Heritage retrofit paves way to net-zero future

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For Francisca and Mike Quinn, old buildings aren’t obstacles, they’re opportunities. Their latest project transforms two historic row houses into one of Canada’s rare net-zero office spaces, proving that sustainability and heritage can go hand-in-hand.

The couple’s project — at 29 and 31 Prince Arthur Ave., just steps from Toronto’s Yorkville district — transforms a pair of connected row homes into a state-of-the-art structure that integrates modern design, energy efficiency and environmental, social and governance (ESG) principles. The nearly 16,000-square-foot space is currently available for rent by commercial tenants and is significant as less than one per cent of Canada’s buildings that produce net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

“It’s a long-term commitment for both Mike and for me. We want to bring about change,” says Ms. Quinn, founder and president of Quinn+Partners, a sustainability and ESG consulting firm. Ms. Quinn’s husband, Mike, is the co-founder of RPIA, a Toronto-based asset management firm with more than $13-billion assets under management.

While the couple’s day-to-day work is usually separate, they decided to come together to develop a building project that addresses the growing climate emergency – something they’re both passionate about.

Seeking change through adaptive reuse

“Of course, we’re looking for financial return, but we’re also looking for measurable environmental and social outcomes,” Ms. Quinn says. “It’s an opportunity for building owners and managers, for the trades and for the property market to learn about what can be done.”

The couple plans to release a detailed online brochure and presentation deck to guide others in the commercial real estate sector, highlighting their process for retrofitting the two heritage structures. Having designed the overall building, architects Angela Tsementzis and Aaron Letki describe the process as an ‘adaptive reuse’ — something that may seem simple, but can sometimes be complicated.

“There are complexities because it’s a heritage building, and [there’s] the need to respect its form while tying in an addition,” Ms. Tsementzis says.

The property’s heritage designation means the part of the building facing the street could not be altered. However, the architects were able to add about 11,000 square feet to the original 4,500-square-foot structure from the former parking spaces out back.

How integrated design drives sustainability

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After buying the property and starting redevelopment in 2022, the Quinns put together what they call an “integrated design process” – something that’s different from the traditional approach to developing projects of this size, Mr. Letki says.

“The old model is where the architects create a bunch of sketches and then an engineering team figures out if it can work,” he says. “Integrated design starts with getting everyone around the table first.”

The integrated team drafted a charter in June, 2022, to guide the project’s technicalities and specifications. Among its points, it stipulates that the design should provide access to daylight, fresh air and views. It also says the building should use repurposed or recycled materials as much as possible and be powered by renewable energy, with a gas generator for emergency backup.

The project’s goal of producing net-zero emissions is significant for many reasons, especially since Canada is struggling to achieve its overall net-zero target, says Tonya Lagrasta, head of ESG at Colliers Canada’s real estate management services.

“Buildings of all types contribute 17 per cent of Canada’s greenhouse-gas emissions,” Ms. Lagrasta says, pointing to data from the Canada Green Building Council. “When you add in the building materials and construction work, it’s closer to 30 per cent, making the building sector Canada’s third-highest carbon emitter.”

Natural ventilation, more productive workplace

Ms. Lagrasta notes that a 2023 Colliers report found commercial tenants will pay a premium of up to 8 per cent to rent space in a building with high ESG standards.

To achieve these standards, the Quinns’ integrated team added a spacious, well-ventilated area to the back of the building and had engineering firm Introba install earth tubes – underground pipes that use the Earth’s stable temperature to passively heat or cool air – to improve energy efficiency. The Prince Arthur project’s own research found people who work in offices with natural ventilation are 9 per cent more productive than people in poorly ventilated space.

“Some of the construction design, such as digging for the tubes, was complicated because the building is close [to] the Toronto Transit Commission’s Line 2 [Bloor Street] subway tunnel, so we had to be careful,” Mr. Letki says. “We had a good experience with Toronto. They recognized the building’s value as a demonstration project.”

Need to decarbonize buildings

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Major property owners such as KingSett Capital have spent millions to turn major commercial properties, such as Toronto’s Scotia Plaza and the Fairmont Royal York Hotel, into net-zero buildings.

But it’s important for smaller owners to decarbonize, too, says Joseph Ogilvie, adjunct professor and chair of the OMERS and Oxford Leadership Institute in Real Assets at York University’s Schulich School of Business in Toronto.

“It’s good to see, and there are a number of retrofit programs offered or administered by cities and organizations,” he says. “These programs work best when they serve to get clusters of professionals together to work on a retrofit.”

The Quinns’ Prince Arthur Avenue building benefitted from a City of Toronto retrofit accelerator program that offered incentives and streamlined some of the red tape, Ms. Quinn says. Its mission will be successful if it ends up inspiring others, Ms. Lagrasta adds.

“Building owners say, ‘I’m just a small fish.’ But every building counts,” she says.