Canada’s historical buildings present a dilemma in terms of today’s performance expectations. They have little to no wall insulation, and covering their beautiful exteriors with insulation is either undesirable or prohibited by local authorities, since many of these buildings are designated heritage properties with required façade protection.

In this author’s many years of experience in the commercial waterproofing industry, ‘cost’ is the most common cited reason by building owners and architects for not considering a standing-seam metal roof. However, a properly installed high-performance metal roof can be said to pay for itself through a unique combination of benefits, including functional and esthetic versatility, speed and ease of installation, recyclability and extended performance, and facilitation of maintenance and repair.

Re-roofing can be one of the largest capital projects undertaken at a building. When it comes to replacing a flat roof, the options can be overwhelming—each choice comes with its own list of pros and cons. Without careful consideration at the time of design, there could be unexpected or costly consequences down the line. At best, poorly considered choices can pose a nuisance or result in an excessive maintenance burden over the life of the roof. At worst, overloading could lead to failure of the building structure or a tear-off of the roofing.

Channel glass has the ability to deliver thermal performance over an extensive wall area and can transmit large amounts of natural light into building environments. Many projects have intermixed channel widths, surface textures, insulations, and coatings with areas of clear insulated vision glazing in the same wall to produce striking and efficient light-transmitting effects.

Sustainability is a guiding principle for architects around the world. Designs are aimed at conserving our natural resources and improving the quality of life for people inside homes, schools, and office buildings. The specification of glass and glazing assemblies is typically based on the availability of high-performance systems with thermal and solar benefits, as well as the material’s ability to allow natural light into a space.