Building Green, Thinking Long-Term

Look, we're not gonna pretend we've got all the answers to climate change. But what we CAN do is design buildings that don't trash the planet while serving their purpose for generations.

Sustainability Planning

Why This Actually Matters

Here's the thing - industrial buildings are energy hogs. Heritage structures? They're often inefficient relics that need serious rethinking. But tearing everything down and starting fresh isn't exactly eco-friendly either.

We've spent years figuring out how to retrofit old warehouses and factories without losing their character, while making 'em perform like modern facilities. It's tricky work, honestly. You're balancing heritage regulations, structural limitations, and trying to hit LEED standards all at once.

The payoff though? Buildings that'll be around another hundred years, using a fraction of the energy they used to consume. That's not just good PR - it's actual impact.

Our Track Record

We've helped cut operational carbon emissions by an average of 47% across our restored heritage industrial projects since 2018.

Certifications We Actually Use

Not just wall decorations - these guide real decisions on every project

LEED

LEED Certification

We've got multiple Gold and Platinum projects under our belt. The point system keeps us honest about material choices and energy performance.

CaGBC

CaGBC Member

Canada Green Building Council membership means we're plugged into the latest standards and practices specific to our climate zones.

WELL

WELL Accredited

Because sustainability isn't just about carbon - it's about creating spaces where people actually want to work and feel good doing it.

PH

Passive House

For projects where extreme energy efficiency is the goal. It's demanding, but the results speak for themselves in heating/cooling costs.

Real Numbers from Real Projects

Data we've tracked across our portfolio - no fluff, just metrics that matter

68%

Average Energy Reduction

Compared to baseline measurements in heritage industrial retrofits we've completed since 2019

1,240

Tonnes CO2 Saved

Annual carbon reduction across all active VFQ-designed buildings currently in operation

83%

Material Diversion Rate

Construction waste diverted from landfills through salvage, recycling, and repurposing strategies

Materials We're Betting On

The stuff we actually spec when clients give us room to push boundaries

Reclaimed Timber

Salvaged Timber & Steel

This is kinda our bread and butter. Old growth timber from demolished buildings has better structural properties than most new lumber anyway. We've got connections with salvage yards across BC and Alberta.

Steel beams from decommissioned industrial sites? Same deal - clean 'em up, test 'em, and they're good for another century. The embodied carbon savings are massive.

Bio-based Materials

Hempcrete & Bio-composites

Yeah, we're serious about hemp. It's not just a trendy thing - hempcrete's thermal properties are legit impressive for our climate. Carbon negative, breathable, and it works great for infill in heritage masonry structures.

We've also been testing mycelium-based panels for non-structural applications. Jury's still out on longevity, but early results are promising.

Low Carbon Concrete

Low-Carbon Concrete Mixes

Concrete's a tough one - you can't avoid it in structural work. But we're speccing mixes with fly ash, slag, and even carbon-capture aggregate when budgets allow.

Local aggregate sourcing matters too. Trucking rocks across provinces is wasteful. We work with regional suppliers whenever structurally feasible.

The Heritage-Sustainability Paradox

Here's where it gets interesting - and sometimes frustrating.

Heritage buildings weren't designed with energy codes in mind. Single-pane windows, minimal insulation, thermal bridges everywhere. But they've also got thermal mass, natural ventilation, and orientation strategies that modern buildings ignore.

The challenge? Upgrading performance without destroying the features that make 'em special. Can't just slap foam on a brick facade and call it done - that causes moisture problems and looks terrible.

We've developed some pretty specific approaches: interior insulation strategies that preserve exterior character, reversible interventions that future generations can modify, hidden HVAC systems that don't compromise spatial quality.

It's slower and requires more custom detailing than new construction. But when you nail it, you've got a building that honours its past while performing for the future.

Heritage Restoration

Case Study: The Railtown Warehouse retrofit achieved 72% energy reduction while maintaining all heritage designation requirements.

What We're Working On Next

Research and development projects currently in progress

Adaptive Reuse Carbon Calculator

Building a tool to properly compare embodied carbon in adaptive reuse vs. demolition/new build scenarios. Current LCA tools don't handle heritage buildings well. We're partnering with UBC's School of Architecture to get the methodology right.

Industrial Geothermal Retrofits

Testing ground-source heat pump installations in existing industrial buildings with contaminated soil conditions. Lot of brownfield sites can't use standard geothermal approaches - we're figuring out workarounds.

Structural Timber Carbon Storage

Documenting long-term carbon sequestration in reclaimed timber structures. If we can properly account for carbon storage in salvaged materials, it changes the economic argument for preservation pretty dramatically.

Wanna Talk Sustainable Design?

Whether you're dealing with a heritage retrofit, industrial conversion, or just want to build something that'll last - let's figure out what's actually feasible for your project.

No greenwashing, no impossible promises. Just honest conversation about what works and what doesn't.

Get In Touch