Overlooking Sunset Beach in downtown Vancouver, British Columbia, the Crystallis is a unique-looking high-rise residential building with 25 levels, 102 units, and circular balconies. When the building was originally constructed in 1988, the building enclosure consisted of exterior insulation finish system (EIFS) cladding, nonthermally broken aluminum windows, and a roof with a hot rubberized asphalt membrane.

Our involvement with the building began in 2000 with a condition assessment of the building enclosure. This investigation discovered that water ingress had caused significant deterioration of the fasteners that secured the windows to the building. Water ingress was also damaging the walls. Further investigation in 2010 found numerous other problems associated with the windows, such as multiple failed sealed units, damaged hardware, and poor thermal performance. Working with the owner group, we developed a comprehensive repair program to address all these performance issues.

To rehabilitate the walls, our team repaired the deficient and moisture-damaged steel stud framing and rebuilt the wall assemblies to prevent future problems and enhance performance. To accomplish this, we replaced the EIFS exterior cladding with a metal panel system attached with thermally efficient cladding clips and new rock wool exterior insulation. We installed new windows with improved thermal performance and water resistance along with new sloped glazing at the upper levels of the building. We retained the building’s unique corner balconies and added new waterproof membranes and guardrails.

The Crystallis now has an almost completely new building enclosure that will not require any significant renewal work for many years to come. By effectively managing the construction budget, we ensured that funds were available at the end of the project to allow replacement of the original entry canopy with a more contemporary design.

In 2014, we won an award from RCI, Inc. in the Large Project category for the quality of our construction documents on the Crystallis project.

Date:

May 11, 2019

Client:

Strata Plan VR2100

Our Role:

Building Enclosure Consultant, Construction Project Manager

Key Services

Renewal and Rehabilitation
Maintenance and Planning
Building Enclosure Condition Assessments and Investigations
Construction Project Management (CPM)

Our diverse team of experienced professionals will collaborate with you and your owner group on your project, whether it involves renewing specific building components or conducting a complete building enclosure rehabilitation. Our knowledgeable staff have the building science and project management expertise to lead you each step of the way, from the initial planning stages through design, budgeting, construction documents, and working with a contractor to implement the work.

Our field review work involves visiting the building during construction to monitor progress, ensure that the contractor has a clear understanding of all requirements, and confirm that the work is being implemented correctly.

In addition to visual field review, we undertake field testing to confirm that the specified materials are being used and the components are correctly installed. We can conduct a range of tests, including water penetration tests, airtightness tests, and membrane and coating adherence tests, to ensure that your project meets the appropriate industry standards.

Marcus Dell | M.A.Sc., P.Eng., BEP

Founder & Principal Emeritus
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Jason Dunn | B.Arch.Sc.

Principal, Senior Project Manager
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Jesse Listoen | Dipl.T.

Associate, Estimator/Building Science Technologist
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Michael Roche | B.Sc. (HONS), MCPM

Principal, Manager Construction Services
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