Queen Street West Condo

This condo renovation was a finalist for the ‘Best Condominium Suite Renovation’ category at the RenoMark Renovator and Custom Homes Awards, which is part of the National Home Show.

The Queen Street West project featured a jazzy interior design by Sam Sacks Design. As photo-worthy as this project is, we feel that the unseen elements are just as exciting.

All materials are toxic-free. This includes the kitchen cabinetry, the primer, paint, caulking, adhesives, plaster, and butcher block countertop. Everything. We used EcoLogo certified adhesives, sealants and caulking, which are free of volatile organic compounds. The kitchen cabinets were made from No-Added Urea Formaldehyde melamine interiors. Richlite countertops were made from natural resins and paper.

This translates into 100 percent improvement in the condo’s air quality. A photo is worth a thousand words; so too is inhaling clean air.

Reducing energy, water use and waste was another key goal.

We installed Energy Star rated appliances, including an induction cooktop and 18” dishwasher. LED light bulbs were used for all light fixtures. We also added pull-down shades to all windows to reduce the need for mechanical cooling.

The Miele dishwasher consumes only 3.0 gallons of water per cycle compared with the average 5.0 gallons for comparative models. The Watersense certified low-flow toilet reduces water consumption by 75 percent.

We also diverted 79 percent of project waste from the landfill, helping to save the homeowners $320 from landfill fees. This include refinishing the existing barn doors used for the walk-in-closet, and refurbishing the existing cast iron tub, saving both from disposal. We also patched the existing wood floor with new custom milled reclaimed Elm wood to match.

We were mindful of team transportation to and from the site. We biked and used the company electric car reducing an estimated 168 trips by a combustible engine.

We estimate that the Queen Street West project saved 67 percent in C02 emissions!