Energy Modelling & Life Cycle AssessmentCertification, Policy
Working with LGA Architects & Planners, Ha/f provided energy modelling, life cycle assessment, and material strategy support to the design and delivery of the CMHC Housing Design Catalogue.
Additionally, Ha/f provided a Climate Risk & Resiliency Guide to help future builders and owners adapt the designs to site-specific concerns.
Education
Working with Royal Architectural Institute of Canada (RAIC) and National Research Council of Canada, Ha/f developed and delivered a one-year program of hands-on, case study-based Whole Building Life Cycle Assessment curriculum.
Ten one-day sessions, held across the country, introduced over 1,500 architects, landscape architects, engineers, and procurement professionals to fundamentals of embodied carbon and assessment.
City of Toronto /
Urban Design Guideline Embodied Carbon StudyPolicy, Strategy
The Urban Design Guidelines study was undertaken to understand the impacts of the current Guidelines on embodied carbon emissions.
Working with the City of Toronto, Ha/f provided life cycle assessment and analysis of ten recently completed projects ranging in scale across the city. These recommendations subsequently informed revisions to the Midrise Guidelines.
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YZD Rights of Way StudyStrategyPolicy
In partnership with Northcrest, Ha/f Climate Design explored how rethinking street widths at Downsview can lower carbon emissions and build community resilience. By reducing road space and expanding green infrastructure, the study shows how smarter street design can cut infrastructure emissions, increase housing, add green space, and create safer, more sustainable public spaces for future residents.
Design Primer for Low Carbon ConstructionPolicy, Strategy
Ha/f authored the Project Planning & Design Primer for Low-Carbon Construction, guiding Canada’s shift to net-zero buildings.
The primer outlines whole-life carbon concepts, introduces mitigation frameworks, and applies strategies across project phases—pre-design, design, construction, and occupancy—emphasizing systems thinking, phased decision-making, and life cycle assessments to reduce embodied carbon emissions.
/Read the Primer
Wellington HousePolicy, Strategy
Wellington House is a deconstruction and material reuse pilot project supported by the City of Guelph’s Circular Opportunity Innovation Launchpad.
The project diverted 90%+ of materials from landfill, showcasing the carbon, material, and cultural value of reclaiming building components over demolition.
The Cost + Carbon of Canadian Commercial Construction
Policy
The Mass Timber Institute at the Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape and Design, University of Toronto teamed with Entuitive, Ha/f Climate Design, and Bird Construction to develop structural designs, life cycle assessments, and cost estimates for commercial buildings built in Vancouver, Calgary, and Toronto.
Working across four structure systems - reinforced concrete, steel, mass timber, and timber-hybrid - the project team developed schematic-level design, cost estimates, and regionally specific carbon data to reveal clear insights. /Read the Report
The Bentway Phase 1 LCA Strategy, Certification
Working with The Bentway, Ha/f Climate Design assessed Phase 1’s design and materials to understand their carbon footprint. The study found that concrete and paving are key sources of emissions, while green spaces store carbon. For future phases, the report recommends recycled materials, low-carbon alternatives, and nature-based solutions to create more sustainable and resilient public spaces.
Ha/f’s analysis supports The Bentway’s commitment to creating more climate-resilient and sustainable public spaces, while providing a valuable blueprint for reducing carbon impacts in urban infrastructure projects.
Clean Enery Canada: Building Toward Low Cost and Carbon Policy, Strategy
Ha/f co-authored Clean Energy Canada's 2025 report, Building Toward Low Cost and Carbon. Leading an architecture and engineering consortium, Ha/f conducted in-depth research on efficient building design strategies aimed at reducing both carbon emissions and construction costs.
The study analyzed case studies of townhouses, mid-rise, and high-rise buildings, demonstrating how smart design choices can lead to significant carbon and cost savings.
/Read The Report
In collaboration with Local Works Studio, Ha/f developed a reuse strategy for Waterhouse Square’s granite facade, treating it as an “urban quarry.” By prioritizing deconstruction, on-site reuse, and low-carbon fabrication, the project reduces waste and emissions while advancing the goals of London’s Circular Economy Roadmap for sustainable building practices.
City of Toronto Embodied Carbon Policy Primer Policy
Ha/f co-led the development of Ontario’s first embodied carbon benchmarking study, shaping policy guidance for municipalities. Through research and cross-sector collaboration, Ha/f provided critical data, analysis, and design insight to help cities measure and reduce building-related carbon emissions—supporting climate leadership in Ontario’s construction and planning sectors.
The Primer informed the City of Toronto incorporating embodied carbon requirements into the Green Standards - North America’s first city with absolute targets.
/Read The Report
Alternative Solutions /
Design Innovation for Middle Housing Policy
Ha/f supported the Single Stair Alternative Solutions: Design Innovation for Middle Housing, a project led by LGA Architectural Partners with funding from the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation. The project team is composed of architects, engineers, cost estimators, and code consultants to demonstrate the viability of single-stair buildings in Canada.
/Read the Report