Sustainability Practices | Duskart Quintor Architecture

Why Sustainability Isn't Optional Anymore

Look, we've been at this for over a decade now, and honestly? The conversation around sustainable architecture has changed completely. It's not about slapping some solar panels on a roof and calling it a day.

Buildings account for nearly 40% of global carbon emissions. That number kept us up at night until we decided to actually do something about it. Every project we take on now - whether it's a single-family home or a commercial complex - gets the same rigorous sustainability treatment.

We've learned that real sustainability means thinking about everything: where materials come from, how the building sits on its site, what happens to rainwater, how natural light moves through spaces throughout the day. It's complex stuff, but that's kinda what makes it interesting.

Our Approach in Action

Real projects, real results - no fluff

The Leslieville Passive House

This one was a challenge we actually enjoyed. The clients came to us wanting a family home that'd basically heat itself. Sounds impossible, right? But that's where passive house principles come in.

We oriented the building to capture maximum southern exposure, went crazy with insulation (like, 16-inch walls crazy), and installed a heat recovery ventilation system that recycles about 90% of the heat from outgoing air.

The result? Their heating bill last winter was $47. Not per month - for the whole season. The house basically maintains 21°C year-round with minimal energy input.

90% Energy Reduction LEED Platinum

Queen West Commercial Hub

This project taught us a lot about adaptive reuse. The building was from 1912 - gorgeous bones but totally inefficient. The owner wanted to renovate, and we convinced them that keeping the existing structure was actually the most sustainable choice.

Why tear down and rebuild when you can work with what's there? We kept about 70% of the original structure, which saved roughly 800 tons of carbon emissions right off the bat. Then we added a green roof that manages stormwater and dropped the building's cooling costs by about 30%.

The triple-pane windows were custom-made to match the original proportions - yeah, it cost more upfront, but the energy savings pay for themselves in about 8 years. Plus, the building still has its character, which you can't really put a price on.

Material Choices That Actually Matter

We've become kinda obsessed with where our materials come from. There's this misconception that sustainable = expensive, but we've found that's not always true if you're smart about it.

For instance, we source reclaimed timber from demolished buildings across Ontario. It's got way more character than new wood, costs less, and keeps material out of landfills. We've also started specifying low-carbon concrete - it uses industrial byproducts instead of pure cement, cutting emissions by up to 40%.

One of our suppliers is literally 15 km from our office. Shorter transport = lower carbon footprint. Simple math, but you'd be surprised how often it gets overlooked.

Energy Systems We Trust

Solar's gotten really good in the last few years, and the ROI in Ontario is actually pretty solid now with the provincial incentives. But we don't just throw panels on every roof and call it sustainable.

We do proper energy modeling for every project - analyzing sun exposure, seasonal variations, and actual usage patterns. Sometimes geothermal makes more sense. Sometimes it's a combo of systems.

Last month we finished a project in Rosedale with a ground-source heat pump that's providing heating, cooling, and hot water for a 4,000 sq ft home. The system's so efficient that combined with solar, they're basically net-zero on energy costs.

Water Management (Because It's Not Just About Energy)

Here's something we didn't fully appreciate until a few years ago: water's gonna be a bigger issue than energy in the coming decades, especially with the weather patterns we're seeing.

We now design pretty much every building with rainwater harvesting and greywater recycling in mind. A typical Toronto home uses about 250 liters of water per person daily. We've gotten that down to under 100 liters in several projects without anyone noticing any difference in their daily life.

Rainwater gets collected, filtered, and used for toilets and irrigation. Shower and sink water gets treated and reused for laundry. It sounds complicated, but the systems are actually pretty straightforward once you understand them.

Average Water Savings Across Our Projects:

✓ 60% reduction in municipal water use
✓ 85% of rainwater captured and reused
✓ Stormwater runoff reduced by 75%

What We've Learned Along the Way

Fifteen years of trial, error, and occasional breakthroughs

Local Over Exotic

That bamboo flooring from Asia might look cool, but Ontario hardwoods have a way smaller carbon footprint and support local forestry. Plus, they last just as long.

Design For Disassembly

We're now thinking about what happens when a building reaches end-of-life. Can materials be reused? Are toxic adhesives avoidable? Future generations will thank us.

Natural Ventilation Works

Properly positioned windows can reduce AC needs by 40-60% in Toronto's climate. Our ancestors knew this - we just forgot for a while with cheap energy.

Measure Everything

We install monitoring systems in most of our buildings now. Real data beats assumptions every time. It's helped us refine our approach project after project.

The Certifications We Actually Care About

Not all green certifications are created equal - here's what we go for and why

LEED Certification

Yeah, it's industry standard, but it's comprehensive and actually pushes projects to be better. We've done Silver through Platinum, and honestly, the Platinum ones weren't that much harder - just required more upfront planning.

12 projects certified since 2018

Passive House

This is the real deal for energy efficiency. Super strict standards, but the performance is undeniable. Our passive house projects use about 90% less energy than typical builds.

5 certified projects, 3 more in progress

Living Building Challenge

This one's intense - basically the Olympics of green building. We've only done one so far, but it completely changed how we think about buildings as ecosystems rather than just structures.

1 completed, currently studying for next

Energy Star

For residential work, this is a good baseline. It's not as rigorous as others, but it ensures buildings perform significantly better than code minimum - which frankly isn't saying much.

All residential projects since 2017

Wanna Talk Sustainability For Your Project?

Whether you're planning a new build, renovation, or just curious about making your space more efficient, we're here to chat. No corporate speak, just honest conversation about what's possible.

We've worked on projects ranging from 600 sq ft laneway houses to 50,000 sq ft commercial buildings. The principles scale - it's just about applying them intelligently.

Phone: (416) 555-0192

Email: info@duskarthquintor.info

Office: 1425 Queen Street West, Toronto, ON M6K 1M3

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