First impressions are everything - especially when the building will welcome the 36th annual Group of Eight (G-8) Summit. The 2010 G-8 Summit was held in Huntsville, Ontario in the Muskoka Region of Canada. Muskoka is known for its sensitive landscape and pristine natural beauty, a renowned summer vacation area for Canadians and international visitors. Building styling and material selection were highly scrutinized in an effort to harmonize with the surrounding picturesque environment. The entryway for the Canada Summit Centre has a heavy-timber look and required an aesthetically-styled product so a flat, painted, metal roof would not do. DECRA Roofing Systems’ DECRA Shingle in Canyon Brown blended well with the timber exterior and made a great first impression.

Guy Bellehumeur of G. B. Architects in Ontario chose DECRA Shingle because of the clean look and detailed movement in the styling. The added benefits of a long life cycle and low maintenance requirements diminish the environmental impact of the product. Having used the system before, Bellehumeur was drawn to the granular blend. Because DECRA Shingle is made of stone coated steel, it will not need to be replaced for well more than 50 years, and it does not need to be repainted or refinished during its lifetime.

According to the tourism board, Muskoka boasts about its clean and well-monitored freshwater. The water run-off from DECRA products is in line with the drinking water standards set by the World Health Organization; there are no oil-based products used in the manufacturing process that could contaminate drinking water, or the water in the Muskoka region.