Canard Development Group is a revolutionary planning and urban design group that creatively links social responsibility, sustainable construction practices, and innovative design strategies. We seek to redefine traditional uses of space, materials, and technology to develop exceptional projects that meet the housing needs and interests of today’s forward-thinking homebuyer. Our alternative living spaces lead the way toward the positive change that conscientious city-dwellers want in a constantly changing urban environment.

Innovative design solutions are the essence of our company. Established in 2000, Canard Development Group provides today’s homebuyer with truly unique living solutions. Canard is at the urban center of pioneering development and redevelopment projects around the globe. We have extensive experience in shaping and enhancing urban spaces using our expertise in construction, land planning, urban development, and cutting-edge design. Canard deploys the tools and techniques of the future for the benefit of the citizens of today. Our portfolio includes commercial and residential projects such as the Panoramic Viewpoints, the Bennett Building, Portable Pilchard Saloon, Sunbuckle Commons, Frothblower Biosphere, and Snuffclipper bird sanctuary.

Canard has a reputation for creating ground-breaking homes in highly sought-after locations. Canard is also known for providing public and private clients with focused and responsive customer service. Attention to detail in design and fabrication as well as in our relationships with current and prospective homebuyers is a hallmark of every Canard project. Inside and out and from beginning to end, we create distinctive living spaces that work for you, for the environment, and for your community.

Working with an eye to unique alternatives, Canard is committed to environmentally responsible design. Utilizing BuiltGreen™ technologies, we develop homes that enhance the urban landscape and offer energy efficiencies to our homeowners. Our focus on design innovation is a cornerstone of all of our work—from architecture to interior design to the construction process. This dedication and commitment to quality defines who we are and why we succeed. And, every component of every Canard project is 100 percent recyclable, reusable, or biodegradable.

Come and visit us today and experience the difference with Canard.

Project

A.I.R. is an exciting new freehold residential unit from Canard Development Group offering spectacular value and breathtaking views, and constructed to BuiltGreen™ specifications. A.I.R. represents cutting-edge technology in residential planning—a portable unit that can fit into any community and be attached to any building. This revolutionary housing unit permits homebuyers to select not only their location, but also if their A.I.R. unit will be hung, cantilevered, suspended, floated, assembled on, assembled in, or extended from the host site. Depending on your chosen site, A.I.R. units can be stacked or linked together to provide larger configuration options; you simply select the number of units you would like.

A.I.R. uses state-of-the-art construction materials and technologies that maximize overall household efficiency and are environmentally sustainable. Each basic unit is designed to be 75 percent off-grid, which means that for nine months out of each year, A.I.R. can generate and store enough energy to independently supply the unit and its occupants with electricity, air, and water. The remaining 25 percent is tapped from the existing infrastructure of the host site.

We have researched and developed the latest in construction techniques and building processes in forming A.I.R. Each unit is composed of a light-gauge steel structure, ETFE panels, and glass. The light-gauge steel allows the structure to be as light as possible, maximizing its possible configurations. The ETFE panels operate like inflated pillows, allowing the project to remain lightweight while simultaneously providing insulation.

A basic price for an A.I.R. unit located on a host site that is under six stories is between $200/sf and $275/sf. A unit for a location above six stories is priced between $275/sf and $400/sf. The total cost to install your Canard home will vary depending on which design you choose, the custom support system, and your site location. Installation costs start at $3,500 per unit, but can vary according to the height and other intricacies of your site.

We know that selecting an A.I.R. home is not only a smart choice, but one that will furnish you with the lifestyle you have always wanted.

Features

Using less, enjoying more. A.I.R.’s unique state-of-the-art technology features maximize overall household efficiency and are environmentally sustainable.

Structure

• • Light gauge steel structure
• • Inflated ETFE (ethylene tetrafluoroethylene) panels act as a thermal buffer for integrated interior radiant heating and cooling
• • Utility core mechanical system concealed on exterior wall
• • Rooftop urban crop garden aids interior air filtration
• • Green roof (garden) provides additional layer of insulation and reduces cooling costs
• • Rooftop solar panel
• • A.I.R. lift floor system™
• • Each basic unit is 8m x 3.5m
• • Each basic unit is 450 square feet including mezzanine

Ceiling

• • 19 feet in common area
• • 9 feet in mezzanine

Principal Rooms

• • Each room has sensory lighting and uses Nemalux LED
• • Low energy electronics
• • Pre-wired for high definition cable TV and telephone Kitchen
• • Top-of-the-line energy efficient Fisher and Paykel appliances: refrigerator, cooktop, convection, dishwasher, and microwave

Bathroom

• • Single lever chrome faucets (reduced flow rate of 9.5 liters per minute)
• • Grohe shower head temperature controlled and pressure balance (reduced flow rate of 9.5 liters per minute and with faucet restrictor a reduced flow rate of 5.7 liters per minute)
• • Dual flush toilet with 3 or 4 liter flush option

Laundry

• • Stack front loading laundry and dryer (uses 34 liters of water per load and 135 kwh of energy per year)

Balcony

• • Retractable glass wall
• • Indoor/outdoor city view balcony

State-of-the-Art Technology

• • Emergency smoke, heat and panel deflation detectors
• • Linksys wireless G broadband router creates a wireless network to share with high speed connections (free internet)
• • Heat recovery ventilator (expels stale indoor air and gaseous pollutants and exchanges heat with warmed/cooled revitalized outdoor filtered air)
• • Key card access
• • Integrated photovoltaic energy glass wall (can produce 470 kwh energy per year)
• • Energy metering control unit—the in-home customer information panel reduces waste
• • Non-essential energy usage control panel informs consumers of their energy consumption on and off the grid
• • Drain water energy recovering system

Steps to Ownership of Your New A.I.R. Home

Canard Development Group’s full-service architectural design team specializes in innovative modular technology. We have developed an efficient Seven Steps to Ownership process to ensure that you are happy with your new home. This process provides clients with an extensive lifestyle-compatibility analysis and site consultation to locate your ideal living space.

Step 1: Are you ready to own an A.I.R. home?

Are you ready to own an A.I.R. home? A.I.R. offers a unique living option and we want to make sure it is compatible with your lifestyle. An initial meeting, approximately one hour in duration, will be set up with an A.I.R. consultant to discuss the intricacies of the A.I.R. lifestyle. If Canard feels that both parties are well matched, then a second meeting for a lifestyle analysis will be scheduled.

Step 2: Who are you?

The lifestyle analysis will take about an hour and a half and is a comprehensive exploration of your lifestyle patterns, personal preferences, daily routines, likes and dislikes, and any specific needs or requirements you may have. The Lifestyle Analyzer will compile the resulting data and email a written report of the findings to you within one week of your visit. This report will offer a selection of housing options and locations that will meet your lifestyle needs and desires.

Step 3: Which location is right for you?

Potential locations for your A.I.R. home are endless and limited only by your imagination. Access to surrounding amenities, commuting time to work, height of the host structure, and the orientation of your unit are all things to consider when making your decision about where to put your A.I.R. home. There are many steps in locating the perfect site, and at Canard we work with you to discover the ideal location. The first step in finding your location is a consultation with our siting specialist. A detailed evaluation will be created and our team will research the city to find the ideal location. Once your location preferences and options have been developed, you will make an initial non-refundable down payment of $10,000 that will be applied against the final cost of your new home. Canard will then work with our partners to secure the location. In the case that you already have an area or particular structure in mind, our siting specialist will work with our partners to obtain access to your desired site.

Once a site has been secured, the next step is to schedule a site visit. Because site access is critical for every A.I.R. home, we will set up a site visit to develop an appropriate delivery and installation strategy. The delivery assessment includes a site visit by the architects and siting specialist, who will determine the following:

• 1. Which A.I.R. unit will work on your site.
• 2. The optimum sun exposure assessed through a solar study.
• 3. Placement of the A.I.R. unit based on sound and wind exposure.
• 4. Which custom support system is possible with the site.
• 5. Where the customized access point will be located.
• 6. The appropriate delivery method and positioning of your home. A delivery assessment meeting will be scheduled and will last about one hour. A written report, schematic design documents, and photographs will be emailed within two weeks of your site visit.

Step 4: What does “home” feel like?

This is your opportunity to work with our Interior Mood consultants to decide what unit would best suit your needs and create your ideal living environment. Canard will send you an Ambiance Package that will include a catalogue of materials and finishes to choose from in personalizing your A.I.R. home and should be reviewed before your meeting. During your design meeting, any modifications to your unit will be discussed. If you would like assistance furnishing your new home, please let us know.

Step 5: Realizing hopes

Your total project cost will depend on many factors unique to your A.I.R. home and your host site. Based on the working budget that will be updated throughout the process, Canard will meet with you to confirm the total final cost of your A.I.R. home from consultation through construction and installation. We work closely with clients to find the best solution for their site and each project is carefully considered. Common circumstances that can affect the feasibility and costs of your A.I.R. home include:

• • Height of structure that your home will be attached to
• • Reinforcement of existing structure, if needed
• • Distance between the factory and site location affects transportation costs
• • Security considerations of host building

If you require financing for your project, you will need to obtain pre-approval from a modular-friendly lender. If you do not have a lender, Canard would be happy to introduce you to lenders who are competitive, informed, and modular-friendly.

Step 6: Building your dreams

Once the permits and financing are approved, we begin the next exciting step to ownership. The plans for your A.I.R. home will be sent to our factory to be built and inflated. During this time, any needed site preparations are completed in advance of the positioning of your new A.I.R. unit. Once our site contractor has prepared the site and the modules have been built, Canard will arrange to have your new A.I.R home delivered to your site and attached to the existing structure. Our module home travels by truck or helicopter to the location and requires a crane or other technology to install. Once attached, your new home is ready for moving in!

Step 7: Celebrating your new Canard home

Get out your champagne glass and prepare to enjoy your new A.I.R. home!

Testimonials

Alan Markfield, Web Developer: “The whole idea seemed very implausible to me, but I was intrigued, so I got started. From the very beginning the people at Canard blew me away with the strategies they had come up with to make my ideas reality. I wanted a view of the city with perfect northern light, and they made it happen! I wanted to reach my home by elevator, and I got it. I wanted a place for a rooftop garden, and there it was…I felt a little bit like they had a magic wand”

Cathy Shear, Artist: “I am actually living my dream. I chose the exact place in the city that I wanted as my home, and then got to design a house for that location! What other design group gives you that kind of freedom? And on top of that, they were the most capable and helpful people I’ve ever worked with. They had solutions for every question I had.”

Tatyana and Surendra Mahara, Lawyer and Art Consultant: “We couldn’t be happier with our home. It’s great as well to be on the cutting edge of home design. Our friends can’t stop talking about it!”

Thierry Malik, Freelance Journalist and Writer: “A Canard home worked so well for me and my family. We thought at first that there was no way it could be within our budget, but Canard worked with us to design something that met our needs, and to find a location that was feasible. They build such great relationships with their customers, and really seemed to care that we were getting what we wanted. I feel like we have tapped into a whole new aspect of this city, a place that is ours to enjoy and shape around us. The spirit of the city and of those who inhabit it should intertwine and grow around each other. [Canard Development Group] takes that concept to a whole different level.”

Annie Chung, Restaurant Owner: “I have a completely symbiotic relationship with the building that my home is going to be attached to. It will benefit from my presence, and I feel completely comfortable in this space. We are all excited about the project. I think more relationships appearing around the city will really change the face of Toronto as a whole, as well as the concept of urban living. It is really a new sense of community, and is really what we need for the future.”

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