First ‘clip-on’ outdoor balconies in Western Canada on Vancouver apartment building

This Journal of Commerce article highlights a partnership between Kindred Construction and Sapphire Balconies to install 40 innovative, thermally broken aluminum balconies at Vienna House, a six-storey, 123-unit affordable housing development in Vancouver. Designed for high energy performance and reduced greenhouse gas emissions, Vienna House required a balcony system that avoided the thermal bridging issues of traditional concrete cantilevered slabs. Sapphire’s prefabricated, lightweight modules, installed using hooks, brackets, and suspension rods, minimize heat loss, simplify installation, and reduce onsite errors. This marks the first use of Sapphire balconies in Western Canada. The approach reflects a broader shift toward modular construction, supported by federal initiatives like Build Canada Homes, which aims to accelerate and lower the cost of housing delivery through prefabrication.

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