Laneway Housing University of Toronto (3s, Baird Sampson Neuert)

[AlbertC]

Aug 17, 2020

 

[ADRM]

Had a nice conversation with the GC here this morn; I had forgotten (or perhaps never known) that these are passive house designs. He said in the depths of winter when it was pushing -20C, they had one of the homes fully enclosed but not yet heated, and it was hovering around 0C; it's sitting on a foam core bridge that insulates against the concrete pad on which it sits to reduce heat loss/cold transfer, and the walls have at least 7 inches of insulation between the vapour barrier and the exterior cladding. Also said the University's ambition is to do *37* more of these around the campus, which is just lovely.

He also marvelled at the fact that the University is paying his company to do three homes here in the same amount of time that it typically takes them to do 100 suburban sprawl homes. There's lots wrapped up in that.

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

Had a nice conversation with the GC here this morn; I had forgotten (or perhaps never known) that these are passive house designs. He said in the depths of winter when it was pushing -20C, they had one of the homes fully enclosed but not yet heated, and it was hovering around 0C; it's sitting on a foam core bridge that insulates against the concrete pad on which it sits to reduce heat loss/cold transfer, and the walls have at least 7 inches of insulation between the vapour barrier and the exterior cladding. Also said the University's ambition is to do *37* more of these around the campus, which is just lovely.

He also marvelled at the fact that the University is paying his company to do three homes here in the same amount of time that it typically takes them to do 100 suburban sprawl homes. There's lots wrapped up in that.

I wonder if they are using German triple pane glazing for this. I can imagine they can speed up construction considerably with a panelized designs.

AoD

 

[ADRM]

I wonder if they are using German triple pane glazing for this. I can imagine they can speed up construction considerably with a panelized designs.

AoD

Good q; forgot to ask about the windows. GC was really interesting and thoughtful -- it struck me that he might be a good interview subject for an intrepid UT journo!

 

[DavidCapizzano]

If it's passive house the windows are probably from Vetta

Vetta Windows Vetta Doors Passive House Living Building Challenge

Vetta is advancing the performance of energy efficient projects by supplying superior windows and doors to Canadian high performance buildings including Passive House, Living Building Challenge, prefab wall panels, retrofits projects and Laneway houses.

www.vettawindows.com

 

[am29]

Had a nice conversation with the GC here this morn; I had forgotten (or perhaps never known) that these are passive house designs. He said in the depths of winter when it was pushing -20C, they had one of the homes fully enclosed but not yet heated, and it was hovering around 0C; it's sitting on a foam core bridge that insulates against the concrete pad on which it sits to reduce heat loss/cold transfer, and the walls have at least 7 inches of insulation between the vapour barrier and the exterior cladding. Also said the University's ambition is to do *37* more of these around the campus, which is just lovely.

He also marvelled at the fact that the University is paying his company to do three homes here in the same amount of time that it typically takes them to do 100 suburban sprawl homes. There's lots wrapped up in that.

How does this speak to the financial feasibility of laneway housing being a financially viable option for homeowners that own properties zoned for this?

 

[WislaHD]

How does this speak to the financial feasibility of laneway housing being a financially viable option for homeowners that own properties zoned for this?

I'm looking forward to these becoming modular in a few short years time, greatly reducing cost and time and becoming feasible for more homeowners to engage in.

 

[A Torontonian Now]

I'm looking forward to these becoming modular in a few short years time, greatly reducing cost and time and becoming feasible for more homeowners to engage in.

A little OT, but I've thought there is a business opportunity for a company that would approach homeowners with a laneway housing package: they would apply for the permits, construct it, and finance it, in exchange for a right to the majority of X years of rental income. The homeowner benefits from the incremental property value and a small percentage of the rent, the company could have a lien against the home to ensure that they are paid appropriately if the initial homeowners sell. Efficiencies of scale and learned experience would assist the company in doing this type of infill in a cost-effective manner.

Maybe I shouldn't be giving away my idea for free, but sadly I don't have the resources or GC experience to pull it off...

 

[ADRM]

How does this speak to the financial feasibility of laneway housing being a financially viable option for homeowners that own properties zoned for this?

It doesn't, really; most people aren't going to do passive house, which can pretty significantly add to construction cost and timelines. U of T of course has vast resources to dabble in this sort of thing at an effectively nominal risk; this is part of a broader effort of their real estate strategy to push various envelopes, which I think is super welcome.

Laneway housing as it's currently conceived as-of-right in Toronto is really a niche public policy play; it is possible only in a portion of the city according to a very specific set of criteria; if the City wanted to get serious about laneway housing being a practical way to inject hundreds of units of supply into the market every year, it would have to take a dramatically different approach.

 

[WislaHD]

Laneway housing as it's currently conceived as-of-right in Toronto is really a niche public policy play; it is possible only in a portion of the city according to a very specific set of criteria; if the City wanted to get serious about laneway housing being a practical way to inject hundreds of units of supply into the market every year, it would have to take a dramatically different approach.

Well it couldn't be laneway housing because there is only so many laneways in the City of Toronto.

You would have to look into coach housing instead, which are still not allowed in the City of Toronto. Other jurisdictions such as Ottawa though, have approved them.

 

[interchange42]

Well it couldn't be laneway housing because there is only so many laneways in the City of Toronto.

Keyword: many

42

 

[WislaHD]

Take that map, and remove laneways that don't fit the criteria of laneway housing design guidelines, and remove other laneways that back onto commercial properties.

I'm sure there was a study on it somewhere in the last few years, but even if all those eligible lanes were to have laneway housing additions, it would do only a dent to the Toronto housing market.

In terms of raw numbers, we would be better off from a housing supply standpoint to relax planning policy along the Avenues and invite density there.

That being said, I see no ill in proceeding with laneway housing wherever and whenever it can be done (as well as bringing in coach housing into the mix, as that would unlock much more of the map than just laneway housing).

 

[ProjectEnd]

Alternatively, we could grow up and adopt guidelines which encourage results similar to many Japanese cities or some of the populated but car-free outlying islands around HK (Lamma, Peng Chau, Cheung Chau, etc.). 3-4 storeys total, retail / commercial at grade, 2-3 levels of small apartments above.

I mean who could ever want this: https://www.google.ca/maps/@22.2264...4!1s0lncBgKlEms3z-zb3CLpwA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656 ?

The horror...

 

[AlbertC]

Aug 29, 2020

 

[AlbertC]

NEWS: U of T’s unique laneway homes (Aug. 2020)

gleanernews.ca

While planning these houses, the University of Toronto also considered their sustainability and energy performance.

“The goal is to be as energy efficient as possible. We were hoping for net zero, I don’t think we’ll be quite there but, we will be close,” Macdonald said. The homes will include solar panels to support this idea. It will also include a unique feature that was not originally predicted.

According to Macdonald, the three pilot homes will will be partially heated using geothermal energy. An ‘earth-tube’ will go down into the soil, where it will, “act as a moderating influence on air temperatures.” Earth-tubes were recommended by the architect of the project, as a sustainable alternative to fossil fuels because the earth is naturally warmer during winter, and cooler during summer. The integration of geothermal energy will allow for smaller, more efficient heating and cooling systems in the homes.

Earth-tubes would not have been possible if U of T hadn’t demolished a nearby house, leaving a big hole in the ground.

“It’s possible that future builds will not have that same opportunity,” Macdonald said, “but because we had it there we thought we would try it.”

Panel construction, which minimizes construction noise, is another unique feature of this development. According to Macdonald, finding a contractor who was comfortable with panel construction was, “tricky.”

“It’s essentially constructed of panels that kind of click together. They’re all pre-purchased, pre-assembled, and brought to the site…It all kind of snaps together as if it was a big Lego project, and then from there, the interior gets built,” Macdonald said.

The University of Toronto plans on building 30-40 more laneway homes after they receive feedback from the three pilot homes. According to Macdonald, it will take a year for feedback on the energy performance of the homes, and a few months for the design.