by RateHub.ca

Large construction cranes sitting next to towers of concrete and glass are common-place images across many of Canada’s major city centres. Recent data suggests housing starts fuelled by condo construction is surging, despite expectations they would cool in 2012. Last April, housing starts hit the second highest output on record with 244,900 starts or 18% above industry expectations.

What does this reveal about Canadians?

We’re condo nuts. We can’t get enough of them, especially in markets like Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal which combined, are largely responsible for this condo construction craze.

TD Canada recently polled current condo owners and individuals looking to buy a condo in the near future. The results revealed that Canadians don’t mind paying extra Loonies for a piece of condo living.

TD found people are drawn to condominiums because they require less maintenance than a house and are more affordable. One in four said they were attracted to the amenities, such as the gyms, pools and party rooms associated with condo buildings.

When it comes to funding the condo lifestyle, Canadians aren’t afraid to pony up the cash. One in five said they were willing to pay up to $400 a month on condo fees while an astounding 10% said they were willing to pay $600. Condo buyers from the market most associated with the craze, Toronto, were the most willing to pay, with 39% prepared to pay up to $400 in condo fees (double the national average).

Although condo fees pay for such things such as security, swimming pools and window washing, they are vulnerable to rate increases. However, one in three Canadians say they already have a buffer built into their budget to account for possible condo fee increases. Unfortunately, the report did not reveal whether Canadians have also created separate buffers for potential increases to their mortgage rates.

One strategy to prepare for an increase in either condo fees or mortgage rates according to Farhaneh Haque, Director of TD mortgage advice, is to utilize your prepayment options. “You can also explore flexible mortgage options that allow you to pay more towards your mortgage when you can, then, upon an approved application, ease off on payments when you need to. This can be a useful feature in the first few months of transition to a fee increase”

Condos will continue to remain an attractive option for home buyers because of their affordability relative to other housing options. Expect construction cranes to continue to grace Canadian city skylines for the foreseeable future.

Source: TD Condo Poll

by StonePeak Ceramics

If you were taking the verbal section of the SAT, one of the questions might look similar to this:  A square is to a rectangle, as ___________ is to ceramic tile.

The answer of course would be porcelain tile.  Much like a square has stricter credentials, however still meets the qualifications of a rectangle, porcelain tile is just that.  While porcelain tile fits the description of ceramic tile, it takes it a step further in differentiating itself from its close relative.

So what’s the Difference?

What qualifies something as ceramic tile?  Ceramic tile is usually created by mixing a base of clay with different types of minerals and water.  A stoneware clay body will be fired at around 1,800-2,000°F and have water absorption between 0.5%-3.0%, with some even as high as 20%!

Porcelain on the other hand is made out of a mixture of clay, sand, and feldspar, which is a naturally occurring mineral in granite.  The sand strengthens the mixture, while the feldspar melts, fusing together all the materials making the tile denser than a standard ceramic tile, thus stronger (30% stronger than granite!) and more stain resistant.

Porcelain tile will fire at about 2,300°F.  The higher firing temperature will drive out more water, and with the feldspar melting to form a low-order glass, the tile will be far more water resistant.  Thus, the American standards for a porcelain product is that is must absorb less than or equal to 0.5% of water (Read more about our manufacturing process).

Why the Confusion?

The biggest debate over “what is porcelain tile?” is that there ceases to be one universally accepted definition.  This means that buying from overseas can be risky, as all they have to do is slap a Porcelain stamp on the side of the box before it ships and manufacturers can sell it as true porcelain.

To reiterate, the American tile industry traditionally has described porcelain tile as being a practically impervious form of ceramic tile, meaning that the tile will absorb equal to or less than 0.5% of water.

StonePeak takes our porcelain tile to another level as we fire each tile to absorb less than or equal to 0.1% of water, making a virtually non-permeable body.  This style is referred to as “technical porcelain” in the American tile industry.

What to Take From This Article?

1)      Porcelain tile should absorb ≤ 0.5% of moisture

2)      StonePeak manufactures technical porcelain, absorbing ≤ 0.1% of moisture

3)      Porcelain tile has exceptional durability, being 30% stronger than granite

4)      Because of their higher density, porcelain tile is more resistant to staining

5)      Be wary of foreign market products as there are no universal standards

Take a look at just how beautiful true porcelain ceramics can be!

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For more information visit the StonePeak Ceramics blog.

by MeCC Interiors

Porro's Chameleon Cupboard, designed by Front

New from Italy’s Porro is the Chameleon Cupboard, a collaboration with the Sweden’s Front.  Like any chameleon, this cupboard is ever-changing.

As Front describes it:

“The new Chameleon unit is a magic volume, constantly opening on itself as the game of the Chinese boxes, changing appearance and revealing new finishes…  it consists of a central wood crate, covered by leather layers, which used as hinges, allows it to turn and be revolved, changing its colour and look according to the specific mood.”

Exterior views of the Chameleon.

The unit’s drawers and shelves are crafted from pear wood, perfect for stashing any of number of things around the house.

The Chameleon Cupboard is on display at Salone del Mobile 2012 in Milan.

The ever-changing interiors of the Chameleon.

MeCC Interiors

The U.S. and Canada Green City Index, part of a research project conducted by the Economist Intelligence Unit, recently released its annual ranking of North American cities based on environmental performance.

Twenty-seven (27) cities were scored on thirty-one (31) indicators, including things like water and energy consumption and conservation, public use of land, public transportation quality and efficiency, and city “walkability.”

According to the ranking, the top five (5) greenest cities are:

1. San Francisco
2. Vancouver
3. New York City
4. Seattle
5. Denver

New York may shock many.  However, it garnered many points for its new walkable “pedestrian zones” and its public transportation system.  It has also developed an efficient land-use program and is economically stronger than many other North American cities.

Of the least green cities , many are (or were) major manufacturing centres and have suffered from prolonged decline:

1. Detroit
2. St. Louis
3. Cleveland
4. Phoenix
5. Pittsburg, PA

“It is interesting to note that while the United States does not have a federal climate policy and no federal carbon standards, most of the greenest cities in the index have established carbon reduction targets,” adds Stephen Ashkin, CEO of Sustainable Dashboard Tools, LLC.

Overall Rankings, Greenest to Least Green:

1. San Francisco
2. Vancouver
3. New York
4. Seattle
5. Denver
6. Boston
7. Los Angeles
8. Washington, DC
9. Toronto
10. Minneapolis
11. Chicago
12. Ottawa
13. Philadelphia
14. Calgary
15. Sacramento
16. Houston
17. Dallas
18. Orlando
19. Montreal
20. Charlotte
21. Atlanta
22. Miami
23. Pittsburg, PA
24. Phoenix
25. Cleveland
26. St. Louis
27. Detroit

What do you think?  How many of these cities would you classify as “green” by your own standard?