“We’re finding not a lot of people care about the net zero aspect itself… But what they do notice is there’s more space in the unit.”
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Hafeez Jiwa is kind of bummed that potential buyers don’t particularly care about his property’s biggest selling point: that it’s built to net zero standards. Slightly different from zero emissions buildings, which the City of Vancouver states use only renewable energy and generate no pollution at all, net zero causes some pollution but produces as much clean energy as it consumes.
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Jiwa, of boutique property development company Maven & Co. Projects, who developed and consulted on the four-bedroom front-back Dunbar duplex, says, “We’re finding not a lot of people care about the net zero aspect itself. You have to educate them on that. But what they do notice is there’s more space in the unit because of that bonus density that the city allows you to have.”
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Westcoast Homes
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Density bonusing, a zoning rule that allows for bigger buildings — in this case, 20 per cent bigger — than are normally permitted in an area, appears to be the bigger draw. “It doesn’t seem like a lot but it’s allowed us to have a really big main floor, which you don’t normally get in these half duplexes,” says Jiwa. “We’re also able to get a third bedroom onto the second floor when, typically in these half duplexes, the second floor has two bedrooms, and you need to go up to the third floor to get to a third bedroom. The third level has a spare/guest bedroom/office, so it’s actually a true four-bedroom unit. That 20 per cent bonus density makes a big difference.”
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As does the attention to detail. “There are very few spec builds that use brand name architects and interior designers and put this much effort into design. We used Noble Architecture and Shift Interiors, who (made) sure it’s timeless, modern and quite unique compared to what’s on the market right now.”
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He does acknowledge, however, that the exterior won’t win any beauty contests in the traditional sense. “It’s meant to be sort of Scandinavian: very muted, very clean and modern.” It’s what’s inside that counts.
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What’s inside
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Jiwa says, “When you walk into this unit, you get a sense of quality that you don’t get anywhere else.”
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He points to the white oak herringbone on the main floor that was more expensive because of the additional labour involved in laying the pattern in short strips.
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Also, the new generation of engineered stone for the powder room, kitchen countertops, backsplash and island from Coquitlam company Bordignon Stone was costlier. According to the company, it has the durability and practicality of quartz with a look of natural marble but without the required maintenance of marble.
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The bathrooms all have seamless showers with no sill; custom glass and mirrors; and the main en suite has a double sink vanity and detailed porcelain tile that meets smoothly without the need for a corner trim.
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Jiwa says that detail extends to the staircase edge, which is usually built with a one-inch nosing, whereas the duplex’s waterfall staircase has a clean, sharp edge and no trim. The wood cabinetry was custom-made by a local craftsman.
