Building restoration is an essential part of commercial and multi-unit residential building maintenance. Here we look at how owners who invest in timely building restoration enjoy many benefits shared with the community.
Zero Emissions Initiative
The City of Toronto has set a 2050 goal to reduce energy and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 80% from 1990 levels. Building owners are subject to Energy & Water Reporting and Benchmarking (EWRB) regulations to improve building performance as part of the Net Zero Emissions target. Envelope restoration is one of the most efficient ways to help you improve your energy consumption, with proper insulation and energy-efficient window and door installation.
Reduced Carbon Footprint
Whole building air tightness reduces performance gaps between building design and performance. Older high-rise residential and office buildings are more likely to have cladding materials and envelope systems prone to higher heat transfer rates between the interior and exterior. Building restoration improves overall thermal energy efficiency, by reducing thermal bridging. As a result, you reduce your building’s carbon footprint, benefiting the community and helping you work towards zero emissions goals.
Better Building and Benchmarking Compliance
Passing whole building air tightness testing and envelope inspections is easier with a new building envelope. Efficient building envelopes close performance gaps common in older buildings where design was given priority over performance. When testing greenhouse gas intensity (GHGI), using lower carbon-intensity renewable energy sources, and having an energy-efficient building envelope with more efficient components is best.
Resilience Against Extreme Weather
The City of Toronto anticipates “broad changes” in both summer and winter temperatures. As a result, increased heat waves in hand with more severe precipitation events in the summer and winter put your building at risk. Introducing higher building envelope efficiency provides what is known as a “passive design solution” that improves your building’s resilience to extreme weather events.
Tenant Comfort
Restorations ensure that tenants will have adequate shelter in extreme weather conditions to outlast power outages and fuel supply disruptions. Storm-related power outages see interior temperatures begin to decay within 72 hours. Based on typical January Toronto weather patterns, weather can drop as low as -19°C within two weeks, with an average of around -7°C. Based on this modeling, your building envelope needs improved thermal resilience to help maintain livable indoor temperatures.
Community Beautification and Property Value
Toronto’s BIAs (Business Improvement Areas) focus on business area enhancements that help beautify communities. Through restoration and building maintenance, you help contribute to community beautification to help neighboring residential areas benefit from welcoming streetscapes. Your restorations also contribute to community revitalization, changing the look of the whole street, attracting more tenants, and contributing to tenant retention. You also increase property value with upgrades and maintain steadier profits through tenant retention.
Benefits Based on Specific Restorations
Here are just some of the benefits based you can gain as a result of envelope restorations:
- Reduced heating and cooling through updated insulation
- Increased tenant comfort by eliminating thermal bridges
- Reduced heat gain using longer-lasting reflective roof membranes, coatings, metal cladding, and glazing
- Reduced risk of water/moisture damage with new windows to increase air and water tightness
- Reduced mechanical loads on HVAC systems with improved energy-efficient building envelopes
Your building restoration project contributes to the city’s net zero initiatives, reduces energy costs, and improves resilience and tenant comfort, while also increasing your property value.
Working with a building envelope specialist like the team at WellDone Inc., a building restoration company specializing in building improvements for commercial and multi-unit residential buildings throughout the GTA, offers the expertise you need.