Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/579910
20 | OCTOBER 2015 Curtain Wall & Window Wall Tariffs, one of which is to countervail what has been deemed an unfair cost advantage for Chinese curtain wall manufacturers, are also helping to push prices skyward. Regarding this unfair advantage, it was suc- cessfully argued that Chinese manufacturers were benefiting from the cost of aluminum being subsidized. Both the Canadian and U.S. governments have slapped tariffs on curtain wall imports from China. Overseas glass itself has not been targeted, de Goutiere says. This almost perfect storm for driving curtain wall costs through the roof notwithstanding, the sector appears to be in robust shape across much of North America. "Business is booming in the U.S. based on reports I've read. As a company, we're busy; Vancouver and the area is busy," de Goutiere says. Some industry experts believe that the shift to more use of unitized curtain wall systems both improves the end product and is good for the industry as a whole. Stick systems, which some companies have abandoned for unitized systems, consist of curtain wall frame ver- ticals or mullions and glass or spandrel panels that are installed and connected piece-by-piece to each other and to the building. Unitized systems are not only fabricated, but also assembled into panels in the factory and may include factory glazing. "The future is in unitization. Because you're manufacturing and assembling in a shop envi- ronment, this allows for better quality control. It also makes the time for on-site erection much faster. The system we supply to installers cuts two thirds off the installation time. You have enclosed the building in one third the time it takes with a stick system," says Ted Redlarski, president of Noram Enterprises Inc. With the help of a crane, installation of a curtain wall panel can be done in as little as eight minutes, he says. "Unitized is more expensive per unit, but when you take all the expenses involved into consideration, unitized is the less expensive." Delays on site can push back the date for collecting revenues on a building, too, Redlarski notes. For high rises and buildings above five or six sto- reys, unitized is becoming the norm. "All high rises using curtain wall in New York are unitized," he says. A PHOTOGRAPHY BY JESSICA REDLARSKI/COURTESY NORAM ENTERPRISES SEAGATE Structures QUALITY + INTEGRITY ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ rjc.ca Providing expertise in Building Science... Creative Thinking Practical Results ...with a commitment to service excellence. The Pearl Edmonton, AB