Adera Development halfway to goal of 1,000 mass timber homes
Its latest mass timber projects are PURA in Surrey Central West and SoL in West Coquitlam.
A rendering shows the design of SoL. – Adera Development
Key Takeaways:
- Metro Vancouver homebuilder Adera Development has passed the halfway mark to its goal of creating 1,000 mass timber homes in the region.
- Its latest mass timber projects are being designed to the designed to the international Fitwel rating standard.
- While Adera CEO Rocky Sethi said he appreciates support for mass timber construction from the province, he believes more can be done by various levels of government to create lasting results.
The Whole Story:
Vancouver-based homebuilder Adera Development is at the forefront of mass timber construction in B.C., recently surpassing the 500 mark on its commitment to deliver 1,000 mass timber homes in Metro Vancouver.
The latest homes are coming to market across two communities: PURA in Surrey Central West and SoL in West Coquitlam.
A project bringing one-, two-, and three-bedroom homes to market, SoL represents Adera’s second mass timber community in the area, following Duet CityHomes at Como Lake Avenue. PURA offers one-bedroom to two-bedroom plus den homes set within two six-storey buildings, which include over 12,000 square feet of shared resident amenities within walking distance of Surrey Central Station. Both projects are designed to the international Fitwel rating standard, which considers occupant health and wellness in every aspect of the design.
Both SoL and PURA are constructed utilizing Adera’s SmartWood, proprietary cross-laminated timber (CLT) building material. While matching concrete and steel in strength and durability, SmartWood sequesters air components, rendering it better for the environment and reducing construction timelines, noise, and labour requirements. Adera’s mass timber manufacturing partners use wood sourced from sustainably managed forests in B.C., thus keeping the supply chain local and reducing carbon emissions with shorter travel times.
Rocky Sethi, CEO at Adera, said that the new communities of PURA and SoL, once complete, will represent a larger move towards sustainable development in Metro Vancouver.
“PURA is the first mass timber community in Surrey Central, and we can see the interest in mass timber construction picking up across the Lower Mainland,” said Sethi.
“Metro Vancouver is in the midst of a housing crisis, and developing new communities with mass timber allows for the faster creation of housing supply while leaving a more sustainable impact on the homebuilding landscape than traditional building materials,” he added. “We anticipate the demand for mass timber development in B.C. will continue to grow while awareness is raised around its vast benefits for developers, homeowners, and communities.”
The government of B.C. is working to expand the use of mass timber within the province and, in 2021, launched the Mass Timber Demonstration Program. Under the program, individual projects can receive up to $500,000 to cover permitting, design development, and construction costs using mass timber. While Sethi noted that this is a good first step, he believes more action and cooperation are needed between the various levels of government in order to see lasting results.
