Edmonton’s cityscape is being revitalized with the transformation of an aging high-rise into a symbol of sustainability, collaboration, and renewal.

The SunRise Building, formerly Capital Tower, is a 12-storey, 106-m² (1,140-sf) structure, and is being reimagined as a modern, mixed-use space focused on affordable rental housing and environmental performance through decarbonization of greenhouse gas emissions.

The deep energy retrofit, undertaken by Chandos Construction, includes full mechanical and electrical upgrades, abatement and remediation, a modernized building envelope, redesigned suites with LED lighting, updated kitchens and bathrooms, and new amenity spaces.

The building also features Canada’s largest building-integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) cladding, which, alongside improvements to the mechanical and electrical systems and building envelope, is projected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 64 per cent.

BIPV cladding is an exterior wall covering that serves as both a solar panel and a protective and insulating layer for the building. These panels, which double as public art, display a 25-m (85-ft) mural titled ‘The Land We Share’ by local Indigenous artist Lance Cardinal, blending Indigenous and Asian influences. The mural was also awarded a Guinness World Record.