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S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 3 | 17 Curtain Wall & Window Wall P H OTO G R A P H Y CO U RT E S Y R J C EN G I N EER S Noram has been working on Crosstown, a residen- tial tower featuring a fully unitized curtain wall that combines vision glass and porcelain panels. This design integration adds aesthetic appeal and enhances the building's overall performance. RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT With extreme events and disasters becoming more common, RJC Engineers is once again tak- ing the lead to find solutions to protect buildings and as such has been participating in seismic test- ing of the Natural Hazards Engineering Research Infrastructure (NHERI) TallWood project, currently underway in San Diego, California. The project, funded by the National Science Foundation, aims to study the earthquake resilience of mass timber buildings by simulating large earth- quakes on a 10-storey mass timber structure. RJC's role in the project is to analyze the impact of seismic events on window integrity, as windows play a cru- cial role in a building's energy efficiency and safety. "The project testing is attempting to detect the point at which window seals fail when subject to lateral build- ing movements. Lateral, or sideways movements of a building can occur in both wind and seismic condi- tions. Window damage can be hidden and expensive to repair, and unseen breaches can cause larger impacts in energy efficiency and building durability if gone unnoticed," says Dennis Gam, principal, RJC Engineers. The findings will be invaluable, especially con- sidering new code requirements are coming to B.C. this fall that will require buildings with high impor- tance and post-disaster occupancies to remain undamaged for large (but not severe) earthquakes. "This implies a higher level of structural perfor- mance for other aspects of a building, including its enclosure. Our work attempts to quantify this risk and to inform how much repair cost can be affected by damage to window seals," explains Terry Bergen, managing principal, RJC Engineers. RJC's involvement in the research will help inform sustainable building design decisions and reduce the carbon impact of the construction industry. The find- ings will contribute to the development of seismic design methodologies and inform the creation of more sustainable and resilient buildings. "The interaction of structure with building enclosure and functional components of a building is an under-researched area. Although the industry can create building structures that survive earth- quakes, what needs to continue to be researched is how to make the building survive while also being occupiable and functional. What form this research takes is to be determined, but more full-scale testing is planned for the future," says Gam. A Seismic testing at the Natural Hazards Engineering Research Infrastructure (NHERI) TallWood project, San Diego, CA. 7071 Oakwood Drive, Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada L2G 0J3 Telephone (905) 356-1581 • Fax (905) 354-2077 Email: info@niacoat.com Website: www.niacoat.com Niagra Coatings.indd 1 Niagra Coatings.indd 1 2022-10-27 2:19 2022-10-27 2:19