Down to Earth - 540 Beatty
Heritage Conversion
By retaining an existing building structure rather than tearing it down, there was a minimum of waste material produced.
Salvaged and refurbished historical elements from building
Where we could, we refurbished or reused material from the original building. Not only is it good environmental practice, it adds to the heritage fabric of the 540 homes. These are the key areas where we did this:
- Brick - interior and exterior
- Heritage windows
- Lobby feature - we used original glass salvaged from throughout the building, including original sidewalk blocks
- Radiators - refurbished and used as a feature in hallways and select suites
- Original freight scale - refurbished and used as a feature
- Fire escape at back of the building salvaged and maintained
Construction Process
Construction workers separated and recycled all drywall, paint, metal and cardboard. It takes a bit more time and energy to sort, but it’s definitely worth the effort.
Non-toxic Sealers
When sealing all concrete and brick (majority of the structure) only non-toxic, water-based sealers were used. This means no harm done to the crew or the environment when installing... and it also means healthier air quality in the long run.
Transportation
540 Beatty is close to the Skytrain, buses and even the Seabus. And it’s easy to walk pretty much anywhere in downtown core from here. This promotes reduced car use, and that, as we all know, is a very good thing. And, in keeping with a reduction of car use, space has been provided for convenient bicycle storage... which is good for all sorts of things.