Creating amenity programs within our communities that not only provide inspiration and encourage connection, but truly reflect the needs and desires of our residents, is a guiding principle at Collecdev. It’s a forward-thinking approach that eschews the status quo in favour of questions like how do people really want to spend their time? What amenities can help improve quality of life? How is the market evolving and what can we do to provide environments that will remain relevant for years to come? The recent global pandemic has validated that we’re on the right course.

Six months ago the hashtag #WFH (Work From Home) was barely a blip on the radar and most people weren’t thinking about whether their kitchen table could double as an impromptu office space. Today #WFH has over 1.8 million posts on Instagram and counting, and, after months of isolating in our homes, we’ve all become aware of the impact our surroundings can have on our mood, our wellbeing, and our ability to work.

At Collecdev we’ve always known that good design and carefully considered amenities can create a sense of belonging and improve quality of life. Thoughtful, forward-thinking amenity programming is at the core of every community we build, and it evolves in response to changes in the way people live.

For instance, several years ago when we saw that freelancing, remote working, and flex hours were becoming more and more commonplace, we began to include flexible coworking spaces in communities like Nørdic and TRETTI, spaces equipped with meeting rooms, private alcoves, community tables, and lightning fast wifi (for worry-free Zoom calls all day long). We introduced pet-friendly amenities like outdoor pet relief areas and indoor pet washing stations to accommodate the growing number of four-legged community members. And we incorporated outdoor courtyards, terraces, rooftops, and landscaped parks, letting residents stop and smell the roses (or the paper birches and pines) whenever they see fit.

Of course, we didn’t foresee a global pandemic, but the same principles that we use to guide our community design – engaging amenities, abundant natural light, convenient access to the outdoors – also enhance the everyday living experience whether or not we’re sheltering in place.

No doubt the last few months will lead to a new future “normal”, but if we’ve learned anything from COVID-19 it’s that, as we spend less physical time at the office, and more time closer to home, the quality of our immediate surroundings and of our shared spaces play a direct role in keeping us happy, healthy, and connected. As we move forward, we will continue to deliver communities that anticipate, adapt, and evolve to enhance the way we live.

To learn more about the future of innovative amenities coming soon to our newest Collecdev communities, register here.

Innovation. At Collecdev, it’s always top of mind. We are constantly seeking out the latest technologies to keep our communities engaging, sustainable, and future-proofed. We make it our business to stay informed, do extensive research, and then incorporate the systems that help us respond to shifting market demands, a strategy that recently led us to pursue an innovative new approach to sales.

The COVID-19 crisis has had a massive impact on the way we live. New terms like “social distancing” have entered the vernacular, influencing where we go, who we see, and how we interact. Businesses have had to adapt, including the real estate industry, but thanks to our forward-thinking approach and our early adoption of a series of digital solutions we were already well positioned to respond. The platforms used by our team pre-COVID have taken on even greater importance in recent months, making the sales experience more convenient and accessible than ever before.

Today customers may not be able to make it into a sales centre in person, but with Blackline 2.0 they can still enjoy the full sales experience from a safe social distance. The innovative point of sale platform provides access to full-feature digital sales presentations from a smartphone, tablet, laptop – anywhere with an internet connection. Customers can view 3D architectural models, brochures, and virtual tours, they can compare floorplans, select their desired unit, and even close the sale with the help of their agent and Avesdo, interactive software that not only lets you purchase a new condo from the comfort of your living room, but delivers the added benefit of automating time-consuming tasks like signing every page of the Agreement of Purchase and Sale.

For some, the real fun begins after signing on the dotted line, when it’s time to select the design and décor for their new home. For that, there’s The Interactive Abode, an interactive décor program that we recently engaged for TRETTI and Westwood Gardens. Using the software, buyers can decorate their new home via an intuitive, user-friendly interface that renders digitally selected finishes in real time, on screen. Even before province-wide protocols limited in-person appointments, our interactive décor studio was a hit with purchasers who enjoyed the freedom to select finishes and customize their space at their own pace.

“That’s the key element,” says Collecdev’s VP of Sales and Marketing, Natascha Pieper, “the true benefit of these innovative sales tools is not the ability to maintain social distancing in the current pandemic, but the convenience of a sales process that fits into your schedule, letting you research, plan, purchase, and design on your terms. It’s just another example of our forward-thinking approach to development – designing systems, spaces, and communities that put the buyer at the centre of everything we do.”

With increased awareness of energy use and environmental sustainability coupled, plus more stringent green standards set out by Greater Toronto Area (GTA) municipalities, a new generation of condominium buildings are being designed with a focus on reduced carbon footprints and long-term savings for residents. One method of harnessing a build site’s stored energy is the construction of geothermal systems that draw heat energy from deep below a building’s footprint, converting it to usable, renewable power. One developer now incorporating these systems into certain projects is Collecdev, with two GTA condo developments under construction with geothermal energy systems, and another soon to begin.

April view of construction at Westwood Gardens

On Yonge Street in Richmond Hill, Westwood Gardens is well into construction, with the structure beginning to rise above a network of pipes and pumps that extend deep into the earth below it. The aerial view above from a few months ago shows the building beginning to rise above grade, while the diagram below gives an idea of the underground network that draws geothermal energy to power the building, with cool water pumped into the earth returning to the building heated up.

Geothermal energy system at Westwood Gardens

Geothermal systems can displace most of the natural gas usage typically required for a building of this size, reducing harmful greenhouse gas emissions by over 70% per year compared to a conventional building, something of this size offsetting carbon emissions by the equivalent of 140 fewer cars on the road each year. The elimination of associated cooling towers in the mechanical penthouse will also save over 5 million litres of water per year, and eliminate the need for harmful coolant chemicals. Geothermal offers reliability in all seasons, with energy drawn from deep below the surface where the temperature doesn’t fluctuate, providing both a sustainable source of heat and energy to power a building.

Sustainability features at Tretti Condos

The same system is in its earliest stages at the site of Tretti Condos, near Wilson subway station in northwest Toronto, while nearby, Collecdev is gearing up to install another of geothermal system at the recently sold-out Nordic Condos development on Wilson. Both of these systems are being built under 30-year agreements that include a performance guarantee and predictable costs.

April view of construction at Tretti Condos, image by Forum contributor drum118

While these systems add up-front costs during planning and construction, immediate property value benefits and long-term cost benefits come from reduced reliance on external power, while a reduction of environmental impacts are becoming more evident to builders and suite purchasers. With widespread implementation, these systems—along with other recent advances including innovations in laminated timber and carbon-trapping concrete—have the potential to vastly improve sustainability for the next generation of buildings.

Sustainability features at Nordic Condos

Source: Urban Toronto