The Sunrise Building in Alberta, Canada, has set a new Guinness World Record by featuring the world’s largest solar panel mural. This huge artwork covers 34,500 square feet of the building’s exterior.
It’s not just a beautiful mural; it also helps the environment by producing 267 kW of clean solar energy, which powers the shared areas of the building.
This project is a creative mix of art, culture, and green technology. This is designed by native artist Lance Cardinal, the mural reflects a deep tribute to both First Nations and Chinese cultures, symbolizing unity, resilience, and renewal.
The project merges cultural storytelling with advanced solar technology through building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV), setting a global example of how solar can be both functional and visually meaningful.
Instead of tearing down the old apartment building from the 1970s, the developers at Avenue Living decided to upgrade in an environmentally friendly way. This decision not only preserved the original structure in place but also supported ethical investment values.
It also matched the goals of Canada’s Deep Retrofit Accelerator Initiative, a program that encourages large-scale energy-saving improvements in residential buildings.
Initially, the plan was to install a small 60 kW solar system. But to qualify for government support, the team had to reduce carbon emissions. So, they changed the design to cover the entire building with solar panels built into the walls (called BIPV).
This not only increased the amount of energy produced but also made the mural look more impressive. The structure was built using strong materials like aluminum panels, waterproof layers, and insulation, making the system long-lasting and easy to install.
The team made sure that the bright colors of the mural wouldn’t affect how well the solar panels work. Mitrex, the company that made the solar panels, tested many colors and ran energy models to find the right mix of beauty and performance.
The project also makes good financial sense; it is expected to pay for itself in just four years and save about $80,000 every year. That’s nearly the same as the income from seven extra rental units.
The SunRise Building project was the result of strong collaboration between Mitrex, Avenue Living Asset Management, MBC Group, and Chandos Construction.
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