Though climate change is still debated in political circles, the science is clear — the average temperature on our planet is rising, and weird weather and large storms are only the beginning. Carbon production is a part of our daily lives but many people around the world have begun thinking about how to reduce their carbon footprint, even if only a little.
Though there’s growing evidence that high density living is better for the environment that sprawling suburban neighbourhoods, there are issues that are unique to condos. As much as we love floor to ceiling windows and window walls — they’re particularly vulnerable to heat loss. As highlighted by the CBC, window walls consist of two panes of glass, insulated by a sealed compartment containing argon or Krypton gas. Through heating and cooling, the glass expands and contracts and in time that seal can fail; the gas leaks out, and the insulating factor of those window sis drastically reduced.
Naturally, many condo buyers are interested in purchasing an energy efficient home; it makes sense financially and for the environment as well. Condo developers have been thinking about this issue too, and some have begun to implement more energy efficient features in their buildings. But what are these new eco friendly features and how do they impact our carbon footprint?
The Green Roof
One of the most common eco-friendly features that’s been turning up in condos is the “green roof”. In essence, a green roof is a roof that’s covered in vegetation. Not only does this create a unique look, it also provides a number of benefits: regulates indoor heat, reduces the impact of the sun heating the building known as the “heat island” effect, creates spaces for bees and insects in the city, slows the flow of rainwater coming off of the roof, and it produces oxygen.
As it stands, there are multiple condos in Toronto that implement this feature — 30 Roehampton Ave and The Berczy are two of the better known buildings with green roofs, but there are many more.
Rainwater Collection and Low Flow Toilets
Water usage is another area that developers have been targeting; low flow and dual flush toilets have been the norm in Toronto for some time now, and despite some odd criticisms that have been leveled against them, they’re here to stay.
Rainwater collection through cisterns is a more recent addition; some condos now feature underground cisterns that filter rainwater for use in the building. This can have a dramatic effect on the amount of wastewater a building produces; such a system is currently in use at Cinema Tower.
Car Free Buildings
When it was announced that The Residences at RCMI would have no parking spaces, other than 9 spots reserved for a car sharing program, many Torontonians were outraged. There were write ups in multiple publications with heated debates in the comments sections, but in the end, the building was built as intended and everything’s worked out just fine.
The Residences at RCMI happens to be located in Toronto’s busiest neighbourhood, the Bay Street Corridor, where public transit options are never more than a few minutes away. By implementing a car share program and creating extensive bicycle parking in the building, the developers succeeded in their plan; the building is openly advertised as a car-free condo and is in high demand.
Electric Car Charging Stations
Electric cars are an obvious solution to our fossil fuel addiction, but for many condo owners, finding a place to charge is easier said than done. Thankfully, more and more developers are creating car charging ports in their new condominiums or adding them to already existing properties. Minto 775 was completed in 2013 and features multiple electric car plug ins, as well as a host of other eco friendly features.
Photovoltaic Double Glazing
As mentioned above, floor to ceilings window walls can be a big contributor to heat loss, requiring increased consumption in the winter months, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Photovoltaic Double Glazing is a technology that allows a portion of sunlight to be converted into electricity: Through use of transparent semi conductors in the glass, these windows can utilize solar power. In theory, we could one day build condos that produce enough electricity to power themselves, without any pollution.
There’s still a long way to go if we want to reduce our carbon footprint and improve the outlook for our climate, but with the implementation of eco-friendly features, condo owners can enjoy the knowledge that they’re reducing their impact on the planet—and saving some money on utilities in the process.
