b'TESTINGCLOSER TO HOMEUL OPENS IMPRESSIVE NEW TEST LAB FOR THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY IN TORONTO By Warren HeeleyUNDERWRITERS LABORATORIES (UL) recently openedof their products performed locally, says Mark Van Dalen, senior a new lab at its Toronto location in Scarborough to providebusiness development manager for UL.testing services for building envelope systems in the commercial and industrial construction sectors. Its the first such facility in theBoth the large construction lab and the fenestration lab provide Toronto area and will save stakeholders a long-distance trip to testperformance results on resistance to air leakage, structural wind out their wall systems, windows and doors in other locations, likeloads, water penetration and temperature differentials. The ratings the UL labs in Montreal or Chicago. It is only the third such testingare then used by architects and designers to source products lab the organization has opened in North America. that meet the specifications established for the building under construction. These ratings are also published and listed onThe impressive 7,200-square-foot facility, which opened lastthe products. November, is equipped to handle sample walls up to 40 feet in height in its large construction lab. It also houses a fenestrationFor wall systems, the influence of seismic and thermal movements lab to test the performance of windows and doors. Theres aon resistance is also assessed. In many construction situa-community of very high calibre manufacturers of wall systemstions, designers set specifications for wall systems that include around Toronto that will really enjoy the opportunity to have testingminimum performance criteria. These criteria are established to 34BUILDERSDIGESTQuarter 12019'