Heritage retrofit paves way to net-zero future

For Francisca and Mike Quinn, old buildings aren’t obstacles, they’re opportunities. Their latest project transforms two historic row houses into one of Canada’s rare net-zero office spaces, proving that sustainability and heritage can go hand-in-hand.

The couple’s project — at 29 and 31 Prince Arthur Ave., just steps from Toronto’s Yorkville district — transforms a pair of connected row homes into a state-of-the-art structure that integrates modern design, energy efficiency and environmental, social and governance (ESG) principles. The nearly 16,000-square-foot space is currently available for rent by commercial tenants and is significant as less than one per cent of Canada’s buildings that produce net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.