A+ Glossary

Architectural design tailored to uses, flows, and codes specific to commercial assets. See our office projects for concrete examples.

Interior layouts oriented toward tenant appeal and user experience from the first visit. See our thoughts on the modern workplace in office design trends.

A process that brings design, engineering, and construction together from day one to reduce friction and secure cost and schedule. We apply the GPCI model in projects like Behavox (Montréal).

Tailored design aligned with brand, culture, user journeys, and real operating needs. Examples across our office and retail work.

A+ methodology where design is driven by the expected outcome (function, experience, maintainability) for maximum value. See our integrated approach.

A clean, raw aesthetic (exposed concrete, brick, metal) often favored by tech and creative sectors. See Aesop Vieux-Montréal and industrial interior design.

End-to-end solution covering design, project management, and delivery to handover, as at Institut Teccart.

The ability of a layout to evolve with the organization without heavy works.

Off-site production of components (partitions, modular rooms) to accelerate delivery and reduce risk.

Design centered on use and operational performance before aesthetics. See Behavox and other flow-driven workspaces.

Milestone plan for design and approvals to control timeframes and responsibilities. See design-build approach.

Flexible workspace designed to adapt quickly to teams and projects. See workspace trends.

Zones dedicated to exchange and co-creation, balanced with quiet rooms. Example: Tribal.

Open floor plate that fosters collaboration and flexibility, complemented by enclosed rooms for focus and acoustics.

Principles supporting health and productivity at workstations, flows, and equipment. See optimize the workplace.

Design of medical environments that are compliant, hygienic, and reassuring for patients. Example: Fertilys.

Ready-to-lease offices with a standard layout to accelerate occupancy. Examples: Viger, 400 Atlantic.

Design approach promoting occupant health through light, acoustics, and materials. Read well-being at the office.

Flagship project illustrating GPCI, functional design, and fast delivery. Read the case study.

Example of turnkey delivery with standardized scheduling. See Institut Teccart.

All expenses required to transform a space (materials, labor, professional services). Read how to estimate costs.

Contractual commitment to deliver within an agreed amount through rigorous risk management. See our integrated approach.

Early diagnostic of technical constraints, costs, schedule, and compliance to secure decisions and negotiations.

Upfront financial modeling to anticipate trade-offs and prevent surprises during construction.

Technical and design choices that maximize value without sacrificing quality. Example: Tec Energy.

Gaps to budget caused by weak preparation, site contingencies, or coordination issues. Prevent with integrated design.

Analysis to achieve the best cost-to-benefit ratio per component from the design phase. See A+ method.

Contingencies that can impact timeline, quality, or CAPEX. See our management on Hutchison.

Architect, interior designer, engineer, and consultant fees. See licenses and distinctions.

Insurance, permits, management, taxes, and other non-direct expenses. Read cost estimation.

Transformation works for commercial premises, occupied or not. Case: Sheraton Montréal.

Projects in education, healthcare, or public settings with heightened requirements. See Institut Teccart.

Technique to restore existing masonry. Read brick stripping.

Structural and aesthetic interventions on walls, joints, cladding, and waterproofing. See membrane under brick.

Protection and enhancement of historic roofs in line with conservation standards. Case: before and after.

Expanding an existing building to gain usable area while managing structural and envelope constraints.

End-to-end governance from concept to delivery while controlling cost, schedule, and quality. See Project Management.

A+ model where all parties collaborate early to reduce friction. See GPCI and Behavox.

A central counterpart coordinating client, architect, engineering, and contractor. See our approach.

Alignment across disciplines to ensure technical coherence and execution efficiency. Example: Dialogue.

Assessment of existing conditions before lease or transformation to reduce risk (structure, MEP, envelope, code).

Technical and regulatory analyses to validate acquisitions, sales, or transformations. Example: St-Hubert.

Compliance with zoning, accessibility, fire protection, and Québec Building Code considered early in design.

Organization and methods to compress timelines and accelerate handover. Reference: Ubiweb.

Commitment to quality, budget, and schedule, governed contractually and by project leadership.

Temporary assignment of a space to a third party within lease terms. Read sublease & retrofit.

Modernizing an existing asset to improve performance, compliance, and appeal. See article.

Contract model integrating design and construction under one driver. See design-build.

Reimbursable fee contract with transparent costing and flexibility. See cost-plus.

Total floor area of a space including the pro-rata share of common areas. Compare to Net and Usable.

Leased area including a share of common areas, typically used for invoicing.

Area effectively usable by the tenant for operations, excluding commons.

Shared zones such as lobbies, corridors, elevators, and restrooms included in gross areas.

Ratio of usable to total area, a key performance indicator for office plans.

Standard unit for leased areas in commercial real estate, often tied to NLA.

Space delivered with a standard layout enabling quick occupation. Read about frictionless leasing.

Process of selling, buying, or leasing a professional asset, including due diligence and negotiation.

Lease types where tenant assumes taxes, insurance, and maintenance in addition to base rent.

Realistic rent expected for a given space based on supply, demand, location, and asset condition.

Rate based on net operating income relative to acquisition price, used to gauge asset yield.

Period left before the end of the current commercial lease.

Extension of a lease at expiration, often including renegotiation of terms.

Supply and demand dynamics affecting rents, absorption, and asset value. Read market analysis.

Simplified leasing journey enabled by ready spaces, standardized design, and smooth coordination. See our article.

Standardized budgeting model for quick cost estimates by space type. Featured in Behavox.

Tool showing the impact of early design decisions on cost and overall value. Part of our integrated approach.

Baseline calendar to anticipate major steps and identify risk zones. Used for Institut Teccart.

Internal A+ procedure structuring coordination across design, construction, and delivery from week one.