Newly Renovated Natural Health Centre Helps Create a Warm, Homey Environment

Photo: Wo-Built’s  Commercial Renovation
Natural Health Center: New  Treatment  Spaces and  Resource Centre

2013 @ wobuilt.com

"My interest in nature began early.
When I was 3, I refused to leave a park because I had to pick ALL the dandelions (just imagine a sea of yellow).
 

My current ambition is to help others to use the power of nature to feel their best.
And to love dandelions as much as I do.  ;-)"
~ Janet McKenzie, Summit Natural Health Centre

Welcome to the Newly Renovated Natural Health Centre

We were privileged to work with Ms Janet McKenzie, ND on her new offices for her Summit Natural Health Centre at 5133 Dundas Street West.

The original use for the space was a sales office for the adjacent condo building, hence we were lucky in being able to reuse a lot of the services (HVAC, Fire/Safety, and Lighting) with minor alterations.

As our mandate is to be green, we also reused as much of the existing finishes (doors, carpet (good quality, almost new), and bathroom fixtures) as we could to lessen the amount of materials that went into the landfill.

Our scope of work included adding several consulting rooms and adding a second bathroom. We had some surprises during the renovations, no renovation is without, but we resolved them in some innovative ways. More of that in a later post.

We were able to help create a warm homey environment for the Health Centre, very much on the lines Ms McKenzie envisaged. Something we feel is very important in a health and wellness environment. A calming and relaxing atmosphere will help ease minds, make clients comfortable and facilitate the journey to wellness.

Summit Natural Health Centre is now open. For more information about natural therapies and treatments please contact the Centre.


Martina Ernst
President/CEO
Wo-Built Inc. - Innovative Design and Build

links:
wobuilt.com/blog: Medical Facilities - Building Image and Branding of Your Spaces
Wo-Built’s Commercial Renovation Project Naturopathic Office

wobuilt.com/blog: Health & Wellness Professionals: You wouldn’t let just anyone Run your Practice; Why let just anyone Remodel your Premises?
The bottom-line: we are nothing without our health. Wo-Built could mean everything to the health and wellness of your practice.

Photo: Wo-Built’s  Commercial Renovation
Natural Health Center: New  Treatment  Spaces and  Reception Area

2013 @ wobuilt.com

About Summit Natural Health Centre
Summit Natural Health Centre is a multi-disciplinary clinic focusing on natural medicine. Our mission is to provide individualized care supported by resources that allow clients and members of the community to learn about health and natural treatments.
Summit offers practitioners' rooms in newly renovated premises located in an area with excellent potential for growth.

Summit Natural Health Center
5133 Dundas Street West
Etobicoke, ON M9A 1C1
Phone: 416-236-7642
E-mail: contactus@summitnaturalhealth.ca
Facebook: Summit Natural Health Centre 
Web: www.summitnaturalhealth.ca

Habitat Toronto: Helping Others and Supporting Women in Construction

Photo: Elida Huignard, President 2006-2010, Head of Operations Wo-Built Inc.
at a volunteer shift with Habitat Toronto for the WOMEN BUILD: May 1-12, 2012
May 2012 © wobuilt.com

Photo: Elida Huignard, President 2006-2010, Head of Operations Wo-Built Inc.
at a volunteer shift with Habitat for Humanity Toronto's Women Build: May 1-12, 2012
May 2012 © wobuilt.com

Photo: Elida Huignard, President 2006-2010, Head of Operations Wo-Built Inc.
at a volunteer shift with Habitat Toronto for the WOMEN BUILD: May 1-12, 2012
May 2012 © wobuilt.com

Photo: Elida Huignard, President 2006-2010, Head of Operations Wo-Built Inc.
at a volunteer shift with Habitat for Humanity Toronto's Women Build: May 1-12, 2012
May 2012 © wobuilt.com

Photo: Elida Huignard, President 2006-2010, Head of Operations Wo-Built Inc.
at a volunteer shift with Habitat Toronto for the WOMEN BUILD: May 1-12, 2012
May 2012 © wobuilt.com

Recently Wo-Built's co-founder Elida Huignard took part again in the Habitat for Humanity Women's Build weekend; hammer, hard hat and all. As a crew member of the CAWIC team we achieved two of our goals which are dear to us: helping others in need and showing our ongoing commitment to support women in construction.

Thank you, Elida, for representing us in this great cause and judging by the pictures it was a lot of fun. I cannot think of anything better; helping others in a fun community way.


Martina Ernst
President/CEO
Wo-Built Inc. - Innovative Design and

To learn more, read Habitat Toronto's 2012 Women Build: Wearing a Hard Hat, Supporting a Great Cause

Screenshot: Habitat Toronto for the WOMEN BUILD: May 1-12, 2012
Elida Huignard Fundraising Goal: $200; Amount Raised: $415
Sponsors: 6; 100% of Goal Achieved! Thank you for your support.
Credit: torontohabitat.ca

Forget the Darker Side of Urban Life: Get Yourself Some Stairs and Step up into the Light

Photo Collage: Forget the Darker Side of Urban Life:
Get Yourself Some Stairs and Step up into the Light
2011 @ wobuilt.com

"They may be America's last pioneers, urban nomads in search of wide open interior spaces."
Cathleen McGuigan

When it comes to housing, you will pay per square footage according to the following:

1. Proximity to “happening places;”
2. How “happening” your place is;
3. Number of years since your place first “happened.”

Consider downtown Toronto for a moment. If want new apartment on a budget, expect to live in a 300 sq. ft. closet—er ...bachelor. You can save some coin while living relatively close to downtown in a slightly more spacious apartment with not too many creepy-crawly “tenants.”

What is true for condos is especially true for houses. To live near the lake, be it the Beaches, East York, Etobicoke or even Oakville, you might think you have to settle for a tiny bungalow built either at the turn-of-the-century or just after WWII. Welcome to “the dark side” of urban housing compromise.

But let’s take a look at that brand new 300 square foot bachelor studio condo for a moment. From brand new kitchens and stainless steel appliances to high-tech lighting and a murphy bed, a small space can be pretty swanky…when it’s planned and built with state of the art technology and modern design.

The trouble with older houses is that they were designed and built with the technology of their day. Luckily, a house (bungalow, backsplit, whatever) can not only be re-built, it can be expanded and upgraded with space that doesn’t exist yet. All it takes is a little vision to “see the light” of urban living.

Want a 3000 sq. ft. home near the Danforth and the lake instead of an hour north of Toronto? Then transform your 1000 sq. ft. bungalow into a two-story plus loft. (Maybe put a home gym, home theatre or legal apartment for guests or income in your newly re-imagined and bone-dry finished basement).

Are you an urban nomad in search of wide open interior spaces? Don’t search; find the wide open space above your head, beneath your feet, in front or out back. Call a vision builder who specializes in cutting-edge designs with the personal touch so you can step up into the light of a no-compromise urban life.

Attila Lendvai
VP of Strategic Development
Wo-Built Inc. - Innovative Design and Build

links:
wobuilt.com/blog: Another Addition Renovation We Are Proud of: The Wow Factor Approach!

wobuilt.com/blog: Good Daylight Design Strategy for Your Home

Construction Statistics and Economic Indicators: Signs for Future Projects

Collage: The Ranch and the Tower Projects:
Interesting Additions with Architectural Merit.
Credit: MS Office ClipArt: Silhouettes

On Tuesday, June 7th the Toronto Star published an article "GTA developers seeing slowdown" by Tony Wong about the slowdown of new residential and non residential construction seen by developers in the GTA. A follow article "Home building frenzy slows down" about the subject was published on the Toronto Star website on Wednesday. In his articles Mr. Wong mentioned that "in the key Toronto market, permits fell by more than half at 55% to 945 million in April", due to a decline in the condominium driven market and institutional buildings. However, high volumes of sales in the condo market are predicted to eventually translate into housing starts. He also mentions a record sale in existing homes in April. But with the Bank of Canada’s likely raise of interest rates and the home prices’ significant outpacing of job growth and income, affordability of new homes will be weakened, according to Francis Fong, an economist at the TD Bank.

In our opinion what is the likely outcome for the large scale home renovations such as additions? Due to the record home sales in the first half of the year it is likely that less renovations were scheduled as people moved rather than added to their home. Even at spring time, usually the start of the building season we observed fewer building signs from our competitors; larger renovations seems to be done by the owners or developers.

However, higher interest rates, a soft economical environment and a larger sale of condos will likely impact the prices in the house market negatively. It is conceivable that more large scale renovations will be undertaken by home owners once this happens.

But will it? The Toronto housing market has not performed over the last few years during the recession as one would expect; lesser housing prices, fewer sales, more large scale renovations in the medium price range ($150,000 to $500,000). On the one hand owners seem to hold back, on the other they bought new houses driving the market price up. The home sales were helped by extremely low interest rates. Recently, some of the major banks lowered their mortgage rates, even though the Bank of Canada rate stayed the same. Does that mean a decline in housing sales in May?

As a construction company specializing in the medium range construction it seems that even when the normal economic indicators forecast a likely increase in potential home extension projects, there are no sure outcomes. Our approach is two-pronged, being global, but staying local:

• a) In the World: as a strategy - it is key to raise our brand profile to become a household name among the global community. In our experience social media is a great vehicle for sharing and connecting with our clients and partners and allowing us to show the public what we are about.
• b) At Home: as a strategy and a core believe - it is important to promote and further local social concerns and we are working with community papers to make our name more known in specific areas of Toronto, such as East York / Beaches and Etobicoke; both areas have emotional connections to us. At home also includes the community around our office, Corso Italia and The Junction / High Park / Swansea (location of one of our previous offices).

As there is no crystal ball as to the future of the Toronto housing market and home owners’ behaviour, the two-pronged approach is likely to yield a steady, sustainable growth regardless of circumstances. The key is to increase market share by being a household name, not to rely on a larger number of construction projects.

But of course if the economic reality becomes such that for homes to appreciate in value the owners rather stay put; maybe a future article by Mr. Wong will indicate this; we would like to reiterate words from Ari Berman’s posting: "In short – if you bought it, keep it. If you need more of it, expand it. And, if you plan to sell it at some time in the future, maintain it in good condition while staying as free of debt as possible. "

Martina Ernst
Wo-Built Inc. - Innovative Design and Build

links:
moneyville.ca: Home building frenzy slows down
by Tony Wong | Wed Jun 08 2011

HomeView: Ontario Home Starts Decline in May
by: Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation
Published on Jun 08, 2011

wobuilt.com: House Prices: Part of the Problem or Part of the Cure?
by Ari Berman | Mon October 06 2008

Doors Open Toronto – Humber College Arboretum

Photos: Doors Open Toronto – Humber Arboretum
May 28, 2011 @ wobuilt.com

Humber Arboretum Centre for Urban Ecology
205 Humber College Blvd, Toronto, ON M9W 5L7
Event information: Visit the Humber Arboretum & Centre for Urban Ecology - a favorite location for photographers interested in modern architecture and nature alike. This site is where many Humber College photography, landscape, design, and media arts students learn their craft. Accordingly, student and staff work will be on display in the Centre with building and landscape tours scheduled throughout the day.
Architect and year: Taylor/Hazell Architects, 2007

This was a bit of a busman’s holiday, personally my first Doors Open Toronto. We had heard a lot about the Arboretum, LEED award winner, so we were interested. Granted it is a bit off the beaten path (427 and Finch), but once we found it, well worth the visit. Tucked behind the main college building, the Arboretum is located in the middle of a lovely garden park, nestling within the terrain. We were told that the park had oodles of wildlife (we saw geese and ducks), and we did enjoy sitting outside and talking to some of the visitors.

The building makes use of the slightly hilly terrain, a part of the energy efficient set-up. A teaching and research facility it packed almost all the known “green” systems into a small space and expressing them architecturally. The most visible systems of course are the sun shading slats on the south facing wall, reducing the high sun angles and the ventilation shaft in the center of the building, that extends 1 storey above the main floor and that facilitates the natural ventilation. Form follows function, making for interesting architecture. Rain water tanks for plant watering are buried into the hillside; behind the building are grey water recycling tanks, also used for plant irrigation. Other elements include green roofs, daylight and motion sensors, triple gazing, radiant heating, dual flush toilets and more. My favorite: large amount of daylight in the space.

The most interesting aspect of the building for me was the natural cooling system. Outside air is drawn into the building, directed into the basement which is several degrees cooler and then distributed to the warmer spaces where the air differential will have a cooling effect.

We were given an informative tour around the building and were assured that the environmental conditions are great and working there is a pleasure. As it is a small building all these systems are bound to be very effective as they can be finely tuned. They also would work very well for any other centrally controlled building (residential or non residential) provided there is enough space available to implement the measures. In multi-unit dwellings the implementation would become more complicated. Some measure such as green roofs, triple glazing, radiant heating, grey and rain water recycling, sun shading will all work as they are not part of individual choice. Ventilation and cooling is however a more personal matter. How much control would the individual units have to relinquish to make the natural ventilation and cooling work?

The Arboretum is an example and showcase on how any of these systems work. We need more examples accessible to the public to increase awareness of what can be done. We are committed to incorporate as many of these systems as possible in all our buildings. It is not necessary to incorporate all systems in each building. Even just one or two measures will make an impact over time. Going “green” is a valid way to reduce our footprint on the environment we live in, and we encourage anyone to take baby steps.

Martina Ernst
Wo-Built Inc. - Innovative Design and Build

link:
Doors Open Toronto 2011 Featuring City in Focus: Architecture + Photography

David Pylyp, Toronto West-End Real Estate Agent, Supports Our Mission

Screenshot: Toronto West Homes: Custom Builders: Wo-Built
WO-BUILT STANDS FOR QUALITY AND STYLE
Credit: eleganthomesinwesttoronto.com

We at Wo-Built Inc. would like to thank David Pylyp at RE/MAX Realty Specialists Inc., for his support of our social mission and his recommendation of our renovation services.

David is a real estate agent who has built his business through many years of experience in the Toronto west-end (from High Park to Oakville). Whether you are in the market to buy a new home or to sell your existing home, we would recommend you go to David’s website for relevant information to help you in your process.

Once again we thank David for his support.

The Wo-Built Inc. Team

links:
Toronto West Homes: Custom Builders: Wo-Built
Elegant Homes in West Toronto
Toronto Real Estate West Blog

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Career Possibilities for Women in the Building and Construction Trades

Screenshot: Possibilities Article: Breaking Stereotypes, Building Houses
Credit: poss.ca

We would like to thank Possibilities for including us in the article which brings more awareness to women about the opportunities in the trades. This is especially important in an economic climate where jobs become more scarce. Then it is more easy to be discouraged to enter a non-traditional career. Hence we need more encouragement not less.

Martina Ernst
CEO
Wo-Built Inc.

Screenshot: Possibilities Article: Breaking Stereotypes, Building Houses
Credit: poss.ca

Breaking Stereotypes, Building Houses

January 2009

A woman on a construction site may still be considered a novel idea but there is room for handywomen in the building trades. If some employers still resist the notion, many recognize that women bring valuable skills to the construction industry.

And although not every woman has the aptitude for working in the skilled trades the provincial government and organizations such as On-Track for Women are encouraging them to at least think about exploring the trades.

"For your own sake, please don't exclude yourself from these careers because they are lucrative or can be lucrative," says Marie Heron, executive director of On-Track, which offers a pre-employment program for women and helps link women to apprenticeships. (Currently On-Track is partnering with Centennial College to offer a free Automotive Service Technician Pre-apprenticeship Program.)

The minute you mention how much money you can potentially make working in the trades On-Track participants "buy in" to the concept, says Heron. Being able to apprentice and earn while you learn is what "really, really, really, really attracts women to the trades."

Still, the number of women in the trades is staggeringly low. According to statistics, women made up only seven per cent of workers in transportation, trades and construction work. And in some of the building trades, such as carpentry, the number drops to one per cent.

"It's a very male-dominated environment that we're trying change," says Colleen McDougall, an assistant instructor with The Centre for Skills Development & Training in Burlington, which offers the Women in Skilled Trade's Enhanced General Carpentry Program.

Sponsored by the Ontario Women's Directorate this 46-week course gives up to 22 women the chance to learn floor, roof and wall systems and partake in work placements.

Women "tend to undermine themselves a little bit," says McDougall, a former analyst who graduated from the program in 2005 along with her sister. She notes that women-only courses allows students to "put all the other stuff aside for the period that they're in school and focus. They get lots of support and they don't feel stupid and they don't feel weak."

Women are very capable at working in construction, but to succeed they have "got to be able to handle the tools and not be afraid of them," says McDougall. Although women considering the field should be fairly physical, McDougall notes that it is "not always about strength." For instance, she points out that women can learn techniques to help them lift heavy construction materials. (And do keep in mind that some female-identified careers, such as nursing, can involve a lot of heavy lifting as well.)

Excelling in Finish Work
Although the course trains women in both rough and finish carpentry, McDougall says that women often excel in finish work, working away at a project until they've mastered it. (Finish work is basically any work that won't be covered up, such as moldings or trim.)

"I think the women are very, very focused on detail," says McDougall. "I do think that they spend more time at it [then men] and maybe sometimes that could be a disadvantage, I guess, but for the most part it's a good thing."

Martina Ernst, chief executive officer of Wo-Built, a women-led construction company thinks those who do finishing work should "have a certain amount of perfectionism." Ernst and Wo-Built's president Elida Huignard are in the process of establishing a women-only training on the finishing trades at the Pre-apprenticeship Training (PAT) Institute. (Finishing trades include finish carpentry, drywall finishing/plastering, painting/decorating, tile setting and floor covering installation.)

Ernst thinks that finishing work is a good fit for women because women are often detail-oriented and the work is not as physically demanding as some other construction jobs. She points out that installing drywall takes a lot of physical strength whereas mudding and taping needs someone who is precise but not necessarily physically strong.

(Last year Ernst participated at a skilled trades forum held at Toronto City Hall. The PAT Institute's Rui Cunha, who also spoke at the forum, noted that women seem to excel at jobs that demand precision and dexterity such as working with network cabling or fibre optics.)

Employment Options
Although "some women are very comfortable working along side of men and swinging a hammer," this is not true for everyone, says McDougall. Luckily, for those who don't fancy the construction site, there are other options for women with knowledge about the construction industry and/or skills. For instance, you could find a job with a supplier or work in such areas as sales, purchasing, cost estimating, or construction site management.

Some women choose the self-employment route, working as a handywoman or renovator, which allows them to use a variety of skills and to have some flexibility with their hours. (According to On-Track's Marie Heron, 39 per cent of women in the skilled trades end up opening up their own business.)

And for those women who do want to work on a construction site, some companies are hiring a more diverse workforce, says McDougall. "There's a lot more women out there now and they're getting recognized," she says. "Initially that was a bit of a problem because they are just not typically seen on a site. That's changing. It's going to take time. We're not there yet, but [it's] definitely changing."

Credit: Possibilities: Toronto Online Employment Recourse Centre

Screenshot: toronto craigslist: city of toronto: skilled trades jobs: Handy-Women Needed!
Credit: toronto.en.craigslist.ca

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Toronto's Lakeshore Community: A Neighbourhood in Transition

Lakeshore Village Business Improvement Area Map

Created by: Survey and Mapping Services (WS), March 2006

Settling into our New Locality

Lakeshore Village BIA
The Lakeshore Village BIA was recently expanded and now runs along Lakeshore Blvd. from Twelfth Street to the west and Dwight Avenue to the east. This area was formerly known as the New Toronto Businessmen's Association, which was incorporated in 1948. In 1982 the BIA changed its name to the Lakeshore Village Business Improvement Area, and they implemented a streetscape improvement plan that included the installation of decorative lamp posts, planters and over 100 trees. This infrastructure is in place today and has been paid for and maintained by the local merchants.
There are over one hundred and fifty businesses in the Lakeshore Village Business Improvement Area with an excellent assortment of businesses, restaurants, shops and services that cater to the local community.
Website: www.thelakeshore.ca
Credit: TABIA: Toronto Association of Business Improvement Areas

When Wo-Built was looking to expand, we had the entire city of Toronto at our disposal. So with this vast area to choose from coupled with the fact that our business is not local but GTA-based, how did we come to settle on the Lakeshore area? Aside from the fact that the price was right, the Lakeshore area, a very quaint corner of the city seemed to be a bit of an enigma. Although it had a long-standing reputation for not being one of the better communities in Toronto, it seemed that the neighbourhood lived side by side with majestic homes, seedy apartment complexes and neat family homes. It lacked the big-box stores, the trendy coffee houses or the fast-food franchises that most other neighbourhoods seemed to be built around. Instead it boasted the serenity of a lakeshore, quaint little shops and family eateries - everything Wo-Built needed to have a successful base. It was TTC accessible and had a number of necessary amenities such as banks and variety stores for basic every-day needs within close proximity.

Having been here awhile, it appears that this community is in a tremendous transition and with transition comes opportunity. Where some storefronts seem to be sporting an "Out of Business" sign, there can be seen a smattering of new businesses. Ethnic eateries, entertainment spots and a few dry-goods shops are inching their way into the area to complement the already long-established businesses. And with an ever-changing demographic there appears to be much room for growth.

As a young company we have come to appreciate the many benefits the Lakeshore area has presented. Our vision is that many more businesses take advantage of the tremendous benefits that the Lakeshore has to offer. We can visualize a fully-revitalized area with little boutiques of all sorts, local entertainment spots and eateries without losing its unique flavor. And as our company grows we can give back to the community by providing local employment through our social mission of training and mentoring of women as well as helping other starting businesses with their ventures.

As a new member of this community we were excited about getting to know our neighbouring residents through local events such as the Mimico's Party in the Park. The Lakeshore area is going through a great deal of revitalization, and Wo-Built Inc. hopes to be a part of this revitalization in a big way.

________________________
Lonya is the staff writer for Wo-Built Inc.

links:
Etobicoke-Lakeshore Community Links
Lakeshore Toronto's Village by the Lake
Lakeshore Community Partnership facilitates and encourages investment from all sectors of the Lakeshore to foster stable employment, a healthy community and a vital economy.
Ourlakeshore.net is a neighbourhood revitalization initiative by neighbours, for neighbours. We have residents, business owners, and politicians working together to promote and improve New Toronto / Lakeshore Village.

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Help for Going Green at Work

GreenTbiz' Tent at the Mimico Summer Festival "Greening Our Community"
2008 @ wobuilt.com

Energy conservation and environmental issues are very significant in our communities today. We have recycling programs at our homes but what about our work environments? This is where an organization such as GreenTbiz can step in to help. GreenTbiz is a non-profit organization that advises small businesses on ways to reduce energy costs and how they can be more eco-friendly by putting less stress on the environment. They work in conjunction with the TABIA’s (Toronto Association of Business Improvement Areas). Both TABIA and GreenTBiz have a mutual goal and it’s an alliance that can be beneficial to both organizations.

GreenTbiz has many programs and services that can benefit small business owners by improving their bottom line as well as being more environmentally conscious.
Wo-Built can help a business with its remodeling projects and as a responsible business owner that believes in the work that GreenTBiz is doing, Wo-Built recommends the services of GreenTBiz to all its commercial clients. There’s nothing to lose and a green future to gain.

________________________
Lonya is the staff writer for Wo-Built Inc.

links:
Wo-Built Gets its Feet Wet at Mimico’s Party in the Park
Etobicoke-Lakeshore Community Links
Lakeshore Toronto's Village by the Lake
TABIA - Toronto Association of Business Improvement Areas
greenTbiz: SAVE MONEY WHILE GREENING YOUR BUSINESS!
greenTbiz: thinking green & saving green
Here you may view Smart Mentor video clips which demonstrate the positive energy saving changes that business owners across Toronto have been making through the greenTbiz program.

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