Reviews of Sustainable (Architect)

Zahra Ebrahim

I went in and got a beautifully branded Sustainable.TO mug! What a lovely, warm group of people!

Chris Meyer

Team at Sustainable TO are superb. Great leadership by Paul and Steve was able to translate our dream onto paper. They played an active role ensuring the project went from paper to completion at our standards with the contractor, including the helping recruit. Love our home and many thanks to the team.

Olga Gagarina

Ambitious and inspiring, the firm leads the way to sustainable architecture in Toronto, Canada and beyond. We appreciate the opportunity to design a future conscious house with Sustainable.TO, but we still need to build it to give the complete feedback ;-)

sally wong

Paul and Nicholas proposed a thoughtfully designed addition to our 60+year old home. Although the proposal was sidelined by the arduous municipal approval process, we were grateful for their patience and guidance throughout.

Karen Stelling

We selected Sustainable.TO to be the architects for our second story addition and could not be happier with our choice. Prior to our engagement, they came by for a site visit to discuss some of our wants, and some things we could do with the existing structure to increase the sustainability of the renovation. Once we started the job, they came prepared with several preliminary floorplans for us to choose from, and then further developed those with our personal needs in mind. Their ability to navigate the City of Toronto’s permitting and adjustments processes was incredible, and saved us a huge amount of trouble, as they were able to head off issues before they became problematic. After we received our permits, the staff at Sustainable.TO remained incredible to work with. Steve (our architect) was available to answer structural questions with our builders and our engineer, and Kelsey (their building scientist) was always at the ready with answers to any questions about the best products to use, or best practices on how to use those products. They worked with us both on-site and over email to provide quick, well informed answers to the most important questions related to our build. We would not hesitate to recommend Sustainable.TO to anyone looking to undertake a large renovation. Not only does our house look incredible, it fits our exact needs perfectly and was designed with a sustainability front-of-mind. You couldn’t ask for a better partner in a home renovation than the staff at Sustainable.TO.

Jim Graham

We hired Paul at Sustainable.TO to design the gut of our 3-storey Riverdale home. He really understood our needs and design sense. Paul made a number of suggestions that we thought were "off-the-wall" to start (such as putting the kitchen in the front of the house, and an all-metal roof), all of which we now love. Paul and Donald also worked hard to work around a number of the building permit issues related to the Committee of Adjustment and various zoning issues, which we would not have been able to figure out ourselves. We're thrilled with our new house and would recommend Paul, Donald and Sustainable.TO.

Glen Hunter

Paul was the 2nd architect we hired to design our off-grid straw bale home. When the 1st proved incompetent we asked Paul (a neighbour) for advice. He came back 2 days later with a full presentation to win our business. We hired him and never looked back. He listened to our requirements and designed a house for us, to our needs and desires. As Paul says, "I don't have to live in it, you do." When there were problems he was there with solutions. When we found out that the windows were 2" too tall for the cupola Paul came up with new plans, and a new roof angle(!) at 5:30 on a Thursday afternoon. Just one of the many times he went the extra mile. A technologically complex house like ours requires that everybody work as a team to make sure the systems all integrate. Paul maintained a level of professionalism and a lack of ego that was refreshing. He'll cheerfully admit when he doesn't know something, then he'll find the resources and come back with answers. I highly recommend Paul to anybody looking for an architect for any project, big or small.

Trevor Bond

Sustainable TO is full of incredibly talented and reliable staff lead by the massively experienced architect Paul Dowsett, who brings practicality, creativity and wisdom to all challenges and is also a communtity leader deserving of all the awards he a his team have collected. Most importantly, each decision/concept is framed within the context of sustainability, which in our case is the best long term investment for our family and the planet! Before you decide on an architect I recommend you interview with Paul and his team.

LeeAnn Janissen

I hired Paul and his team, Nicholas and Joel, to design an artist studio to replace a single car garage that needed to come down. The permit process was very involved and we ended up going to the committee of adjustment. Sustainable.TO did a great job of managing this whole process and I got exactly what I wanted including plumbing to the building which every one said would be impossible! They also found a great contractor who did a fantastic job on the build. Overall I would recommend.

Tim Cormick

The Sustainable.to team assisted us with transforming a 1906 downtown red brick heritage commercial building into an updated and sought after retail space on the ground floor and a wonderful 2600 sq ft residential unit above and to the rear. Paul and team are great listeners and collaborators. They balanced the heritage designation, zoning bylaws, building code, budget, sustainability and vision. The STO team proposed a third floor that changes everything including a south facing outdoor room that doubles as a passive heat source, quite brilliant. The building won the Collingwood Heritage Award in 2017.

Dave Seagrim

I was recommended to Paul and his team by a previous client of his who raved about the work he did. I too can not say enough about the professionalism and creativity that Paul and his team at Sustainable TO bring to a project. Paul listened patiently to my plans - and then proceeded to make several ingenious suggestions that never would have crossed my mind. The final result is that I now have plans for an absolutely unique, contemporary space that takes into account my clientele, my branding and the neighbourhood. I am a thoroughly satisfied customer who would recommend Paul to anyone who has a business (or home!) project. Thank you Sustainable T.O. Team!

Marni Wasserman

The team at Sustainable were amazing to work with! Through efficient use of space, they helped me to create a full demonstration kitchen, retail, dining, reception, and office, into 650 square feet. And it was like a second home to me! I would definitely work with the team again in the future!

Lily Chong

We worked with Paul and Donald to convert our multi-unit house to suit our family’s needs. The main floor now gives my father-in-law privacy, with a senior-friendly bathroom, a bedroom and living area. The new kitchen and dining area at the front of the house, where we all can come together, offers a place for my father to interact with the rest of the family. This suits our need for large family gatherings and our need to be able to retreat into our private spaces. Everyone is happy. We are also pleased with the exterior insulation and overclad. We noticed the difference this has made; the exterior walls felt warm in the winter months. We upgraded the heating system. This included radiant flooring which the whole family enjoys. Paul and Donald, thank you for your creative solutions and listening to our needs!

Janet Campbell

Paul and his team were our leads on renovating our 1950's George Boake designed home, which had replaced a century farmhouse on the same property. Right from the get go, Paul's enthusiasm for the use of the old in the creation of the new was contagious. Alex from Sustainable had several ideas regarding wall removal and installation of exterior huge bifold doors that totally transformed the place. The more mundane but necessary heating changes, electrical options, crazy difficult insulation and roofing problems etc were met with professional direction. When we ran into challenges with contractors and other trades, Sustainable was always there to help. We are delighted with the end result.

Flying Pony

We have used Paul & his team twice, once for a commercial project and again last year for a major home renovation. Both times the team has delivered creativity and guided us through professionally and calmly in the moments of high stress that are inevitable with two major building projects.

Catherine Ann Marshall

Great architect

Leslie Cowen

Creative talented architects to renovate your home with.

Daniel Olsen

We hired SUSTAINABLE.TO when we decided to renovate our century-old, semi-detached home in Riverdale. We wanted to add space for our growing family by expanding a previously-captured third storey. Maintaining the character of the existing house, increasing openness and natural light, improving the functionality of each floor level, and creating a connection to our back yard were key elements of our design brief. SUSTAINABLE.TO listened to our wish list, and proposed several design options for us to consider. We worked closely with the design team of Paul, Kelsey, and Nicholas, to refine our home into exactly what we wanted. SUSTAINABLE.TO were very mindful of our budget throughout the entire process and were very responsive through the entire process. When deciding to add a third floor, we wanted to ensure the front of the house would retain its character and fit in with the other houses on the street. Our original idea was to keep the small original dormer at the front of the house and to forego gaining headroom. Paul's suggestion to build a larger dormer in keeping with the character of the street allowed us to gain valuable headroom in our new bedroom without disrupting the neighbourhood. These seemingly small touches make us thankful we hired Paul and his team. SUSTAINABLE.TO worked well with consultants and the City to get all of our permits and approvals. Because we were adding a full third storey, we required approval for minor variances from the Committee of Adjustment. SUSTAINABLE.TO prepared the necessary materials, and Paul represented us at the hearing. After presenting our case, the Committee granted us approval for all of our variances! During construction, the team continued to keep in touch and were quick to respond to any questions and concerns, whether by us or by our contractors. They made themselves available when asked to come by and review construction, and provided guidance and recommendations when needed. When the new dormer began construction, the framer was unsure how to proceed. Paul and Kelsey stopped by to chat with the framer and clarify the design. A few hours later, the dormer was framed, and construction could resume! There was only one instance where the building inspector did not approve the roofing insulation, Roxul, which was proposed by SUSTAINABLE.TO, and we had to get a change order to go with spray foam. SUSTAINABLE.TO were also very helpful when we were making decision about finishes. For example, when we asked Paul what he recommended for window and door trim that would fit within the existing character of the home, he came back to us within 24 hours with construction details of a trim-work design that we loved for its simplicity and tradition-honouring detail. We had a great experience working with Paul, Kelsey, and Nicholas and would highly recommend them for any project ...so much so that we have recommended them to our friends ...and they are now happily working together!

KC Lai

Paul Dowsett, Steve Socha, Craig Race and his team are phenomenal! We were looking to tear down our 1950's bungalow and rebuild a green energy efficient home for our family. We interviewed several people but found Paul on the internet. If he could design a straw bale house that was energy efficient, then he was the man to design our green house (although we did not build a straw bale house). Paul knew his green architecture and technology well and could field any of my questions with ease, insight, and confidence. If you want to build a green home of your dreams that is one-of-a-kind then Sustainable.TO is the team for you. I found it thoroughly enjoyable to work with the whole team. I had many ideas of my own, and they willingly incorporated them, improved on them, or suggested something better. If we ran into a problem, they could come up with creative solutions. Even the other trades and professionals that they recommended to work on our house were fantastic and I would recommend as well! They can walk you through the entire process. We've finished and moved in and lived through a summer and winter in our new house. It was designed to use less than half the energy of a typical N.Am. house built to the same size, depending on our lifestyle energy usage. The top floor of our house is cool in the summer, only 1 degree difference from the bottom floor. He told us we wouldn't need air conditioning, but it really depends on your comfort level of heat and humidity. We got one anyways for comfort. In the winter, our walls are not cold to touch. We have a solarium that can heat up to 14C with just the natural sunlight while the outside temperature is freezing at -20C. This is just some of the many green home features. However, be prepared to pay for the high level of service you will receive from Sustainable.TO. We found them rather expensive, although well worth it. We've never done this before, so we wanted someone who was experienced, responsive, and easy to work with. To keep costs down, we found our own contractor to build our house (who were also excellent and have a long history of satisfied customers, although you probably won't find the company on Homestars). Although Paul's recommended builders are probably great as well, Paul was just as amicable to work with whoever we chose. Building your own home is not something I would recommend for everyone, lots of blood, sweat, tears and risking your marriage. But if you want to make the experience enjoyable and fun, I would highly recommend hiring Paul Dowsett and his team at Sustainable.TO!

Anne McCourt

I wrote a review in 2011 when we remodelled our basement and I ended saying we would work with sustainable again. Well, we have just completed a major renovation, new kitchen, new bathroom, etc. It is fantastic. The design is really unique and allows us to maintain the character of our home while adding tons of mod cons and cupboards!! Paul, Steve and the team was great to work with.

Christina Haddad

Great team of architects, thinking about details of design and implementation, responding to client needs throughout to make sure we, as clients, are satisfied with our home addition. Thanks to Steve and Paul for your vision, hard work and support.

Sue DeGrandis

This was our second architectural job where we employed Sustainable.to and worked with Nicholas Discenza as our primary designer, but overseen by the principal, Paul Dowsett. I think the best endorsement, is repeat business! Nicholas is a good listener, and provides us with everything on our “want” list. He suggested many creative designs that suited our individual needs and so much more. We now have a brand new house with “street appeal” and a fully functioning interior. Nicholas is the best and he remains professional even when things get tense and yes with construction, there are always issues. There is great talent at Sustainabl.to and Paul Dowsett is always in the background when problems arise and presented resourceful solutions. This architectural firm looks to the future in their design for sustainability. In areas such as energy consumption, environmentally friendly insulation and materials, good cross ventilation to keep the house cool without the use of Air Conditioning, a 50 year steel roof and proper water drainage that does not impact the sewage system of the City of Toronto. They also worked with us to design a house that we can live in, well into our senior years, that will require only minor modifications to accommodates mobility issues that arise, the rough-in is there. The esthetically pleasing colours and combinations were the suggestions of Nicholas who also worked closely with my own artistic training in Ikebana. Sustainable.to also recommended some wonderful suppliers and trades: KWeld (Burlington) for our custom stairs; New Steel Roofers for the steel roof; Hardie Board Siding and so much more. I did do my due diligence with suppliers and trades, even when recommended by Sustainable.to, to ensure compatibility. Our main contractor was Arundel Contracting of Georgetown, with Craig Schreiber at the head, we were in skilled hands and had an unflappable personality. A valuable personality trait in construction. We kept the Toronto Victorian exterior of the original house, but the interior is very contemporary. We want to thank Nicholas Dicenza, Paul, Donald and all at Sustainable.to who helped us achieve a fully functioning and aesthetically pleasing house. Also for the support in getting us past those bumps and grinds of construction challenges. We are thrilled with the result!

Duncan Chan

We are a start-up business in downtown Toronto and required architectural design for a commercial space. Being a start-up business, we are cautious of engaging a firm that we can trust, a firm that can cater to our needs and a firm that operates with full transparency. Sustainable.To has been able to achieve this and more. We were introduced to Paul and Steve, and right away, they were able to demonstrate their extensive experiences with commercial properties. We were impressed. They worked with us every step of the way, being completely transparent as to what is included within their statement-of-work, and delivered the very specific services that we were looking for. They helped us maximize our space layout and even offered suggestions along the way to creatively help us solve our specific business concerns. What really impressed us was that although we are considered a “smaller client,” we felt like we were treated like one of their biggest clients. I wish you guys success in the many years to come. You have the formula for success: a client’s first attitude. Our team highly recommends Sustainable.To. Amazing team!!

Jason Agar

We're currently working with Sustainable.TO to build our life home and it has been great. We chose the firm based on their sustainability practice, completion of successful builds and, above all, their design. So far the project is not without its obstacles as a ravine property, but they have been great at guiding us through the process. You won't be disappointed working with them.

Mandy Knott

On Behalf of Brendan Wood Brendan Wood International I have worked with Sustainable TO for several years on various commercial projects, large and small. Paul and Donald are creative on design issues and thorough in their knowledge and attention to the rules and processes which affect each job. Our primary engagement has focused on a Heritage property, circa 1867, which is quite a challenge. Paul and Donald really know their stuff.

Craig Barbisan

Thank you to Paul and his team at Sustainable.TO. Our project involved the conversion of a small 3-bedroom semi in The Beaches, to re-invent the existing space and add another 2 bedrooms. This was no small feat, considering challenges posed by a complex roof-line, limited yard space and our primary design goal of minimizing the impacts to the symmetry of the entire building. Sustainable was able to address all of these challenges and design a home that will meet our needs for many years to come. In a neighbourhood where growing families and 3-bedroom semis are the norm, Sustainable's design should serve as a template for future development.

Sharon Foster

My partner and I retained Sustainable.TO for our recent house renovation. I was interested in sustainable solutions for heating/cooling as well as building materials. Paul Dowsett and his team, specifically Donald Peckover, provided a great design with both passive and active sustainable systems (cross-ventilation; operable windows placed to draw hot air up and out in summer while also providing natural light; green roof; HRV/ERV; radiant heating) and incorporated sustainable building materials. Paul and Donald were friendly and easy to work with and very knowledgeable about different options. They were also able to suggest several general contractors that are familiar with green building. Overall, we are very happy with our house and the services provided by Sustainable.TO. We definitely recommend them!

Melanie Mayoh

We have been following the work of sustainable.to for a couple of years and have always been impressed by their business model and approach to architectural design. When it came time to renovate our own home, we therefore knew that sustainable.to was the right design firm for us. It was important for us to maintain the integrity of our neighbourhood’s culture and history when designing our house. Paul Dowsett, Nicholas Discenza, and the team at sustainable.to understood this and worked to ensure that our house balanced the modern, minimalist style that we desired with the heritage appeal of our street. At no point did they try to impose a ‘cookie cutter’ approach to our home design. Right from the beginning they made us feel like the house was an extension of us. They took the time to understand who we are as people, how we live, and the things that we value. They worked with us to understand how we move through the house and how we perform simple daily tasks, such as doing the dishes, and incorporated this into the design. They also advised on energy-saving strategies, heating and cooling efficiencies, and sustainable materials, all of which were important considerations in the modernization of our 90-year-old home. From the initial design meetings through the building permit application process, Nicholas helped turn our vision into reality. He provided expert advice and guidance, while also listening to, and incorporating, our preferences along the way. This translated into a design that we are incredibly happy with - right down to the smallest detail. We are proud to be part of the sustainable.to ‘family’. We would recommend Paul, Nicholas and sustainable.to without hesitation to anyone who is looking to renovate their home in future. Andrew and Melanie

Michael Abramson

"Hugely grateful to our contractor for engaging Paul & the team at Sustainable.TO to help create YamChops - North America's first plant-based butcher & prepared foods shop. Their creativity and input were invaluable. Our build brings us great pride and countless comments from our customers. Would definitely recommend Sustainable.TO and look forward to working with the team again. Hopefully real soon!"

michelle arteaga

"Our home was originally a 1950 side split with many stairs, drafty windows and one bathroom. Our family of five didn’t grow into it as easily as we thought it would. Especially with a young son with special needs. We hired Sustainable.TO Architecture + Building after years of carrying around old newspaper articles on the work the company did. Our leads were Paul Dowsett and Steve Socha and we couldn’t have been happier. They patiently reviewed our endless requirement lists, Houzz photo files and our need to see everything on paper in order to understand the vision. We ended up with a beautiful home which accomodates our current lifestyle and will allow us to continue meeting the needs of our special needs son. As well, whether we believe it or not may age one day too... Steve and Paul were especially educated in helping us understand and decide on the many seen, and unseen, energy efficient features. Our energy bills and maintenance of the home have already proven to be our favourite features of the house. They were also extremely knowledgeable and professional when aiding us at the Committee of Adjustment meetings where they provided a professional fact heavy presentation to the town in order for them to understand why we had many of the features we were asking approval for. We truly feel that our home would not look or work the way it does without this initial hurdle conquered by Paul and Steve. Overall we would highly recommend Sustainable.TO. for big or small projects because the value they add to the efficiency and beauty of your project will be enjoyed for many years to come. Sustainable.TO provides beautiful designs that blend what you've dreamed about and add incredible behind the wall features to ensure the structure itself will keep you safe and warm for your life time and in our case our children’s."

da Pat

Paul did an excellent job designing our home renovation. It wasn't easy - our home was designated a Heritage house by the City of Toronto. To Paul's credit, the architecture challenges of designing a modern interior while still keeping in line with the original architecture was pulled off. I believe that Paul was able to make the house complete as intended by the original architect and that was the key! Paul and his team are great to work with. It's not often I write a review and make recommendations but this is one I am pleased to do.

Julie Watson

Sustainable TO went above and beyond my expectations. They handled my project with ultimate care. Every detail was thought out and taken care of. You would be in excellent hands with Paul, and Steve and anyone on their team.