Toronto City Hall’s East Tower Gets a Face-Lift With New Thermal, Energy Efficient Windows

Toronto City Hall's East Tower is Getting a Face-Lift With New Thermal, Energy Efficient Windows
Toronto City Hall's East Tower is Getting a Face-Lift With New Thermal, Energy Efficient Windows

During this week, if you are walking near the east tower of Toronto City Hall and you feel as if you are walking underneath a huge umbrella on a sunny day, there is no need to fear that the sky is falling!

Actually, what is happening in the week of March 28, 2011, is that Toronto City Hall’s east tower is getting a face-lift with new thermal, energy efficient windows.

The old, single-pane windows will be replaced with thermal, energy efficient double-pane units over the coming months for the following green, health and safety benefits for the workers, City of Toronto as well as the birds:

  • easier managing the temperature inside the building (i.e. overheating, cooling), which
  • reduces operating costs,
  • addresses temperature-related complaints, and
  • reduces health and safety complaints,
  • also, addressing issues related to condensation and
  • levels of brightness in workspaces (i.e. glare on computer screens)
  • City Hall will be “bird friendly” as per the City’s Bird-Friendly Guidelines for windows due to the installation of a special film on the first three floors above the Podium Roof

Window replacement in the East Tower will begin the week of March 28, 2011, with expected completion at the end of 2011.

Please note, the timelines below are only for the East Tower.

Here is a brief timeline for the project. The schedule may change.

Please check regularly for updates at:
http://www.toronto.ca/ewmo/cityhall_window_replacement.htm

When? What is being done?
March 30 Staging on site for swing stage.
March 31 First phase installation of plywood.
April 5 Second phase installation of plywood.
April 2 Special lifts (mast climbers) on the north side of the East Tower erected.
April 11 First window replacement begins on the 4th floor.
November Expected project completion.


Construction teams will begin the windows replacement work on the north end of the East Tower on the fourth floor and work their way up the tower.

Please note that for health and safety reasons, the public cannot be on the floors involved while the window replacement work is being done.

As a result, the east tower floors will not be accessible after 4:30 p.m. on days when the work is taking place. During the day before 4:30 p.m., the construction team will work on window finishes on the outside of the building.

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

News Release

March 23, 2011

Work starting on replacement of windows in Toronto City Hall’s east tower

The single-pane windows in Toronto City Hall’s east tower – which are now more than 50 years old – will be replaced with thermal, energy efficient double-pane units over the coming months.

The single-pane windows make it difficult to manage temperatures inside the building, which has led to increased operating costs. Installing new windows in this landmark building at 100 Queen St. W. will reduce operating costs, address temperature-related complaints and resolve the issue of condensation caused by the single-pane windows.

The project includes the installation of a special film on the windows of designated floors, consistent with the City’s bird-friendly guidelines for windows. The glass from the old windows will be recycled.

The construction team will begin preparatory work this week and the project is expected to be completed before the end of this year.

The window replacement will begin on the fourth floor, with the construction team working its way up the tower. Work inside the building will commence daily at about 4:30 p.m. In response to health and safety guidelines, office staff and the public cannot be on the floors involved while the window replacement work is being done. As a result, the east tower floors will not be accessible after 4:30 p.m. on days when the work is taking place. During the day before 4:30 p.m., the construction team will work on window finishes on the outside of the building.

More information about the project is available at the following web page, which will be updated in the coming months if there are any changes to the schedule:
http://www.toronto.ca/ewmo/cityhall_window_replacement.htm.

Toronto is Canada’s largest city and sixth largest government, and home to a diverse population of about 2.6 million people. Toronto’s government is dedicated to delivering customer service excellence, creating a transparent and accountable government, reducing the size and cost of government and building a transportation city. For information on non-emergency City services and programs, Toronto residents, businesses and visitors can dial 311, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.