Building With Nature, Not Against It

Look, we're not gonna sugarcoat it - the construction industry's got a serious carbon problem. But here's the thing: sustainable design isn't just some trendy checkbox anymore. It's literally how we keep doing what we love without completely wrecking the planet for the next generation.

Our Real-World Impact

We've been tracking our projects since 2018, and honestly? The numbers still surprise us sometimes. Every building tells a different story, but they all point in the same direction.

42%

Average Energy Reduction

Compared to conventional builds

3.2M

Liters Water Saved

Annually across projects

890

Tonnes CO2 Offset

Last year alone

18

Certified Projects

LEED & Living Building
Solar integration

Energy Performance That Actually Works

We've learned the hard way that passive solar design isn't just about slapping some south-facing windows on a building and calling it a day. It's about understanding how light moves through spaces throughout the year.

Triple-Glazed Performance

Yeah, they cost more upfront. But when you're not bleeding heat through your windows for 30 years, the math gets pretty straightforward.

Smart HVAC Integration

Systems that learn and adapt. We've seen energy bills drop by half just from properly zoned heating and cooling.

Renewable Integration

Solar, geothermal, whatever makes sense for the site. We're not dogmatic - we're practical.

Certifications We've Actually Earned

Getting these wasn't easy. Each one represents months of documentation, site visits, and yeah - a few late nights. But they matter because they hold us accountable.

6 Projects

LEED Platinum

The gold standard - well, platinum standard. Our Yaletown office tower hit this in 2023 and we're still pretty proud of it. 58 points when you only need 52? Yeah, we might've overachieved a bit.

  • Water efficiency: 45% reduction
  • Energy performance: 38% better than baseline
  • Materials: 82% locally sourced
9 Projects

LEED Gold

Our sweet spot, honestly. Gold certification hits that perfect balance between ambitious sustainability and keeping projects on budget. Most of our commercial work lands here, and clients love the long-term savings.

  • Energy cost savings: 30-35% annually
  • Indoor air quality: Enhanced ventilation
  • Waste diversion: 75% during construction
2 Projects

Living Building Challenge

Not gonna lie - this one's intense. Net-positive energy, water, and waste? It's basically asking buildings to give back more than they take. We've only done two, but man, what a learning experience.

  • Net-zero energy: 100% renewable on-site
  • Water independence: Rainwater harvesting
  • Red List free: Zero toxic materials
12 Projects

Passive House Certified

German engineering meets BC climate. The airtightness testing is nerve-wracking every single time, but when you nail it? Your heating bills become almost laughable.

  • Heating demand: Under 15 kWh/m²/year
  • Airtightness: 0.6 ACH @ 50 Pa
  • Comfort: Consistent temp year-round
5 Projects

WELL Building Standard

This one's all about the people inside. Air quality, lighting, acoustics - turns out happy, healthy occupants are more productive. Who knew? (Everyone, actually, but now we can prove it.)

  • Air quality: Advanced filtration systems
  • Biophilic design: Nature integration
  • Circadian lighting: Health-focused systems
7 Projects

Net Zero Carbon

The new frontier. Operating emissions are one thing, but embodied carbon in materials? That's where it gets tricky. We're figuring it out project by project, and the supply chain's finally catching up.

  • Embodied carbon: 40% below typical
  • Operations: Zero annual emissions
  • Materials: Low-carbon concrete & timber
Green roof implementation

Material Choices That Matter

Here's something they don't teach you in architecture school - about 40% of a building's lifetime carbon footprint happens before anyone ever walks through the door. It's all locked up in the materials. So we've gotten pretty obsessive about what we spec.

Mass Timber Construction

CLT and glulam aren't just trendy - they're carbon sinks. Our 8-story office in Gastown? It's storing about 1,400 tonnes of CO2 that would otherwise be in the atmosphere. Plus it went up 30% faster than steel would've.

Low-Carbon Concrete Mixes

We can't eliminate concrete entirely - foundations are still foundations. But swapping Portland cement for fly ash or slag? That's a 40% emissions cut right there, and the concrete actually performs better long-term.

Reclaimed & Recycled Content

Old growth beams from deconstructed warehouses, recycled steel, salvaged brick - they've all got stories and way smaller carbon footprints. Plus there's something cool about giving materials a second life.

Water Management Strategies

Vancouver gets plenty of rain, but that doesn't mean we should waste water. Plus, managing stormwater is becoming a huge issue as we pave over everything.

Rainwater Harvesting

We've got a residential project in Kitsilano that hasn't used municipal water for irrigation in two years. The cistern system collects about 45,000 liters annually from the roof. The gardens basically water themselves now.

67% Water Independence
Average across rainwater harvesting projects

Greywater Recycling

Shower water flushing toilets might sound weird at first, but it makes total sense once you think about it. Our commercial projects are seeing 35-40% reductions in potable water use just from treating and reusing greywater on-site.

38% Reduced Demand
Average reduction in potable water consumption

Green Roofs & Bioswales

These aren't just pretty - they're functional. A green roof can absorb 70% of rainfall, reduce cooling loads by keeping the building shaded, and create habitat. Our Main Street mixed-use project has a bioswale that handles all its own stormwater runoff.

73% Stormwater Managed
On-site stormwater retention and filtration

High-Efficiency Fixtures

Low-flow doesn't mean low-pressure anymore. Modern fixtures use 40% less water without anyone noticing the difference. We spec WaterSense certified everything as standard now - it's such an easy win there's no reason not to.

42% Less Water Used
Compared to standard fixtures

Real-Time Project Dashboard

We're tracking environmental performance across all our active projects. This updates weekly with actual data from our buildings - no greenwashing, just facts.