The Challenge
Turn a complicated wall system into an aesthetically pleasing structure.
Provide a full rainscreen design, all the air and vapour seals and an R-value of 20.
Provide the protection necessary for a justice facility, meet a tight budget and erect the outside walls in winter conditions.
Simulate Indiana cut limestone (buff coloured face concrete, light sandblast, many fase joints to give a stone block appearance).

The Triumph
The panel configuration was redesigned to fit the structural building frame. In some areas, the structural frame was strengthened to support the precast panels. Column centres were 9 m. Floor/floor heights were 4.3 m.

Sophisticated design technology was used to allow complete pressure equalization within the precast panels. Only the supporting ties are exposed between the two concrete wythes. Total panel thickness was 320 mm (65 mm outer wythe, 20 mm air gap, 100 mm rigid insulation, 135 mm structural inner wythe).

The building is modern and functional. The blend of a steel and buff precast exterior makes the building contemporary and warm in tone.

Total Precast Wall System
The project uses rainscreen air gap insulated precast concrete wall panels. The type and thickness of rigid insulation can be varied to provide the necessary thermal resistance. This type of panel offers the advantage of all connecting hardware being on the warm side of the wall system. There is no thermal bridging through air/vapour barriers and therefore no possible condensation around the anchors.

An effective rainscreen design relies on three factors:
 1. An interior airtight seal.
 2. An air chamber or vented air space.
 3. An exterior rain barrier, properly vented.

Owner: Ontario Realty Corporation
Architects: The Dubois Plumb Partnership/Carruthers Shaw and Partners Limited/W.A. Fraser, Architect
Engineer: Stantec Consulting Ltd.
General Contractor: BFC Buildings
Precast Contractor: Architectural Precast Systems Inc.