Toronto Apartment Retrofit Turns Balconies into Solar Powerhouses
In a bold move blending sustainability with practicality, a 50-year-old apartment block in northwestern Toronto has transformed its balcony guards into energy-generating solar panels. The initiative, led by developer Tenblock, aimed to curb the building’s energy consumption during essential balcony renovations.
Stephen Job, Tenblock’s VP, emphasized that the shift to solar not only lowers utility bills and emissions but also serves as a long-term financial benefit. Interestingly, the solar panels used weren’t imported from typical manufacturing giants like China or Vietnam. Instead, they were sourced locally from Mitrex, a Toronto-based company specializing in building-integrated photovoltaics.
Mitrex’s unique approach turns façades — including walls, roofs, and even windows — into energy-generating surfaces. As one of the last solar manufacturers in Canada, Mitrex plays a crucial role in sustaining local clean energy production. CEO Danial Hadizadeh stresses that building a Canadian solar industry will take patience, investment, and strategic government support.
While global supply chains still dominate the solar panel market, many Canadian firms like PV Technical Services continue to innovate by focusing on system design and services, even if they must rely on imports. Local manufacturing remains cost-challenged due to cheaper production overseas and lack of protective policies.
Experts agree that increasing domestic demand is key to fostering Canadian solar manufacturing. Hadizadeh argues for targeted incentives to help local companies scale and compete, suggesting that even minor financial support could yield substantial job creation and economic resilience.
Source: Swifteradio.com
