Scheduled for completion in late 2006, the 30-storey Cielo building is rising at the corner of West Hastings and Bute, right behind its two sister-buildings, the Callisto and Carina.
Unfortunately, there's not much to see on the developer's website (www.cielosoon.com), which simply says that the building is already sold out - all 140 units. Check out Twarog's site for more up to date information.
The Cielo is unique, in that it will be the first residential highrise in Vancouver to utilize geothermal energy for part of its heating and air conditioning needs. According to Earthsource, the company behind the Cielo's geothermal system, the earth's crust is a constant 10-16 degrees Celsius just below the frostline. By drilling down to this level (about 6 to 10 feet), Earthsource is able to capture this energy, and use it to heat a building in winter, or cool it during the summer.
There's also an Urban Fare going in on the ground floor of the Cielo, which will serve the growing residential neighborhood in this part of Coal Harbour. Earthsource plans to capture some of the excess energy released by the grocer's refrigeration system, and use that to heat the building as well.
For some more information on geothermal energy, click here.
