18 Erskine Avenue, or “E18HTEEN” Erksine, is a premier rental property located in the heart of midtown Toronto, just a few blocks from the iconic intersection of Yonge Street and Eglinton Avenue. This 35-storey high-rise features a unit mix of over three hundred thoughtfully-designed rental suites that contribute to the City’s need for diverse housing options. Only steps away from the vibrancy of Yonge Street, residents enjoy easy access to a variety of services, entertainment, retail shops, restaurants, transit options, and major city trails.
With the development being immediately adjacent to an elementary school, KIRKOR collaborated with KG Group, City of Toronto officials, and the school community to design the podium façade that faces the school’s play area. Together, a risk-free environment was established, alleviating parents’ and teachers’ concerns regarding student safety. Deltera (the Contractors) also joined us to plan and schedule the construction to begin during the school’s summer break, minimizing disruption to school operations.
Additionally, KIRKOR achieved notable sustainability goals at 18 Erskine. By treating walkway and driveway hardscapes with high albedo surface materials, recycling construction waste, using regionally-sourced materials, and strategizing a balanced window-to-wall ratio (WWR), we achieved an advanced Tier 2 of the Toronto Green Standards (Version 2). High albedo materials have a higher reflectivity, which reflects more sunlight and absorb less heat compared to traditional dark surfaces. This, in combination with a 44% WWR, we leveraged window orientation, glazing performance, shading, and the building’s overall thermal envelope to achieve urban heart island effect reduction, lower cooling costs, energy savings, and improve thermal comfort – overall, exceeding the energy efficiency expectations of the Ontario Building Code.
