In case you missed it (scroll embed article above), earlier this year GlasCurtain was prominently featured on the cover of Building Science Perspective, the joint publication of Alberta Building Envelope Council North (ABECN) and Alberta Building Envelope Council South (ABECS), with an article on Red Deer Justice Centre and its role in advancing high-performance façades in Alberta.

Designed by DLR Group and Group2 Architecture in collaboration with Alberta Infrastructure, the $250-million Red Deer Justice Centre reflects a growing shift toward more sustainable, resilient public buildings. Targeting Net-Zero performance, the project brought together local expertise, innovative materials, and forward-thinking policy to achieve measurable environmental and economic impact.

One of the key decisions behind that success was the choice to specify GlasCurtain’s Alberta-made Thermaframe 7 system, a triple-glazed fibreglass-framed curtain wall that nearly doubled the façade’s thermal performance compared to conventional aluminum systems. This upgrade reduced 4,000 tonnes CO₂e across the building’s life cycle, equivalent to preserving more than 6,000 mature boreal trees, while adding only a marginal increase to the total project budget. It also supported an additional 15 local full-time jobs, reinforcing the value of domestic production and local procurement.

The Red Deer Justice Centre stands as a strong example of what happens when design intent, policy, and local manufacturing align. By investing in high-performance, Canadian-made building systems, Alberta continues to lead the way in creating infrastructure that performs for both people and the planet.

Originally published in Building Science Perspective, Summer 2025 — ABECN & ABECS
Full online issue available here