Sustainable Housing Tour Promotes Canadian Expertise to Chinese
Inovative IDEA: Insulated subfloor and wall panel system
Inovative IDEA: Platon air gap membrane
The Sustainable Condo™: Gets walls and eco-insulation
Greening Homes: Sustainable Urban Solutions
Christopher Phillips from Greening Homes, is the Sustainable Design contractor providing the eco-renovations on the Sustainable Condo™, currently under construction at Downsview Park.
Greening Homes helps homeowners and businesses in the Greater Toronto Area create healthier and more sustainable environments by combining non-toxic, natural products and materials with the highest standard in construction practices. With a background in ethics and a graduate of the Sustainable Building Design and Construction program at Fleming College it is safe to say Christopher is passionate about sustainable design and our natural environment. Realising the need to make a difference in an often wasteful and unhealthy industry, Christopher formed Greening Homes in 2007.
We caught up with Christopher and his team, busy at work, to ask a few questions about the company and why they got involved in the Sustainable Condo renovation.
For more information on Greening Homes visit their website at www.greeninghomes.com.
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Christopher Phillips from Greening Homes
Sustainable Housing Tour
Promotes Canadian Expertise to Chinese Urban and Rural Construction Group
"They were a very inquisitive and entertaining group." said Mark Salerno, National Sales Team, leading the tour and helping to promote Canadian products and technologies. "They certainly kept the translator on his toes!"
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation organized a half day Sustainable and Affordable Housing Tour in Toronto, on January 12, 2009 for the Chongqing Urban and Rural Construction Commission. The Commission oversees urban and rural development, transport, land resources and housing, environmental protection, planning, municipal utilities, civil air defence and parks. WHEW!
The tour, which was part of the York University two-week educational program, introduced the International delegation of directors, architects, designers, researchers and engineers from Chongqing China to key aspects of sustainable building - including new construction technologies, sustainable community planning and energy efficient building products.
China has a population of more than 1300 million people. It should not be surprising then to learn that it has more than 160 cities with populations of over one million; Chongqing is China's largest inland city with a total population of over 32 million. Nearly 6 million of their residents live in the city with the remaining in nearby towns and rural areas.
The Chinese Government has specifically targeted the Chongqing region as an area in which Sustainable development and infrastructure will be promoted. A total of 24 delegates took part in the tour to see a range of housing types including market, social, affordable rental and ownership housing.
Downsview Park and Greening Homes lent a hand, adding further value and inspiring more conversations. Tony Genco, President and CEO of Downsview Park provided an informational session and A Glimpse into the Future of the phased plan for Downsview Park that is gradually changing the appearance of the former Toronto military base into a self-sustaining park in every sense.
"It's always exciting to speak to people from across the world, regarding the great story about the making of Downsview Park. We are setting some great foundations and creating a jewel in the crown for the future vision for the lands and beginning to make them a reality." said Tony "We all learn a great deal from these exchanges and it's a great honour to work with other crown corporations such as CMHC to tell our story. I see it as another version of the Team Canada missions from home."
Delegates larned that, Downsview Park will be more than a Park, in a traditional sense. The future involves living, working, playing and learning sustainably. A new lifestyle for the 21st century.
On-site exhibit, EcoSmart Foundation's Sustainable Condo™, located in The Hangar at Downsview Park, offered the delegates a chance to explore up close some of the advanced techniques and Canadian building products available. Chris Phillips, Principal of Greening Homes, discussed some of the sustainable materials being used in the project, which is still under construction.
Did you know: Every year, half of the new buildings constructed in the world are located in China and this is expected to maintain for the next ten years?!
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Downsview Park: A Glimpse into the Future
Artist rendering looking north parallel to Keele Street along the boardwalk along the west edge of the Lake.
Tony Genco, President and CEO, of Downsview Park presents the vision for the 572-acre Park to Chinese delegation.
Greening Homes provides delegation with tour of
The Sustainable Condo™
It's no secret that basements can be cold, damp, uninviting places. Insulating and finishing them is a challenge. Not only can it be very expensive, but in traditional basement finishing, condensation can cause mold and mildew where wood is in contact with the concrete. We realized that as more and more families were looking to remodel their basements, there would be a great market for a cost effective, do-it-yourself insulation system that eliminates moisture and mold growth and gives the homeowner a warm, comfortable living space.
Development/market challenges
As with any small business, there was the initial challenge of raising capital and awareness of the product. People "got" the product right away, even as we were still figuring out how to promote it and get it into stores. In responding to what architects said they wanted, we made changes and improvements to the prototype to reduce moisture even more. In June 2008, new research into the insulating qualities of air led to a re-design of the Barricade Insulated Subfloor. The new product eliminates air space under the tile, which has been shown to increase condensation and lessen the insulating properties of the product. In addition, the new design decreased manufacturing waste going to the landfill by 66%.
Product innovations
Barricade is modular and easier to handle than conventional building materials. The building science behind it makes it stand out - the moisture control is achieved by using insulation instead of plastic, which is what was commonly used before. It's designed to keep the cold side cold, the hot side hot and ground temperature at ground temperature. The perimeter grooving allows moisture to move to a fl oor drain or sump pump, and the tongue-and-groove design makes it easy to install. As the products don't require the use of studs or sleepers, there is no wood exposed to the concrete. It is also soft and quiet to walk on. In the end, it saves on energy costs, protects the property from water damage and preserves a healthier living space.
Target buyers
We're definitely focused on the do-it-yourselfer. A typical example would be a young family that is looking to expand on their house. They don't want to spend $100K on an addition, so a basement remodel, at a fraction of the cost, around $25 a foot, becomes an easy, affordable way for them to open up new space in their existing home. We sell our system to home renovation product distributors, big-box stores and directly to consumers through the Internet. Our main competitors include traditional sleeper subfloor and stud wall installation, non-insulated subfloor tiles and basement systems offered through franchised contractors.
Market performance
OvrX Manufacturing's marketing efforts have been focused on supporting current distributors through an extensive online presence offering installation advice and product specifications. Print advertisements in periodicals drive traffic to our Web site. To expand our presence in big-box stores we network through trade shows and trade organizations and meet directly with lead merchants. BuyBarricade.com is our e-commerce Web site geared at customers who do not have a retailer nearby. The marketing focus for 2009 is to provide better end-user point-of purchase marketing materials to pull product through the supply chain.
Identifying a need
Over the years, more and more homeowners have sought to expand their living space by renovating their basements. To combat the inevitable "cold, hard, damp and musty" floors associated with basement floor coverings, early remodelers laid wood studs on the fl oor and covered them with plywood - with only varying degrees of success. The subfloor application for Platon was discovered to be a much better solution that takes up far less headroom. Platon is impermeable to moisture, has a very high compressive strength, and the air gap formed by the dimpled surface lets the concrete breathe. Additionally, in the early 1990s, numerous warranty claims were causing home builders to assess the methods used for waterproofing and protecting their basement foundations. Platon was introduced for this purpose and is now the product of choice for most quality builders. Platon is used to protect all types of foundation walls from water penetration, whether it's for existing foundations or new construction.
Development/market challenges
In Platon's introductory stages, builders were skeptical of the new "air gap membrane" technology. But mandatory new home warranties and the building code required protection that tar sprays could not provide, so many contractors started searching for a better alternative. They found Platon. After the first year, which saw virtually no warranty calls, Platon was accepted as the product of choice, and the business spread across Canada and the U.S. Ongoing product improvements have resulted in a higher quality product and more efficient methods of installation.
Product innovations
As protection against foundation leakage, Platon provides two lines of defense. First, the impermeable, dimpled plastic membrane holds wet soil ¼-inch away from the wall, and, second, it forms a pressure-free drainage channel from finished grade to the footing drain should any moisture enter the air gap. The patented fastening system is both strong and fast. Platon bridges inevitable foundation cracks with ease and reduces leakage callbacks to virtually zero. And because polyethylene is inert, there are no harmful chemicals that could leach into the soil and there are no over-sprays that collect in the excavation. Builders like the fact that there are no weather restrictions and no special equipment needed to install Platon. DIY customers quickly grasp and appreciate the concept as well. As a subfloor system - used with carpet, laminate, hardwood and vinyl - Platon isolates the fl oor covering from cold, damp concrete and provides a floor that is comfortable, warm, healthy and dry.
Target buyers
Our target buyers include retailers, builders, contractors and do-it yourselfers. Platon is sold primarily through contractor supply yards and retail building trade stores. While there are two other manufacturers and one importer of air gap membranes in North America, Platon stands out from the competition as a multi-use product: The distinctive double dimple design allows it to be used on foundations and floors as well as for interior water control and a barrier against under-slab moisture and soil gas. The patented Speedclip or Speedstrip fastening systems are both strong and fast. Platon is suitable for use in any building environment that is sensitive to damage from water or moisture - basically, any building containing living space! Typically, Platon is used by the builder to protect the foundation from leakage and then on the floor by the homeowner when finishing the basement.
Market performance
With the housing market in decline, more builders are turning to home improvements, which have continued to drive sales for Platon. Thanks to its "air gap" technology, basement renovations are creating additional living space for many homeowners. Cold, damp recreation rooms can be a thing of the past and additional sales are created for LBM dealers and contractors.
Looking to the future
Platon has great growth potential in North America. There are very few systems that are as versatile and offer equal value. The use of recycled (post-consumer) material is a definite plus as we all try to preserve our environment. Manufacturing waste is recycled as well, making the process very efficient. The next generation of Platon will feature a geotextile filter for soil side drainage and will also have air gap channels on the reverse side, making it a great complement to the original version.
The Sustainable Condo™, hosted by Downsview Park, is in full makeover mode. The bamboo floors are finished being installed and the design updates continue.
With the help of Christopher Phillips and his team from Greening Homes, full construction is now underway with walls going up and insulation is being installed. They have selected to showcase three different types of insulation for this poroject:
Recycled Denim Fiber
Natural Hemp
Spray Foam
When it came to sourcing insulation materials for the Condo, Greening Homes called on the expertise of Eco Building Resource for recomendations. Appropriately named, Eco Building Resource is constantly researching new products suitable for sustainable construction, such as, Ultra Touch's natural cotton fiber insulation (recycled denim). Not only is it green and healthy is has an R-value of 3.7 per inch! Other benefits include:
Excellent Noise Absorbtion
Maximum R-Value
elass-A Fire Rated
No Itch or Skin Irritation
Resists Microbial Growth
No Formaldehvde
A LEED Eligible Product
Click here to learn more about this form of insulation and to watch the renovation in progress!
We will be following the renovation closely over the next few weeks and posting the latest design updates taking place!
New bamboo floors installed
Walls being installed using FSC lumber from Tembec
