Building Envelope

February 3, 2012

Steel hurdles for Aga Khan Museum build

Fabricating and erecting 740 tons or so of structural steel required for the Aga Khan Museum in Toronto posed a series of unusual hurdles. Benson Steel is the supplier and erector for the job. Aga Khan Museum specializes in artifacts from Muslim communities.

January 19, 2012

EllisDon works on exterior of Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute in Toronto

Work is moving along on the exterior of the Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute in Toronto. EllisDon Corp. is general contractor of the 21-storey facility and the architects are Diamond Schmitt Architects Inc. and HDR Architecture.

December 20, 2011

Exterior Insulation Finish Systems Council touts quality assurance program for cladding

The Exterior Insulation Finish Systems (EIFS) Council of Canada (ECC) continues the roll-out of its EIFS Quality Assurance Program (EQI) for cladding.

December 16, 2011

Construct Canada speaker addresses moisture problems in construction

John Harris, president of DSG Home Inspections Inc. says the Ontario Building Code section on vapour barriers will change in 2012. Harris, a mechanical engineer, addressed construction industry professionals during a presentation on condensation and moisture movement at the Construct Canada conference at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre.

December 15, 2011

Life Construction works on Eden Park Towers Phase II in Markham, Ontario

Owner Times Group Corp., along with Life Construction Inc., began the work on the Eden Park Towers March 2011 and completion is scheduled for December 2013. It was designed by Kirkor Architects & Planners and Life Construction

December 12, 2011

New St. Catharines, Ontario hospital designed with extensive anti-infection safeguards

The new $759-million Health Care Complex, under construction by Plenary Health Niagara west of St. Catharines, Ontario, has created 5,400 construction jobs. General contractor PCL Constructors Ltd. has used local sub-trades from the Niagara region.

November 30, 2011

Construct Canada speakers cover building information modeling, Google optimization for contractors

As more construction projects are being contracted using the design-build-maintain model, the use of building information modeling software is changing, according to a speaker at the Construct Canada conference and expo.

November 28, 2011

Ontario should consider emergency change to building code on balcony glass: Report

After a series of glass panel failures on high-rise condominiums, the city of Toronto planning and growth management committee recommends Council direct the chief building official and executive director on four initiatives concerning the review of the use of glass panel balcony guards. One is a request that the Canadian Commission on Building and Fire Codes and the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing consider an emergency amendment to the Ontario Building Code over public safety concerns in the event of more glass panel failures.

November 25, 2011

Windsor, Ontario public school certified LEED Platinum

Dr. David Suzuki Public School, designed by McLean + Associates Architects and constructed by Mady Development Corp. in Windsor, Ontario, was rated platinum under the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED).

November 7, 2011

EllisDon works on exterior of Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute in Toronto

Exterior work begins to cover up the Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute in Toronto, Ont.

April 30, 2010

German firm launches ‘intelligent envelope’ system

In modern building design and construction, every component is getting a rethink around increased efficiency and reduced operating costs.

April 30, 2010

Prairie Art Gallery in Grande Prairie, Alberta a building within a building

The new Prairie Art Gallery in Grande Prairie, Alta. has been designed as a building-within-a-building to honour the city’s heritage and the rigorous environmental requirements of a modern art gallery.

April 30, 2010

MediaPlex at St. Clair College helps in revival of Windsor’s core

It’s called the MediaPlex. It’s St. Clair College of Applied Arts and Technology’s new hi-tech journalism school located right in the centre of downtown Windsor.

April 30, 2010

Halsall Associates begins second part of brick study

A two-part study measuring the impact of interior insulation on solid masonry walls may provide some solutions on how to effectively and safely bring Canada’s extensive inventory of older buildings up to modern day energy efficiency standards.

April 30, 2010

Toronto’s Royal Trust Tower undergoing $110-million revitalization

A massive renewal of one of Toronto’s oldest office towers is designed to bring the building up to modern day energy efficient and sustainability performance standards while respecting its heritage character.

April 30, 2010

Canadian architect revives Penn Station PowerHouse in New York

When CGS Developers and Zigmond Brach of Brooklyn, NY undertook the historic condominium renovation of a New York City landmark, the intention was to preserve as much of the structure as possible.

April 30, 2010

First Canadian Place gets 72-storey facelift

Almost 40 years after it was constructed, the 72-storey, 298-metre-high First Canadian Place office tower still retains its status as Canada’s largest office tower. Now it will soon be receiving what is conceivably the largest recladding in the country.