Suncor Energy Refinery Business Center

The site that was initially selected for the Suncor Energy Inc. Refinery Business Center was within the refinery's "blast zone." Tilt-up concrete construction was chosen for the building’s exterior walls because it offered a way to cost effectively meet the client's blast mitigation requirements. However, after the initial design was developed, the client decided to preserve the original site for future refinery processing equipment and moved the building outside of the blast zone.

Though blast mitigation was no longer a project mandate, the client and design team still felt tilt-up concrete panels were the best choice. Not only were the concrete panels important to developing a high-performance building envelope, which was essential to meeting the client's sustainability goals, but they facilitated the contractor's ability to meet a highly accelerated construction schedule.

Once the building was sited, the design team was liberated to open up the envelope with larger windows, allowing much greater volumes of daylight while giving the facade more architectural character. The building's long linear form was perforated with tall expanses of curtain wall, which weave in and out of the rectangular tilt-up panel envelope, enhancing visual appeal while contributing to LEED credits for both daylighting and views. The high-performance building envelope afforded by the tilt-up panels also contributed to the effectiveness of the building's under-floor air distribution system, limited construction waste on the job and increased the recycled content, all of which are environmentally responsible construction practices. The project is targeting LEED Silver certification.