Our Philosophy

Recognizing problems and creating solutions

Developers should begin with an environmental philosophy that focuses on health and well being. By imagining new possibilities in how we build, we shift our collective intelligence in new directions—letting nature be our guide. Think of how a tree, or a lung, is exquisitely designed for oxygen exchange. Think of sunlight, and a leaf’s perfect photosynthesis. Nature’s elaborate systems, so elegantly simple in operation, must be our cue in everything we design going forward.

We choose to use materials and products that are harvested and manufactured in environmentally and socially responsible ways. We believe that the choices we make around the products and materials used in buildings should acknowledge the full consequences of their creation and use.

Wellness and environmental stewardship need to be at the heart of everything we do.

Re-imagining what a building can do

What if every building was intelligently designed to improve our relationship with the planet by reducing our impact on the Earth? We constantly seek new ways to not only lessen the environmental impact of development—but to build positive contributions for our surroundings and inhabitants. We are striving to lead by example, proving the economic and social feasibility of responsible development.

By bringing nature into built environments, we encourage the use of natural materials wherever possible; materials that benefit, rather than harm, our health. We intend to promote biophilia, grow food in the sky, create spaces full of fresh air and daylight, and ensure plentiful green spaces that directly affect our mental and physical well-being.

  • BC Wood

    By employing BC Wood from sustainably managed forests, our projects will advance the industry by altering market perceptions, providing choice, and putting the performance and environmental implications of construction at the fore.

  • Store carbon in the structure

    Over 50 percent of the volume of wood by weight is carbon dioxide that the tree captured and stored in the material. Using mass timber as our primary structure is a functional and effective way to sequester atmospheric carbon while bringing natural, renewable materials into the very heart of our buildings.

  • Produce energy, not waste

    By integrating photovoltaics into our buildings, we can generate our own energy for use by occupants and contribute any excess energy back to the grid. We use waste energy sources to minimize our use of grid-sourced energy. And we dramatically reduce energy consumption with extremely high-performance building enclosures and real-time monitoring that influences behaviour and improves our building efficiencies over time.

  • Capture the rain

    Water is a valuable resource, yet it literally falls from the sky. We minimize our use of grid-supplied potable water by repurposing stormwater flows, with the aim to get to be net zero in water operation.

  • Promote biodiversity

    We can restore the biodiversity potential of our sites through the integration of street level and vertical landscape elements. We choose to create a closer relationship between the built and natural environments and benefit from a range of life and habitat. Our landscapes provide green space to residents and the wider neighbourhood, while providing habitat for native flora and fauna and promoting biodiversity both locally and as part of our global ecosystem.

  • Reduce the need for cars

    We hope to champion low-carbon mobility options and encourage occupants and residents to be active.

  • Reduce waste

    With a goal of zero waste projects, we incorporate composting, recycling, and waste centres that enable inhabitants and residents to reduce the generation of solid waste production from their dwellings, businesses, and community.

Our goal is to create the healthiest built environments possible. Learn more about how we do this at our Principles & Goals page.

Learn more about our principles & goals