[Midtown Urbanist]

I'm far from an expert in thermal dynamics but from my understanding the concrete slabs that are extended beyond a building's wall to make a balcony floor contributes to the building's heat loss. The OBC could be updated to restrict this in an attempt to make buildings greener I suppose.

But the City Planning's precious setbacks!

 

[Northern Light]

The Ontario Building Code does not restrict balcony space in terms of size, but rather materials and other items related to fire protection. Zoning By-laws generally require a minimum amount of outdoor amenity space per unit which balconies contribute towards. Larger balconies add to the marketability of units and thus made bigger.

Marketability would be improved immeasurably by more functional shapes. Greater depth/width as opposed to length parallel to a building.

The common narrow rectangle design is the least functional space in terms of patio furniture and growing plants.

The standard inclusion of an electrical outlet, lighting, and a water spigot would also seem sensible; IF one is going to do balconies.

I'm far from an expert in thermal dynamics but from my understanding the concrete slabs that are extended beyond a building's wall to make a balcony floor contributes to the building's heat loss. The OBC could be updated to restrict this in an attempt to make buildings greener I suppose.

You are correct in your understanding; but let me add to it in a couple of ways.

While balconies are a source of heat loss in winter; they are also a source of heat gain during a heat wave and make your air conditioning bill vastly more expensive.

That said..............

Balconies can be thermally broken. This is a link showing one way of doing this; by one particular company, but there are multiple companies are variations (all the same principles) on how to structurally thermally break a balcony.

Balcony Thermal Break Products – Schöck North America

Product details on Isokorb® structural thermal breaks for insulating concrete and steel balconies where they penetrate the insulated building envelope.

www.schock-na.com

 

[Edward Skira]

Crane coming down today from final phase.

 

[Edward Skira]

And early phases starting to populate. I saw a bunch of people parking in the industrial park across the street and carrying boxes of stuff for their new homes.

 

[Banana78]

Taken today of the transit city condo tower trio

 

[SaugeenJunction]

Thank Metrolinx for this shot from the Finch West LRT MSF (top left).

 

[Edward Skira]

Vaughan skyline from NYCC

.

 

[DarkSideDenizen]

 

[ushahid]

Soooo beautiful! Love these triplets.

 

[Edward Skira]

Well done.

 

[Rascacielo]

Today

 

[ViveleCanada]

Some photos of the LED artwork and the buildings this morning. The LED artwork nicely bathes the buildings at night. The LED's transition from: white, red, green and blue.

 

[Undead]

Is that the only colours and pattern it can display? Can it be programmed to show anything else?

 

[UtakataNoAnnex]

Is that the only colours and pattern it can display? Can it be programmed to show anything else?

I would gather yes. But I guess that it's at the direction of the those involved with this.

...so could it evolve from this? We'll have to have to wait and see.

 

[ViveleCanada]

Is that the only colours and pattern it can display? Can it be programmed to show anything else?

Yes, SmartCentres posted on their instagram earlier this year last year of the LED's displaying an animated Canadian Flag. I'm not sure if I'm allowed to download and share instagram stories so I just took a screenshot. You can view it for yourself in their stories archives under #SmartVMC. It actually looks quite nice.