Brandon Donnelly

Daily insights for city builders, delivered every morning at 6 AM ET. I’m Brandon Donnelly — a Toronto-based real estate developer and founder of Globizen. I’ve been writing here since 2013.

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Retractable balcony glazing system — what do you think?

This morning I toured a site/project that is using a balcony glazing system from a company called Lumon. The product looks like this from the outside:

Like this from the inside (from on the balcony):

And it retracts/opens up like this (the glass panels stack neatly to one side when you want to create a traditional balcony and guard condition):

Obviously the idea here is to create outdoor spaces that can be enjoyed for more months of the year. In the summer it opens up so you get a typical balcony condition. And then in the cooler months or on a windy or rainy day, you get a solarium. Maybe it even works in the winter with the right sun exposure.

But obviously there is a cost to adding something like this to new projects. So my development question to all of you today is: Would you be willing to pay a premium for a balcony glazing system like the one shown here? And if so, how important would you rank a feature like this for multifamily buildings?

If you have a few minutes, please let me know in the comment section below.

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20 responses to “Retractable balcony glazing system — what do you think?”

  1. Burton Hamfelt Avatar
    Burton Hamfelt

    Yes people will pay a premium for this. In the Netherlands we often have to integrate glazed balconies or loggias primarily for required noise reductions if buildings are close by noisy traffic arteries which is pretty much everywhere now. Works pretty good and it doesn’t look that bad. But we also incorporate this system or just higher glazed balcony railings to dramatically reduce the impact of wind. This is seen as a living quality as even in the summer the wind can blow your wine glass off the table. The other reason is improved air quality. However I can imagine in Canada when the frost sets in that this can takes your view away potentially at times.

    Reply
    1. Ben Togeretz Avatar
      Ben Togeretz

      Hi Burton.
      Great comment.
      We actually find that in most cases there isn’t condensation or frost on the glass (Canada may not be as cold as you think 🙂 ).
      If there is any condensation (which is extremly rare) the space is breathable and allows for any moisture to escape as soon as the sun comes out.

      Reply
  2. Karole Sutherland Avatar
    Karole Sutherland

    I live in a multi-unit residential building on the waterfront in the Marinaside area of downtown Vancouver. Our balcony is quite small but has an expansive view facing south and of the busy False Creek area. We would pay extra to use this space year-round (especially the prolonged rainy season) and wish we could retro-fit our unit but I’m pretty sure this would never get strata approval. It’s a brilliant concept!

    Reply
    1. Michael Geller Avatar
      Michael Geller

      Karole, you should contact me at geller@sfu.ca. I was responsible for helping the nearby National condominium at the east end of False Creek retrofit many balconies with retractable glass. It’s a wonderful product!

      Reply
    2. Ben Togeretz Avatar
      Ben Togeretz

      Hi Karole, It’s Ben from Lumon Canada.
      You might be happy to hear that we have done several condo balconies in Vancouver 🙂
      We have a team that helps with strata and city approval and often times we are succesful.
      Check out this project that was just installed on Quebec street across from science world in a building called “the national”.
      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ZrOWTjRu2w
      Give us a call if you are interested in learning more. (604) 857-1702

      Reply
      1. Brandon Graham Donnelly Avatar
        Brandon Graham Donnelly

        Great, thanks for sharing Karole

        Reply
  3. Michael Glassman Avatar
    Michael Glassman

    Hi , the answer seems easy – assuming this is a condo feature, it could be an option at the time the purchase agreement is negotiated.

    Reply
    1. Brandon Graham Donnelly Avatar
      Brandon Graham Donnelly

      Exactly, possible upgrade for those who want it

      Reply
  4. Tomas Mashidlauskas Avatar
    Tomas Mashidlauskas

    This is a neat little project up in Barrie. I would surmise that this would be a great feature for someone that intends to be an end user but it wouldn’t be as important to an investor.

    Reply
    1. Brandon Graham Donnelly Avatar
      Brandon Graham Donnelly

      I agree, Tomas. I think investors will care less (or a lot less) about this.

      Reply
    2. Ben Togeretz Avatar
      Ben Togeretz

      Interesting. What we have seen for the units installed in BC (over 2000) is that it’s a win win for everyone.
      We have seen owners benefit as they use the space and get the extra sqaure footage of usable space.
      But we also see investors benefit, as units or worth more then typical units on the market because of the extra sqaure footage, they are more desireable from a rental aspect, and they market it as “livable space” which then increases the amount of sqaure feet per unit. Instead of a balcony being a wasted space, its a feature that draws attention and makes them stand out.
      I have personally spoken with several investors who own Lumon balconies (and have added it to existing balconies) because they rent out faster, rent out for more, tenants are more likely to stay long term, and the resale of the unit increases drastically.

      Reply
  5. Michael Geller Avatar
    Michael Geller

    I am a big fan of retractable balcony glass. Here is a link to a Vancouver Sun newspaper story about a retrofit in a Vancouver condominium project. The only problem I have discovered is that some municipalities, such as Vancouver, are so obsessed with selling density that the planners want to include the balcony area in the FSR. But fortunately many others are more forward thinking and allow it. Coquitlam and North Vancouver City recently amended their zoning bylaws to encourage installations! https://vancouversun.com/opinion/columnists/douglas-todd-the-beleaguered-balcony-is-wide-open-to-a-rethink

    Reply
  6. Henry Nieuwenhuis Avatar
    Henry Nieuwenhuis

    Brandon, Lumon has several prospective developers and current developer clients that have done client forums on having Lumon, with very positive results. Reach out to me and we can talk about the benefits on having our systems incorporated.

    Reply
    1. Brandon Graham Donnelly Avatar
      Brandon Graham Donnelly

      Thanks Henry. Would love to see.

      Reply
  7. Mark Avatar
    Mark

    Balcony glazing. Great solution when the balcony has enough space to be useful. Make sure they use lami glass. Should be about $650 per Lin ft. Which is way cheaper than buying interior space.

    Have extensive knowledge on the system company and industry. Reach out if you want to discuss further.

    Reply
  8. David DeKort Avatar
    David DeKort

    I am with Mattamy Homes and we have completed 3 buildings with Lumon as a standard and have offered it up on a few other buildings on selected suites. The response from our purchasers at these communities has been outstanding! Two of the buildings are located in the Cornell Community in Markham and the third is in Mount Pleasant Village in Brampton. This is such a new product to the GTA that the awareness of it is extremely limited. The enclosure does make the balcony usable 12 months of the year, in all types of weather. I do feel that as more people become aware of Lumon the value associated with the product will increase.

    Reply
    1. sue Avatar
      sue

      Many are worried about this becoming an eyesore. Why not make the bottom portion of the balcony, which is usually glass or railing, frosted? And the top can be tinted. That way it can look sleek. maybe

      Reply
  9. T-bone Avatar
    T-bone

    It states on the Lumon website that their system safes energy, how exactly does it do that? By acting as a wind block in winter?

    Reply
    1. Sue Avatar
      Sue

      Any enclosure would help, I would think

      Reply
  10. George Hume Avatar
    George Hume

    As an alternative, the regular balcony glass could extend about six feet from the floor. The railing would still be at three and a half feet with frameless cantilevered glass above it. That creates a relatively wind-free zone without the complication of movable glass. I noticed a number of high-rise buildings facing the sea in Lima, Peru with this feature. It doesn’t require any regulatory change either.

    Reply

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