2019 is The Year of Green
Marijuana legalization
2019 is the year of Green being seen all across Canada. Green weed that is. Cannabis store sales totalled $54 million in November 2018, the first full month of legal recreational pot sales, according to Statistics Canada. Canada is the second nation in the world to legalize recreational cannabis sale and use. Interesting fact: Uruguay was the first country to legalize marijuana’s production, sale and consumption in December 2013.
For condominium residents, marijuana plants and smoking can have ill desired effects on the health and value of the condo building and its tenants. If your condo board has not already done so, you can expect rules or amendments to be made, or at least proposed, in order to control the green being seen. For more information on the legal impact Marijuana legalization can have on your condo community, check out the article “Understanding Marijuana Madness for Condo Dwellers”.
Electric Vehicles
Get plugged in! According to Fleetcarma.com, electric vehicle sales in Canada have jumped up 166% from 2017-2018. The cost of electric vehicles has decreased, thus making them more affordable for every driver. In 2019, we are going to see an increase in the variety of EVs available. Tesla will not hold the market monopoly. The Electric Car Catalog on plugndrive.ca, provides sales information on EVs manufactured by Ford, Toyota, Kia, Hyundai and Volkswagen. Prices are listed and it is evident that EVs are more affordable than ever before. With pricing trends shifting, we are sure to see a decrease in cost as the years go by. For more information and details about Electric Vehicle Charging Solutions check out the article “The Condo Act Catch Up: Electric Vehicle Charging Solutions”.
Condo residents often have questions about how and where they can install an Electric Vehicle Charging Station in their underground parking garage. To discover more information on proposing Electric Vehicle Charging Stations for your condominium, please read “Raising Your Voice for Your Condo” to discover how you can make a difference in your condo community.
Healthy Living
From the Keto Diet to food delivery programs like HelloFresh, 2019 is shaping up to offer a host of healthy meal possibilities. Uber Eats and Skip the Dishes allow you to have your favourite meal delivered on those snowy nights. One of the most exciting trends is zero-waste grocery stores. Toronto’s first ever eco-friendly market, Unboxed, has opened on Dundas St West in Toronto. The premise is that you bring your own containers or buy reusable ones at the market, fill the containers with the various items you need and pay by weight (deducting the value of your container from the total). If everyone keeps reusing their jars and containers, the zero-waste grocery market will be a success!
A bulk grocery option such as Unboxed could be a great amenity in condominiums where retail space is limited. Condo dwellers do not have extra space to store Costco sized cereal and eggs; by bringing your own containers, you are more likely to buy only what you need, thus throwing away less waste too.
Energy Management
Energy Management can take many forms for a condominium. LED retrofits, upgrading appliances and fixtures, and installing smart thermostats are some of the ways a condo owner or property manager can save energy and money.
The most effective way to reduce electricity usage and water consumption is by installing a suite metering program. This enables each resident to take responsibility for their own utility usage. Each condo suite is billed individually and can take the necessary steps to keep their bills low by reducing their energy usage. If you are skeptical about the real value and savings of a suite metering program, try out a test metering program first. A portable test meter is installed on the suite risers for a defined period to coincide with the building’s bulk electricity billing. This allows for an accurate comparison of electricity costs between suites and common areas.
Green Real Estate
In Canada, condominium designs have to account for winter and summer seasons. It can be a challenge to get creative with condo amenities that are open all year long. In the warmer months, many condominiums offer BBQ areas, dining patios and outdoor lounge areas. The next era of condo design is going a step beyond concrete outdoor spaces. Landscaped rooftops with trees for all seasons, Zen gardens and flower gardens are a popular trend. Winter greenhouses with vegetable and herb gardens are popping up in shared outdoor spaces, encouraging community gardening. Even on a small outdoor space, balcony or terrace, hanging plants can recharge the CO2 making the space green and relaxing.
Another green trend rising in the real estate market is rainwater harvesting. This practice reduces a buildings utility consumption, saving money, and is an environmentally friendly way of watering plants and washing cars. Entire condo buildings could wash their exterior surfaces with rainwater and cut back on water costs.
Again, water suite metering is the most effective way to measure water consumption and get residents to take control of their water use. To learn more about a custom suite metering program for your building, call 1.866.836.3837 x 2.