Stacked cube tower welcomes Deloitte

Deloitte Summit, the new B.C. headquarters of Deloitte Canada, has opened in downtown Vancouver. Designed to transform the way people work, and to stand as the destination for solving complex challenges, the tower is equipped with state-of-the-art technologies and spaces to boost collaboration, discover world class solutions, and foster high-performance.

Designed by OSO of Japan and Merrick Architecture of Vancouver, the 355,000 square foot building is comprised of a system of four-storey cubes stacked around a central concrete core, spanning 24 floors.

“Deloitte Summit is our response to the changing workplace and demonstrates how business, government and community can collaborate under one roof to spark meaningful change,” says Anthony Viel, CEO Deloitte Canada. “Our vision to create the workplace of the future began many years ago, and Deloitte Summit is a culmination of the ideas, passion, and forward-thinking approach. Deloitte Summit is where solutions come to life to the benefit of business, the community, and our country.”

Deloitte Summit reflects the people, culture, and communities of British Columbia, featuring the works of several Indigenous artists and incorporating references to trail symbols and mountain ranges across the top eight floors, including the largest rooftop amenity in Vancouver.

To maximize collaboration, productivity, and to prioritize connection in those “in-between” moments at the office, the tower offers 18 different types of workspaces, moveable furniture and walls, no private offices, and Deloitte’s signature Green Staircase, located in the centre of the building.

Deloitte Summit is grounded in five key design principles: productivity, connection & interaction, inclusion, health & wellness, and sustainability. To help empower and enable its people and clients to make climate conscious choices, Deloitte Summit functions at the highest level of sustainability and is targeting LEED Gold certification. Powered and heated by 100 per cent renewable energy, the building incorporates rainwater recycling, waste management processes, and allows for better energy savings with smart sensors.

“Deloitte Summit is an ecosystem connector, and functions as a gathering place for leaders from diverse companies and organizations to come together to scale their business, and solve some of the most complex challenges of society,” says Jodi Evans, B.C. regional managing partner, Deloitte Canada. “This building is about leading the way and creating a destination where our people and clients can be inspired and aspire.”

New oversight regime set for Ontario elevators

A new oversight regime for Ontario’s elevators and escalators will come into force on March 1, bringing shorter timelines for rectifying an extensive list of designated high-risk deficiencies and the potential for more shutdowns. For the regulator, the Technical Standards and Safety Authority (TSSA) of Ontario, the new compliance standards are another step in the evolution of an inspection and enforcement model that is grounded on a hierarchy of risk.

Dubbed an “outcome-based” approach, it devotes the most resources to the issues that pose the greatest or most prevalent threat to the public, and pays the closest attention to owners/operators of elevating devices with the weakest safety records. The frequency of periodic inspections are already based on license holders’ risk profile, but the TSSA is now attaching a risk rating to the deficiencies inspectors may encounter.

The new compliance standards set out high-risk hazards and a stipulated period — from zero to 14 days — for correcting them. Less onerous inadequacies will be flagged as medium- or low-risk items that owners/operators will be expected to address within 90 days, but there will be no follow-up inspection on the TSSA’s part.

“The compliance standard is a key tool in our transformation to become an outcome-based regulator,” Sandra Cooke, the TSSA’s manager of legal compliance, observed during a recent webinar about the looming changes. “It helps owners and contractors and our inspectors focus on high risk. What we’re ideally hoping is that those things that are identified on the compliance standard will be dealt with long before TSSA shows up on a periodic inspection.”

The incoming compliance standards have been posted on the TSSA’s website since January 2022. Beginning March 1, they will be embedded in inspection protocol and real-time reporting tools so that any findings of non-compliance will automatically be logged in the TSSA’s database and prompt a work order.

Some of the identified deficiencies could trigger an immediate shutdown of the elevator, or a bank of elevators. Many of these pertain to the condition of the brakes or hydraulic system, controller, governor, hoist way, landing and car doors. The remainder are tied to a 14-day schedule for repairs or replacement.

“We’ll be back on day 15 for a follow-up and if they’re not completed at that time, they (elevators) will be removed from service,” Roger Neate, the TSSA’s safety director for elevators and amusement devices, affirmed during the webinar. “These are the really serious safety elements that we as an industry have agreed on. We’re being transparent here: this is what they are; this is what everybody needs to be focusing on.”

The slate of high-risk deficiencies was developed from the TSSA’s historical data and with the aid of modelling software to forecast the likelihood of a failure and the potential safety repercussions associated with each non-compliance scenario. Elevating device manufacturers, engineers, technicians and building owners/managers were also asked for input.

Checklists for each category of elevating device — hydraulic elevators, electric/traction elevators and escalators — have been promised to summarize the key requirements for both owners/managers and their contractors. As of mid-February, the checklist for owners/operators of escalators is posted on the TSSA’s website with the others still pending. However, industry service providers perceive they should be helpful for contract management and quality assurance.

Building owners/managers urged to engage with maintenance contractors

“Owners should be thinking about their elevators. They’re an important aspect of the building, and the owner and the contractor need to be working together and responsible for potentially deficient items,” says Tiffany Chan, senior consultant with KJA Consultants Inc., an engineering firm specializing in elevator design and maintenance management. “Checklists and a breakdown of these high-risk compliance items can give the owner a better picture of what can happen and what is happening with elevators in the industry.”

Building owners’ elevator maintenance contracts will typically entail a monthly or quarterly check of all the items highlighted in the new compliance standards and any adjustment or repairs that are revealed to be necessary. Only certified and licensed technicians can conduct this work, which must be recorded in a logbook kept in the elevator machine room. Building owners carry the ultimate responsibility for the safety of their elevating devices, but contractors and the technicians they employ are compelled to meet industry safety standards as a condition of their licenses.

“We want owners to be engaged in the safety of their device,” Neate stressed. “It’s important that you check the log book because that’s how you’re going to know if these things are being completed and being completed at the frequency that they’re supposed to be.”

The risk prioritization approach now comes with an honour system for building owners/managers to address less pressing deficiencies. As well, compliance standards are meant to be dynamic so additional items could be flagged as high-risk in the future.

“We are going to be doing a safety audit program where we will be auditing these things that are low and medium risk to see how the enforcement is going,” Cooke reported. “The primary responsibility for compliance lies with the owner/operator and so we’re not following up, but there’s an expectation that you want your elevator to be safe, you want your elevator to be compliant.”

There’s also a hint of some flexibility on compliance orders if repairs or replacement can’t be completed within 14 days due to uncontrollable supply chain or labour pressures. For example, more than 14 days would typically be needed to replace an elevator’s hoist ropes.

Although Neate reiterated to webinar attendees that owners/operators and their contractors should generally be aware of and proactively repairing or replacing deteriorating equipment before a TSSA inspector has to issue an order, Chan advises that sudden events can sometimes come into play. That could be flooding or unexpected water infiltration from elsewhere in the building, vandalism or sudden knocks inside the elevator cab or to the hallway door.

“Let your inspector know what the situation is. We do understand there are supply chain issues and your inspector will make accommodation for you in those circumstances,” Cooke said.

Low-risk status not a justification for relaxed vigilance

The TSSA’s outcome-based model brings differing value for service depending on where owners/managers and their elevating devices are plotted in the risk spectrum. For example, the fee structure for annual licenses was revised in 2021 to bundle in the cost of a periodic inspection and one follow-up, which were previously separately billed services. However, risk-based scheduling means that many elevators are not inspected that frequently.

“So you’re paying for something you’re not going to get. You’re financing somebody else and you’re not getting that service,” contends Ray Eleid, chief executive officer of Solucore Inc., an elevator and escalator consulting firm.

He suggests a vigilant approach to maintenance contracts will be even more important in buildings that the TSSA has categorized as lower risk and placed on a lengthier inspection rotation. Meanwhile, when it comes to responding to compliance orders, a full-service contract may offer more cushion against extra costs than a contractor-based contract with fees for specified extra services.

“It’s extremely important that owners call their contractors right away so these issues can be resolved within the compliance window,” Chan says. “Depending on the existing maintenance contract between the building owner and the elevator contractor, some of these items will be covered under their maintenance contract so that would just be a matter of ensuring that the contractor completes it as part of the maintenance contract. However, if there are re-inspections required past the first follow-up, then there would be additional costs for the TSSA services.”

The TSSA will be producing another webinar about the new compliance standards on February 21.

Barbara Carss is editor-in-chief of Canadian Property Management.

Whole building life cycle assessment guidelines

What is the whole life cycle of buildings?

Life cycle assessment (LCA) is the best method for examining the embodied carbon of buildings because it considers the life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions associated with their production, transportation, construction, use and eventual disposal.

The construction industry is increasingly interested in reducing the environmental impact of the buildings they build and design.

Life cycle assessment systematically evaluates multiple environmental impacts, including embodied carbon or greenhouse gas emissions, of a product, activity, or process over its entire life cycle, involving but not limited to manufacturing, transportation, construction, and end-of-life.

National Guidelines for Whole-Building Life Cycle Assessment, produced by the National Research Council of Canada (NRC), provides comprehensive instruction for the practice of life cycle assessment applied to buildings based on relevant international standards. The guide was the result of input from a large stakeholder group.

The goal is to harmonize the practice of whole-building life cycle assessment (wbLCA) across different studies and assist in the interpretation of and compliance with relevant standards. The guidelines will be periodically updated, as methods and standards evolve.

The purpose of this document is to:

instruct wbLCA practitioners to assure quality and comparability of their results,
enable the calculation of reliable baselines or benchmarks,
support LCA-based compliance schemes in green building programs and policy, and
assist in the development and use of wbLCA software.

The national guidelines fill a big gap in the practice of whole-building LCA. It interprets relevant standards, provides detailed instructions, addresses comparability and benchmarking, and more. It is NRC’s intention to pursue adoption of the document as a national standard.

This document will go a long way towards improving quality and consistency of practice. Green building programs and policy can now point to this as a reference for their LCA provisions.

Condo at Yonge and York Mills will be a first in 20 years

Plans to revitalize a tired corner of York Mills Road and Yonge Street are moving forward with a brand new design for a mixed-use community that promises direct TTC subway access.

Once complete, the project will bring the first condominiums to the Hoggs Hollow neighbourhood in 20 years. Two residential towers—rising 28 and 14 storeys, with 704 suites— will perch on top of commercial office space and a retail podium with a potential restaurant.

Currently home to a parking lot, the site plan originally called for a Hilton Hotel and office condo to meet demand for owned office space. The Gupta Group’s design evolved since 2016 with the idea for new housing, hence the project is now called Yonge City Square and set to launch on February 22.

The residence is intended to feel like a luxury “five-star resort” surrounded by the ravine landscape, backing onto the Don Valley Golf Course and featuring 30,000 square feet of amenities, some of which include a curated art gallery, fireplace-adorned library, private cabanas by an outdoor pool, private movie theatre, children’s playground and entertainment lounges with golf simulators.

A TTC entrance will be integrated into the East building, at grade on Yonge Street, and lead down into the existing pedestrian tunnel that runs under Yonge Street to the York Mills Station. The new entrance will be fully accessible and AODA compliant unlike the current one with its towering staircase and one-directional escalator.

Yonge City Square will be located at 4050 Yonge Street.

Inside the IBI Group-designed buildings, Studio Munge has created an interior aesthetic for the suites, with customs kitchens and spa-inspired bathrooms. The suites are 350 to 1,000 square feet with 12-foot ceilings and expansive balconies or terraces.

For every unit sold, the The Gupta Group also announced it will donate $1,000 to the Princess Margaret Cancer Hospital Foundation and will top off funds for a grand total donation of $1 million upon the final closing of condo units.

Vancouver begins Granville Bridge upgrade

Vancouver will begin work to upgrade the Granville Bridge in February to create a safer, more accessible crossing for walking, rolling and cycling.

The work is part of the Granville Connector project, which includes converting two west-side travel lanes on the bridge to separated walking, rolling, and cycling routes, similar to the protected lanes on the Burrard Bridge.

Additional improvements include the installation of new traffic signals, wayfinding signage and the creation of an all-ages-and-abilities pedestrian and bicycle connection to the Arbutus Greenway at the south end of the bridge.

“Making these much-needed safety and accessibility improvements to Granville Bridge will mean the bridge can truly serve as a vital connection for all modes of travel between the growing commercial and job centres of the Broadway corridor and the downtown core,” says Mayor Ken Sim.

The city will also be removing the loops that connect to Pacific Street at the north end of the bridge and replacing them with a new street network. The loops were originally designed for a high-volume freeway that was never built. The new street network will create opportunities for housing and local services on the city-owned land currently occupied by the loops.

As work progresses, some lane and street closures will be in effect to facilitate construction. For up to six months, the portion of Granville Street between the Howe and Seymour Street ramps and Drake Street will be temporarily closed.

The first phase of the work starts on the north end of the bridge with anticipated completion of the project by fall 2024.

Built in 1954, Granville Bridge was originally designed for freeways that were never built, which tends to promote high vehicle speeds. Its current form is not accessible and presents a number of challenges for people who want to walk, bike or roll across the bridge.

B.C. forecasts one million job openings

B.C.’s latest Labour Market Outlook forecasts more than one million job openings in the next decade, showing job and career opportunities that people of all ages can use to map out their education, skills training and career paths.

“Despite the global economic challenges we’re facing, there are significant job opportunities for people over the next decade as we keep building an economy that is inclusive, sustainable and doesn’t leave any British Columbians behind,” said Minister of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills Selina Robinson. “Our government is taking action with our Future Ready plan to break down barriers to ensure people have the skills and supports they need for these good-paying careers and employers can access the talent they need to grow.”

Employment in B.C. is expected to reach 3.1 million by 2032, up from the 2.7 million jobs in 2022. Employment will grow an average of 1.3 per cent per year for the forecast period. Key growth areas will be in the technology and health care sectors.

“We’ve been through a lot together, but this outlook shows us that B.C.’s future is full of opportunity,” said Minister of State for Workforce Development Andrew Mercier. “There is no shortage of good-paying careers available, especially in the trades. With 83,000 job openings in the next decade, there has never been a better time to get into the skilled trades and we’re working to expand access to the training people need.”

More than one million job openings are expected between 2022 and 2032. Of these, 37 per cent are due to a growing economy while 63 per cent of the openings will be the result of retiring workers.

Over the next decade, more than 83,000 job openings are expected in the skilled trades. The construction trades occupations with the highest projected job openings include: construction trades helpers and labourers; carpenters; heavy equipment operators (except crane); electricians (except industrial and power system); welders and related machine operators; and plumbers.

Deadline ahead for Vacant Home Tax declaration

Toronto homeowners now have until February 28, 2023 to declare their property’s occupancy status for the Vacant Home Tax.

The city’s amendment to the Vacant Home Tax bylaw also includes a change to the payment dates for the tax. Instead of a one-instalment payment date of May 1, owners subject to the tax can submit payment in three instalments – on May 1, June 1 and July 1.

If residents own their own home, if they live in their home but go to a vacation home during parts of the year or work abroad, or even if residents rent out their property, the tax will not apply in their situation. Even so, all homeowners must submit a declaration.

As of February 8, more than 88 per cent of declarations have already been submitted. Declarations of property occupancy status can be made via the City’s online portal.

Owners require their property assessment roll number and customer number to declare the occupancy of their home. The numbers can be found on the most recent property tax bill, or the declaration notices mailed out by the city late last year. Homeowners who do not have access to a computer can authorize someone to act on their behalf to make the online submission.

Full details about the Vacant Home Tax, the available exemptions and how to submit a declaration of property occupancy status are available on the City’s Vacant Home Tax webpage.

New funds tagged for deep retrofit enablers

The Canadian government is launching its promised Deep Retrofit Accelerator Initiative for commercial, institutional and multifamily buildings. It will convey up to $185.5 million over four fiscal years toward a range of planning, development and outreach costs to encourage the uptake of comprehensive building upgrades that deliver significant energy savings and reductions in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

The funding focus is on enabling a wider and faster rollout of deep retrofit projects rather than providing capital for the actual work. Companies, not-for-profit organizations, Indigenous bodies and provincial/territorial and municipal governments and their related agencies are invited to submit proposals for technical, professional, financial, project management or other services that could support that effort by April 28, 2023.

“Retrofitting Canada’s buildings stock provides us with the opportunity to make communities more resilient to climate-related impacts while reducing emissions and utility bills, increasing energy efficiency and creating good-paying jobs in construction and maintenance,” observes Jonathan Wilkinson, Canada’s Minister of Natural Resources.

The new program defines deep retrofits as a combination of measures that, when deployed in existing buildings, cut energy consumption by at least 50 per cent and curb GHG emissions by at least 70 per cent. Program administrators will be looking for proponents with the network and resources to reach and work with multiple building owners/managers, along with the expertise to deliver or guide them to advice on how best to quantify potential savings, choose effective upgrades, find financing, undertake the work and verify the outcome.

Proponents will also be expected to contribute to general capacity-building through the development or implementation of “novel, standardized or replicable” approaches pertaining to at least two of the following elements of deep retrofit projects:

business case development;
funding or financing applications, or financial due diligence processes;
energy or carbon audit tools;
project management or implementation approaches; or
project reporting or measurement approaches.

Preference may be given to proposals related to multifamily buildings with low-income occupancies, those that address the needs of Indigenous peoples and communities, and/or those that will foster the participation of under-represented and under-resourced groups. Successful private sector candidates can receive funding to cover up to 75 per cent of eligible expenses, while not-for-profit and public sector proponents qualify for up to full funding.

For the purpose of the program, multifamily buildings must be at least four storeys or have a horizontal footprint of at least 6,500 square feet (600 square metres). Meanwhile, single-family housing will be captured in an associated Greener Neighbourhoods Pilot Program, which has allocated $35.5 million for six yet-to-be-determined deep retrofit projects that each involve a minimum of 100 low-rise homes.

As an introductory step to that program, applications are also now open for project teams with proposals for coordinating those efforts in candidate communities. Submissions are invited until April 5.

“We support this much-anticipated announcement that makes good on commitments made in the 2022 budget. These programs are a great start to establishing the centres of excellence needed to accelerate the pace of deep retrofits in Canada,” maintains Betty Agar, buildings program manager with environmental policy and research think tank, the Pembina Institute. “Advanced building innovations and approaches will be needed to help accelerate construction, minimize occupant impacts and compress deep retrofit costs.”

Bill Black receives Platinum Jubilee medal

Bill Black, president and COO of the Calgary Construction Association (CCA), has received the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal from the province. Nominated by his fellow Albertans, recipients of the medal are recognized for their significant contributions to the province.

Black has been involved in the design and construction industry for more than 40 years in various roles and industry segments. Since 2018, he has served as the CCA president, diligently representing Calgary and Southern Alberta’s construction industry. Through his work with the CCA, he has made a tremendous impact and contribution to Calgary, Alberta, and Canada.

Through his diverse network of industry practitioners and thought leaders, Black is a fixture in the Calgary construction community and the industry at large. He is known for his ability to take all situations in stride and uses his experience, and built-in resilience to motivate others to take on challenges through great teamwork and a strong focus on culture and values.

While representing the CCA, he has advocated for the construction industry at all three levels of government on issues regarding the construction industry. In 2020-21, Bill was instrumental in getting together industry leaders and drafting the “Pandemic Planning for the Construction Industry” document in conjunction with the Alberta Construction Association. This document laid down the foundation for how the construction industry could respond to the COVID-19 Pandemic by suggesting policies and procedures around worker safety while maintaining the place of the construction industry in the Alberta economy.

Black has been active in working with the City of Calgary in responding to the city’s Climate Emergency declaration and subsequent formation of green policy in and around city-building projects and construction. Recently, his voice has been instrumental in addressing the issue of labour shortages in the construction industry, while offering suggestions to all three levels of government on how best to address the issue in Alberta.

The Jubilee Medal was created by the province to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the reign of Queen Elizabeth II and has been given to 7,000 Albertans who have made significant contributions.

Birds and their effect on your building maintenance

Looking after a building is no easy feat and there are always threats to your building and grounds, from equipment failure to weather to birds. Knowing the threats and being prepared can save you time, hassle, and nasty – and often expensive – surprises.

If you haven’t considered birds a threat to your grounds, it’s time to add them to your list. Besides making a mess of your property and adding to your maintenance duties, birds can also help spread diseases that can infect the soil and make humans sick.

Doing your best to control your bird population, keeping them away from your building, and deterring them from making their homes on your property means implementing a few simple measures.

Keeping them out

Making a welcoming environment for birds will draw them to your property. Refrain from installing bird feeders or anything else that may encourage them to settle and make their home.

Discourage their visits by keeping doors and windows shut. So, if you have a bay or delivery door, be sure to keep it closed when it’s not in use. As an added bonus, this can help keep your cooling costs down through the summer months.

In the case of Canada geese, they can be really destructive, eating up to an estimated 5 pounds of turf per day and producing up to 1.5 pounds of droppings. Replacing your lawn with gardens is a good first step in making it less desirable for geese to visit your property.

Using devices and tools

Often, installing spikes on roofs and ledges is enough to make birds find another home. By removing a safe and comfortable place to land, they will likely choose another spot to roost. Some of these devices can be electrified with a very low voltage, which does not harm the birds, but just makes them uncomfortable.

There are also some paste-like products that can be used, making it undesirable for birds to land on that surface. These products are often used for inside applications like garages. For birds like pigeons, some building operators have chosen to use birdseed which causes indigestion to discourage repeat visits to their buildings.

Things like whistles, horns, and scarecrows tend to have limited success, as the birds become accustomed to these devices, and they adapt their behaviours. With outdoor applications like parks or eating areas, you may choose to install netting that helps discreetly keep the birds away, while maintaining the scenery and use of the space.

Birds can become a nuisance. Protect your building by discouraging birds from settling in and making their homes on your property.

Daniel Fournier to fill Oxford’s executive chair

Daniel Fournier has been named executive chair of Oxford Properties Group. He’ll succeed Michael Turner, who has been Oxford’s president since 2010, beginning in April 2023.

“We are delighted to welcome Daniel Fournier to the Oxford team,” says Blake Hutcheson, president and chief executive officer of OMERS, Oxford’s parent pension fund. “Mr. Fournier’s extensive experience, track record of success and in-depth knowledge of global real estate investing will be an invaluable asset to Oxford as we enter this next phase of growth across the globe.”

Fournier has a 40+-year career in commercial real estate and was chairman and chief executive officer of Ivanhoé Cambridge, the real estate subsidiary of Quebec’s pension fund, Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (CDPQ), from 2010 to 2019. He is a board member of several Quebec-based companies, including Claridge, Groupe Maurice, Simons and BTB REIT, and an active philanthropist and supporter of arts and culture, recently serving as chair of the board of trustees of the McCord Museum Foundation in Montreal.

Fournier was a Rhodes Scholar and holds Bachelors degrees from Princeton University and Oxford University. He is currently the Chancellor of Bishop’s University.

“I look forward to working with the team at Oxford as we continue to grow their iconic portfolio of assets and platforms around the world,” he says.

Michael Turner will also continue to be involved in that pursuit as he steps into a new focus on U.S.-specific strategies.

“I sincerely thank Michael for his commitment to Oxford and to OMERS members,” Hutcheson says. “He and his team of extraordinarily talented people have overseen an important period of growth for Oxford, diversifying our business, building capabilities and expanding into new markets and sectors.”

WSP wins Seabird Island centre contract

WSP has been awarded the engineering services for the development of the Seabird Island Community and Cultural Centre, Upper Fraser Valley, British Columbia.

The Centre will provide a home for cultural activities, community gatherings, and designated Elders’ space, youth space, and mental health services for the community and beyond.

Located in the District of Kent, the new facility is designed as a 20,000 sq. ft., two-storey building in traditional longhouse style, with timber posts, a mezzanine on the second floor that looks down on the large gathering hall, and First Nations art and design throughout.

“Our team is excited for the opportunity to play a key role in the development of Seabird Island’s new cultural centre, working with Patrick Stewart Architects to create a design that is a safe space for the community to gather and embraces the past, present and future of Seabird Island,” says William Johnston, senior director, property and buildings, WSP in Canada. “This highly anticipated centre has the ability to bring positive transformation to the people who both live and visit these lands, and we are honoured to play a role in bringing this project to life.”

The new cultural community resource centre will provide a place for community members to gather, share in traditional knowledge and activity, and build new stories to be passed down through the generations. The centre will include a large gathering space for more than 600 people, an Elders Room, a traditional Round Room, several multi-purpose areas, a commercial community kitchen, offices and accessible amenities. It will serve as a marshalling and temporary sheltering area in times of disaster, primarily flood or fire, and is being designed and engineered with solar power and sustainability goals in mind.

The anticipated start date for construction is spring of 2023. The project is scheduled for overall completion by fall of 2024.

Why women need their own PPE

After surveying 3,000 Canadian women who use personal protective equipment (PPE) daily in their jobs, more than 80 per cent expressed that they have experienced issues with their equipment due to improper fit, uncomfortable wear, or inadequate selection.

This clearly indicates that PPE designed for men is not suitable for women in the workplace. While there are options for women out there, typically they are simply a smaller version of the men’s, in a different colour, rather than being designed to fit the size and shape of a woman’s face.

It’s not just about looks or comfort, either. 40 per cent of respondents reported experiencing accidents or injury because of the fit, citing burns, limited motion, getting caught on equipment or sharp objects (and more) as a result.

To compensate, many women skip wearing the PPE altogether (28 per cent) and 38 per cent have adapted their PPE using workarounds like elastics and safety pins to try and improve performance. Functional fit and comfort are the two things women are looking for to address their PPE needs.

This issue isn’t new, having been identified by researchers and worker advocates almost 50 years ago. The fact that women are unable to access properly-fitting PPE means that their job performance is being limited and their safety is being compromised. However, Canadian standards do not specifically dictate that PPE must fit the user properly.

Rather than simply scaling down men’s versions, the solution to this issue looks like developing PPE specifically designed to fit women. Researching what they need, identifying key differences in fit between women and men, and creating a broad size range will begin the process of offering choices that keep women comfortable and safe.

Although PPE is generally considered the last line of defense, it is widely used by employers to provide supplementary protection to workers. When it doesn’t fit properly or is uncomfortable, it hinders an employee’s ability to do her job. Women need PPE that is designed to fit them and address their needs, rather than relying on adapting designs created to fit men’s proportions.

Creating standard operating procedures for your cleaners

Commercial cleaning has many moving parts and creating standard operating procedures (SOPs) can streamline the steps, improve communication, and help cleaners do their jobs better. It’s worth the time it takes to put a professional system in place for your team.

Why are SOPs important for cleaners?

If there are multiple cleaning teams or multiple locations for the same customer, SOPs can ensure that the same service is being provided across the board. This may well give employees peace of mind, but it will also be a comfort to customers expecting the same process each time and serve as a reference if billing issues arise. When step-by-step instructions are available, it makes it easy to remain consistent with cleaning services, maintain communication, and build customer relationships.

With today’s employee turnover, SOPs can cut down on your training time for new staff. Once there are systems in place for the team to refer to, they will not need as much in-person training. It also means that you may be able to better cover employee absenteeism once the procedures exist as a reference.

How to create an SOP

Creating an SOP is a fairly straightforward endeavour, but here is a simple five-step process you can use to create your own SOP:

Write down what you hope to accomplish with this SOP. Be specific with your goal so you can tailor the procedure to accomplish that goal.
Document the procedure step by step, clearly and concisely, so that anyone in the company can follow along. Rather than trying to remember the steps, it’s a good idea to document each step as you’re actually going through the process, to make sure nothing gets missed.
Before distributing the SOP to staff, test it out by following the instructions to make sure it’s correct and set up the way that works best for you.
Ask a team member to test out your instructions to make sure that they are clear and easily understood and executed.
Once you’ve adjusted the process, create the final version and distribute it to your team.

Documenting and planning out your procedures saves you time, increases efficiency, and provides your customers with the exact steps they can expect to see when they engage your services. It’s worth the time to “systematize your business.”

New research digs into state of the workplace

The social infrastructure of the office underscores new research-driven analysis that measures shifts in employee sentiment post-pandemic. HqO, a workplace experience platform, released its 2023 The State of Workplace Experience report, detailing emerging trends.

Proprietary data from research firms Gartner and Leesman, a newly acquired HqO company, includes close to 300,000 responses from global office workers, alongside 200 industry researchers, commercial real estate CFOs and finance leaders. The data also serves as a guide for workplace experience tools, as an increasing number of CFOs are planning to boost technology spending this year.

Key highlights reveal that from before the start of the pandemic to 2021-22, 20 per cent more respondents prioritized informal social interactions. No other workplace activity had a greater increase.

Planned meetings also saw an uptick in importance, yet 40 per cent of employees revealed they are not satisfied with the meeting rooms at their offices. Another 45 per cent feel the same way about room and desk booking systems.

Almost three-quarters of employees rated “meeting rooms (small)” as an important office amenity, which means small meeting rooms are still more important to employees than other key physical features like temperature control, noise levels, and office lighting, all of which ranked lower in importance. Small meeting rooms figured as the third most important physical feature of the office.

“Other person-to-person activities like “collaborating on focused work”, “informal, unplanned meetings”, and “learning from others” also increased in importance after the start of the pandemic,” says Chase Garabarino, CEO and co-founder of HqO. He adds this data indicates that “strong workplaces need strong workplace connections,” more than ever now.

As organizations figure out how to entice workers back to the office, other key findings serve to guide facility management professionals and the c-suite who might be wary of their office building’s fate.

“The importance of parking facilities was over 5 per cent higher in 2021-2022 than it was before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic,” says Garabarino. “However, other service features and amenities like telephone equipment, restaurants and cafeterias, and hospitality services became significantly less important over the same period. In 2023, office space isn’t being used less — it’s just being used differently.”

Traditional office activities like telephone and private conversations and confidential business discussions showed declining importance among respondents as remote settings become easier spaces to conduct private work activities outside the corporate office. This underscores how employees are viewing the office as not just a place for doing business, but for connectivity.

Access to technological tools that make hybrid work possible has increased in importance as well. Mobile computing equipment (e.g. laptop or tablet) increased the most at 8 per cent, followed by IT help, and access to remote work files or networks.

CRE professionals, property teams, and employers will need to optimize their workplaces with this in mind. Many are improving their experience strategies, but the latest research from Leesman reveals much work ahead, specifically around creating and preserving a sense of community as 31 per cent of employees do not think that their workplace reflects these values. Meanwhile, 25 per cent feel they cannot share ideas and knowledge among colleagues within their workplace, while 30 per cent feel their office setting isn’t conducive for productivity.

“This presents a problem for today’s employers and corporate real estate leaders, who need to do all they can to attract and retain tenants and employees in a challenging market,” the report states.

Knowledge sharing could involve informal social connections and technology to bridge the gap between hybrid-remote and in-person workers. Supporting productive work environments requires access to office spaces, adding new technology, and improving workplace connections, as well as gathering employee sentiment data proactively, on an ongoing basis, and using it to meet their employees’ evolving needs.

Future Predictions

The report also forecasts trends over the next three years based on combined data from Gartner and Leesman. Looking at its latest research, HqO found a growing number of corporate real estate leaders have started to ensemble workplace experience teams. By 2024, “organizations with a persistent cross-functional team tasked with workplace experience strategy will be 80% more likely to have high employee satisfaction with the workplace.”

By 2025, less than 5 per cent of desk workers will prefer to work from a corporate workplace full-time, down from 17 per cent in 2021, while corporate workspace allocation will flip from 70 per cent individual workstations and 30 per cent collaborative space to 30 per cent individual and 70 per cent collaborative space.

By 2027, the data suggests 80 per cent of millennial workers will prefer to spend their time in various workplaces rather than full-time remote or full-time work from the office, up from 61 per cent in 2021. As the needs of hybrid workers are personal and “highly susceptible to change,” industry leaders could reevaluate their understanding of employee needs, behaviours, and preferences.

The full report, The State of Workplace Experience 2023, can be accessed here.

Hotel transactions up, sales value down in 2022

Last year saw a record number of hotel transactions worldwide — at 1,773 — but fell short of the total deal value recorded in 2021. JLL’s newly released summary of 2022 global investment activity pegs total sales at USD $71.1 billion, with eight of the top 10 markets located in the United States.

JLL analysts point to a “bifurcation of hotel acquisitions” in the surge of single-asset deals, which equated to nearly 73 per cent of 2022’s total sales value. Lower-budget properties accounted for 45 per cent of single-asset sales value, representing the highest ever proportion for that market segment. However, there were also 37 deals in which sales prices equated to at least USD $1 million per room, which was the second highest in any year yet recorded.

Hilton Millennium Seoul garnered the year’s top price, just shy of USD $930 million, equating to $1.367 million per room. Meanwhile, the Prima Hotel, also in Seoul, ranks seventh for sales price, at USD $338 million, but commanded the top per room rate at $2.817 million.

Seoul ranked third, behind New York City and Anaheim, California, in attracting investment dollars last year. The two U.S. cities record $2 billion and 1.4 billion in deals respectively. Four of the year’s five largest portfolio transactions also occurred in the U.S. with the USD $3.8 billion trade for Watermark Lodging Trust topping the list.

Geopolitical tensions and economic pressures are seen as factors in the 3.2 per cent year-over-year global decline in investment activity in 2022, but from an occupancy perspective the hotel sector continues to recover from the lows of the pandemic. France, the United Kingdom, the U.S., Italy and Australia all surpassed 2019 average revenue per available room (RevPAR) last year. Japan and China lagged the farthest behind pre-pandemic performance, respectively at 54 per cent and 62 per cent of average 2019 RevPar.

Many markets are also awaiting a return to pre-pandemic levels of international tourism. Globally, it was 37 per cent below 2019 levels last year, representing a marked improvement over 2020 and 2021 when international tourism was at 27 to 30 per cent of pre-pandemic levels. Regionally, Europe and the Middle East showed the strongest recoveries, while international tourism in Asia Pacific was still 77 per cent below 2019 levels.

“The potential impact of China’s reopening cannot be understated,” JLL analysts note. “Domestic and regional travel to broader Asia has already seen an uptick, with travel to the U.S. and Europe likely to increase soon. Widespread border re-openings could be the impetus to the re-emergence of cross-border investments which have been largely absent for the past three years.”

Lessons for facility managers from the 2022/2023 flu season

The winter months typically bring more colds and flu, but according to studies, the 2022/2023 influenza season has recorded higher than usual numbers and it began earlier in the year than in the past. For facility managers and cleaners, this information provides an opportunity to adjust cleaning practices to increase the health and safety of your building.

Stay vigilant

The fact that flu season has come earlier this year emphasizes the need to remain vigilant in cleaning and sanitation practices all year long. In the past, there may have been increased cleaning practices through the winter to combat the spreading of germs, but that extra attention should be paid throughout the year to minimize the viral spread and keep people as safe as possible.

Focus on all viruses

With RSV and other viruses also growing in cases throughout this season, preventative measures should be taken to address airborne and surface cleaning. High-touch surfaces like shared equipment and high-traffic areas like meeting rooms are more prone to harbouring germs, so regular cleaning and disinfecting can help reduce the spread of germs in these areas.

The winter weather tracks in snow and salt, but the floor is also a source of contaminants, so keeping floors clean is not only important for the look of your building but helps to reduce the spread of germs, as well.

Inform staff and guests

While influenza may seem inconsequential compared to what we’ve seen in recent years, the flu is among the top 10 leading causes of death in Canada, responsible for about 3,500 deaths and 12,200 hospitalizations each year. Keeping your visitors and staff informed is a great way for them to help you stay on top of cleaning and sanitization.

Posting reminders about hand washing, keeping sanitization stations available throughout your facility, and installing touchless technology wherever you can are all ways that you can help protect the people in your building.

While we’ve certainly been hearing more about germs and viruses for the last few years, it’s important to remember colds and flu, too. Focusing on staying vigilant, considering all surfaces and spaces, and providing information to guests and staff will help keep the health and safety of the people in your building a top priority.

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