by Michelle Hopkins, NEXTHOME
07\/10\/2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Online shopping is exploding, driven mostly by Millennials who love the ease and convenience of home delivery. According to Opstart, in 2011, Canadians spent $6.6 billion on online purchases. By 2016, that amount tripled to $19.2 billion and is expected to rise to $39 billion this year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s not only parcel distributions that are increasing. Canadians are embracing grocery and food deliveries, too. It hasn\u2019t taken long for companies like Whole Foods, Skip the Dishes and Loblaw to jump on the E-Commerce bandwagon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But as online shopping continues to grow, so do the issues with delivery. That\u2019s because many residents aren\u2019t home during the day to accept their parcels. Much of the delivery and security responsibilities falls onto a concierge, if there even is one, or packages are simply left in the lobby for residents to find and pick-up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Concerns over theft and misplaced deliveries have become factors driving multi-family developers in B.C. to rethink the configuration of their condominium buildings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Five years ago, Vancouver\u2019s Bosa Properties was one of the first developers to introduced its BosaFresh program, special temperature-controlled delivery rooms in its new condo buildings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThese cold storage rooms have now morphed into refrigerated lockers,\u201d says Mark Kopinya, Bosa vice-president of development. \u201cWe are always thinking about how to create better living experiences in our condo towers.\u201d
Bosa recently completed RiverSky, two towers in New Westminster with 519 condominiums, boasting both refrigerated and parcel lockers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAs online shopping keeps increasing, we have had to adapt some of our new towers\u2019 lobbies at the last minute,\u201d says Kopinya. \u201cAs technology continues to evolve, we continuously watch trends to see what is required in our new projects. It\u2019s all about Bosa wanting to make life easier and more seamless for our condo owners.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Another local developer, Boffo Properties, is implementing an electronic locker system in the lobbies of its upcoming Coquitlam project, Smith & Farrow towers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIn-building package delivery acceptance is no doubt a growing demand and something that homeowners are beginning to expect,\u201d says Laura Anzulovich, Boffo Properties marketing manager. \u201cThe design of a building\u2019s first-floor common area needs to be reconsidered to account for the space required for this influx of parcel delivery and storage. Today\u2019s homeowners need somewhere to store their endless Amazon orders and keep their grocery delivery cold until they get home from work. The only way to respond to this demand is to incorporate new technology and systems, while eliminating manual sorting by a concierge and unpleasant mounds of boxes stacked in lobbies.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Basically, lockers contain compartments of various sizes and some that are refrigerated, including a tower with a built-in touchscreen application that a courier would use to check-in packages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cA resident of the building will get a text message notification that a package has arrived for them with a code to enter on the touchscreen when they retrieve the package,\u201d notes Anzulovich. \u201cThis system eliminates the middle-man, keeps deliveries organized and allows for a seamless package pick-up for residents.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Patrick Armstrong, CEO of Snaile Inc., an Ontario-based company that produces automated parcel lockers, says the \u201cdemand for refrigerated and parcel lockers in multi-residential buildings in B.C. has spiked greatly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cVancouver is on par with Toronto for installing parcel rooms or lockers in their new builds,\u201d says Armstrong, adding lockers are typically located in the vestibule, lobby or courtyard. \u201cWe are also seeing demand for lockers in existing buildings because concierges just can\u2019t handle the sheer volume of online parcel deliveries.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Automated parcel lockers are not only convenient but secure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThese lockers are very thick. They are bolted to both the floor and wall and are equipped with bank-like cameras,\u201d says Armstrong. \u201cWith E-Commerce anticipated to be the largest retail channel by 2020, the need for these lockers will only continue to grow.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
by Michelle Hopkins, NEXTHOME07\/10\/2019 Online shopping is exploding, driven mostly by Millennials who love the ease and convenience of home delivery. According to Opstart, in 2011, Canadians spent $6.6 billion on online purchases. By 2016, that amount tripled to $19.2 billion and is expected to rise to $39 billion this year. It\u2019s not only parcel … <\/p>\n