QUATTRO
Up and out is how the city is expanding, however, there are some builders that are thinking of the future in a different way. Long time friends Ron Aesie, President of Del Mar Homes Ltd. and Peter Mauro, President of New Casa Ltd. have taken a step further when looking towards the future. Each builder has developed a condominium constructed with an Insulating Concrete Forming system (ICF)R for walls and frost walls. This means that Aesie’s Tre Viste and Mauro’s Quattro will provide markedly improved energy efficiency and greatly reduced noise transmission. As well, each project also incorporates geothermal heating and cooling which drastically reduces the cost for both, and eliminates the dependency upon gas heating. Peter Mauro admits that it may have been a little more money in the beginning, but he believes that the investment will pay off in about four years. “In total it will cost about $250 to $275 a month to heat the whole building, provide hot water and air-conditioning,” Says Mauro.

Of course the attention to detail in the construction of these condominiums hardly ends with the walls and heating. Mauro’s Quattro is currently in the middle of construction, but already you can see that it will be a truly unique living space. This amazing triangular-designed condominium maximizes the space and shape of the lot it’s on. Measuring 68 feet at the back of the building, the front of the Quattro is only six and a half feet, making it a truly triangular design. “It was tough to design,” says Mauro. “But once it was finished everything just fell right into place.” Located in Kensington, these beautiful condos are situated in a much sought-after location, and include the benefits of inner-city living in an established neighborhood. Probably the most distinctive feature of the Quattro is its third floor where the roof trusses are the walls. “There are 178 trusses in the roof and only 11 of those are the same,” Says Mauro. “It was difficult, like piecing a jigsaw puzzle together.” The incredible architectural design and fantastic angles lend the Quattro a completely unique look and ambiance. Another great feature of the Quattro is its garages. There is no underground parking here; instead there are four single garages and a double garage located on the main floor, making them much easier to access while still offering privacy and security.

Another privacy feature of the Quattro is to include obscured glass windows in areas that require additional privacy but would benefit from the light. These open concept living spaces each offer an abundance of large bright windows and an elegant lifestyle. There are four suites in total; thus its name; with a 900 square feet suite on the main level, another 900 square feet suite sharing the second floor with a 1710 square feet suite, and last but not least, the 2400 square feet penthouse. The two larger suites offer an incredible view of downtown from the Master bedroom, the Great room, the Dining room and the Kitchen. In addition, there are some other design features added to further enhance the floor plans. “The 1710 square feet suite on the second floor offers a 17-foot wide kitchen,” says Mauro.

“We’ve made the space feel even larger than it is.” That is the incredible thing about these condos; not only are they designed and constructed to be safe, secure and economical; but the Quattro also offers luxury-living with high-end standard features and an incredible open-concept design; not to mention the attention to detail. Two of these amazing condos are already sold, but according to Mauro, the other two won’t be available until early 2007. However, they will definitely be worth the wait. 

TRE VISTE
The other condominium that was built with the future in mind is Ron Aesie’s Tre Viste. Only a few minutes from the Quattro, Tre Viste is nestled between other great character-homes along Memorial Drive overlooking the Bow River. This fabulous condo’s attractive exterior combines aesthetically pleasing Ariscraft stone with the longevity of acrylic stucco. This three-storey building is as handsome on the outside as it is beautiful on the inside. One of the inherent bonuses to having used the ICF SystemR in the construction of this beautiful three-unit condominium is that there is dramatic noise reduction. Even though Memorial Drive runs in front of Tre Viste, you would never know it from within. Aesie says that the ICF SystemR along with the geothermal heating and cooling will drastically reduce the cost of maintaining the building. “The condo fees include everything except electric so that means the hot water, the heat and the air conditioning,” Says Aesie. “The condo fees here will work out to about 13 cents a square foot, as opposed to 30 cents and up for some other condominiums.”

As well as being efficient, Tre Viste is absolutely gorgeous. Aesie says that he is happy with how the project turned out, and well he should be. The main-floor and second-level suites are approximately 1900 square feet and offer bungalow style living. The third-floor suite has an added loft area that adds about another 200 square feet. All three Tre Viste suites have exquisite hardwood flooring throughout the main living areas, luxurious carpet in the bedrooms and elegant tile in the laundry room, bathroom and ensuites. The beautifully crafted cabinetry is not only in the kitchen. It surrounds the impressive stone fireplace in the Living room, creating a fabulous entertainment centre. The luxurious wooden cabinetry also creates an elegant wardrobe at the front entrance and offers wall to wall splendor in the bedrooms. With its deep colour and functional drawers, cupboards and niches, this beautifully finished feature adds the perfect touch to each of the rooms it graces.

There are two bedrooms and a den in each suite and each bathroom has its own luxurious ensuite; each different but both elegant. One of the unique features of the penthouse suite is a small hidden bathroom that is nestled beneath the stairs. The paneled door blends inconspicuously with the rest of the wall, but when it’s open you are greeted with an elegant little room, completely tiled in attractive 1-inch tiles. The over-all effect is quite unique. Definitely not hidden away, the Tre Viste’s large kitchen offers an attractive focal point. Wrapped around an impressive granite-topped island this stylish kitchen includes full-backsplashes in rich, dark tiles, granite counter-tops and stainless steel appliances. The open concept design allows the flow from beautiful kitchen to impressive living room to be one of smooth transition. The over-all atmosphere of this beautifully designed home is one of opulence. Everything is immaculately detailed in order to create a truly inspired, upscale home. Combined with quaint balconies and an incredible view of the river and downtown, Tre Viste is the perfect package. Unfortunately all three units are already sold, but they won’t be the last homes that Ron Aesie and Del Mar Homes build in our city.  CL

Build with Energy Efficiency in Mind

Utilizing Insulating Concrete Forming Systems and Geothermal Heating and Cooling
For a while now, energy efficiency and future sustainability have been ongoing concerns for many individuals, builders and communities in general. With the cost of natural gas on the rise it’s now even more important to find ways to improve the general efficiency of our homes. This means taking a look at insulating systems as well as how we heat our homes. Donning a sweater may be one way to reduce your heating bill, but it’s more feasible to begin by constructing homes with materials and technologies designed with the future in mind. Currently there are two different but related systems on the market that can drastically reduce energy costs and are designed to last. They may not be widely recognized, but Advantage ICF SystemsR and geothermal heating and cooling systems are being used in some projects around our city. Although one is used for walls, and the other is a mechanical system, they both offer advantages related to efficiency.

Insulating Concrete Forming Systems
Plasti-Fab EPS Ltd. offers the Advantage Insulating Concrete Forming (ICF) system which consists of two layers of expanded polystyrene (EPS) insulation separated by connectors that have been moulded into the insulation. Each insulating block is designed to interlock in a way that allows the connectors to align so that drywall and other finishing material can be easily attached. Once installed, concrete is poured into the spaces between the insulation - resulting in one large uniform concrete wall that is insulated from the inside and out. Jack Hoogstraten, the company’s Marketing Program Manager says that the system is even designed so that any type of siding can be mounted on the exterior. There are various block shapes available so that the system can accommodate different construction needs. There are corner blocks for different angles and there is even a block with a built-in ledge that can support the weight of brick. As well, if it is necessary to have a vent or access to outside, this is taken into consideration and the adjustments are made before the concrete is poured. The product you have when you’re done is considerably more sound-resistant than conventional wall-systems and is a built-in air and vapour barrier. Perhaps more importantly, the completed system offers a product that provides improved energy efficiency through a higher R-Value (the measure of a system’s ability to retain heat). “When included in the building expenses it’s not a huge increase in the cost,” Says Hoogstraten. “While the mortgage may be a little more on a whole house or building, the operating costs will be much lower.”

Geothermal Heating and Cooling System
The next system that is proving highly energy efficient is a heating and cooling system called Geothermal ground source heating and air conditioning. This process may not be widely recognized, but the idea of deriving energy from the earth is not a new one. By tapping a combination of solar heat and heat that is released from the earth, geothermal heat pumps provide a renewable energy resource that is environmentally friendly and will produce no harmful residues, by-products or emissions that can cause health problems. The process of installing a geothermal heat pump entails laying a loop of pipes either vertically or horizontally (depending on the land availability and the make-up of the ground material) and running water through the system. The simplified explanation of the process is that is works like a refrigeration unit, only in reverse. During the winter, the water that has collected heat from the earth circulates back through the loop into the building or home, where it is used to keep the rooms warm or heat water. In the summer, the process is reversed and heat is drawn out of the building and displaced back into the earth, thus providing an efficient means of cooling the building during the summer months. Doug Kinch, owner of Ground Source Energy Ltd. says that the process of extracting latent heat offers an incredible reduction on heating and cooling costs and that a unit can easily be installed in a closet or mechanical room, or take the place of your old furnace. That is another benefit of this particular system; the ability to retro-fit an existing home. Of course this is a simplified explanation of the geothermal process, but the system it is definitely one that more and more people are starting to look into.

As you can see, builders that incorporate both these systems into the construction of their properties are getting a head-start on preparing for the future, and buyers are seeing the long-term environmental advantages as well as the financial ones.