Search Results
Projects
Thunder Bay Correctional Centre & Kenora Jail
Modular and sustainable RDF correctional facilities
Watt Avenue Safe Stay and Service Center
[…] case management spaces, catering services, respite center, and emergency weather response. A large portion of the parking lot will be transformed into “shelter neighborhoods” made up of modular tiny homes that will serve a total of 225 guests. The tiny homes will offer double and single occupancy as transitional shelter. A segregated secure outdoor […]
Merkinch Primary School and Family Centre
[…] trapping it in the building structure. Through careful planning, the existing school was able to remain operational throughout the construction period, minimizing disruption to the students. Temporary modular accommodation was provided on the existing playing fields to limit the use of existing classrooms. NORR delivered a sustainable project by collaborating with teachers, students and […]
Team
Andrew Schmidt
Don Dessario
Insights
The Case for Modular Design
Modular design is gaining momentum in the built environment as an approach to Modern Methods of Construction (MMC). The housing crisis and climate crisis are two significant factors that are accelerating off-site manufacturing of modular components. Before you jump on the bandwagon, it’s important to understand the pros and cons – as well […]
55 Ways to Power a More Sustainable Built Environment
[…] reliance on concrete and steel. Low-carbon concrete and Portland Cement alternatives with reduced clinker content. Recycled and upcycled materials (steel, glass, plastics) for structural and interior applications. Modular construction and prefabrication reducing waste and energy use in manufacturing. Carbon-negative building materials such as hempcrete and bio-based composites. 3D-printed sustainable buildings and components optimizing material […]
Closing the Housing Gap
[…] costs to achieve proformas. The stock of underutilized city-owned or investor-owned buildings is common across regions in which office-to-residential, hotel-to-residential, and retail-to-residential solutions have proven successful in creating much-needed units. Modular Construction: Modular construction techniques can further accelerate the process, delivering housing in months rather than years. While the concept of modular tiny homes is not new, the way […]
All results for modular
The Case for Modular Design
Modular design is gaining momentum in the built environment as an approach to Modern Methods of Construction (MMC). The housing crisis and climate crisis are two significant factors that are accelerating off-site manufacturing of modular components. Before you jump on the bandwagon, it’s important to understand the pros and cons – as well […]
55 Ways to Power a More Sustainable Built Environment
[…] reliance on concrete and steel. Low-carbon concrete and Portland Cement alternatives with reduced clinker content. Recycled and upcycled materials (steel, glass, plastics) for structural and interior applications. Modular construction and prefabrication reducing waste and energy use in manufacturing. Carbon-negative building materials such as hempcrete and bio-based composites. 3D-printed sustainable buildings and components optimizing material […]
Closing the Housing Gap
[…] costs to achieve proformas. The stock of underutilized city-owned or investor-owned buildings is common across regions in which office-to-residential, hotel-to-residential, and retail-to-residential solutions have proven successful in creating much-needed units. Modular Construction: Modular construction techniques can further accelerate the process, delivering housing in months rather than years. While the concept of modular tiny homes is not new, the way […]
Thunder Bay Correctional Centre & Kenora Jail
Modular and sustainable RDF correctional facilities
The New Value of Student Housing
[…] residential design. This has led to hybrid amenity models where traditionally academic features like study nooks and project rooms coexist with hospitality-inspired spaces that encourage social engagement. Modular construction remains a potential solution to rising costs and tight timelines—but with caution. Lessons from earlier projects—such as importing modular units with misaligned fixture standards or […]
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Integrated Thinking. Inspired Design. A global team of 750 architects, engineers, planners, and interior designers creating design strategies and solutions that express the unique vision of every project View Portfolio Value creation through adaptive reuse Transformative conversion strategies support asset revitalization and urban regeneration Read Insight Article Celebrating Design Excellence Every award is a shared […]
Pathways to Clean Energy Infrastructure
[…] provinces are defining their own transition models. Alberta is leveraging its industrial base and infrastructure to pioneer clean hydrogen production, establish carbon-capture and storage hubs, and deploy modular clean-energy systems. Ontario is advancing electrification, grid modernization, and EV manufacturing, anchoring a corridor of innovation that connects utilities, manufacturers, and institutional users. Together, these efforts […]
Watt Avenue Safe Stay and Service Center
[…] case management spaces, catering services, respite center, and emergency weather response. A large portion of the parking lot will be transformed into “shelter neighborhoods” made up of modular tiny homes that will serve a total of 225 guests. The tiny homes will offer double and single occupancy as transitional shelter. A segregated secure outdoor […]
Merkinch Primary School and Family Centre
[…] trapping it in the building structure. Through careful planning, the existing school was able to remain operational throughout the construction period, minimizing disruption to the students. Temporary modular accommodation was provided on the existing playing fields to limit the use of existing classrooms. NORR delivered a sustainable project by collaborating with teachers, students and […]
Andrew Schmidt
[…] research and novel techniques for fabrication and composite assemblies. As an advocate for forest stewardship, environmental responsibility and reducing carbon footprints, Andrew has ventured into off-site fabrication modular alternatives and site fabrication strategies in the design process to increase quality and reduce cost, time to fabricate and the environmental impact of construction. Andrew takes […]
Community Impact
[…] lower carbon emissions Equity, Diversity + Inclusion Design to achieve a better human experience Back to Corporate Social Responsibility An aerial view of a community of small modular homes arranged in a grid pattern, with a colorful mural on a large building in the background. The area includes green spaces, trees, and people walking […]
Don Dessario
[…] solutions, ensuring projects are both completed and optimized for long-term success. As housing needs evolve, Don focuses on creating homes—not just housing—that emphasizes livability. He leads affordable, modular and culturally specific housing initiatives, including Indigenous housing, and office-to-residential conversions that revitalize urban centers. His approach to sustainability goes beyond energy efficiency, prioritizing materiality, flexibility […]