Schlüter Systems manufactures accessories and membrane products for the tiling industry. Its Canadian headquarters, located in a rural part of Montreal, is a 6100m2 building that includes office space, a studio showroom, training facilities and a product warehouse.
The design, which emphasizes occupant comfort, energy efficiency, flexibility, longevity and ease of maintenance, is both a reflection of the Schlüter company philosophy and a showcase for its products.

By Anh le Quang

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Certified products keep indoors healthy

Chemicals are absorbed into our bodies in three ways: inhalation, through the skin and ingestion. With indoor air two to five times more polluted than outdoor air, and with people spending 90% of their time indoors, Lung Associations, the World Health Organization and Environmental Agencies view indoor air pollution as one of the greatest risks to human health.

By Hugh Perry

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A summary of recent advances

Glazing considerations such as window area, elevation and orientation, thermal performance and solar shading to optimize natural daylighting and passive solar heat gain are very important to the envelope performance and energy consumption of buildings [1]. [BC Cancer Agency Research Centre, IBI Group and Henriquez Partners Architects, Photo: Nic Lehoux]

by Hugh Perry

Many of Canada’s commercial buildings were built over 40 years ago when there were few, if any, worries about energy performance and environmental responsibility. In an era of cheap and abundant energy, heating and cooling loads were of little concern; buildings were often clad entirely in glass with no differentiation between facades having different orientations. (more…)

Careful design delivers high quality work space on large scale

The building is arranged in two parallel, four-storey wings, offset from one another and oriented with their long sides facing due south to take maximum advantage of solar exposure.

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This new 51,100 m2 head office building, located on a 9.9 hectare site, represents a major initiative in Loblaw’s ongoing commitment to the environment and its employees. The client’s objective was to provide a high quality work environment, one that would embody and reflect the company’s own philosophy of sourcing with integrity, making positive differences in the community and in the way we operate culturally, socially and environmentally at work and at home. (more…)

An installed sound masking system is almost indiscernible to occupants.

Just as with light, temperature and humidity, there is a comfort zone for the volume of sound in an occupied space. It is determined by the noise floor, or the level of continuous background sound. If the noise floor is too high, the environment is irritating and tiring. If it is too low, other occupants’ conversations are easily overheard and noises cause distractions.
Acoustically, green buildings present additional challenges because the strategies that help with daylighting, natural ventilation and temperature regulation also tend to lower their acoustic performance. (more…)

Rendering of the Richmond Olympic Oal. The proprietary pre-fab “woodwave” panel system was designed, fabricated and installed by Structurecraft Builders Inc., and spans between the glulam arches.

The increasing concern for energy efficiency and other green building strategies, as codified in the LEED Rating System [as well as other rating systems], considers many aspects of indoor environmental quality but does not explicitly provide credits for good acoustical design. (more…)

Products new and re-invented for healthier interiors

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Landmark LEED Platinum project scores highest in world for a cold climate building while providing occupant comfort

The east [with handprint graphic] and south elevations feature Alucobond and zinc cladding respectively - durable finishes applied as a rainscreen.

With the engaging hand print decals decorating its east and west elevations, the Child Development Centre has quickly become a symbol of the University of Calgary’s commitment to sustainable development and occupant comfort, helped in no small part by its LEED Platinum rating. (more…)

Product choices and considerations for energy savings

Thermafiber’s Mineral Wool Insulation contains over 80% recycled content and helps projects qualify for LEED Green Building Credits.

Insulation is only one component of many in the building envelope - but arguably the most critical one in determining energy savings and interior thermal comfort. Every aspect of the envelope design must be considered including the air tightness and the positioning of windows within the thickness of the walls. (more…)