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The sloping dark glass of the Edmonton Convention Centre has long been a fixture in postcard views of the city's downtown skyline and river valley views. Like many aging buildings, however, the glass panels are now due for replacement, and a major green upgrade is coming as part of the project. To these ends, the massive atrium is about to become Canada's largest photovoltaic glass installation as part of the Atrium Modernization Project.
The $10.8 million project will see approximately half of the 696 glass panels replaced with solar cell units, which together are expected to generate about 227,000 kilowatt hours of electricity per year.
The Convention Centre and City of Edmonton worked with DIALOG to design the new system to accommodate the unique slope as well as to withstand the city's extreme weather.
The Convention Centre will remain open during the installation, which is expected to be complete by early 2020. Though the natural light that normally streams into the building will be limited during construction, convention goers and others passing through it will be able to marvel at the massive scaffolding built throughout the interior - seemingly an engineering feat in itself.
SkyriseEdmonton will continue to follow this project as it progresses. More information can be found in our project Database, as well as in our Forum. What do you think of the modernization project? Leave a comment below!
