Located in Edmonton, Alberta, St. Joseph High School was originally constructed in 1930 as the first Catholic boys’ high school in Edmonton and its surrounding area. After St. Mary’s High School was closed in 1950, St. Joseph High School officially opened to expand its enrollment to include girls. As water leaks were reported in several locations throughout the building, the Edmonton Catholic School District (ECSD) identified the opportunity for a complete window replacement project.
Williams Engineering (WE) was retained as the Prime Consultant to provide building envelope and structural consulting engineering services for the window replacement at St. Joseph High School. The demolition phase of the project includes the removal of 215 fixed glass windows, 60 hopper-style opening windows and the leaking fixed glass windows in the stairwells and front entryway. WE’s building science team provided engineering design services for the installation of new windows, adjustments to the window openings as required and investigated options for reducing the number of fixed glass windows within the school. These services included technical specifications detailing the construction methods and materials and the drawings and details required for the proper execution of the project. Tendering services and construction administration during the construction period were provided by WE in addition to site instructions, contract administration and a final review of the completed installations.
Replacing aging windows is a key element in increasing a building’s resiliency to exterior damage and environmental factors. The new windows at St. Joseph High School provide energy and long-term cost savings by strengthening the building envelope and increasing comfort for students and staff while reducing the security risks associated with damaged windows and frames. With an improved building envelope, students at St. Joseph High School can continue to thrive and collaborate in a comfortable and safe academic environment.
