Following up with Ontario-based journalist John Bleasby from our November 2019 conversation regarding our then-new Passive House certification, we recently had the opportunity to catch-up with John to see how the innovation landscape has changed since in the last year-and-a-half.

The resulting article was just published for Journal of Commerce by ConstructConnect and is entitled “Inside Innovation: Canada’s GlasCurtain well positioned for construction’s net zero future” (archived), from which there are some fantastic quotes:

In 2019, Calgary-based GlasCurtain Inc. was awarded certification from the prestigious Passive House Institute in Germany for its THERM line of thermally-broken triple-glazed curtain wall system. It was a first for any company, let alone a Canadian firm. GlasCurtain’s unique standing atop the world remains today.

One reason for Dushenski’s optimism is the building industry’s recognition of embodied carbon reduction as the number one challenge to be overcome in the future, what he calls “the next frontier.” He reasons the building industry is already becoming very good at reducing carbons related to operations.

“Operational carbon will be just a drop in the bucket compared to the carbon that is being caused by building buildings.”

GlasCurtain’s life cycle analysis revealed its fibreglass-framed THERM line products have 60 per cent less embodied carbon than comparable aluminum curtain wall systems. That really excites Dushenski. It’s simple math. “Cutting the 90 per cent carbon embodiment by half has much more impact than cutting the 10 per cent operational carbons by half.”

Mind you, GlasCurtain is a premium product, akin to what Dushenski calls a Tesla Model S. As a result, its products have found favour with architects working with owner/occupiers, governments, government agencies and higher learning institutions like universities. For those clients, long-term durability, natural interior light that attracts and retains talent, and taking a leadership position in terms of energy efficiency and carbon reduction, is worth that premium.

Dushenski points to Carleton University’s 25,000 square foot Engineering Design Centre in Ottawa, designed in collaboration with Diamond Schmitt Architects and KWC Architects and scheduled for occupancy this autumn. It’s an example of GlasCurtain’s trifecta of energy efficiency, low carbon embodiment and high window-to-wall ratios, presented in an attractive overall design.

There’s good reason for Dushenski’s optimism about the future —GlasCurtain’s business already doubled during 2020, something not many building component companies can claim.

Do read the whole piece here. Enjoy!

[Photo credit: Carleton University]