Press release
2008-06-19
UNVEILING OF A NEW LIGHTING SYSTEM FOR ÉDIFICE PRICE TO MARK THE 400th ANNIVERSARY OF QUÉBEC CITY
New energy-efficient system to enhance the building’s striking architecture
Québec City, June 18, 2008 - Earlier this evening, just after sundown, Édifice Price, a heritage building belonging to SITQ and located in the historic district of Old-Québec, unveiled its new energy-efficient lighting system - the only one of its kind in the Capital’s Light Plan. The new system showcases the exceptional architecture of this flagship property and commemorates the 400th anniversary of the city’s founding.
“At night, the lighting system will draw attention to the features that make this property such an integral part of the surrounding cityscape,” said Paul Campbell, President and Chief Executive Officer of SITQ, just before the unveiling ceremony. “The architecture of Édifice Price will be front and centre like never before, and its key elements, like the steepled copper roof so typical of Québec City, will be even further enhanced at night.”
Focus on energy efficiency
The dominant feature of this concept is its energy efficiency, thus far the only system of its kind in the Capital’s Light Plan, proposed by the Commission de la capitale nationale du Québec. Accordingly, key principles of sustainable development have served as guidelines for SITQ and its suppliers in the development of this project in order to maximize energy efficiency and facilitate subsequent maintenance. There will actually be three times as many light-emitting diode (LED) fixtures and projectors (278) installed compared to the current number of fixtures, but their energy consumption will be only slightly higher and the system will yield a much better performance and more abundant illumination. Moreover, maintenance requirements will be minimal because of the extended life of these systems, which generally last up to 10 times longer than traditional models. This use of LED technology for building illumination is a first in Canada.
The underlying inspiration for this new lighting concept has been the desire to better accentuate the personality and Art Deco architecture of Édifice Price - which still today makes an unrivalled statement in terms of style and boasts a distinctive blend of American, European and Canadian influences. The lighting system developed by NACEV Consultants will match, as closely as possible, the colours of the building materials and play with shadows to emphasize several architectural features that are not visible during the day.
The white, blue and green colour scheme of the lighting system will be consistent with the Capital’s Light Plan, with blue light reserved for the arch over the main entrance and the narrow windows at the bottom of the building and green for the 14th-floor windows and roof. As the copper roof of Édifice Price has not yet achieved maximum oxidation and the characteristic green hue that this entails, the LED lighting will be used to adjust the colours and create this illusion.
The new lighting plan for Édifice Price is the 25th project carried out in conjunction with the Capital’s Light Plan, a program designed to provide Québec City with a range of new night-time attractions. This initiative is the latest in a series of lighting projects, which has most recently included the Vieux-Séminaire de Québec and Église Saint-Charles-Borromée. Soon to be added to this illustrious list will be Parc de la Chute-Montmorency and Église Notre-Dame-des-Victoires. So far, $12 million has been invested in this program. These costs have been shared equally by various partners and the Commission de la capitale nationale du Québec. The latest has invested $200,000 in the lighting of Édifice Price.
Built in 1929 and designed by Québec architects Ross and MacDonald, Édifice Price is Québec City’s first skyscraper and the only Art Deco skyscraper in the provincial capital. It is 80 metres and 17 floors high and features a grey limestone exterior with a copper roof. For nearly 30 years, it dominated the city skyline, rivalled only by Château Frontenac and the tower of the Parliament buildings. It is currently home to such prestigious tenants as the head office of the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec, Québec City’s municipal engineering department, Bélanger Longtin, the official residence of the Premier of Québec and SITQ.
About SITQ
SITQ is a real estate investment, management and development firm with a portfolio specializing primarily in office buildings and business parks. SITQ owns real estate assets of CAD $12.4 billion, consisting of 122 properties representing more than 39.6 million square feet of leasable space. A leader in the Canadian real estate industry, SITQ also owns assets in the United States, France, the United Kingdom and Germany.
SITQ is a real estate subsidiary of the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec. Its shareholders are the Caisse and five leading pension funds. SITQ employs nearly 400 people in its head office in Montréal and in Québec City, as well as its offices Calgary, Paris (France), Frankfurt (Germany) and Brussels (Belgium). For more information: www.sitq.com
» Fact sheet - Price New lighting system
» Fact sheet - Price Building
» High-resolution photograph
Information:
Amélie Plante
SITQ
Tel.: 514 847-4164
Cell phone: 514 975-9425
amelie.plante@sitq.com
Québec City, June 18, 2008 - Earlier this evening, just after sundown, Édifice Price, a heritage building belonging to SITQ and located in the historic district of Old-Québec, unveiled its new energy-efficient lighting system - the only one of its kind in the Capital’s Light Plan. The new system showcases the exceptional architecture of this flagship property and commemorates the 400th anniversary of the city’s founding.
“At night, the lighting system will draw attention to the features that make this property such an integral part of the surrounding cityscape,” said Paul Campbell, President and Chief Executive Officer of SITQ, just before the unveiling ceremony. “The architecture of Édifice Price will be front and centre like never before, and its key elements, like the steepled copper roof so typical of Québec City, will be even further enhanced at night.”
Focus on energy efficiency
The dominant feature of this concept is its energy efficiency, thus far the only system of its kind in the Capital’s Light Plan, proposed by the Commission de la capitale nationale du Québec. Accordingly, key principles of sustainable development have served as guidelines for SITQ and its suppliers in the development of this project in order to maximize energy efficiency and facilitate subsequent maintenance. There will actually be three times as many light-emitting diode (LED) fixtures and projectors (278) installed compared to the current number of fixtures, but their energy consumption will be only slightly higher and the system will yield a much better performance and more abundant illumination. Moreover, maintenance requirements will be minimal because of the extended life of these systems, which generally last up to 10 times longer than traditional models. This use of LED technology for building illumination is a first in Canada.
The underlying inspiration for this new lighting concept has been the desire to better accentuate the personality and Art Deco architecture of Édifice Price - which still today makes an unrivalled statement in terms of style and boasts a distinctive blend of American, European and Canadian influences. The lighting system developed by NACEV Consultants will match, as closely as possible, the colours of the building materials and play with shadows to emphasize several architectural features that are not visible during the day.
The white, blue and green colour scheme of the lighting system will be consistent with the Capital’s Light Plan, with blue light reserved for the arch over the main entrance and the narrow windows at the bottom of the building and green for the 14th-floor windows and roof. As the copper roof of Édifice Price has not yet achieved maximum oxidation and the characteristic green hue that this entails, the LED lighting will be used to adjust the colours and create this illusion.
The new lighting plan for Édifice Price is the 25th project carried out in conjunction with the Capital’s Light Plan, a program designed to provide Québec City with a range of new night-time attractions. This initiative is the latest in a series of lighting projects, which has most recently included the Vieux-Séminaire de Québec and Église Saint-Charles-Borromée. Soon to be added to this illustrious list will be Parc de la Chute-Montmorency and Église Notre-Dame-des-Victoires. So far, $12 million has been invested in this program. These costs have been shared equally by various partners and the Commission de la capitale nationale du Québec. The latest has invested $200,000 in the lighting of Édifice Price.
Built in 1929 and designed by Québec architects Ross and MacDonald, Édifice Price is Québec City’s first skyscraper and the only Art Deco skyscraper in the provincial capital. It is 80 metres and 17 floors high and features a grey limestone exterior with a copper roof. For nearly 30 years, it dominated the city skyline, rivalled only by Château Frontenac and the tower of the Parliament buildings. It is currently home to such prestigious tenants as the head office of the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec, Québec City’s municipal engineering department, Bélanger Longtin, the official residence of the Premier of Québec and SITQ.
About SITQ
SITQ is a real estate investment, management and development firm with a portfolio specializing primarily in office buildings and business parks. SITQ owns real estate assets of CAD $12.4 billion, consisting of 122 properties representing more than 39.6 million square feet of leasable space. A leader in the Canadian real estate industry, SITQ also owns assets in the United States, France, the United Kingdom and Germany.
SITQ is a real estate subsidiary of the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec. Its shareholders are the Caisse and five leading pension funds. SITQ employs nearly 400 people in its head office in Montréal and in Québec City, as well as its offices Calgary, Paris (France), Frankfurt (Germany) and Brussels (Belgium). For more information: www.sitq.com
» Fact sheet - Price New lighting system
» Fact sheet - Price Building
» High-resolution photograph
Information:
Amélie Plante
SITQ
Tel.: 514 847-4164
Cell phone: 514 975-9425
amelie.plante@sitq.com
