Privacy Policy

Introduction

Look, we get it - privacy policies can be a real snooze-fest. But here at Zephyr at Quintale Architecture, we actually care about your personal info and want you to know exactly what we do with it. No corporate jargon, no smoke and mirrors.

This policy covers how we collect, use, and protect your data when you're working with us on design projects, browsing our website, or just reaching out to chat about sustainable architecture over coffee. We're based in Vancouver, BC, and we follow all Canadian privacy laws including PIPEDA (Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act).

Information We Collect

Here's the deal - we only grab the info we actually need to work with you and provide our architectural services. Nothing sneaky.

Personal Contact Info

When you reach out or become a client, we'll collect basics like your name, email address, phone number, and mailing address. Can't really design your dream space without knowing how to get in touch, right?

Project-Related Information

For actual design work, we'll need property details, site surveys, photos of your space, budget ranges, and your vision for the project. Sometimes we'll collect utility bills if we're doing energy analysis for sustainable design consulting. We might also keep records of our meetings, design preferences you've shared, and any correspondence about your project.

Website Activity

Like pretty much every website these days, we collect some technical stuff - your IP address, browser type, pages you visit, how long you hang around, and where you came from. This helps us make the site better and actually useful.

Payment Information

When it comes to payments, we collect billing addresses and payment details. But here's the thing - we don't actually store your full credit card numbers. That's handled by our secure payment processors who are way better at that stuff than we are.

How We Use Your Information

We're not in the business of selling your data or doing anything weird with it. Here's what we actually do:

• Project Delivery: Obviously, we use your info to design and manage your architectural projects. That includes creating drawings, getting permits, coordinating with contractors, and making sure everything meets building codes.
• Communication: We'll use your contact details to update you on project progress, answer questions, send invoices, and handle all the back-and-forth that comes with architectural work.
• Legal Compliance: Sometimes we gotta keep records for regulatory reasons - building code compliance, professional liability insurance, tax purposes, that sort of thing.
• Service Improvement: We analyze how people use our site and services to make things better. If everyone's bouncing off a certain page, maybe we need to fix it.
• Marketing (with your okay): Occasionally we might send newsletters about sustainable design trends or new services. But only if you've said that's cool - and you can opt out anytime.

Who We Share Your Data With

We're not gonna lie - sometimes we need to share your info with other folks to get the job done. But we're careful about it:

Project Partners

When we're working on your design, we might need to share relevant details with structural engineers, contractors, permit offices, surveyors, and other consultants. Everyone's bound by confidentiality agreements though.

Service Providers

We use various tools to run our business - cloud storage for project files, email platforms, accounting software, payment processors. These companies only get access to what they need to provide their specific service, and they can't use it for anything else.

Legal Requirements

If we're legally required to hand over information - like in response to a court order or government request - we'll do that. But we'll always try to let you know first unless we're prohibited from doing so.

Portfolio and Marketing

We love showcasing our work, but we'll always ask permission before using photos or details of your project in our portfolio, website, or marketing materials. Your project, your call.

Cookies and Tracking

Yeah, we use cookies - not the chocolate chip kind, unfortunately. These are small files that help our website remember stuff about your visit.

Essential Cookies: These keep the site working properly - things like remembering items in contact forms or keeping you logged into our client portal.

Analytics Cookies: We use these to understand how people navigate the site. It's anonymous data that helps us figure out if our navigation makes sense or if something's confusing.

Performance Cookies: These help us load pages faster and provide a smoother experience overall.

You can definitely disable cookies in your browser settings if you want. Just heads up that some parts of the site might not work as smoothly.

Your Privacy Rights

Under Canadian law (and just basic decency), you've got rights when it comes to your personal info:

To exercise any of these rights, just shoot us an email at info@zephyratquintale.info or give us a call at (604) 555-0147. We'll get back to you within 30 days.

How We Keep Your Data Safe

We take security seriously - maybe not Fort Knox level, but pretty darn close for an architecture firm. Here's what we do:

• All data transmission to and from our site is encrypted with SSL/TLS technology
• Project files are stored on secure cloud servers with encryption at rest
• We use password protection and two-factor authentication where possible
• Our team's trained on data protection best practices
• We regularly backup data to prevent loss
• Physical files at our Vancouver office are kept in locked cabinets with limited access
• We review and update our security measures regularly

That said, no system is 100% bulletproof. We do our best, but if there's ever a data breach, we'll let you know right away and work to fix it.

How Long We Keep Your Info

We don't hoard data forever. Here's generally how long we keep things:

Active Project Files: For the duration of your project plus seven years after completion. This is partly for warranty purposes and partly because of professional liability requirements.

Financial Records: Seven years for tax and accounting purposes - that's a legal requirement in Canada.

Marketing Data: Until you ask us to delete it or unsubscribe. We'll also periodically clean out inactive contacts.

Website Analytics: Usually 26 months, then it gets automatically deleted.

Once the retention period's up, we securely delete or anonymize the data so it can't be traced back to you.

Third-Party Links

Our website might link to other sites - maybe a manufacturer's page for sustainable materials or a consultant's portfolio. Once you click those links, you're on their turf and their privacy policies apply. We can't control what they do, so it's worth checking out their policies too.

Children's Privacy

Our services aren't directed at kids under 13, and we don't knowingly collect their personal information. If you're a parent and think we've somehow got your child's data, let us know immediately and we'll delete it.

International Transfers

We're a Canadian company operating primarily in BC, but some of our service providers might be based in other countries (hello, cloud storage). When data leaves Canada, we make sure there are proper safeguards in place through contractual agreements that require the same level of protection we provide here.

Changes to This Policy

Every now and then we might need to update this privacy policy - new laws come out, we add new services, technology changes. When we make significant changes, we'll post a notice on our website and update the "Last Updated" date at the top.

If you're an active client, we'll also send you an email about major changes. For smaller tweaks, the website notice should do it. We encourage you to check back occasionally just to stay in the loop.

Questions or Concerns?

If you've got questions about this privacy policy or how we handle your data, we're here to chat. Seriously - we'd rather you ask than worry about it.

You can also file a complaint with the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada if you think we've mishandled your personal information. But we'd really appreciate a chance to make things right first.