Glass-Walled Condos: Short-Term Durability and Long-Term Costs

Toronto’s condo boom bears witness to remarkable economic growth, unfortunately building codes and code enforcement have failed to keep pace.

Toronto’s condo boom bears witness to remarkable economic growth, unfortunately building codes and code enforcement have failed to keep pace. Glass walled condos are the predominant enclosure choice among developers looking to a single trade to deliver their exterior wall assemblies, minimizing coordination and delays. But developers are the only winners for an enclosure choice that lacks durability and thermal efficiency. As more and more condo owners are discovering, their suites are leaky and fail to provide comfort during extreme weather conditions. Special assessments for sealing glass-walled condos are looming on the not-too-distant horizon and litigation by condo boards has already been initiated for what are viewed as unacceptable quality standards in the enclosure. This presentation will point the way to achieving superior durability and sustainable long term costs.