Privacy Policy

Introduction

Look, we get it - nobody actually enjoys reading privacy policies. But here's the thing: we're a small architecture studio in Toronto, and we actually care about how we handle your info. This isn't some cookie-cutter legal document written by lawyers who've never met our team. We've tried to keep this as straightforward as possible while covering what you need to know.

At Ember Lunit Horn Architecture, we collect and use personal information to provide our architectural services and keep in touch with clients and partners. This policy explains what we do with your data and how we protect it.

What Information We Collect

When you reach out to us or work with us on a project, we'll typically collect:

• Contact Details: Your name, email address, phone number, and mailing address. Pretty standard stuff you'd give any business you're working with.
• Project Information: Details about your property, design preferences, budget considerations, and any other info relevant to your architectural needs. This helps us actually design something you'll love.
• Communication Records: Emails, messages, and notes from our meetings. We keep these so we don't forget what we discussed three months ago.
• Financial Information: Billing details and payment information when we're processing invoices. We don't store full credit card numbers - that goes through our payment processor.
• Website Usage Data: Basic analytics about how people use our site - things like which pages get visited most, general location data, and browser type. Nothing creepy.

How We Use Your Information

We're not in the business of selling data or spamming people. Here's what we actually do with your info:

Who We Share Information With

We're pretty protective of your information, but there are times when we need to share it:

• Project Collaborators: Engineers, contractors, consultants, and other professionals working on your project. They need relevant info to do their jobs properly.
• Service Providers: Companies that help us run our business - cloud storage, email services, accounting software, that sort of thing. They're bound by confidentiality agreements.
• Legal Requirements: If we're legally obligated to disclose information to government authorities or in connection with legal proceedings, we'll comply with those requirements.
• With Your Permission: If you want us to share your project with publications, awards programs, or in our marketing materials, we'll only do so with your explicit okay.

How We Protect Your Data

We take reasonable precautions to protect your information from unauthorized access or disclosure. Our systems use encryption for data transmission, we limit access to personal information to staff who actually need it, and we regularly back up our data to prevent loss. That said, no system is 100% secure - we do our best, but we can't guarantee absolute security. If there's ever a breach that affects your data, we'll let you know as required by Canadian privacy laws.

How Long We Keep Your Information

We keep your personal information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this policy. For active projects, that means throughout the project duration and for several years afterward for warranty and liability purposes. Under Canadian regulations and professional standards, we're required to retain architectural records for at least 10 years after project completion. After that period, we'll either securely delete your information or anonymize it so it can't be traced back to you.

Your Rights & Choices

Under Canadian privacy law (PIPEDA), you've got rights when it comes to your personal information:

Cookies & Website Technology

Our website uses cookies and similar technologies to improve your browsing experience and understand how people use our site. These are mostly harmless bits of code that remember your preferences and help us see which content is popular. You can control cookies through your browser settings, though disabling them might make some parts of the site less functional. We use Google Analytics to track general usage patterns - it's anonymized and helps us understand what's working and what's not.

Third-Party Links

Sometimes we'll link to other websites - maybe a manufacturer's site, a consultant's portfolio, or relevant articles. Once you leave our site, this privacy policy doesn't apply anymore. We try to only link to reputable sites, but we're not responsible for their privacy practices. Use your judgment.

Changes to This Policy

Privacy laws and our practices evolve over time. If we make significant changes to this policy, we'll update the date at the top and let active clients know directly. For everyone else, the updated policy will be posted here on our website. We're not gonna make sneaky changes - if something important shifts, you'll know about it.

Children's Privacy

Our services aren't directed at anyone under 18, and we don't knowingly collect information from children. If you're a parent and think your child has provided us with personal information, get in touch and we'll delete it.

International Data Transfers

We're based in Toronto and primarily serve clients in Canada. However, some of our service providers might store data on servers outside Canada. When that happens, your information is subject to the laws of those jurisdictions. We try to ensure adequate protections are in place, but it's worth knowing that data held outside Canada may be accessible to foreign law enforcement under their legal frameworks.