SOL by Adera is preparing for its grand public opening on October 15th. This west Coquitlam condominium development is in preconstruction with 92 homes contained in a six-storey building and includes one-bedroom to three-bedroom homes.
Adera is building SOL with SmartWood® — a proprietary material that is lauded for its superior acoustics, sophisticated design, sustainability, and remarkable durability. SmartWood® is carbon negative and uses wood harvested exclusively from sustainably managed forests. Adera has been using SmartWood® in all its new builds due to its unwavering commitment to innovation and a better, more sustainable way of building homes.
Livabl spoke to Eric Andreasen, Adera’s senior vice president of marketing and sales about SOL, SmartWood®, SOL’s amenities and who he thinks might be the right buyer for these homes.
Can you tell us about SmartWood®? What is it and what makes it so durable?
Our original concept was to figure out how we excel in areas where there are concrete competitors. We went with a more durable construction process, and it started off with mass timber in the form of cross-laminated timber (CLT). But along the way, we started to become convinced that mass timber was the building material of the future. We went down this path wholeheartedly.
The easiest way to explain SmartWood® is that it’s a big panel that dimensional lumber of two-by-four, two-by-six, or two-by-eight material laid in alternating 90-degree directions and pressed together with heat and special glue structurally bonding the wood together into a mass timber piece.
SmartWood® will perform as well as concrete built to code and, in many ways, it has additional properties that make it even better than concrete. We’ve participated in fire tests conducted by WoodWorks BC and the Wood Council of Canada to confirm that mass timber construction performs better than concrete and steel under conditions of intense fire and heat.
While concrete doesn’t melt, the steel rebar inside of it loses structural integrity, and, eventually, the weight of the concrete can’t support itself, cracks, and failure ensues. With SmartWood®, the outside chars, turning it into an insulative layer and preventing further structural decay on the inside. SmartWood® is a legitimate registered worldwide mark for our building system and we’re very proud of it.
Can you explain how SOL homeowners will benefit from your FitWell certification?
FitWell is a global certification that measures the healthy livability of your home. It includes sustainable components, design for activities, and the ability to work and live in a healthy environment.
Our commitment to FitWell was about designing, planning, and then building homes and communities, with the necessary contributors to live a full healthy life. We’ve created workspaces that are not just in the unit, but also communal shared spaces downstairs that allows additional people to attend a meeting and have enough space.
SOL also has an abundance of amenities. So, whether it’s yoga, a gym, outdoor space, children’s parks, we’ve got it all. We want it to be more than just about living, eating, and sleeping.
FitWell certification is very important because it verifies that we’ve gone above and beyond to make these buildings functional in a healthy way. A person’s home is a place where it’s not just a sanctuary by night, but it’s a place where they can live each day completely.
What kinds of amenities are in SOL’s west Coquitlam neighbourhood?
The location is very important here because this whole west Coquitlam corridor is going through a substantial renewal. What used to be very much a single-family neighbourhood with a lot of mature businesses is now being renewed with more eco-friendly places and lots of new commerce that keeps you from having to drive long distances.
There’s easy SkyTrain access and rapid transit access within blocks of SOL. You’re on the verge of a lot of natural outdoor space, parks, and recreation opportunities. SOL is located very near the base of Burnaby Mountain where Simon Fraser University sits right atop. Burrard inlet is just to the north. There’s an abundance of shopping, restaurants, and services nearby. And there are numerous schools within a block or two. Because of its location, SOL has a high walkability score. There’s also easy access to downtown, up the Fraser Valley to anywhere north or south including the US border.
But then you look at the residence itself. There’s a courtyard between these two buildings with children’s play areas, and places to just walk around or sit and inspire yourself.
On the rooftop of SOL, there will be a large common covered roof deck that will have a barbecue, fire pits, and lounge areas. Downstairs has a gym, co-working space, and a larger room you can use for meetings or social gatherings.
What type of buyer is going to be interested in SOL?
Based on our previous experience, I think we’re going to see a lot of young people that are moving back closer to where their parents are located. I also think we’re going to get lots of people that are downsizers. We’re likely going to get people who want to live a little bit more and have a place that has access to everywhere. Outdoors, downtown for business, or south to the border, it’s all within easy reach at SOL.
Potential buyers are encouraged to attend SOL’s grand opening on the 15th to experience everything that the community has to offer. Come see for yourself and learn about SOL’s innovations and abundant amenities. For more information about SOL, visit solexperience.ca.
