Pushing the Building Envelope: 600 rue de la Gauchetière

600 rue de la Gauchetière (600 DLG), former head office of the National Bank and future head office of CN, is a 128-metre-high building with 28 above-ground storeys, built in 1983. This ambitious project is intended to completely revitalize the building curtain wall while significantly improving the energy and environmental performance of the building envelope. Enhancing the occupant experience, while also reducing GHG emissions from building operations.

Location

Montréal, Canada

Client

Kevric

Project Status

In Progress

Enhancing the building envelope performance on an existing building

At 600 DLG, WSP set out to transform the building envelope to drastically reduce energy consumption and meet ambitious performance goals. By addressing significant thermal and waterproofing deficiencies, the innovative envelope redesign achieves performance levels comparable to a modern curtain wall — an impressive feat for a system over 40 years old. With a dedicated onsite team ensuring rigorous quality control and continuous performance testing, the results speak for themselves. Airtightness levels average four times better than typical targets for new curtain wall constructions, while waterproofing performance meets the highest current standards. This remarkable project demonstrates how an aging building envelope can evolve into a cutting-edge, high-performance solution.

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28 stories

Façade access platform designed by Upbrella is a first in Canada.
Allowing personnel to work in a controlled environment.

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50% recovery

Of existing curtain wall components.

33% more

Glass for greater interior brightness

Waste reduction through recovery

By leveraging aluminum’s durability, the team retained all structural elements of the existing system, significantly reducing the project’s carbon footprint and advancing its carbon-neutral goals. This eco-conscious strategy not only minimizes greenhouse gas emissions but also reduces waste destined for landfills, along with the associated transportation and handling impacts. By integrating recovery initiatives into the design, WSP has demonstrated a strong commitment to ecological practices, transforming an aging curtain wall into a high-performance, sustainable building envelope that aligns with the project’s carbon-neutral aspirations.

This project demonstrates our ability to meet complex technical challenges while respecting ambitious environmental objectives.

Marc-Olivier Houde Building Science Expert, Project Director and Regional Team Manager, WSP

Marc-Olivier Houde Building Science Expert, Project Director and Regional Team Manager, WSP

Future-proofing our urban landscapes

The revitalization of 600 DLG’s building envelope is expected to be completed in spring 2025, marking a significant milestone in sustainable urban transformation. As around 80% of today’s buildings are expected to remain in use by 2050, projects like 600 DLG demonstrate how we can adapt existing infrastructure, to reimagine our built environment and create high-performing, efficient, future-proof buildings, rooted in the culture and history of the neighborhoods they belong to. We are committed to helping building owners like Kevric realize their ambitions and set new benchmarks for sustainable building revitalization.