Force, comprised of planning and design specialists, looks at new innovations and products. And environmental, engineering and LEED experts in the company’s Sustainability Division develop green plans specific to each new Minto project.

The Minto Group has an impressive green building resume. Its Radiance condo in Toronto’s Minto Gardens was the first LEED-certified condominium in Canada. And Minto Midtown, also in Toronto, has the honour of being North America’s largest multi-residential LEED-certified condo. As of November last year, 2,224 Minto homes in

Ontario are ENERGY STAR qualified.

Minto’s net-zero condominium within the Ampersand community in Ottawa incorporates green innovations such as all-off switches, HRV fan coils and rainwater harvesting. The facility continues to serve as a learning model for the residential construction industry, engaging key stakeholders from policy makers to trades to consumers.

Spanning across all of its business lines, The Minto Group has established 2016 environmental targets including a reduction of carbon and water intensity by a minimum of 7.5% (compared to 2009’s numbers), 80% diversion of construction waste and a commitment to maintaining 100% third party energy/ environmental certification.

“We’re very honoured to be recognized for our achievements in building green,” says Minto’s Jessica Huddleston.

“But for us, it’s not always about being the best. Our primary goal is to build healthy, efficient homes in thoughtfully designed communities places where home and a connection to the community are equally important.” oHb www.ohba.ca

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When you offer it, they will come.

At Reliance Home Comfort™, we’re always working to keep our Builder Program at the forefront of the industry. And our new Comfort Value Bundles are no exception.

The bundles bring together some of our best-in-class heating, cooling and air filtration products along with the water heater rental equipment Reliance is so well known for. The result: bundled products that benefit both builders and homebuyers.

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Banishing Bugs Don’t let pest presence go up when the walls come down

By Alice SiniA For homeowners in the renovation

Build a Foundation For SucceSS

process, things typically get worse before they get better. As their homes are torn apart and the walls come down, it can often get messy before they see their dream house appear. And as a home builder or supplier, it’s your job to ensure those walls go back up just as the homeowner wants, and also that you never let down the defensive walls against pests.

If you do, their perfect new home could turn into a home for pests.

Construction displaces pests from their homes in the ground and under existing structures, while renovation is the perfect time for pests to find a new home. In fact, pests can be built right into the home if those involved in the renovation process are not careful. To build a wall against pests that will last long after construction is complete, make sure you keep up the defense against pests throughout the process.

Before tools start humming, ensure all builders, contractors and staff are on the same page about pest control. Call a licensed pest management professional to survey the site for pest pressure and review the renovation plans. The pest control professional should be a part of the team from the get-go and can help create a proactive plan for the renovation process, which likely will include: • Setting out monitors to assess the pest populations in the area. This will help identify the specific pests that are nearby, helping you take the necessary steps to keep them away during construction.

• Grading the property to eliminate pestsupporting factors in the environment, such as standing water around the foundation. Moisture attracts pests like mosquitoes, while rodents need only small amounts to survive.

• Reviewing final plans and drawings

www.ohba.ca

to ensure all potential nesting areas for birds and wildlife are eliminated.

• Inspecting the foundation of the home, checking for openings that might provide access for pests. If there are any of these entry points, seal them with weatherresistant sealant reinforced with copper mesh to prevent rodent entry. conStruct a Wall againSt PeStS

Once you have the proper pest control foundation, there are several steps to keep up the fight against pests during construction: Keep the construction site as clean as possible to deter pests attracted by food and odours. Keep trash cans and recycling bins nearby so workers can dispose of food waste and ask that they do this frequently and correctly.

Install baits around the property to keep any pests fleeing from the construction away from neighbouring homes. ontario home builder SPRING 2013

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Cover up all building supplies at the end of the day to prevent pests like foreign grain beetles from feeding on the fungus that can accumulate on wet wood.

Building materials like shingles and wood can provide shelter for pests.

If you’re a supplier for the renovation process, you also have an important role to play in keeping pests out of the house.

Lighting: Specific lighting can attract unwanted flying pests. If you are handling lighting for the home, install sodium vapour lights near the building, which are less attractive to pests. Use fluorescent bulbs for any lights further away from the home to draw them away. Avoid bright floodlights if possible as they draw pests toward the home. Finally, locate lights away from air inputs and ventilation system to reduce pest pressures around these access points.

HVAC: Create positive airflow that flows outside when you open a door, rather than sucking air — and pests — into the home.

Carpentry: When installing doors and windows, ensure there are no cracks or crevices around the edges, as they could serve as entry points for pests. Use weatherstripping or door sweeps to help keep out pests.

Landscaping: Just as landscaping should make the home welcoming to house guests, it also can welcome the wrong kind of guests — pests. Keep plants at least a half-metre away to limit harbourage points near the building. Avoid plants that bear berries, nuts, seeds and fleshy fruits as they tend to attract pests to the building.

Once construction is complete, it’s up to the homeowners to maintain the pest-free environment to which your team contributed. Help ensure your hard work doesn’t go to waste by updating the homeowner on the pest control steps you took and any particular pests in the area. With the help of the above tips and a licensed pest management professional, you can ensure a strong foundation against pests.

Alice Sinia is Quality Assurance Manager – Regulatory/Lab Services for Orkin Canada focusing on government regulations pertaining to the pest control industry. asinia@orkincanada.com or www. orkincanada.com.

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ontario home builder SPRING 2013

www.ohba.ca

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Construction and engineering industries need to close the innovation gap

By RoBeRt Luke industry has seen significant growth in recent years, those involved in the industry need to put more emphasis on innovation in order to realize long-term success. Yet, according to a 2012 George Brown College study, “Toronto Next: Return on Innovation,” the sector perceives a lack of return on investment in new technologies, skills training and research and development with academic institutions — all key elements in driving innovation.

Over 300 GTA employers participated in the comprehensive survey, including small, medium and large enterprises across a wide spectrum of sectors. The study focused on the state of innovation and productivity in the GTA and found that: Those in the construction and engineering industries would be among the most likely (59 percent) to invest in innovation if it were to reduce the cost of producing an existing product or performing an existing service.

Almost half see little to modest gain from investments in new technologies, skills training and R&D. Thirty-nine percent place the responsibility of investing in innovation on the shoulders of government.

The long-term productivity and viability of the industry requires a focus on innovation as a business strategy, coupled with investments in research and development, new technology and ongoing skills training. Colleges like George Brown can assist firms in boosting innovation and productivity by identifying innovation for business strategy, fostering R&D partnerships, and de-risking

The construction

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better builder new technology and training.

Right now, construction is shifting from a commodity-based industry to a values-based industry. Rather than putting up buildings as simple commodities where the lowest price determines the build (and builders), the focus is instead on the long-term value and costs, with environmental impact seen as a key factor. Embracing this change means putting innovation first, both in terms of products and processes used.

The Council of Canadian Academies agrees. Its 2009 report “Innovation and Business Strategy: Why Canada Falls Short” outlines the need for businesses to have innovation as a core strategy. This points to a challenge for Canadian construction companies: increased focus by our business sector on high-value market opportunities, such as innovating in the values-based construction industry.

Adopting innovation as a business strategy involves not just adopting valuesbased practices such as LEED certification, it also involves embracing changes in the way buildings are built.

New advances in technology, such as Building Information Modelling (BIM), make it easier to plan and build complex designs. Buildings are now computercontrolled, from inception to execution and operation, requiring our skilled trades to have a concrete understanding of how computers can help them do their jobs to create buildings that perform better. Using new technologies like BIM requires an investment in ongoing training and new technology — two important drivers of productivity and innovation.

The good news is, according to our survey, perceptions of Toronto as being “more innovative” are highest in the construction sector, which correlates well with the finding that those in construction and high tech sectors are the strongest believers in a connection between innovation and gains in productivity. This translates into better long-term success.

George Brown’s focus on engaging industry in applied research is one way we foster innovation while ensuring our graduates have the skills industry needs most. For example, we recently launched the Green Building Centre, focused on construction practices that are environmentally responsible and resourcewww.ohba.ca

efficient. The centre will conduct applied research in partnership with local businesses while training students in advanced construction systems, green energy and computer-enabled, efficient buildings.

While our Toronto Next study shows that the industry may lag in our approach to innovation, we have an excellent foundation on which to build a future of smart, connected buildings, constructed by smart, connected people.

Robert Luke is assistant vice president of research and innovation for George Brown College.

Waste Not Recycled products part of the mix for greener buildings

By Andy SchonBeRgeR When most people think of solid waste

they think of household waste — the blue box kind. Yet it’s inevitable that old homes will be renovated, new homes will be built and a different kind of household waste will be created. The issue of landfills and where to put this waste has never been greater. For example, in Toronto at current waste generation rates the new Green Lane landfill will reach capacity in 2024.

Products that go into homes are increasingly scrutinized by homeowners www.ohba.ca

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better builder

Ensuring your developments are on solid legal ground

who want to know what the environmental consequences are of these selections, including energy, ongoing cost, waste creation and impact on air quality. In fact, an Ontario Tire Stewardship (OTS) poll in spring 2012 found that 94 percent of Ontarians agreed that developers of new homes and commercial buildings should incorporate more sustainable building products into them.

Recycled products are filling this need without compromising product quality or impacting cost, and at the same time helping to keep increasing quantities of material out of our landfills.

An example of this is the work being led by Ontario Tire Stewardship, which is helping to divert 12 million tires generated in Ontario each year away from landfills by creating awareness of the benefits of innovative recycled rubber products.

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A third-party home or building label can help identify a home that has been built with environmental performance criteria in mind. Product and material selection play important roles in these certifications. Take LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) for Homes as an example — recycled rubber products can count towards two points under the “Materials and Resources” category.

Examples of these products include cedar shake-replacing roof tiles like the Enviroshake, soundproofing underlayment like Quiet Down, fitness centre flooring from KN Rubber and landscaping mulch from Shercom. A myriad of recycled rubber products can deliver expected (and in many cases improved) performance, while also diverting a substantial waste stream from landfills.

While commercial builders have been more concerned with LEED than residential builders because of demand and economies of scale, the benefits of a healthy, energy-efficient building that uses responsible materials are exactly the same for residential buildings. There are plenty of builders offering Energy Star-rated homes, energy-efficient upgrade packages, or showcasing the value of environmentally responsible product selection, but market acceptance of www.ohba.ca

these features lags behind that of commercial.

It will take time for the average consumer to understand and demand these features in homes, and focus on highlighting the benefits of these features by builders and developers. A granite countertop may still be worth more than an Energy Star air conditioner to many buyers, but if that same buyer is shown the home’s total cost of ownership of the energy-efficient choice over a 20-year period, they will reconsider.

The same can be said for a roof — if a buyer wants cedar roof shakes, but compares the total cost of ownership to the Enviroshake roof tiles, they will pick the recycled rubber product for good financial reasons, not to mention maintenance costs. The environmental benefits of a recycled product add value.

Certifications like LEED provide third party validation of the “green-ness” of the total package of a building.

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The Earth Rangers Centre exemplifies the adoption of recycled materials in a commercial setting. Enviroshakes cover the sloped roof surfaces and Pro-Fit athletic flooring is found underfoot in the staff fitness facility. Indeed all renovations and additions must hit targets for sustainable purchasing that requires the adoption of recycled or other lowimpact materials. Home to a not-forprofit organization, cost is a serious concern as well, and the adoption of these products is based on life-cycle cost and performance benefits of the materials and environmental impact.

Homes and buildings in general are a focal point for energy, materials and resource consumption. If homeowners, developers, builders — everyone involved from design to mortgage approval — are involved in making healthier, more valuable homes with less environmental impact, everyone benefits. If you compare total cost of ownership, health and environmental impacts of a green building to a similar “brown” building, it will either cause the value of the green home to increase, or decrease the value of the comparable brown home. Either way, the decision is easier for the buyer, if they understand the comparisons. ohB www.ohba.ca

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product focus

Windows & Doors

Future technologies are current trends

By Dan O’Reilly The functionality and proliferation of

windows and doors has evolved over the centuries, especially in recent years with the emphasis on energy efficiency. Driven by new technologies, legislative changes and environmental concerns, that evolution will continue. “Approximately 20 percent of homes in Ontario are now built to the Energy Star standard,” says Larry Brydon, past chair of the Toronto Chapter of the Canada Green Building Council.

The senior envelope engineer for contractor Flynn Canada, Don Delaney, says recent changes to the Ontario Building Code “require a rethink of the design of the building envelope. We need to be more thoughtful about the design, use and placement of high performance windows.”

Of course it might be argued that that rethink has already happened or is happening. “Windows glazed with argon filled, low-e coated insulating glass used to be considered high-end technologies, but have now become the norm and, in the case of new homes in Ontario, are mandatory by building code,” says Michael Barclay, project manager, window services with green building consultant Enermodal Engineerwww.ohba.ca

ing, a member of the MMM Group.

Technologies that are now found at the higher end of the building market include triple glazing with one or two layers of low-e coating, says Barclay. “This is probably still the most common way of building better insulating windows, above and beyond

We need to be more thoughtful about the design, use and placement of high performance windows. double-glazed argon filled units. But not all sashes are able to fit triple glazing.”

Another advancement is the development of warm edge spacers. “Using spacers made of better insulating materials than the traditional aluminum box spacer, such as steel, stainless steel or non-metals, improves the U-value of a window and makes the window more resistant to con-

densation around the edge.”

Looking to the future, Barclay says there are a number of products in the research stage that someday will have a practical application. That list includes insulating glass, vacuum glazing and dynamic glazing and glass that can change properties based on environmental or movement conditions.

“In my opinion, the correct application of current technologies is just as important as creating improved ones.”

Asked about some common mistakes builders make when selecting windows and doors, Christine Lolley, a co-principal of Toronto-based Solares Architecture Inc., says they “don’t take into account passive solar design principles and put too much glazing on the west and north facades.”

Other short-sighted measures include purchasing the least expensive products, opting for inefficient openers and not paying enough attention to the installation process. “A window is only as good as its installation. If you invest in a good quality window, make sure you get the most for your money by installing it correctly so there is no air leakage or thermal bridging around the frame itself.” ontario home builder SPRING 2013

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product focus

Strength & tradition The Jeld-Wen United Collection of windows has been updated and refreshed for greater energy efficiency and increased performance to exceed the requirements put forth in the revised Ontario Building Code. The United Collection seamlessly blends beauty, technical superiority and energy efficiency into one attractive package. For the first time, the United Collection is available in optional Tripane and multiple glass options for superb energy efficiency and increased STC values. Jeld-Wen improved nearly every aspect of the window— adding optional hardware, structural reinforcement for integrity and improved weatherstripping throughout.

room with a View Available in solid wood, aluminum-clad or all-aluminum frames and suitable for openings ranging from three to 100 metres wide, the NanaWall is a large operable glass wall system that can be used in new houses, small renovated homes in urban areas or spacious chalets in cottage country. Its cleanlined glass panels glide effortlessly on a precision designed track. Easily opened, the panels stack or stow away, opening the room to the outside. When closed, the panels provide a weather-resistant barrier protecting against wind, rain, snow and cold temperatures. The wall system has won international design awards for performance in cold climates and NanaWall Systems is the first folding door company to meet Passive House standards, says the manufacturer. Based in California, it recently opened a Toronto-area showroom. www.nanawall.com

Sturdy and StyliSh Pine wood harvested in South America and treated with a special preservation process in the Netherlands is used to make Accoya, considered the world’s leading high technology wood.

Vaughan-based Traditional Doors uses this material to create stylish, yet sturdy entry doors which can withstand the harshest weather conditions. Every door, even those installed in houses with low overhang protection from the sun, is covered with a full warranty. A full range of customized options is available, says the company.

Practical Beauty With a 4.5-inch thick stainable frame, the Uniqwood from Casa Bella is a window that combines beauty with practicality. This is a low-maintenance f u l l-v i nyl w i ndow with a wood interior.

A patented process is used to apply the wood without the use of glue, staples or nails. Recipient of both Canadian and U.S. patents, the Uniqwood was designed so that expansion rate of the two fastened materials when exposed to heat and cold is not an issue. With optional features such as triple glass, foam insulated frame and Double LowE Glass, the Uniqwood offers a 45 percent higher energy efficiency, says the manufacturer.

As with all CasaBella windows, it has dual seal warm edge spacer system that uses a high-performance acrylic adhesive for its structural seal, backed by a moisture vapour seal.

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product focus

VinTage Flair Builders looking to create a unique look in the marketplace might want to consider the new line of Pulse entry doors from Therma-Tru. Offered in either oak-grained fibreglass or smooth fibreglass and steel, the doors feature clean lines and crisp angles that configure together to deliver a sleek, modern appearance. At the same time, a number of iconic details with vintage flair lend a nostalgic appeal. The doors come in both 6’8” and 8’0” heights, and builders have a choice of four styles — Ari, Solei, Echo and the Línea. A number of privacy glass and decorative options are also available. www.thermatru.ca

Tailor-made ScreenS Just introduced on to the market in late 2012 by Phantom Screens, the Prestige Retractable Screen blends seamlessly with the interior finish and profile of custom wood windows and then disappears out of sight when not needed to restore the view.

Suitable for most custom wood windows including casement, French casement, double hung and horizontal glazing, the screens are mounted to the inside of the window frame and slide vertically from the top down. The housing for the screens is manufactured from extruded aluminum to which a stainable wood veneer is applied. It’s that process that makes the screens so unique, says the manufacturer. Available in seven wood species, the veneer creates a unified, seamless and unobtrusive matching look. www.phantomscreens.ca 80

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naTure reSiSTanT For t u nately, hurricanes are not a frequent occurrence in Ontario. Still, that’s no reason for not considering a major new innovation from Pella Windows and Doors. Its 350 Series windows now come with an optional impact-resistant glass designed to help protect homes against hurricane force winds and flying debris. Designed with a laminated glass with a polymer interlayer between two panes, the HurricaneShield stops flying debris from breaking completely through. The glass is so strong it can withstand the impact equivalent to that of a 2-by-4 board travelling at 50 feet per second, says Pella. Extremely energy efficient, the glass is also resistant to moisture. www.pella.com

“energy” Foam Available since the spring of 2012, EnerMax is a an optional foamfilled frame and glazing system with a stainless steel spacer bar and dual Low-E coating which Pollard Windows is offering on its Advantage Line All Vinyl Windows. This system helps retain heat indoors during the winter and keeps heat out during the summer. The spacer bar has lower conductivity than standard bars, so heat from inside the home does not transfer out as quickly. By upgrading to EnerMax, the energy rating for windows will be 52 percent higher than Energy Star requirements based on a Fixed Lite window. Compared to other alternatives such as triple glazing, that’s a cost effective measure, says the manufacturer, pointing out its insulated properties have caught the attention of energy and environmentally conscious builders. Some are already offering it as an upgrade in their homes. www.pollardwindows.com www.ohba.ca

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outside the boX

Outside In Bringing the best of the outdoors inside

By Avi FriedmAn Each year, especially after a harsh

Dr. Avi Friedman teaches architecture at McGill University.

He can be reached at avi.friedman@ mcgill.ca.

82

winter, I look forward to the spring.

Spreading lawn furniture on the deck and heading to the market to get flowers is a ritual that I treasure greatly. But I can’t help wondering if we can bring the outdoors in with us.

Canadian homes are well insulated, heated and were designed to protect us from the elements, but they rarely let occupants have a summer-like feeling indoors.

Canadian housing forms were largely based on the climatic conditions and dwelling cultures of the countries of origin of our country’s first settlers. Since many of them came from northern Europe, they brought along housing types and building traditions suitable to that part of the world. These traditions were later modified to fit local building resources and environment.

Log cabins and cottages for rural settlers and townhouses and walkup apartments for urban dwellers were some of the dominant first dwellings constructed here. These types all draw daylight in from the

ontario home builder SPRING 2013

periphery of the home. The dwelling’s centre often remained dark. In our long winters with few daylight hours, we haven’t really managed to develop innovative approaches to bringing light into the core. Skylights, when used, were often part of apartment buildings and served as ventilation more than illumination.

Present in many parts of Europe, the courtyard or atrium house’s roots are well grounded in warmer settings. The rooms are all built around a court that acts as the main source of light and ventilation. The yard is open to the sky and is a place where people congregate informally.

Many variations of courtyard houses developed throughout Europe and Asia. They have been successful in creating an outdoor environment within the dwelling year-round. I regret that the forefathers of our housing did not integrate some of these features in Canadian homes. Here the courtyard will have to be covered, of course. Given the dimensions of our homes, the courtyard need not necessarily be huge. It

will be equivalent in size to a balcony or deck. It can become our living room or our dining area.

With properly selected skylights, courtyard homes can assist with our energy management through passive solar gain. Heat can flow through them from lower floors to upper floors. In two-storey homes, one can even see the possibility of having a tree planted indoors. Top rooms can be built around the court and have double exposure to natural light and cross-ventilation. The floor of the court may be tiled or landscaped with planting material, which can grow along the surrounding walls.

In addition to interior courts, Canadian dwellings can have a greenhouse attached to their side or a sunroom. These places have become affordable in recent years and they have a very positive effect on how we feel in the middle of winter.

With a documented link between winter blues and exposure to daylight, it’s worthwhile exploring the many advantages of bringing the outdoors in. OHB

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