Today, TELUS, Westbank and Allied are celebrating the opening of TELUS Sky, TELUS’ new state of the art headquarters in Downtown Calgary. This impressive landmark stands 60-storeys tall and brings 750,000 square feet of office and retail space including 326 rental homes to Calgary’s downtown core, creating a unique and dynamic blend of working and urban living. Built to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) platinum standards – the highest LEED certification – TELUS Sky is one of the most technologically innovative and environmentally-friendly sites in North America. With the completion of TELUS Sky, TELUS now occupies the largest LEED Platinum footprint in North America including TELUS Garden in Vancouver, TELUS Harbour Toronto, TELUS House Ottawa, and Place TELUS Québec. Powered by purpose, TELUS is a global leader in sustainability with the ambitious goal to use 100 per cent renewable energy by 2025.
Designed by world-renowned architects Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) and Dialog, along with developer partner Westbank and Allied, TELUS Sky features Canada’s largest public art display integrated into the building’s façade: Northern Lights by iconic Canadian author and artist, Douglas Coupland, which dance across the building’s exterior providing a light show in Downtown Calgary for locals and visitors.
TELUS Sky’s unique features include:
- A storm water management system that recycles rainwater for use in washroom toilets and urinals, reducing the building’s municipal water demand by 70 per cent.
- A thermal energy system designed to efficiently transport hot water through an underground network of insulated pipes across the city, resulting in a 30 per cent reduction in heating energy demand.
- 100 per cent fresh air ventilation with operable windows and exterior terraces – even on office floors.
- Windows designed with robust envelope and triple-pane glazing to decrease solar transmission and promote greater shading within the building, contributing to a 35 per cent reduction in building energy use compared to similar size developments.
- A living green wall in the 11-storey atrium to improve air quality and provide occupants and visitors with a connection to natural elements.
- A direct connection to TELUS’ PureFibre network, ensuring tenants, businesses, guests, and office workers have access to the fastest most capable Internet network available in western Canada.
- Comprehensive fitness facilities including a wellness centre with a yoga and barre room, on-site secure bicycle storage, and electric vehicle charging stations.
Situated in the heart of the downtown district, TELUS Sky has transformed the city’s skyline and will contribute to Calgary’s growing tech community and vibrant cultural landscape, symbolically representing TELUS’ commitment to Alberta’s economic prosperity, sustainability, and health well into the future. Throughout the project’s development over the last nine years, TELUS Sky supported the local economy by creating more than 1,000 jobs, and as of today, the building will be home to more than 1,600 local TELUS team members.
Earlier this week, TELUS announced a $430 million investment across the City of Calgary in 2022 as part of its $17 billion investment in operations, network infrastructure, and spectrum across the province now through 2026, creating 8,500 new jobs for Albertans and connecting more families and businesses to TELUS’ world-leading 5G and TELUS PureFibre networks. TELUS’ dedication to Calgary extends well beyond investments in operations and infrastructure. Since 2000, TELUS along with its team members and retirees in Alberta have gifted $200 million dollars and 3.2 million volunteer hours across the province.
UPDATE: During the grand opening event this morning, Premier Jason Kenney remarked on the dedication that TELUS has shown to this province and called on other comparable companies to start making a difference, too. He joked to Darren Entwistle, President and CEO of TELUS, to consider making Alberta and, more specifically, TELUS Sky, it’s homebase, inciting a hearty laugh from attendees.