The 2015 Pan American Games were headed to Canada, and they were in need of venues to host their events. Timing couldn’t be better as the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the Canadian Football League, were also looking to renovate their near century-old stadium. A deal was made and the two projects became one. Set to be completed for the Tiger-Cats’ 2014-2015 season, a new stadium was to be built and Kingspan’s KS Micro-Ribs panels were specified to help with the build-speed and sustainability of the multi-functional stadium.

A Brand New Start

Originally the Ivory Wynne Stadium, home of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, was set to be renovated as it had been done countless times over. But with the arrival of the Pan Am Games something bigger was in order. After 87 years, Ivory Wynne Stadium was demolished to make room for “the next generation in stadium entertainment.” Immediately the clock was ticking on the $145.7 million project.

The Hamilton Tiger-Cats’ season opener was targeted as the new Tim Hortons Field’s debut. Unfortunately the harsh winter and unforeseen scheduling conflicts made the original date unattainable. The early delays brought concern that a different site would be needed to host the men and women’s Pan Am soccer events. With this early scare, the implementation of the panel system played a vital role in ensuring there were no additional delays.

Having the single component wall system arrive on site ready to install meant that the installation of panels was unlikely to be delayed by weather, as seen with other parts of the project. Additionally, the off-site assembly of the single component insulated metal panels also meant a reduction in scheduling delays, as it eliminated the need for multiple trades for its installation. Given that the deadline to have this project ready for use was fast approaching, the company’s ability to reduce potential for delays was a decisive factor.

Federal Sustainability

Build speed was not the only important factor with the construction of this project. The funding for this project was primarily from the Canadian government, who implemented a federal sustainable development strategy for Canada just a few years prior. With so much invested in the new stadium, it was imperative that the project fit into their sustain-able future goals.

The panel system provided the stadium with a high thermal performance as it displayed a high R-value of 7.2-per-inch. The single component wall system acted as a vapor barrier, provided superior airtightness, and demonstrated low thermal bridging.

Another contributing element to the new Tim Hortons Field sustainability goals once again goes back to the panels being manufactured off-site. This eliminated related construction site waste, a significant reduction when compared to construction site built systems. Add in the decreased environmental impact on the construction site and the surrounding community, and the company’s contribution not only met the Canadian movement's sustainability plan, but their own initiative for a zero landfill target.

With the help of the panel system, the brand new stadium would go on to achieve a LEED Silver certification.

Beauty is in the Eye of the Ticket Holder

Set to be the home to the two-time Canadian Football League Grey Cup Runner-up, the Hamilton Tiger-Cats wanted to make sure the brand-new state-of-the-art facility also looked the part. Elegantly painted in white and charcoal, the panels were un-likely to go unnoticed as the highly attractive linear appearance and subtle shadows would be on full display for the 22,500 fans that would soon parade into the stadium.

A Stadium for Champions

While the initial delays were greater than expected, the end result was a stadium fit for both FIFA and CFL requirements. Season tickets for their Platinum and Club seats for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats’ home games quickly sold out. Thousands of fans traveled in support of their home nation to be in attendance throughout the Pan Am soccer tournament, that saw Brazil (women) and Uruguay (men) take home the gold. The stadium has also been deemed an ideal host location for national and international competitions, one of which will likely be the Grey Cup—much to the liking of the home team, the Hamilton Tiger-Cats