As a development company dedicated to building better communities, Collecdev sits at the forefront of sustainable building practices, collaborating with industry leaders to advance innovative technologies and inspired ideas. Nerva Energy is one such leader that shares our vision to create high-performance communities that promote a healthier planet. We recently partnered with them on a landmark pilot project, rolling out their innovative AeroBarrier construction technology in a multi-unit residential building at Tippett Park Two. (You can read more about the pilot, a first in Canada here.) We are proud to announce that the project was an overwhelming success and earned Nerva the Green Building Visionary Award from the Canada Green Building Council (CAGBC).

This prestigious award recognizes organizations that take an innovative approach to advancing green building technology, products, policy, design, or operations. Thanks to the pilot project in collaboration with Collecev, a study that demonstrated significant energy and greenhouse gas emission reductions, with little to no impact on the construction schedule, Nerva’s AeroBarrier captured the attention of the Council and of the industry.

“Congratulations to our partners at Nerva Energy. We are immensely proud to have collaborated with them on this exciting project and we’re humbled by the recognition from the CAGBC. With this award, it is clear that Tippett Park Two and AeroBarrier are setting new industry standards in environmentally-conscious, sustainable urban development, standards that will help create better possibilities for homeowners, the community and the planet.”

– Fernando Valenzuela, Collecdev Vice-President of Development

AeroBarrier is an innovative envelope-sealing technology that can reduce a building’s heating and cooling energy needs, improve indoor air quality, and ultimately reduce greenhouse gas emissions. At Tippett Park Two, the state-of-the-art air sealing system was used to seal gaps ranging from as big as ½” in diameter, to as small as a hair follicle, resulting in benefits like:

• A 98% reduction in air leakage
• Lower utility bills (up to 30%)
• Better indoor air quality
• Reduced transfer of odours
• Better performance for HVAC systems
• Improved soundproofing
• Protection against insects and pests

The technology is GreenGuard Gold certified (a certification that ensures products are built to contribute to safer, healthier air), has zero VOC content, and contains no ‘Red List’ components, making it safe to use in any building, including those aiming for LEED, WELL, or Fitwel certification.

Advanced building technologies like AeroBarrier will continue to drive the development of high-performance communities, and we at Collecdev are proud to be partnering with the industry’s brightest green building visionaries to lead the charge.

For more information on Tippett Park Two, a community in partnership with Shiplake, visit our Communities page. And for more information on NERVA, the exclusive representative for AeroBarrier in Canada, visit nervaenergy.com.

Miles Davis once said, “For me, music and life are all about style.” Well we think the prolific musician would be pretty pleased to hear that Toronto Jazz Fest is touching down later this month in Yorkville, the heart and soul of the city’s style scene.

Now in its fourth decade, the annual music festival offers 10 days of free outdoor concerts from more than 1,500 musicians, in venues all across the city, including three outdoor stages in Yorkville. From June 23^rd to July 2^nd, big names like Ashanti, Halvah Mighty, LOONY, the Andrew Marzotto Quartet, and Jully Black will step up to the mic, uniting people through music.

Lesser-known, though-no-less-talented, performers will also surprise and delight with acts like the Big Band Slam. The afternoon features high school bands from across the GTA jamming with JUNO award-nominated artist, Tara Davidson, in an afternoon of trumpet blasting, trombone sliding, and soulful sax excitement on the TD Main Stage.

Since the inaugural festival in 1987, Toronto Jazz Fest has welcomed more than 12 million music-goers and 35,000 artists, and earned accolades as BizBash’s #1 Music Event seven times in the last 10 years. It’s just one of the many destination events that animate the Bloor-Yorkville neighbourhood year-round. Area residents, like those who will soon enter their new home at Cielo, will find exciting activities through every season, from Icefest to Yorkville Murals, Fleurs de Villes to Summer Music in the Park.

With so many things on the calendar, plus world-class retail brands and illustrious arts and cultural institutions available 365 days a year, it’s no wonder the area around Cielo is one of the most coveted in the city. Stop by during Jazz Fest and see what all the fuss is about. Miles Davis would approve.

For the full schedule of performances visit TorontoJazz.com and for more information on Cielo, visit collecdev.com.

In Japanese mythology, there is a belief that anyone with the patience and commitment to fold 1,000 origami paper cranes will be blessed with good fortune. On an entirely different continent, and for cranes of an entirely different sort, we at Collecdev have our own beliefs about the relationship between cranes and good luck.

“When constructing a high-rise tower, one of the most significant milestones is the erection of the tower crane,” says Jennifer Burstein, Collecdev’s VP of Construction. “To mark the occasion, our team always tosses a coin into the concrete slab as it’s being poured, as a sign of good luck.”

That tradition has been a part of every Collecdev community to date, and with an award-winning line-up of human-centred developments across the city, it seems to be working.

The next coin will soon be tossed at Cielo, a statement of refined architectural modernism, redefining Toronto’s skyline with a landmark Bloor Street address. Site shoring is now underway and the next major milestone will see the construction crane erected on site, Burstein’s favourite part of the process.

“After months of staging activities, the installation of the crane marks the start of the physical structure taking form. It’s the moment when the vision for the project starts to transform into physical reality, and when our purchasers begin to see their future home coming to life.”

Cielo will use a Luffing Jib crane, a specialized piece of equipment ideal for construction in dense urban areas like the downtown core. Unlike a Hammerhead crane, where the jib (the horizontal beam that supports the load) rotates 360 degrees horizontally around the mast at a fixed level, a Luffing Jib crane has an angled jib that can be raised and lowered, anywhere between 30 and 90 degrees, in a motion known as “luffing.”

Not only can a Luffing Jib crane accommodate heavier loads than a Hammerhead, but it is also particularly adapted to working in confined areas thanks to its reduced radius and ability to be parked in a vertical position when not in use, rotating freely with no danger of colliding with neighbouring buildings.

The Luffing Jib crane at Cielo will be a RAIMONDI LR 273 with a maximum lift capacity of 18 tons, a maximum radius of 60 metres, and a maximum hook height of 61.8 metres, making it the most efficient choice for this particular site.

Though they may be more technology than ornithology, the cranes on construction sites are nonetheless a portent of positive change, signalling development, progress, and economic growth for the city. In 2022, a study done for BILD (Toronto’s Building Industry and Land Development Association) found that the construction industry contributed over $60 billion to overall economic activity in the GTA in 2021 alone. And that economic activity helped support $17 billion in wages, salaries, and employee benefits. Construction investment in the GTA accounts for approximately 1.4% of all GDP, Canada‐wide, and the construction industry is the 4^th largest sector in Ontario, and the 7^th fastest-growing sector overall.

The cranes dotting the city skyline are signs of something big. Big gains in sustainability (the more we build up, the less development has to expand into greenfield areas). Big opportunity (high-rise residential and office towers provide more options for cities to attract a highly-skilled workforce). Big innovation (greater employment opportunities mean greater knowledge sharing).

It’s no wonder the installation of the tower crane is Burstein’s favourite milestone. It’s a sign of amazing things to come, and brings us one step closer to delivering another complete community to the GTA.

To learn more about Collecdev communities and our commitment to the latest innovations in construction and design, visit collecdev.com.