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Exterior Building Enclosure Project
Introduction - Extract from President's Report in Viewpoint50
I know there are questions about the status of the Windows Project. Not surprisingly, it is taking its due course with the usual eye-openers and delays common to any undertaking of this size and complexity. Our engineering company has been busy scouring our building; checking and analyzing the status of our building envelope e.g. windows, doors, panel walls and concrete walls. As usual, the first interim report revealed some unexpected positive and not so positive revelations requiring additional research and analysis. The following summary is very preliminary and bound to change without notice and therefore is to be taken with a good sized grain of salt. We will publish the final report on our website or you can pick it up at the office. We also will conduct information sessions for the owners and residents to present the project. Here’s a brief summary of what we were told:
- According to the preliminary findings of our consulting engineers we are looking at three main areas of concern; exposed concrete elements, aluminum framed windows and doors and metal cladding panels.
- The first sign of disintegration of exposed concrete walls on our balconies had been discovered a few years back. All of it was repaired through the Balcony Project. Now similar problems have been confirmed for the concrete walls around our windows. This deterioration has been causing a number of hard to find leaks in the corner suites. Insurance claims for these suites have been piling up, not to mention the effect on the enjoyment of the suites. The Board responded as quickly as possible and hired contractors to clean up the debris and temporarily seal these areas. You probably noticed the exterior platform stages on our building late last year as this work was conducted. However, the actual permanent repairs will have to be done as part of the larger Exterior Building Enclosure Project.
- According to the preliminary findings, the windows and doorframes themselves are generally salvageable, while the doors and sliding window assemblies will require a major overhaul. The doors and sliding windows are generally leaky and their tracks are worn and/or damaged beyond repair. The consultant is planning to conduct some test repairs to determine the best approach for replacement.
- For the exterior metal cladding panels they are generally in good repair, while in dire need of paint and re-caulking. However, the insulation factor of these panels is extremely low and would need to be upgraded to meet today’s standards.
UPDATES:
As this project progresses, information and/or references will be made available on this page.
The preliminary report from our consulting engineers is available for review. Please click on the following link.
Halsall Study - February draft