The Avalon Mental Health and Addictions Facility is a landmark in Canadian healthcare design—purpose-built to transform how patients, families, and staff experience mental health treatment. At 240,000 square feet, the six-story hospital includes 102 inpatient beds, a 60-bed family hostel, outpatient clinics, art therapy and visitor rooms, therapeutic gardens, and a 1,000-car parking garage.
As an addition to the Health Sciences Centre (HSC) campus, the facility establishes a vital connection between mental health care and other disciplines, with four pedestrian and service linkages to ensure seamless operations. Its LEED® Gold certification and award-winning design set a new benchmark for resilience, sustainability, and patient-centered care in Newfoundland and beyond.
The Vision: Light, Connection, and Healing Spaces
The design by B+H Architects, in collaboration with John Hearn and Geoffrey Keit, envisioned a facility that would uplift patients and their families while providing staff with a highly functional and efficient workplace. Central to this vision was the use of natural light and outdoor access as therapeutic elements. Patient and hostel rooms were carefully oriented to maximize daylight exposure, while cascading green terraces and therapeutic gardens extended opportunities for healing beyond the interior walls.
The new centre was also designed with long-term efficiency and adaptability in mind. Snow-melt systems on terraces ensure that outdoor spaces can be used year-round, while optimized floorplans reduce staff travel distances and streamline operations. Strategic placement of elevator cores, efficient unit layouts, and flexible programmatic spaces all contribute to a facility that not only supports current needs but can also adapt to the evolving demands of mental health care in the future. In every detail, the project sought to create an environment where safety, dignity, and comfort are at the forefront of patient care.
The Challenge: Building During a Pandemic with Supply Chain Pressures
The Avalon project was constructed between 2021 and 2024, unfolding during the global pandemic. This created significant challenges for both logistics and supply chain management. With widespread material shortages across North America, securing reliable deliveries of gypsum, glass-mat sheathing, and acoustical solutions was critical to keeping the project on schedule.
To overcome these challenges, daily coordination was established between Capital Home Hardware, the project distributor, and the on-site team at Interior Specialties. This ensured that deliveries were prioritized and that essential products arrived when needed. CertainTeed’s sales, customer service, and supply chain teams worked closely with the contractor to forecast demand accurately and secure hard-to-source materials such as abuse- and impact-resistant gypsum boards and glass-mat products. These efforts were further supported by financial flexibility from CertainTeed, which helped establish credit for a new building supply partner with no prior history.
Despite the extraordinary pressures of building during a pandemic, the full project team—architects, builders, distributors, and suppliers—collaborated closely to maintain progress. This unified effort ensured that no critical delays occurred, even when supply chain disruptions threatened to derail construction.
The Solution: High-Performance Systems for Safety, Comfort, and Efficiency
In collaboration with Interior Specialties, MARCO, and the Avalon Health Care Partnership, CertainTeed provided a comprehensive suite of gypsum, sheathing, insulation, and ceiling solutions tailored to the unique needs of a modern mental health facility.
Key Products and Applications
GlasRoc® Sheathing & GlasRoc® Tile Backer
Provided durable, mould- and moisture-resistant protection across exterior and wet areas, ensuring long-term performance.
10’ Impact and Abuse Board (GlasRoc® Extreme Impact Abuse)
Used extensively in high-traffic areas to withstand wear, extend wall life, and minimize long-term maintenance.
Type X Drywall & M2Tech® Shaftliner Type X
Delivered fire resistance and mold protection for partitions, shafts, and ceilings.
Installed in sensitive patient areas to reduce noise transfer without relying on ceiling grids—avoiding potential self-harm risks.
Acoustic and Thermal Batt Insulation
Enhanced both energy efficiency and acoustic separation throughout patient and clinical spaces.
Symphony® m, Symphony® m Rx, VinylShield™, & Decoustics® Systems
Provided acoustic comfort in communal and clinical spaces, with durable, easy-to-maintain finishes.
Bailey B-18 Studs & Drywall Suspension Grid
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Optimized wall assemblies for improved STC ratings and structural efficiency.
No-Coat® Drywall Corner Beads & Ready Mix
Ensured durable, clean detailing in high-traffic interior environments.
The Results: A Resilient, Patient-Centered Facility
The completion of the Avalon Mental Health and Addictions Facility marks a turning point for mental health care in Newfoundland and Labrador. Far from the isolation of the former hospital, the new centre is fully integrated with the Health Sciences Centre campus, connecting patients, families, and staff to a broader network of care. The six-story, 240,000-square-foot building is filled with daylight, framed by terraces and gardens, and designed to restore a sense of dignity to treatment environments that have long been stigmatized.
The project’s success was measured not only in its architectural achievements but also in the way it brought people together. At the height of construction, more than 200 workers were on site daily, with over 400 jobs created throughout the project’s duration. Apprenticeship programs and recruitment initiatives helped introduce new workers into the trades, including targeted efforts to attract women to the industry. This investment in the local workforce strengthened the community as much as the building itself.
The facility achieved LEED® Gold Certification and received the Silver Award for Project Development from the Canadian Council for Public-Private Partnerships in 2021—testaments to its thoughtful design and advanced building systems. With CertainTeed solutions integrated throughout, the building is more than just a healthcare facility—it is a model of resilience, sustainability, and well-being in action.