2009-7
3

Holy Hot Tamale! by Richard Crenian

Category: Affordable Housing, CMHC, Envelope Design, Highrise Buildings, Housing Starts, Residential, Texas, Uncategorized | Comments Off

Holy Hot Tamale!

Wow, wow, wow is all I can say. We are supposed to be in a down time yet Ford goes and does this………..Ford Motor Car of Canada sold 27,408 vehicles in June which was a 25-per-cent jump on sales in June, 2008, and the first year-over-year sales increase it has posted in 2009!

The engine that could……..choo choo……….Ford never quit. Amazing, yet true! See what happens when one doesn’t give up? Think of all those people that quit advertising, quit working, and just plain gave up because the media told them that the market was bad. Good for Ford.

Today in the USA they talked about a recovery that is, a jobless recovery. Wow, a little bit of a paradox to be sure. I don’t understand it but it becomes a recovery and if it works for us call it what you will?

Here is a story on Toronto’s house markets as of May. (Link for the CTV site is below.)

It states, “May was the strongest month ever for sales of luxury homes in the Greater Toronto Area, according to RE/MAX Ontario-Atlantic Canada.

In that month, 273 homes were sold for more than $1 million each, compared to 258 sold in the same month one year earlier — a difference of 6 per cent.

“What we are seeing is confidence is returning to the marketplace, and there are some market dynamics that are in place with consumers returning to this level of the marketplace,” said Christine Martysiewicz, of RE/MAX Ontario-Atlantic.

“There is a shortage of inventory and there is pent-up demand, so that is all a sign of the current market conditions out there.”

The previous record for luxury home sales in the GTA was set in May 2007, when 266 homes were sold for over $1 million.

The new record marks the highest number of luxury home sales in the history of the Toronto Real Estate Board.

One of the homes sold last month was located on the city’s prestigious Bridle Path and was priced at over $13 million. It was the first sale of a home for over $10 million in more than a year, in the GTA.”

http://toronto.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20090612/toronto_home_sales_090612/20090612?hub=TorontoHome

Holy hot Tamale indeed! Call Howard for his thoughts on investing in Canada at 403 630 4544 or at howardmanley@shaw.ca, or Darwin at darwin@redevproperties.com.

http://investmentsincanada.blogspot.com/2009/07/holy-hot-tamale-by-richard-crenian.html

reviewed by Moishe Alexander, CFC CEO

2009-6
30

Canadian Funding Corp Ponders the Pyramid

Category: Highrise Buildings, Texas | Comments Off

There is, according to Canadian Funding Corporation, a new highrise on South Padre Island, Texas. The name of it is Kirana Pyramid Beach High-rise.

We are told that these are oceanfront condominiums and will be the tallest building on the Island.

Kirana is an Indian word meaning “ray of light”.

The new highrise will hold 3, 4 and 5 bedroom condominium residences and penthouse units.

Apparently MLS sales for South Padre Island exceeded 2008 which is a good sign for South Padre. The influx of cash has come from Mexico, Houston, Dallas, Austin, and San Antonio.

Did we mention that this was a beachfront property? Canadian Funding Corporation says: “WOW!”

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2009-6
30

Enhancing Envelope Design – Part I

Category: Envelope Design, Highrise Buildings, Residential | Comments Off

Canadian Funding Corp will be dividing this healthy highrise piece into several posts due to the length and detailed nature of the material.

Introduction from Canadian Funding Corp: What is the building envelope?
The building envelope consists of the materials, assemblies and components that separate the interior of a building from the exterior. It includes such elements as walls, windows and doors, roofs, floors and foundations. The function of these elements is to enclose space in such a way that appropriate interior environmental conditions (temperature, humidity, air movement, light) can be maintained.

Premature failure of building envelopes occurs in many buildings throughout the country. These failures result in the deterioration of the exterior facade of buildings, damage to building interiors, dangerous long-and-short-term structural situations, and potential adverse health effects to occupants as a result of exposure to molds.

The knowledge and technology required to design and construct building envelopes that are free of problems is now available. A more durable envelope, requiring less maintenance, is the result of improved understanding of applied building sciences, improved detailing on construction drawings, and greater attention to detail in the construction and commissioning of the building envelope.

By understanding the movement of moisture through the building envelope, whether the moisture is from the outside or inside, the primary cause of premature deterioration can be controlled. Enhanced envelope performance can be achieved through greater envelope airtightness, improved water management capabilities, and the application of pressure equalized rainscreen systems and proper water shedding details.

The following section provides an overview of improved approaches to air barrier systems, rainscreen design and commissioning requirements, water-shedding wall construction, and improved practices relating to the design and construction of parking garages and roof systems. In each case, changes to the design, construction and commissioning of the building envelope are required to ensure improved durability.

Air Barriers
Despite the importance of the air barrier to overall building performance, air barrier technologies are just beginning to be understood. Consideration of the air barrier system is often not fully integrated into the design process.

An effective air barrier (or more specifically an effective air barrier system, made up of all the materials, components and joints functioning to prevent the migration of air) is an essential component of a well performing building envelope in all climatic regions. The effectiveness of rainscreen designs, improved insulation levels, ventilation and interior comfort are each dependent on air barrier performance. The air barrier system will restrict the movement of air through the envelope, thereby reducing the primary transfer mechanism of moisture. Control of air movement will also improve comfort, envelope durability, and energy efficiency.

Canadian Funding Corporation will continue on the subject of air barriers in a following post and in the spirit of the healthy highrise. We hope that this CMHC material will prove useful.

Meanwhile here are two videos provided by Canadian Funding Corp. on the building envelope and financing issues.

Canadian Funding Corporation and Moishe Alexander issues high LTV commercial loan in Cambridge Ontario to fund the purchase of a variety store. Michael Spiro, attorney, closed the deal.