Home About Awards Events News Resources Certification Projects Construction Tilt-Up Products Directory login

Suncor Energy Refinery Business Center

The site that was initially selected for the Suncor Energy Inc. Refinery Business Center was within the refinery's "blast zone." Tilt-up concrete construction was chosen for the building’s exterior walls because it offered a way to cost effectively meet the client's blast mitigation requirements. However, after the initial design was developed, the client decided to preserve the original site for future refinery processing equipment and moved the building outside of the blast zone.

Though blast mitigation was no longer a project mandate, the client and design team still felt tilt-up concrete panels were the best choice. Not only were the concrete panels important to developing a high-performance building envelope, which was essential to meeting the client's sustainability goals, but they facilitated the contractor's ability to meet a highly accelerated construction schedule.

Once the building was sited, the design team was liberated to open up the envelope with larger windows, allowing much greater volumes of daylight while giving the facade more architectural character. The building's long linear form was perforated with tall expanses of curtain wall, which weave in and out of the rectangular tilt-up panel envelope, enhancing visual appeal while contributing to LEED credits for both daylighting and views. The high-performance building envelope afforded by the tilt-up panels also contributed to the effectiveness of the building's under-floor air distribution system, limited construction waste on the job and increased the recycled content, all of which are environmentally responsible construction practices. The project is targeting LEED Silver certification.

 
Main banner image for Suncor Energy Refinery Business Center

Project Location

Commerce City, CO 80022
United States

TILT-UP ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

The Tilt-Up Achievement Awards were established to honor projects that use site-cast tilt-up concrete to introduce new building types, advance industry technology and provide unique solutions to building programs. Winning entries illustrate the variety, beauty, and flexibility of tilt-up construction.

ACHIEVEMENT

2013

The world’s greatest tilt-up structures are featured by the TCA as Tilt-Up Achievement Award Winners. Learn more >

Project Images

TILT-UP TODAY MAGAZINE / PROJECTS IN THE NEWS

Project Team (TCA Members)

General Contractor:
 
Concrete Contractor:
 
Architect:
Intergroup Architects Inc
Engineer:
 
Suppliers:
 
Photographer(s):

Project Specifics

Project Category:
Office
Building Types:
Finishes:
Features:
Insulation:
Environmental:
Number of Floors:
0
Total Floor Area:
74,668 sq ft (6,937 sq m)
Project Footprint:
36,683 sq ft (3,408 sq m)
Tallest Panel:
44 ft 11 in (13.69 m)
Widest Panel:
41 ft 5 in (12.62 m)
Largest Panel:
1,536 sq ft (142.7 sq m)
Heaviest Panel:
93,440 lbs (42,384 kg)
Longest Spandrel:
50 ft 11 in (15.54 m)
Recycled Content:
29 tons (US)