Astria Hollywood

Summarize the project's program, features and achievements?

Astria Hollywood is a 32,000 square foot build-to-lease industrial warehouse located in Kelowna, British Columbia, developed by Astria Properties and constructed by Orion Construction. As the first industrial project in Kelowna designed to achieve the Canada Green Building Council’s (CaGBC) Zero Carbon Building (ZCB) standard, Astria Hollywood sets a new precedent for sustainable, high-performance industrial development in the region. Architectural creativity was central to the project’s identity, with tilt-up concrete panels serving both aesthetic and functional roles. The facility features 92 composite sandwich panels, combining structural integrity with high thermal performance. These panels were engineered with an R-30 insulation value, while the roof system delivers R-40, collectively ensuring superior energy efficiency. Architecturally, the panels are articulated through a series of precise reveals and embedded features, giving the building clean lines and subtle texture. The structure was completed with a flat paint finish, providing a modern, polished appearance that aligns with the project’s forward-thinking design ethos.

As a fully electric facility, Astria Hollywood eliminates reliance on combustion heating or natural gas. Instead, it incorporates a 60kW rooftop solar PV system and highly efficient electrical HVAC systems, making it one of the most environmentally advanced light industrial facilities in the province. The development also includes six Level 2 EV charging stations, ensuring it is equipped to support the growing demand for electric vehicle infrastructure.

Construction creativity was a defining aspect of the project. Despite winter conditions and a compact urban site, the building was completed in just nine months, three months ahead of schedule. Through strategic sequencing and tight coordination between trades, Orion Construction executed the tilt-up process with precision, maintaining high-quality standards while navigating logistical and weather-related challenges.

Engineering ingenuity was critical to meeting the project’s sustainability and constructability goals. The composite panel system required careful coordination of panel weight, insulation layers, lifting inserts, and bracing strategies to ensure structural integrity while supporting embedded systems. Integration of the rooftop solar array, combined with fully electric mechanical and lighting systems, added further complexity to the building’s engineering. These solutions were executed without compromising design intent or project timelines.

Astria Hollywood’s achievement in blending cutting-edge sustainability with tilt-up construction was recognized with the 2025 CoStar Impact Award for Commercial Development of the Year. The project is a standout example of how industrial developments can push beyond traditional norms—offering architectural impact, construction efficiency, and engineering excellence while supporting Canada’s low-carbon future.

What obstacles were overcome related to the schedule, budget, program, specification, site, etc. on this project?

The Astria Hollywood project overcame several key challenges related to site conditions, evolving design requirements, and supply chain constraints—all while maintaining its accelerated schedule and sustainability targets. Located in the Interior of British Columbia, the project faced unpredictable weather patterns, particularly as colder temperatures arrived earlier than anticipated. To address this, the project team strategically opted for a pre-cast sandwich panel system, allowing for on-site fabrication in controlled conditions. This minimized weather-related construction delays and enabled a more efficient, reliable installation process during a seasonally volatile period.

Another major challenge was the delayed delivery of rooftop HVAC units due to ongoing supply chain issues. As these fully electric units were central to the Zero Carbon Building (ZCB) design, the team implemented temporary heating solutions and sequenced tasks to ensure the schedule remained unaffected while equipment lead times were resolved.

Power supply coordination added further complexity. As a fully electric facility with rooftop solar PV, aligning utility upgrades and service installations with construction progress required close collaboration with BC Hydro and electrical consultants. These efforts ensured seamless integration without schedule impact. Additionally, under-slab mechanical and electrical designs were finalized after construction had begun, requiring real-time decision-making between consultants and trades. Despite these evolving parameters, work proceeded efficiently through open communication and flexible sequencing. Thanks to proactive planning and innovative construction strategies, Astria Hollywood was completed three months ahead of schedule, achieving both performance and sustainability goals.

Please communicate any engineering complexities or unique features of the panel design for this project?

The Astria Hollywood project presented several engineering complexities that required innovative solutions to meet both performance and environmental goals. One of the project's most distinctive aspects was using composite precast sandwich panels, which delivered a high-performing envelope system with R-30 thermal insulation while maintaining the structural demands of a fully electric, zero carbon industrial building.

To overcome the challenges of working in a region with unpredictable weather conditions, the design and construction team strategically partnered with Advanced Precast, located just three blocks from the site. This allowed for precise off-site panel fabrication, minimized transportation-related emissions, and supported the local economy—all while ensuring panels were delivered just-in-time to align with the project’s tight schedule.

The engineering of the panel system required careful consideration of load-bearing capacities, lifting points, and brace locations. With a total of 92 panels, each designed with embedded items and detailed reveals, the project team had to coordinate multiple trades to integrate building systems without compromising panel integrity. Lift engineering required meticulous planning due to varying panel dimensions and thicknesses, and all bracing strategies were designed to support winter installation and meet seismic requirements in the region.

Additionally, coordination between structural and electrical engineers was critical to accommodate conduit runs and embedded elements needed for EV charging infrastructure and the rooftop solar PV system, without disrupting thermal or structural performance. Together, these elements underscore the project’s engineering ingenuity and attention to detail in delivering a high-performance, future-ready industrial facility.