Potential Options for Retrofitting Glass Condos – A Feasibility Study

The growth of highly glazed condominium towers in Toronto is a recent phenomenon and creates concerns with energy efficiency and long-term durability.

The growth of highly glazed condominium towers in Toronto is a recent phenomenon and creates concerns with energy efficiency and long-term durability. In particular, future retrofits at highly glazed facades will be required as buildings age and to improve the energy performance to reduce the risk of energy price increases. Various retrofit schemes are presented and their thermal improvements, tenant disruption and costs are compared. Further, the effects of using vacuum sealed insulating glass units would be modelled and compared in order to review possible retrofit options for existing glass towers.