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BMO Centre Expansion to achieve 35% savings above LEED 4 baseline
The BMO Centre, an integral part of Calgary’s event landscape since 1982, has been the city’s primary venue for consumer and trade shows, special events, meetings and conferences for over four decades. The $500-million city-building investment to expand the complex was led by development manager Calgary Municipal Land Corporation on behalf of the Calgary Stampede and The City of Calgary and constructed by PCL. The expansion boosts its total floor space to over one million square feet, making it the largest convention center in Western Canada.
The 565,000-square-foot expansion was designed by a number of consultants including Stantec. It features a striking composite metal panel facade, a 170-foot curved canopy with programmable LED lights and copper-colored cladding.
RJC Engineers, working with Magnusson Klemencic Associates, delivered the structural strategy that makes those architectural moves possible. More than 9,000 t of steel (about 1.5 times the mass of the Eiffel Tower) form deep, 24 m trusses that create a virtually column‑free ground‑floor exhibition hall while supporting stacked meeting spaces and ballrooms above.
Electrical contractor Western Electrical Management provided a full suite of services that includes medium voltage distribution, convention floor boxes, cable tray, low voltage distribution, high-end lighting, lighting control, standalone emergency system, lightning protection, communication systems, security systems, fire alarm, site works, and heat trace. These services were expertly designed to ensure the BMO Centre has the most modern electrical and communications infrastructure possible, making it a perfect venue for large national and international events.
The infrastructure embodies a holistic commitment to environmental stewardship by recycling nearly 34 million kilograms of demolition waste, utilizing natural lighting, surpassing energy efficiency guidelines and reducing indoor water usage to achieve 35%savings above LEED v4 baseline standards.
Awards
Award of Excellence | Association of Consulting Engineering Companies | Canada (ACEC) | 2025
Prosperity Award | Association of Consulting Engineering Companies | Canada (ACEC) | 2025
Award of Excellence | Building Engineering | Commercial | Consulting Engineers of Alberta (CEA) | 2025
Award of Merit | Global Best Projects | Cultural/Worship | Engineering News|Record (ENR) | 2024
Best Steel Project Outside of Ontario | Canadian Institute of Steel Construction (CISC) | 2025
Learn more: PCL, Stantec, RJC Engineers, Western Electrical Management
Disclaimer: This content is shared in partnership with PCL, Stantec, RJC Engineers, and Western Electrical Management. The views expressed in the source articles are those of the PCL, Stantec, RJC Engineers, and Western Electrical Management and do not necessarily reflect those of AEEA.
PCL Construction Management Inc.
Contractor (GC)
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Building envelope, Building information modelling, Electrical, General contracting, Heating, ventilation & air-conditioning, Plumbing, Preconstruction, Smart controls & automation, Solar and renewable energy, Structural (mass timber), Virtual design and construction
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Stantec
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Central Alberta, Northern Alberta, Southern Alberta
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RJC Engineers
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Architectural design, Audits, Building condition, Building envelope design, Building operation handover & training, Building systems design, Business case, Carbon offsets, Commissioning, Electrical engineering, Embodied carbon, Financing, Grants, Green building certifications, Life cycle & capital planning, Measurement & GHG verification, Mechanical engineering, Modelling & simulation, Portfolio assessments, Procurement & contracts, Project management, Renewables, Structural engineering
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Central Alberta, Northern Alberta, Southern Alberta
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Western Electrical Management Ltd.
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Contracting
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Electrical, Preconstruction, Project management, Virtual design and construction
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Central Alberta, Northern Alberta, Southern Alberta, Western Canada