Accelerating Sustainable Growth and Housing Development on Toronto’s Avenues: Leveraging Prefabricated Cold-Formed Steel Solutions from EBS Global
Toronto’s "Avenues Policy" has set a progressive urban framework for transforming key corridors into vibrant, mixed-use communities that support sustainable growth.
By enhancing mid-rise development, increasing residential density, and prioritizing transit-supported growth, the policy addresses Toronto’s urgent housing needs while revitalizing the city’s landscape.
As highlighted in TRREB’s recent feedback on the City of Toronto Avenues Review, these designated corridors hold the potential to accommodate up to 160,000 new housing units.
However, achieving these goals requires policy support and innovative, efficient construction solutions.
Engineered Building Systems Global (EBS Global), a pioneer in prefabricated cold-formed steel (CFS) panel systems, offers a construction solution that aligns seamlessly with Toronto’s vision for mid-rise, mixed-use developments.
Prefabricated CFS panel systems are particularly ideal for 5 to 11-story buildings, providing a fast, affordable, and durable option for achieving the city’s housing goals. As Toronto navigates challenges in housing affordability, urban design, and regulatory barriers, EBS Global’s CFS solutions pave a practical path forward.
Toronto’s Avenues Review:
A Framework for Sustainable Urban Growth
Toronto’s Avenues Policy designates major arterial streets for intensified growth, focusing on developing "mid-rise, mixed-use structures" to increase housing supply and commercial opportunities along these corridors.
The policy aims to create "complete communities" where residents can live, work, and play with easy access to public transit. This approach addresses housing needs while supporting economic growth, environmental sustainability, and neighborhood vitality.
According to TRREB’s feedback, the Avenues Review initiative represents an opportunity to revitalize key corridors, supporting "sustainable growth" and "enhanced urban design".
Designated Avenues, featuring a blend of residential, commercial, and institutional uses, are ideal locations for mid-rise developments that foster walkable, transit-oriented communities.
Key Recommendations from TRREB for Effective Implementation
TRREB’s recent submission underscores the importance of optimizing the Avenues Review to support local businesses, enhance the quality of life for residents, and streamline the development process.
Here are some of the key takeaways and areas of concern TRREB addressed:
1. Sustainable Growth on Avenues:
Ensuring Avenues can accommodate future growth while providing essential services and amenities for residents is vital.
City staff have acknowledged that Avenues are crucial for promoting "intensification and transit-supported growth", making them ideal locations for higher-density residential and mixed-use developments.
2. Streamlined Development Process:
TRREB supports reducing lengthy studies and costly spot re-zonings by implementing as-of-right zoning for Avenues. This change would allow for "lot consolidation" and reduce the need for re-zoning applications for mid-rise buildings, expediting the development process and offering greater certainty to developers.
3. Areas of Concern:
- Discretionary Local Area Reviews:
The lack of clarity around how these reviews will be conducted raises concerns. If made a standard requirement, they could hinder the efficiency of development along the Avenues.
- Avenue Typologies:
Proposed typologies might complicate land use designations, requiring additional amendments to the Official Plan. TRREB urges the city to ensure these typologies do not inhibit the diversity of projects crucial for a balanced community.
- Financial Feasibility:
TRREB stresses the importance of a financial feasibility study to assess mid-rise building standards, which would spotlight potentially onerous build form requirements. Without a feasibility analysis, the policy’s success could be limited by financial constraints on builders and developers. EBS Global’s Prefabricated Cold-Formed Steel Systems:
The Optimal Solution for Mid-Rise Development
For mid-rise buildings in the 5-11 floor range, EBS Global’s prefabricated cold-formed steel (CFS) panel systems stand out as the best choice, offering unmatched affordability, durability, and speed.
Here’s how EBS Global’s solutions directly address the needs of the Avenues Policy and support TRREB’s recommendations:
1. Cost-Effectiveness for Affordable Housing
- Prefabricated CFS panels offer significant cost savings in comparison to traditional building methods, making them ideal for affordable housing developments.
EBS Global’s manufacturing process ensures consistency and efficiency, keeping costs manageable while supporting high-quality construction standards.
- As TRREB emphasizes the need for affordable mid-rise options, EBS Global’s prefabrication technology can support this by delivering a budget-friendly, yet high-performing, building solution.
2. Accelerated Construction Timeline
- EBS Global’s prefabricated systems are manufactured off-site, allowing for faster assembly and deployment.
This reduced on-site construction time not only saves on labor costs but also minimizes disruption in dense urban areas.
- With as-of-right zoning proposed to streamline the development process, EBS Global’s approach complements this policy by enabling a rapid build, ensuring developers can meet tight timelines for mid-rise developments.
3. Durable and Resilient Structures
- Cold-formed steel is a robust, long-lasting material resistant to weather impacts, fire, and pests.
This durability makes EBS Global’s CFS panels an ideal choice for mid-rise construction, particularly in a city like Toronto, where long-term building performance is crucial.
- The resilience of CFS panels means that these structures are not only economical but also require less maintenance over time, aligning with the city’s goals of sustainability and community longevity.
4. Environmental Sustainability
- EBS Global’s CFS panels are a sustainable choice due to steel’s recyclability and reduced construction waste.
This aligns with the Avenues Review’s focus on promoting eco-friendly growth along key corridors.
- With Toronto’s commitment to sustainable urban development, EBS Global’s prefabricated CFS systems reduce the environmental impact of construction while supporting efficient, high-density housing.
5. Design Flexibility and Adaptability
- EBS Global’s prefabricated panel systems allow for extensive design flexibility, accommodating diverse floor plans and aesthetic preferences.
This adaptability ensures that mid-rise buildings can blend seamlessly into the character of existing neighborhoods.
- Our systems are optimized for mixed-use developments, creating harmonious transitions between residential, commercial, and institutional spaces.
As TRREB advocates for adaptable mixed-use areas, EBS Global’s solutions provide a way to achieve these goals.
Supporting a Vision of Flexible, Mixed-Use Avenues
TRREB’s advocacy for designating all Avenues as "Mixed-Use Areas" aligns well with EBS Global’s prefabricated panel systems, which are designed for ease of reconfiguration and adaptability.
This makes them ideal for Avenues developments, allowing buildings to evolve with community needs and fostering dynamic neighborhoods.
A Collaborative Path to Toronto’s Housing Future
The collaboration of policy innovations like Toronto’s Avenues Review with advanced construction technologies, such as EBS Global’s prefabricated cold-formed steel panel systems, is essential to realizing the city’s ambitious housing goals.
By optimizing for the 5-11 story mid-rise range, EBS Global offers an affordable, durable, and fast solution that meets Toronto’s growing housing demands while supporting sustainable, high-quality development.
EBS Global remains committed to driving Toronto’s vision forward, providing solutions that are economically viable, environmentally responsible, and socially responsive.
Our prefabricated cold-formed steel systems not only meet but exceed the needs outlined in the Avenues Review, paving the way for a future where Toronto’s Avenues flourish as accessible, sustainable, and vibrant communities.
Through this partnership of policy and innovation, we can build a Toronto that meets the needs of today’s residents and the generations to come.
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