Imperium was featured in Imagineering Magazine, Spring/Summer 2025
Imperium is an award winning nine storey purpose built rental apartment building in Dundas designed to meet Passive House Canada certification using a total precast concrete system.
The Details Matter
In the article, we chose to share the details, which feels true to the spirit of Passive House. Passive House is not a branding term. It is a strict performance based certification that lives in the details. It is about thermal bridge free assemblies, insulation continuity, and air tightness with the goal of reducing energy usage starting with good envelope design. For Imperium this meant many early conversations with Stubbe’s Precast and RDH Building Science to resolve everything on paper before construction began.
Leveraging the Performance of a Total Precast System
At the recommendation of the construction manager, Carriage Gate/Legacy Constructors, we moved to a total precast system and worked with what it does well: durability, fire resistance, precision, and repetition. To meet Passive House targets, we used double wythe panels with phenolic insulation and thermally broken fiberglass shear ties. The approach allowed us to achieve the performance we needed without overcomplicating the assembly.
Working Within the Visual Expression of Total Precast
At first, the move to a total precast system, our first project using it at this scale, felt like an architectural constraint. Total precast can feel rigid, and we had to rethink how expression would work within that logic. Instead of resisting it, we chose to lean into it.
We varied the surface textures of the panels to create subtle shifts in tone. That meant we did not have to rely on complex formliners or heavy applications of paint to achieve depth. It also makes long term maintenance more straightforward. When the building is repainted years from now, two colours will carry the expression.
The panel joints, which are inherent to the system, became part of the façade language rather than something to disguise. It was about leveraging the system architecturally, not just technically.
Long Term Thinking
The client, The Effort Trust Company, pursued Passive House for the operational savings and long term value. This is purpose built rental housing, held and managed over time. Durability, predictable maintenance, and stable operating costs matter just as much as hitting energy targets.
High performance only works when the technical and architectural decisions support each other. On Imperium, the goal was simple: build something durable, efficient, and honest about how it is made. If we can share those lessons openly, the next project gets better.
If you would like to download the full version of this magazine, click here.