Advancing Canadian-made retrofit solutions

More than 800,000 apartment suites in Canada are currently in need of retrofits to meet today’s standards for healthy, comfortable, and resilient rental housing. Yet the Canadian retrofit industry remains nascent. What’s standing in the way of progress?

According to a new Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) report entitled, Advancing Building Retrofits: Energy Efficient Tower Renewal Implementation Program, the most common barriers limiting deep retrofit uptake in aging residential towers are: risk avoidance by owners; the absence of regulatory requirements to undertake retrofits; fear of an unsatisfactory return on investment, particularly on measures tied to greenhouse gas emission reductions; and the high cost of retrofit design solutions due to a lack of off-the-shelf products.

With these barriers in addition to the pandemic, it’s no surprise progress has stalled. But given Canada’s 2030 GHG emission targets are fast-approaching, and large buildings and construction account for nearly 40 per cent of energy-related greenhouse gas emissions, the urgency to accelerate efforts is dire.

“Advancing the building sector toward deep energy retrofits is a process that requires system-wide movement, including expanding information on strategies, costs and benefits, facilitating financing, supporting industry upskilling and supply chain enhancements and exploring how to address any systemic barriers,” says Duncan Hill, CMHC. “Ultimately our goal should be to move market acceptance beyond the early adopters to include the industry majority by demonstrating what’s possible, overcoming the challenges and sharing data, information and knowledge on successful approaches.”

Essentially, Hill’s statement summurizes findings from a two-year research project CHMC launched (prior to COVID-19) to determine the best path forward. The culminating report, published in November 2021, concludes that significant opportunities and a strategic business case for promoting made-in-Canada, high-performance retrofit products exist, and that several government bodies could play an important role in how the program would unfold. From executing codes and enforcement, to promoting and potentially funding new technologies specific to aging apartment towers, bringing a broader federal focus to homegrown retrofit solutions would benefit the industry, the economy, and our hard-hit communities now recovering from the pressures of the pandemic.

“The research phase is only the beginning,” says Hill. “Future phases of this project will expand on what we’ve learned and bring Canadian-made retrofit solutions and best practices to the forefront.”

Phases will include: further engagement with relevant government groups; creating a solutions framework that identifies specific product categories and partners; working with Canadian and European partners to design and build demonstration unit(s) that address critical gaps in the areas of ventilation, cladding, envelope, and balconies: and establishing a “best practice” forum.

Until then, multi-residential apartment owners currently navigating the tricky path to tower renewal can benefit from an overview of replicable steps, while gaining access to cost-effective, Canadian-made retrofit solutions in areas such as thermal bridging, ventilation systems, and non-combustible building envelopes.

The report also touches on the struggles specific to implementing retrofit projects in occupied apartment buildings. As owners and managers are all too aware, construction projects can be extremely disruptive, leading to unwanted conflict with tenants. To minimize this on-site strife, retrofits in occupied buildings require a different approach that must consider sequencing, communication and maximizing preparation off-site.

“Unhappy tenants can result in delays, cost overruns and a dissatisfied community that can negate project objectives,” the report contends. “Strategies including prefabrication and modular systems, design strategies, installation means and methods that reduce unit entry, tenant engagement and protocols, and contractor anticipation of challenges can help lead to better outcomes and perceptions of success for all parties.”

Industry-wide challenges: skilled worker and supply chain capacity

Meanwhile, as the pandemic continues to create issues on multiple fronts for building owners and developers, there’s more to be done to ensure Canada’s retrofit industry gains momentum. With support from CMHC and other partners, The Delphi Group and the Canada Green Building Council (CaGBC) launched the Canadian Green Retrofit Economy Study to identify ways in which Canada might scale up retrofit efforts across all large building types. The study explores the steps needed to secure workforce and supply chain capacity and ensure that the unprecedented level of investment in aggressive retrofit programs—including the CIB’s $2 billion financing initiative for energy-efficient building retrofits—delivers transformational outcomes.

“To meet Canada’s net-zero emissions ambition, municipalities and their partners are working together to accelerate and retrofit buildings at an unprecedented pace, scale and depth,” says Chris Boivin, Chief Development Officer, Federation of Canadian Municipalities & Managing Director, Green Municipal Fund. “We are pleased to participate in the Canadian Green Retrofit Economy Study because it will help answer crucial questions about how we can work together to create green jobs, low carbon supply chains and broader community benefits.”

Currently underway, this work will expand on research presented in the CaGBC’s 2020 report, “Canada’s Green Building Engine: Market Impact and Opportunities in a Critical Decade” in which it determined that targeted intervention from government and industry will help Canada meet 2030 GHG reduction targets while generating significant economic income to the tune of $150 billion in GDP. It would also create new, highly skilled jobs and make communities more resilient over the long term.

Any way you slice it, 2022 will bring a greater emphasis to large building retrofits and the urgency for widespread retrofit uptake, whether the pandemic dispruptions continue or not. Factoring in “made-in Canada” solutions just makes sense.

Visit Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation | CMHC (cmhc-schl.gc.ca) for more information.

Peace Arch Hospital expansion complete

Expansion work at Peace Arch Hospital is now complete, which will improve access to emergency and surgical services.

“The White Rock and south Surrey area is growing fast and, with that, comes more demand for health-care services,” said Adrian Dix, minister of health. “Our government recognized this and took fast action to help people in this region by moving forward with a bigger emergency department and surgical suite at Peace Arch Hospital.”

The expanded emergency department more than doubles in size with the number of treatment spaces increasing to 50 from 24, and will include dedicated space for children and families.

A new surgical suite above the emergency department has an additional two operating rooms, going from three to five. The medical device reprocessing department has been expanded and moved closer to the surgical suite.

Redeveloping these areas will improve overall efficiency by providing direct links between emergency, surgery and the sterilization of surgical tools.

Renovations continue to parts of the former emergency department to accommodate a new dedicated mental-health and substance-use unit that is expected to be complete in summer 2022.

In late 2020, government approved a project cost increase of $7.37 million in response to the COVID-19 pandemic to include three anterooms in the project.

The province, through Fraser Health, is providing $52.55 million and the Peace Arch Hospital Foundation is providing $38.5 million, for an updated total project cost of $91.05 million.

“Additional treatment spaces and operating rooms, as well as a dedicated area for mental health and substance use, will help us provide a more patient-centred experience to people in White Rock and surrounding communities seeking services at Peace Arch Hospital,” says Dr. Victoria Lee, president and CEO Fraser Health.

Is a vaccine mandate right for your company?

For construction employers considering implementing COVID vaccine mandates, the key consideration is whether or not there is a compelling reason to implement the policy.

“It’s not whether another company that you know did it, whether the B.C. or federal government has done it — it’s whether if it makes sense for your company,” said Melanie Vipond, a partner with law firm Gall Legge Grant Zwack LLP and an expert in labour issues.

She was one of several industry experts gathered to discuss COVID best practices and vaccine mandates during a virtual event hosted by the Vancouver Regional Construction Association (VRCA)

Vipond cited a valid reason to implement a vaccine mandate could be because of site requirements for vaccinated workers by owners like the B.C. government or B.C. Hydro. A timeframe for the policy and evidence of why the policy is necessary (eg. prior outbreaks, high risk project) are also important to keep in mind.

“What’s reasonable now may not be reasonable six months from now. You want to be regularly reviewing it to see if it still needs to be in place,” advised Vipond, adding companies can look at whether less intrusive measures can achieve the same safety objectives.

Giving sufficient notice to workers to comply by the new policy and the consequences if they don’t are also important, along with having a process for addressing those who believe they have an exemption.

Tim Coldwell, president of Chandos Construction, said a reason his company implemented mandatory vaccination was the movement of crews across their 125 active sites in Canada. With the federal government vaccination policy for air travel, the decision for a vaccine mandate made sense and the company gave workers a two month notice.

“We worked hard on not being divisive about it with our internal language and framing,” said Coldwell. “We got paid professional coaches and medical professionals to speak with those who were vaccine hesitant and had our legal team meet individually with folks.”

The process used on sites is to inspect vaccine cards or scan QR codes. Coldwell says compliance has been roughly 99 per cent from their 600 employees including craft workers with no legal issues.

“Lots of people got wrapped around the axle on fear of losing good people over this. We’ve gained great people who came to us because they wanted to work for an employer with a mandate,” he said.

Sheri Kashman, principal consultant Jouta HR Consulting, agreed with many of Vipond’s advice noting it is not a one-size-fits-all approach. She advised companies to find what works for them and see how a policy would align with their culture, practices and attraction/retention.

“Be sure you’re clear on the reasons why you’re doing it – be sure that it’s fair and equitable,” she said.

Dave Baspaly, president of the Council of Construction Associations, called the pandemic a “once in a lifetime crisis” in which the construction industry has thrived as an essential service.

“If you’ve done everything right and people are safe you’re at the end game,” he said.

Best practices established through COVID plans are working to keep the industry safe but moving forward, Basplay said access to rapid testing needs to be better and is a critical part of the toolbox against COVID.

“We have a rapidly moving and transient workforce, we work in multiple context, our sub-trades move around throughout our industry – we need to have some mechanism to quickly test that’s not cost prohibitive,” he said.

Cheryl Mah is managing editor of Construction Business.

QuadReal completes third green bond offering

QuadReal Property Group has completed a $400-million green bond offering. The 2.551 per cent senior notes, which mature June 24, 2026, are QuadReal’s third issuance of green bonds on behalf of British Columbia Investment Management Corporation’s real estate program.

The senior notes were made available through private placement to accredited investors in Canada and are rated AA (low) with a stable trend by DBRS Limited. “We are very pleased to have a well-established sustainable financing platform that supports current and future projects,” says Tamara Lawson, QuadReal’s chief financial officer.

Proceeds from the offering will be invested to support sustainable initiatives on green buildings, renewable energy, resource and energy efficiency, pollution prevention, clean transportation and climate change adaptation.

Coronation Park Sports and Recreation Centre begins to rise

The construction phase of Coronation Park Sports and Recreation Centre is underway following the City of Edmonton’s approval of the $153-million budget in late 2021.

With plans for completion in 2026, the International Cycling Union-sanctioned velodrome is one feature that is expected to attract large, international sporting events. The overall facility aims to demystify high-performance sport and encourage future generations of athletes by co-locating the velodrome within a community recreation centre.

The project is an architectural partnership between hcma and Dub Architects, in association with FaulknerBrowns Architects.

Photo courtesy of hcma.

“We are thrilled that Coronation Park Sports and Recreation Centre is moving ahead, adding a striking form to a much-loved landscape and providing an innovative blend high-performance cycling and triathlon sports alongside forward thinking community recreation – blurring the lines between competitive and recreational sport for people of all ages and abilities,” said hcma Principal, Michael Henderson.

The new facility will create a focal point, a destination, and a wayfinding tool for people navigating the heritage Coronation Park landscape. The facility will also connect to the Peter Hemingway Fitness and Leisure Centre, providing complementary programming that encourages the community to engage in a wide range of activities.

Photo courtesy of hcma.

“This building type will be unique in the world – a public place where you can participate in a triathlon on a -30 degree winter day next to casual users of the fitness and play spaces,” said Dub Architects Principal Michael Dub. “The juxtaposition of recreational activities will be electrifying. We look forward to seeing this new facility in an established part of the city contribute towards the social life of the sport community and surrounding neighbourhoods.”

The improvements to the Coronation Park Sports and Recreation Centre were funded in part by a Government of Alberta Community Facility Enhancement Program grant of $850,000 provided by Alberta Culture and Status of Women. Argyll Velodrome Association and World Triathlon Edmonton provided additional funding.

B.C. celebrates technical engineering expertise

The technical expertise and innovation behind some of British Columbia’s most important transportation projects were honoured at the B.C. Transportation Consulting Engineers Award.

The awards recognize technical excellence in consulting engineer services provided to improve B.C.’s transportation infrastructure. Awards for 2021 and 2022 were handed out virtually this year in the following categories:

Alternative transportation

The 2021 award went to 3GA Marine Ltd. for its Cable Ferries Replacement Project. The project involved designing and building four new cable ferries to serve communities in rural British Columbia. The construction of each ferry took place at a different waterfront location, and included vessel testing and certification, commissioning, crew training, terminal modifications and deployment.

In 2022, the recipient was Urban Systems Ltd. for its South Island Transportation Strategy. Urban Systems worked with Indigenous, local and regional governments, transportation authorities and stakeholders to develop a strategy to improve integration and accessibility, and reduce dependency on single-occupancy vehicles.

Design and contract preparation – structures

Associated Engineering (B.C.) Ltd. was the recipient of the 2021 award for two Highway 16 bridge replacements on Haida Gwaii. The company provided design services for the replacement of the Geikie Creek and Gold Creek bridges. The project included structural, geotechnical and hydrotechnical designs, construction engineering support, upgrades to the highway approaches and complex utility relocations.

In 2022, BGC Engineering Inc. and Gygax Engineering Associates Ltd. were recognized for their Highway 99 Ten Mile Slide Stabilization Project, 17 kilometres northeast of Lillooet. The Ten Mile Slide on the Xaxli’p (pronounced “hawk-leap”) Indian Reserve is one of the only known continuously moving landslides in North America. The contractors developed a structural solution to this complex geotechnical problem, resulting in a safe, reliable and low-maintenance alignment to stabilize slide movement.

Design and contract preparation – roads

The 2021 award went to R.F. Binnie and Associates Ltd. for its work to address traffic congestion, improve pedestrian and cycling accessibility, and increase connectivity between Langley communities at the 216 Street Interchange. The project included the construction of a new interchange, highway widening from 202 Street to 216 Street with pedestrian and cycling access, and the addition of high-occupancy vehicle ramps and a third high-occupancy vehicle lane.

In 2022, McElhanney Ltd. won the award for its work in North Vancouver on a new Keith Road underpass, two new Highway 1 Lynn Creek bridges, the realignment of Keith Road, two new Highway 1 westbound collector lanes, the reconfiguration of the Keith Road and Mount Seymour Parkway intersection, active-transportation facilities and the relocation of a salmon-bearing stream.

Construction management and supervision services

Stantec Consulting Inc. was the 2021 recipient for its work on improving the Highway 93 and Highway 95 intersection in Radium by constructing a new roundabout. The completion of the roundabout was key to the safe and efficient diversion of traffic from the Kicking Horse Canyon Phase 4 project.

In 2022, WSP Canada Inc. won the award for its complex Lower Lynn Interchange Improvements project in North Vancouver. WSP reconstructed the Keith Road and Mount Seymour Parkway interchange, constructed a new westbound collector-lanes system and rehabilitated the existing Highway 1 Lynn Creek Bridge Steel Truss Bridge. This included measures to protect trails and embankments from erosion, and sediment from entering Keith and Lynn creeks.

Specialized engineering services

PBX Engineering Ltd. won the 2021 award for its Railway Crossing Information System in Langley and Surrey. The system was designed to enable better use of local roads and the network of road and rail overpasses by providing railway crossing arrival times for drivers on the Roberts Bank Rail Corridor.

In 2022, Northwest Hydraulic Consultants Ltd. was the award winner for its Highway 97 Flood Risk Geographic Information System Database in the Peace District. The database assesses the flood risk to a 75-kilometre segment of Highway 97 in the Pine Pass area, west of Chetwynd. It identifies flood-prone areas to help determine where to invest in flood-resilient infrastructure.

Solar installations spared NS tariff threat

Nova Scotia Power’s effort to thwart future small-scale solar installations has sparked swift counteraction from the provincial government. Premier Tim Houston is promising new regulations to block a proposed system access charge that would add about 8.7 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh) to the cost of electricity that net-metered residential and small business customers generate.

The proposal is part of NS Power’s recent general rate application to the provincial Utility and Review Board, which projects costs for curbing reliance on coal-fired generation as the utility pushes up the renewable quotient of its supply from 60 per cent to the targeted 80 per cent by 2030. In response, NS Power proposes a 3.7 per cent rate increase for 2022, followed by increases of approximately 3.8 per cent in each of 2023 and 2024.

Additionally, it proposes the new system access charge for residential and small business customers that interconnect self-generation to the electricity grid (distributed generation administered through the net metering program) as of Feb. 1, 2022. Existing net-meter customers would be subject to the charge once they pass the 25-year mark of grid interconnection. As well, commercial and small industrial net-meter customers would be excluded from that sector’s entitlement to a maximum cap on per kWh demand charges at a billing load factor of 10 per cent.

In justification, NS Power maintains other electricity customers are subsidizing the electricity that net-meter customers pull from the grid when self-generation does not meet their real-time demand, and that the value of surplus electricity they send to the grid is not comparable. Because winter is characteristically the peak season for energy demand in Nova Scotia, the utility also argues the overwhelmingly solar component of the net meter program is misaligned with overall system needs.

As proposed, a new monthly charge of $8 per kilowatt of installed capacity at an assumed capacity factor of 12.5 per cent works out to $8 per every 91.25 kWh of generation or approximately 8.77 cents/kWh. That would presumably discourage many of the nearly 16,000 new net-meter customers, bringing 136 megawatts of installed capacity, that NS Power forecasts could be added to the system by 2030 and redirect them to what the utility suggests are preferred renewable sources.

“Increasingly there are cost-effective alternatives to small-scale self-generation emerging, including community solar gardens and other grid-scale renewables sold into the retail market. To the extent these markets are competing with rate subsidized self-generation under the net meter program, the less likely it is that economic renewable options will be chosen,” the rate application states.

However, Houston is rejecting all such arguments. In a Feb. 2 letter to the chair of the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board, the Premier instructs that time and resources should not be expended to address this element of NS Power’s rate application. In contrast, he hints his government will introduce new programs to further incentivize solar installations.

“The Province plans to quickly bring into effect the necessary legislative and regulatory framework to deny the net metering system access charge (SAC) requested by Nova Scotia Power in its January 2022 general rate application,” Houston affirms. “In communicating our plans rapidly, we also want to ensure a return to certainty for Nova Scotia’s solar industry, and to the rate-paying families investing in solar who have made, or are in the process of making, substantial investments in the name of growing Nova Scotia’s renewable energy system.”

Sienna Senior Living announces significant expansion

Sienna Senior Living announced it has entered into an agreement to acquire a 50 per cent ownership interest in a portfolio consisting of eleven assets located throughout Ontario and Saskatchewan. Featuring 1,048 high-quality, private-pay suites, Sienna will acquire the portfolio in partnership with Sabra from seller Extendicare Inc.

According to Sienna, the portfolio represents an attractive expansion opportunity in the Ontario market as it consists of high-quality, recently built retirement residences; it also provides the growing company an entry into the Saskatchewan market with immediate scale and a platform for further expansion. With an average building age of approximately six years, the portfolio offers modern seniors living accommodation with extensive amenities reflecting the changing lifestyle preferences of seniors. Suites come with a range of supports, allowing for independent living (“IL”) and opportunities to age in-place with memory care (“MC”) suites.

Sienna’s share of the purchase price for the portfolio is $153.75 million. The company says it expects the acquisition to generate an approximate 6 per cent unlevered yield in the first twelve months following closing of the transaction.

“Today’s announcement marks an important acquisition by Sienna and supports our outlook for the company going forward,” said Nitin Jain, President and Chief Executive Officer of Sienna. “Sienna has invested significant resources during the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure the safety and well-being of our residents and staff. We are excited to enter into the Saskatchewan market and expand our Ontario footprint, welcome new team members and residents, and integrate high quality assets within the Sienna platform, and we look forward to the enhanced quality and growth prospects they will bring to our retirement business. In addition, our strategic joint venture with Sabra through this transaction is expected to be an additional source of future growth for the Company.”

For more information, click here: Sienna Living – Retirement Homes & Long Term Care – Ontario & BC

National prospects for accessibility standards

Accessibility Standards Canada is now formally under the umbrella of the Standards Council of Canada (SCC), putting it on a path to develop national standards. The federal agency was established in 2019 under the mandate of the Accessible Canada Act to develop accessibility standards for federally regulated entities and to promote accessibility and inclusiveness through research and public engagement. It signed an accreditation agreement with SCC late last year, joining 12 other recognized organizations with qualifications to develop standards for industry, government and/or consumers.

“This opens the door to having the accessibility standards we create become part of the National Standards of Canada. It also means that our standards may be adopted into regulation more quickly, meaning they may have a greater impact and reach across Canada,” explains Philip Rizcallah, chief executive officer of Accessibility Standards Canada.

Currently, Accessibility Standards Canada is working with another SCC accredited organization, the CSA Group to update the circa 2018 CSA standard B651, Accessible Design for Built the Environment, and to develop two new standards: ASC/CSA B652, Accessible Homes; and ASC/CSA B651.2, Accessible Design for Automated Banking Machines and Self-service Interactive Devices.

Standard B651 is already referenced in the National Building Code as well as underpinning Rick Hanson Foundation Accessibility Certification (RHFAC). Updates will address: exterior environment; vertical transportation and moving walkways; indicators for tactile walking surfaces; interior rooms such as washrooms and kitchens; and emergency egress. Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation is funding development of the new Accessible Homes standard, which will provide guidance for the design, construction and modification of homes with an emphasis on affordability, adaptability and accessibility.

Rizcallah underscores the “nothing without us” principle at the core of Accessibility Standards Canada’s work, which relies on input and expertise from people with disabilities at every stage of standards development.

“We are thrilled that Accessibility Standards Canada has joined Canada’s standardization network,” says Chantal Guay, chief executive officer of the Standards Council of Canada. “Their knowledge and extensive experience in the areas of accessibility, social change, human rights and inclusion will greatly benefit Canadians as they develop standards that help eliminate barriers faced by people with disabilities.”

Modular bridge used to repair damage on Highway 1

Many companies had to go above and beyond to undertake repairs after the devastating damage from the storm that hit B.C. Acrow was one such company that was selected to install one of its modular steel bridges to provide temporary access for Highway 1 traffic through the Fraser Canyon.

The bridge replaces a section of road damaged during heavy rains in November 2021.

Much of British Columbia was impacted by flooding caused by the extreme weather events, and Highway 1 had particularly significant damage. At Jackass Mountain, a large three-lane section of the road was destroyed by a landslide. This and other closures and disruptions were of particular concern as Highway 1 is the main route of the Trans-Canada Highway through the province and a vital route for commerce and area residents.

The British Columbia Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure (BC MoTI) and contractor Coquitlam Ridge Constructors Ltd. opted to use a modular steel bridge from Acrow to restore traffic flow as quickly and safely as possible until options for a permanent solution could be considered.

The single-lane Acrow bridge selected for the project is 79.25 meters (260 feet) long with a roadway width of 4.2 meters (13.78 feet) and a TL-2 guardrail system. Extensive site preparation included stabilization work and road and bank reconstruction ahead of the launch of the temporary bridge, which occurred on January 5 with a partial launching nose and the assistance of a crane. Although record snowfalls and avalanches delayed work at the site, the bridge officially opened to traffic on January 24.

“We are honoured to have been selected to take part in this project to restore a vital transportation link in the aftermath of the unprecedented climate events in November,” said Ken Scott, Acrow Canada president. “Critical to its success has been the tireless work of Chuck Hunter, Acrow Canada’s western manager, who has drawn on four decades of technical expertise to ensure a safe, successful installation, working in close collaboration with the province and contractor.”

Reducing talent shortages and employee churn

If the pandemic has taught us anything, it is that human resource departments must improve their response mechanisms. Digital transformation empowers property managers and their teams to improve their asset and operation management strategies. However, it also provides the tools HR departments need to avoid the risks of the new endemic, including staffing deficits, employee churn and poor staff training.

A failure to embrace digital transformation interferes with responsiveness and adaptability. Digitalization helps to manage the short-term impact on operations and focus on how new endemic management strategies will influence business models.

Upgrade technology to reduce risk of lost business and staff

Now is the time to integrate digitalization and adopt new digitally-focused business models. Digitalization reduces costs while increasing efficiency.

In the HR realm, it also improves operation and services by standardizing procedures. From project planning to reducing costs, companies can refine operations and incorporate real-time monitoring.

Consequently, the company controls project income, and its team grows more efficient at managing client cash flow. A digital asset operation system provides teams with the tools they need to understand asset status, and benchmark key indicators so costs are reduced.

There is also a reduced risk of losing business to digitalized property management companies, while using the tools that meet the expectations of top industry talent.

Use digitalization to reduce talent deficits

Using digitalization to train and retain talent can hinder the risk of property management and front-line staff deficits.

Many industries are experiencing shortages due to the pandemic. However, as we see the situation change to an endemic, the staff lost through layoffs and shutdowns may no longer be waiting in the wings.

Now is the time to look at talent recruitment and the technology that can make the process easier. Artificial Intelligence (AI) for sorting resumes and on-boarding software is just one example of how technology improves recruitment.

Big data also helps pinpoint personnel capacity issues, as well as current team and management effectiveness. Being more flexible can also address operational risks due to staff shortages.

For example, through digital transformation, companies can operate using both internal and external structures. There are opportunities to outsource partners, incorporate contract workers, or improve the offering to full-time hires through flexible telecommunication. Cross-over thinking is the wave of the future in HR, mitigating labour shortages in an industry that has always faced talent shortfalls and skills gaps.

Cultivate your own talent to reduce risk for inappropriate hires

Higher-end training through digitalization fills a company’s own skills gaps. Advanced training technology can continuously support the organization’s growth using a three-pronged approach:

Accurate Head Count: This first step introduces digital tools that monitor performance and address deficits or surpluses. You can continuously adjust staffing numbers accordingly. As a result, you always operate at the ideal staff levels and focus talent planning on having the right roles with the right people in those roles. Your organizational structure is optimized, and you are better able to manage employee life cycle.

Training: Next you can conduct unified online training from a central location so everyone understands your business model. Online training in hand with live broadcasts allows you to conduct broad or micro classes designed to cultivate talent in the specific areas your property management requires. In hand with monitoring, you maintain complete control over your workforce, allowing you to optimize talent, while also ensuring you remain fully operational. You have a team who can use training platforms at their disposal to improve their capabilities while you improve learning efficiencies.

Agile Talent: We are living in the Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity and Ambiguity (VUCA) era where rapid changes are difficult to predict. Your goal, therefore, is to create a business model with agile talent ready to adapt as changes arise. HR managers must be able to meet the needs of sudden crisis and adapt as society changes the rules. Your accurate head counts in hand with online training work together to create agile talent, so you are always able to tap into new skills with a training program designed to meet the needs of a changing work environment. When you establish efficient online learning processes, you can smoothly transition to new initiatives the industry or changing circumstances demand.

Digitalization of your talent cultivation strategy allows you to remain responsive to client needs. Keep in mind individuals and businesses that provide condominium management services in Ontario must hold a licence issued by the CMRAO.

Reduce risk of employee churn

Digital technology, and more specifically digital learning, lowers risk of employee churn. A culture that understands the importance of ongoing training helps to not just attract top talent, but also retain it.

Digitalized HR models become self-adaptive, ensuring a deeper learning experience that nurtures careers. However, digitalization in general makes jobs easier for your staff, while refining headcount. In turn comes adjustments to incentive strategies, from greater employee rewards to flexible work options. These improved incentives coupled with ongoing self-driven training can help recruit talent and incentivize current staff to stay.

Finally, HR departments can formulate accurate salary management measures, so they are prepared for future industry challenges.

Reducing risks for deficits, or even surpluses in staffing, allows for an optimized salary structure. While property management companies must learn to optimize HR services and leverage advanced technology to support property performance, they must also embrace their own digitalized training and hiring devices to help meet expectations of top talent.

Vadim Koyen is President of CPO Management Inc. CPO Management Inc. is a full-service property management company specializing in residential and commercial condominiums in Toronto and the GTA. With over 10 years in the industry, CPO offers a wide spectrum of services from strategic and financial planning to accounting, building maintenance and capital improvement. https://www.cpomanagement.ca/

Contract bonds offer low cost guarantee

Whether you are a general contractor, developer, owner’s rep or an owner, a big part of assuring the success of a construction project involves mitigating risk. The first step is to assess the risk. If all of the subcontractors successfully perform their contracts, there is a high likelihood of a successful project. But if even one subcontractor fails to perform, it can affect your overall schedule and overall budget. Some contractors are more critical to your schedule and budget than others. Usually these contractors have the largest contracts. But it can also include smaller contractors who are specialized or in very high demand and hard to replace. The success of these large and specialized contractors represent the greatest impact on the level of success of your project.

There is a risk mitigation product that is available that usually costs less than a one per cent premium on the subcontractor’s contract amount, and it has been guaranteeing Canadian construction contracts for over a hundred years. They are contract bonds. Often called construction bonds because more than 90 per cent of contract bonds that are issued are guaranteeing construction contracts.

The two types of contract bonds are: performance bonds and labour and material payment bonds. Getting a performance bond from a subcontractor guarantees the performance of their contract. Getting a labour and material payment bond from them guarantees that they will pay all of their subs and suppliers. This vastly reduces the number of liens filed on bonded jobs vs un-bonded jobs.

Many owners who want to mitigate contractor risk throughout the entire project, bond the general contractor. Or, they can choose to take a more selective approach. Whether they have their own construction managers or hire a GC, it is becoming common for the owner and PM/GC to discuss risk management of the subcontractors and determine which subs represent a greater risk. Receiving bonds from those higher risk subs would add a minimal cost to the overall project and potentially save millions of dollars if even one of those subs default and need to be replaced. Every subcontract represents a different relationship history, a different potential impact to the schedule and a different cost to replace.

As result of the challenges resulting from the pandemic and the supply chain disruptions, the number and value of contractor defaults has increased over the past few years in Canada. Trying to identify which businesses will be significantly impacted has also become more difficult. The newer that a contractor is, and the smaller they are, correlates negatively to the likelihood of defaulting on a contract and becoming insolvent. But even well-establish large contractors can run into problems. It is often hard to know which subcontractor on your project will run into difficulties and how much it will impact your schedule and cost budget.

The usual due diligence into subcontractors includes years in business, previous projects and reference checks. Those give a pretty good indication of the quality of contractor. But, they won’t tell you if that contractor is in financial difficulties or has overextended their work program beyond their capabilities. However, their bonding company knows that information. If their bonding company will provide bonds stating they will guarantee their contract with you, then you know not only the contractor’s likelihood of default is much lower, but also that if there is a breach of contract, the bonding company is legally obligated to help the contractor finish the contract, hire a replacement contractor, or pay the bond penalty.

The statistic that is most telling is a non-bonded construction enterprise is more than 10 times more likely to become insolvent than bonded companies (Surety Association of Canada research study).

But even among bonded contractors, they do not bond all of their contracts. The contracts that they do bond receive more attention and have less disputes than their un-bonded contracts. There are two reasons for this. Un-bonded contracts only have the liability of the operating company at risk. Contracts backed by a bond, risk not only the OpCo, but all other companies and persons that indemnify the bonding company. Therefore, the contractor has a vested interest to prioritize the successful performance of their bonded contracts, over their non-bonded contracts. Secondly, if you make a claim against a subcontractor’s bond for non-performance, the bonding company legally must respond within a limited period. Therefore, the bonding company will immediately contact the subcontractor to discuss the claim and how it can be resolved quickly. The bonding company will not allow the contractor to drag out a dispute that may result in a bond claim.

The current situation of delays of delivery of construction materials and their consequential cost increases has created a surge in the requests for bonds to guarantee delivery dates and material costs. Understandably, many subcontractors and suppliers are not willing to guarantee these risks. But if a sub or supplier is willing to guarantee delivery dates and prices, a supply bond would be a very good purchase in today’s supply chain climate.

Construction bonds are not new. But many people who manage construction projects either do not know much about them, or just think they are an added cost. Many contractors do not want to tell you about them because it represents a higher obligation to them. Or, maybe they do not qualify for a bond facility. But for managers of construction projects, there are not many things that can add certainty and reduce significant risk, for only one percent or less of a subcontractors contract.

Fred Moroz is vice president of Construction Contract Bonding at BFL Canada Risk and Insurance Services Inc. in Vancouver. [email protected]

Nominations open for 2022 Cintas Custodian of the Year

Cintas is now welcoming nominations for its annual Custodian of the Year contest, which honours the best of the best among school custodians, the unsung heroes who provide a cleaner and healthier learning environment for students, faculty, and staff.

Nominations can be submitted at custodianoftheyear.com until March 1.

Created to recognize and reward custodians who work tirelessly year-round, this contest, led by Cintas, awards US$10,000 to the winning U.S. custodian and US$5,000 in Cintas and Rubbermaid products and services to the winner’s school. The winner’s school will also receive a training, development and consulting package from ISSA valued at $30,000, as well as enrollment in the Global Biorisk Advisory Council (GBAC) Fundamentals Online Course.

An additional nine finalists will receive US$1,000 each on behalf of Cintas and complimentary tuition to one ISSA Cleaning Management Institute (CMI) training event, valued at US$1,500.

“As the pandemic continues, custodians have adapted to increased cleaning measures to help ensure students, staff, and visitors are entering clean and healthy learning facilities,” said Christiny Betsch, Marketing Manager, Cintas. “From disinfecting and cleaning to being a positive role model for students of all ages, this contest sheds a light on the hard work school custodians put in every day.”

Last year, Cintas Corporation crowned Mike Heiry of North Allegheny Intermediate High School in Pittsburgh as the 2021 Cintas Custodian of the Year. To honour Mr. Heiry, 800 students, in addition to the principal, superintendent, faculty, and staff, celebrated him with a surprise ceremony, complete with the school marching band’s drumline and posters created by the student government organization.

The Cintas Custodian of the Year contest is open to all elementary, middle, high school, college and university custodians who have worked at their school for at least two years.

Cintas will announce the top 10 finalists on March 15, after which point the public can vote for their favourite custodian until April 15. The finalist with the most votes will be crowned Custodian of the Year on or around the week of April 25.

Foussias joins B+H as director of interior design

George Foussias has joined B+H’s interior design practice as its new director of interior design and senior associate.

Foussias brings more than 20 years of experience across the commercial, mixed-use, hospitality, residential, and retail sectors, and he has led award-winning projects for brands including W Hotels, Virgin hotels, Four Seasons, Wolfgang Puck, Great Gulf, Alterra, Tridel, Samsung and Audi.

Foussias is passionate about building a design-oriented studio culture. According to B+H: “In addition to his design, strategy, and project management + delivery skills, the designer excels at growing teams and cultivating talent through mentorship and professional development.”

In his role, Foussias will work collaboratively across departments and studios to fuel the growth of B+H’s interior design practice across Canada.

“I am thrilled to join the B+H family, a firm with a legacy of delivering diverse projects centered around inspiring the human experience,” he says. “As the creative world continues to evolve, I look forward to working with a truly multidisciplinary team that asks fearless questions to derive unique ideas and deliver the most resilient designs for our clients.”

Foussias joins the practice at an exciting time for B+H’s expanding interior design portfolio. Most recently, the firm led on the design for the LCBO Headquarters at 100 Queens Quay East and the SickKids Patient Support Centre in Toronto.

“We could not be more excited to welcome George to the team,” says Bill Nankivell, CEO of B+H Architects. “His depth of experience and unparalleled insight will be a huge asset to the firm as we continue to grow our Interior Design practice throughout 2022 and beyond.”

Transport 2050 outlines plan for Metro Vancouver

Transport 2050 is now final after approval from the Mayors’ Council on Regional Transportation and the TransLink board of directors. Transport 2050 outlines a new long-range vision for Metro Vancouver and will guide transportation decisions for the next three decades.

The newly approved Regional Transportation Strategy outlines over 100 actions or strategies to make transportation options more convenient, reliable, affordable, safe, comfortable, and environmentally sustainable.

“Quality transportation is the backbone of a quality society, because how we move impacts every facet of urban life. I’m proud that Transport 2050 will help make transportation more sustainable, reliable, convenient, safe, and affordable for decades. After the largest engagement in our history, Transport 2050 is truly a strategy created both by those and for those who call Metro Vancouver home,” said Kevin Quinn, CEO, TransLink.

Some key actions in Transport 2050 include:

Quadrupling the rapid transit network with over 300 kilometres of new rapid transit. This could include bus rapid transit, light rail, subway, or SkyTrain.
Completing a connected 850-kilometre traffic-separated Major Bikeway Network to provide communities with greener and healthier transportation options.
Promoting the use of electric and shared vehicles such as bikes, scooters, and cars.

Transport 2050 is a strategy for everyone in Metro Vancouver. It was built through TransLink’s largest-ever public engagement – a three-phase process that began in 2019. In that time, TransLink hosted more than 350 in-person or virtual events that resulted in over 160,000 conversations, 38,000 surveys, and 4,000 ideas.

TransLink engaged directly with Indigenous Nations, urban Indigenous organizations, and over 500 stakeholder groups in 27 different municipalities. This included input from members of the public, representatives from all levels of government, organizations representing disadvantaged communities, and numerous others throughout the Lower Mainland and surrounding areas.

TransLink will next work together with the Mayors’ Council to develop a detailed implementation blueprint that will prioritize shorter-term action items from Transport 2050. That blueprint is projected to be released later this year.

OSHA updates guidance on robotic tech

The cleaning and janitorial industry has come to increasingly rely on robotic technology to perform a variety of tasks such as floor cleaning. That increased usage of robotic tech requires updated stringent standards.

As these systems become more widespread and evolve at a rapid rate, they can introduce new and intensified hazards for those who work with and alongside them.

Looking to tackle this head-on, the U.S Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has updated and expanded a chapter in its Technical Manual that relates directly to Industrial Robot Systems and Industrial Robot System Safety.

OSHA originally created the manual in 2017 in collaboration with the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and the Association for Advancing Automation (formerly the Robotic Industries Association). The manual guides OSHA compliance officers as they perform inspections at facilities with robotic systems and provides a technical resource for safety and health professionals overseeing the use of robotic systems in workplaces.

Since its creation, this guidance has been subject to significant updates including up-to-date technical information on the hazards associated with industrial and emergent robot applications, safety considerations for employers and workers, and risk assessment and reduction measures.

Those updates are vital. The World Robotics 2021 Industrial Robots report estimates that more than 310,000 industrial robots now operate in U.S. factories, a huge increase on the numbers being recorded a few years ago.

An OSHA release notes the continuing rise of robotics increases the risks associated with robotic systems’ hazards such as struck-by/caught-between, crushing and trapping, electrical, hydraulic, pneumatic and environmental.

“Robot use will continue to expand, and employers have a responsibility to assess the hazards these new applications may introduce and implement appropriate safety controls to protect the workers who operate and service them,” said Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health Douglas Parker.

Ensuring smoke control systems are working correctly

A recent fire in a high-rise residential building in Toronto resulted in one death and left many other residents to suffer the effects of smoke inhalation. Fire departments in the Greater Toronto Area, especially in Toronto, have stepped up their enforcement and inspections as a result of a spate of other fire events. How can condos ensure smoke control systems are functioning correctly?

A smoke control system consists of mechanical and electrical components, which manage the movement of smoke within a building during a fire event. These systems are designed to keep smoke out of certain areas of the building to protect occupants and first responders when evacuating.

Smoke control systems vary from building to building depending on their age and construction, but are usually composed of pressurization fans and a series of ancillary devices like automatic door openers or a relay to disable the make-up air units. These devices are all connected to the fire panel and operate automatically when the system is in an alarm state.

The Ontario and National Fire Codes require regular testing of the smoke control systems in a building in order to ensure that they are operating properly in accordance with operation and test procedures designed by a professional engineer or architect. Buildings are required to maintain records of these tests to prove compliance.

If documentation does not meet the code requirements, buildings are served with an inspection order, with a very tight timeline (about one month) to resolve the outstanding issues.

In addition to regulatory compliance, formal specifications for testing and maintenance procedures can also be used by property managers when tendering fire alarm and HVAC service contracts to ensure the contractors are submitting competitive prices on an established scope of work.

Steps need to be taken to ensure smoke control systems are functioning correctly.

The first and most critical step is for corporations to determine whether they have a smoke control system maintenance and testing procedure document in place.

Most condominiums do not have one. If one has not been prepared for your condominium, a professional engineer or architect must be retained to review your building system and building drawings to engineer a Smoke Control Maintenance and Testing Procedure.

This will allow the engineer to create a specific plan tailored to the systems that exist in the building. Every building is designed differently; therefore, it is crucial that the procedures prepared are tailored.

The maintenance and testing outlined within these procedures must be performed on a periodic basis as outlined within the procedures. Any deficiencies identified during the maintenance and testing must be addressed as soon as possible, and rectified.

Following the procedures and maintaining logs of all testing performed will ensure that all smoke control equipment within the building is operating as designed and that the building’s smoke control system remains effective if and when required.

Sam Soltani is the president of Trace Consulting Group Ltd, a Toronto‐based multi-disciplinary consulting engineering firm.

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