CARLA WILSON
Building it better:
New products and systems help save time and improve energy efficiency Prefabricated components. Energy-efficient heating and cooling systems. Low-carbon materials. Rain gardens that filter stormwater. All are increasingly being incorporated into Greater Victoria construction projects. Some — such as prefabricated components — save time on completing a project, which saves money and allows commercial developments to get to market more quickly. New products and systems are evolving continually, many with the goal of energy efficiency. Central heating and cooling systems will allow one unit to warm up and another to cool, so each offsets the other’s energy demands. Other options include a product made of recycled tires to muffle sound and reduce vibration, and another to plug air leaks in a building. Kyle Ryan, chief operating officer at Abstract Developments, says the company has used pre-fabricated wall panels on several projects, including its new Bowker development in Oak Bay, its Bellewood Park property on Fort Street, and its Village Walk building at Oak Bay Avenue and Foul Bay Road. The wall units save time because they allow for rapid installation. Being on the leading edge with new technology is important, Ryan says. For many years, builders have been adopting practices that give them ratings for incorporating energy efficiency and
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environmentally friendly design into their projects. Casey Edge, executive director of the Victoria Residential Builders Association, says members are part of Built Green Canada, an industry-led organization, and are educated in energy efficiency. Built Green Canada says it is moving toward a more “holistic approach” to sustainable building practices, with the aim of preserving natural resources, reducing pollution, improving ventilation and air quality, and enhancing a home’s durability. The idea is to look at a home as a system, from site orientation to building materials, HVAC (heating, ventilation and air-conditioning) equipment, windows, water and electrical consumption, and building practices. Rory Kulmala, chief executive for the Vancouver Island Construction Association, expects to see continued growth for prefabricated products, such as wall panels, and modular rooms, which allow a building to be constructed in parts that are factoryassembled in a controlled environment. “One of the biggest opportunities for construction is in productivity,” said Kulmala, noting job sites can be a challenge to work in, since projects are susceptible to weather and “distance” on site — the need to travel from the ground level to the top of a building with equipment and materials.
“Modularization has the ability to say: ‘Here’s a fully built room — all the plumbing is in,” he said. After one unit is installed, parts are connected and the crew moves on to the next one. Modular homes have been set up for government-backed supportive housing on Vancouver Island and elsewhere in B.C. A crane recently lowered modular units onto a three-storey supportive-housing building in the 800 block of Hillside Avenue for Indigenous women who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. And when it comes to decreasing environmental impact, developers are putting up buildings with plenty of space for bicycle storage and repair. Some downtown Victoria condominiums have hit the market with no parking for vehicles, anticipating that buyers will use transit or cycle. Car-share programs have also been included in new housing developments. As electric vehicles surge in popularity, new projects are incorporating charging stations. Aragon Properties Ltd. has provided each condominium unit with a charging plug in Esquimalt Town Square, which is adopting a range of new technologies. The new Town Square features a shared geothermal system for heating and cooling, and rain gardens that cut back on water running into the stormwater system. C
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2020-04-06 10:23 AM