People are now more conscious of how lifestyle and environmental factors impact their wellbeing and are seeking health-and-wellness enhancing solutions in their daily lives. Drawing inspiration from the WELL Building Standard, Vancouver’s Keltic Development’s latest project O2 is tailored to enhance the balance of work and life by developing a sustainable, modern, and healthy wellness development.

With that goal in mind, wellness has been cemented at the core of the building’s design. This commitment includes everything from infrastructure — air purification, water filtration and heating and cooling system — to 7,200 square feet of amenities like rooftop gardening, outdoor courtyard, and a health & fitness centre. Mike Wurm, Director of Construction, joins us to discuss Keltic’s company guiding principles, dedication to smart growth, and collaborations that went into building the O2 in Metrotown.

What are the guiding principles at Keltic Developments’ that impact and drive performance of your projects? 

The key drivers for Keltic Development is to be an industry leading in quality, design, and innovation in Greater Vancouver.  Our CEO Rachel Li Lei started Keltic Development in 2016 with that vision in mind, and we want to ensure we are adding a positive and lasting impact with our developments. Our expansive portfolio consists of residential, industrial, and mixed-use developments throughout Lower Mainland, and in all our projects, our values are the foundation to how we work and operate. Growth is one of our pillars of our company culture and makes it possible for us to become stronger as an organization and further the scope of our work.

What other fundamental aspects of Keltic’s company culture play a role in shaping the organization?

There are several pillars that lay the foundation for what we do. A main value is integrity. We hold ourselves accountable to our colleagues, partners, homeowners and consistently perform in an honest and professional manner. With that integrity comes respect that is extended across our team. 

Our collaborations with our partners and consultants lead to better results, and we hold ourselves to the highest standards of excellence with the quality materials and craftmanship we provide our clients and our communities.  We want to embrace innovation. We are constantly exploring innovative technology and better ways of working to enhance our projects and set the curve. Transparency is also a key value, and we believe in open and direct communication with internal teams and external shareholders that help everyone work together towards a shared goal. 

Burnaby has a smart growth vision that encourages broadening of established communities. What was it about the Metrotown neighbourhood that caught your attention when developing O2?

Metrotown is a growing urban centre that is known for reliable public transportation, dining, and shopping options. The area has a lot of existing two and three storey walk ups, and those are all in the process of redevelopment right now.  Our 02 development in Metrotown is in prime location on Sussex AVE provides an outstanding walk score of 79, 5 min to the Metrotown Skytrain allowing you the convenience of being in downtown Vancouver in 15 minutes.

There are multiple shopping centers in Burnaby, such as Metropolis, the largest mall in British Columbia and the second largest mall in Canada.  It’s also close to Metrotown’s 220-acre Central Park made up of dozens of trails, ponds, and green space within a two-block area which ties into O2’s health and wellness development, which is inspired by the WELL Building Standard concepts.

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One Planet Living serves as a tool to guide real estate developers, like Windmill, to integrate the environmental and social imperatives of global programs like the UN Sustainable Development Goals into their projects. For Windmill, One Planet Living isn’t a replacement for other endorsements; it’s a complement, coexisting seamlessly with our pursuit of either LEED Platinum or the Zero Carbon Building Standard on each of our projects.