Indoor temperatures logged in Ontario LTC homes

There is still no requirement for air conditioning in all residents’ rooms, but Ontario long-term care home operators now have to implement prescribed measures to prevent heat-related illnesses and routinely monitor and document indoor temperatures. A newly enacted provincial regulation stipulates that long-term care homes must provide access to cooling from May 15 to September 15, and on any other day when Environment Canada forecasts the outdoor temperature will reach at least 26 degrees Celsius or interior temperatures climb to that level.

“With the hot summer weather now upon us, it is more important than ever to ensure that the residents living in Ontario’s long-term care homes are kept cool, healthy and safe,” maintains Samantha Peck, executive director of Family Councils of Ontario.

As mandated in the new regulation, long-term care home license holders must prepare a written prevention and management plan for heat-related illnesses, which is to be evaluated annually and revised as necessary. Plans must identify and outline protocols for responding to heat-related risks, including staff responsibilities, monitoring and cooling equipment/systems and communication strategies.

The new regulation continues to exempt operators from installing central air conditioning if they provide one dedicated area per every 40 residents where temperatures are kept at “a comfortable level for residents”. However, unlike the previous circa-2010 rules, it stipulates that these areas must be maintained with a mechanical air cooling system.

Despite a previous mandated minimum temperature of 22 degrees Celsius, the Ontario government confirms that nearly 13 per cent of the province’s long-term care homes lacked any form of air conditioning last year. All 626 are now said to be in compliance with the new regulation, and 60 per cent now provide air conditioning in all residents’ rooms — up from just 42 per cent previously.

“We continue to correct for the decades of neglect in long-term care that were allowed under previous governments,” Premier Doug Ford asserts.

Operators are now additionally required to take temperature readings in various areas three times daily, including: at least two resident bedrooms in different areas of the building; a common area on every floor of the building; and every dedicated cooling area, where they exist. Temperatures are to be recorded every morning, afternoon and evening, and retained in a log for at least one year.

Gaining the HVAC maintenance edge

If you want to extend the life and improve the performance of your HVAC equipment, having the right specs to maintain it counts. Specific types of equipment and technologies require different maintenance approaches, and a program that ignores these different needs could cost building owners/managers in the long run.

“Every building or facility manager has a portfolio of HVAC equipment to maintain, and they rely on their HVAC service contractor to get the job done,” says Sam Soltani, President of Trace Consulting Group Ltd. “That being said, providers typically prepare generic procedures, which at times lack the detail and additional maintenance steps required for different types of equipment.”

The challenge, he adds, is that HVAC maintenance requirements are highly technical, and most property teams don’t always know exactly what’s required to keep them working in peak condition. As a result, they entrust the design and execution of their maintenance programs to HVAC service providers who, despite their best intentions, may not be taking the most effective approach as they work from a general set of procedures that do not consider the type of equipment.

Getting the right specs

Everyone benefits when HVAC equipment is properly maintained. Residents stay comfortable, managers add value with improved operating performance, and asset value is preserved. However, property teams rarely have the resources to research the requirements and set out the required procedures to determine these specs on their own. Here’s where partnering with a third-party expert can fill the gap.

“Hiring an experienced engineering team like ours is an extra step, but it’s worth it,” notes Soltani. “The advantage is that we can come in, examine your equipment, and use our expertise to create a comprehensive maintenance specification package that can be used to tender a customized service contract.”

Think of these packages as a blueprint, he adds. By inspecting and assessing each piece of HVAC equipment, teams like Trace Consulting can help property teams zero in on a tailored maintenance routine with detailed processes that, if completed regularly, will ensure boilers, air conditioners, ventilation systems, and other equipment that provides a safe and comfortable indoor environment receive the most cost-effective care possible.

“Now, you can go to tender with a specific set of procedures and ask the contractors who will maintain your equipment to bid on a set scope of work, not just how the contractor decides they’ll be maintained,” adds Soltani.

“For example,” he adds. “A service provider who doesn’t have engineered specs to guide them might not complete proper building switch over and replace sensors only when they fail, according to their internal practices. On the other end, an engineer like myself will be able to take a closer look at the specific make and model of equipment

and determine the work required for the type of boiler installed, and provide directions to calibrate a sensor to operate efficiently long before it fails”.

With these insights already baked into the specification package, property managers can tender a more precise maintenance plan, obtain competitive pricing.

“When you can go to market with an exact scope of work, you can make an apples-to-apples comparison and choose a service provider who is going to look after your equipment on your terms and budget,” says Soltani.

Added accountability

Tendering an all-inclusive specification package has other advantages. In addition to giving property teams the ability to compare their offerings fairly, the HVAC maintenance specifications allow property teams to hold HVAC service providers to set expectations.

“Let’s say you go to tender with these maintenance specifications and enter a contract with a vendor who says they’ll follow them. If you are three years into a five-year contract and your equipment is falling apart, you now have a document you can use to hold your contractor accountable,” says Soltani.

Moreover, the same engineering firm that you retain to put together the maintenance specs can also look back over past work to determine where previous maintenance programs may have fallen short and make recommendations to get things back on track.

Return on investment

At the end of the day, having engineered specifications allows property owners, condo corporations, and managers enter into maintenance contracts with confidence, knowing

that the work they’re paying for will ensure the best care for their equipment.

“Getting that maintenance specification package is an extra cost, but it leads to lower overall costs through more competitive bids in the tendering process and an extended lifespan for a building’s HVAC equipment,” says Soltani, adding, “Not only does that pay for itself, but that peace of mind alone is worth the investment.”

ENGINEERS. PROJECT MANAGERS.

Trace Consulting is a Toronto-based Mechanical and Electrical Consulting Engineering firm specializing in retrofits and tenant improvements for high and low-rise residential, commercial, retirement/long-term care, and retail applications. For more, visit www.traceconsultinggroup.com.

Nova Scotia gets funding for healthcare and LTC facilities

Canada and Nova Scotia announced new funding to renovate and rehabilitate 40 healthcare and long-term care (LTC) facilities across the province to improve patient and staff safety and create healthier and more sustainable environments.

Hospitals and healthcare centres

Seven projects will see upgrades and repairs to hospitals and health care centres. These include the Yarmouth Regional Hospital, Cumberland Regional Health Care Centre, Colchester East Hants Health Centre, Glace Bay Hospital, Nova Scotia Hospital and Veterans Memorial Building, Valley Regional Hospital, and Aberdeen Hospital.

To reduce energy costs and emissions, Yarmouth Regional Hospital will use $500,000 to upgrade building control systems, including heat recovery devices, heat pumps, steam traps and system automation and monitoring. A laundry upgrade at Valley Regional Hospital will increase hospital laundering capacity to directly support patient care and infection control.

LTC facilities

Investments will also upgrade 33 LTC facilities across the province.

St. Anne Centre in Arichat, for example, will use more than $1 million to replace existing counters and sinks in the resident’s washrooms, expand of the facility’s dining room with two new spaces and the replace the flooring in corridors of the building to provide a safer and more sanitary environment. Tideview Terrace, in Conway, will build a new PPE storage building to increase storage for PPE and other equipment, furniture and supplies. This will also boost space for staff and residents. Roseway Manor, in Shelburne, will use roughly $900,000 to replace its security system in its Alzheimer Care Unit.

In total, 39 projects will undergo building and system upgrades. Canada is allocating more than $11.4 million through the COVID-19 Resilience Stream of the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program. Nova Scotia is contributing more than $2.8 million.

A COVID-19 Resilience Stream was added to the over $33-billion Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program to help fund pandemic-resilient infrastructure. Existing program streams have also been adapted to include more eligible project categories.

Here’s a full list of projects.

Updating facility security in a post-COVID era

In April 2020, a chemical manufacturer had to make the hard decision to close shop during the pandemic. While most of the office workers could continue working remotely, for the more than 200 people working in the company’s six laboratories, there were few options. These people needed to be in one of these laboratories to conduct their work.

And that’s not all.

The facility has a large warehouse distribution centre with several loading docks. They receive raw materials and deliver finished products to their distributors throughout the day. These areas also had to be closed.

But that was a year ago.

Now, they are in the process of reopening, and administrators realize they are dealing with several challenges that did not exist a year ago. Further, the firm is in Illinois, and in many parts of the U.S., 2020 was a politically and socially tumultuous year. The “fire” behind these many issues may have simmered, but that does not mean they have been blown out entirely.

Because of these and many additional issues, the chemical manufacturer decided to call in a corporate security consulting and risk management firm to help them as they reopened.

The goals: to open safely to protect their staff, their facility, and their data.

Many of the steps the manufacturer took apply to all types of facilities and industries. The firm hired was TAL Global, headed by Johnathan Tal, formerly a counterterrorism expert in Israel. His 25-year-old firm is well-respected in the fields of facility security, investigations, and executive protection.

What were the first steps you took when you started working with this client?

Tal: We asked them if they had any future facility security plans. Many times, organizations are aware of security issues they need to address; they just have not implemented them. At this point, they may know their [security] vulnerabilities better than anyone. Our job then is to analyze them and determine which should be addressed first.

Was this true with this client?

Tal: Yes. One of their plans — updating the camera security systems around the facility — we suggested had to be addressed first. The manufacturer still had analog security cameras. These cameras have limitations that have been rectified with digital cameras. Images using digital cameras can be viewed in real time on a multitude of screens. Analog systems do not have that capability. Further, digital usually has far clearer pictures, zoom functions, and other advantages.

In general, however, we must remember that security cameras do not necessarily prevent a malicious character from acting. They just can help spot and identify that person in action.

You mentioned you advised them to update their staff card and badge readers. What did this entail?

Tal: The facility has about 350 workers, yet more than 3,000 badges are listed in the card reader system. That means people no longer working for the company may still have access to the building with their badge. In other words, the system may still recognize them as an employee. The entire system had to be updated. New badges were issued to all staff members, deactivating the old badges. The new system can be easily updated and uses “smart technology” to notify administrators of any suspicious entry anywhere in the building.

Further, smart technology tells our client many more things. For instance, it indicates when and which buildings are most used, least used, and not used. With this information, HVAC systems and lighting can be adjusted accordingly to save energy.

Describe the “perimeter” security you suggested for the manufacturer.

Tal: This company is in an industrial complex. They did not have walls or fencing around their building. Further, someone could just drive in and park anywhere around the building. We advised them to install fencing surrounding the entire facility along with entry security gates. Staff and visitors must now travel through these gates to enter the property. Either they use their badge for entry, or they use an intercom system to enter.

What about the loading docks specifically? After the FedEx incident, this must be a bigger concern.

Tal: The FedEx incident that happened in April 2021 in Indianapolis was a significant wake-up call for all types of distribution centres and organizations.

We advised the client to create a command centre staffed by remote security personnel. The command centre can monitor everyone entering and leaving the property at the loading docks and anywhere on the property. Further, we suggested that staff and visitors travel through a second security gate system as they approach the loading docks. This two-step authorization system further enhances security.

In addition, the loading docks previously were open 24 hours per day. While the client wants their staff to receive deliveries as soon as they arrive, for security reasons, we suggested the loading docks only be open at certain times of the day for a set number of hours. This allows the command centre to better stay on top of who is arriving and who is departing.

Hiring the extra security personnel for the command centre can make this a more costly option, but the administrators realized it was one they had to implement.

What COVID-specific security steps did you advise your client to implement?

Tal: To protect everyone’s health, the client wanted to insist that everyone have proof of being vaccinated. However, this could lead to legal issues that have yet to be ironed out. What we advised them to implement quickly is the following:

Develop a messaging campaign to encourage staffers to be vaccinated and promote the vaccines’ safety and effectiveness.
Provide free COVID-19 testing for all employees.
Install temperature check systems at all entries. These systems use a thermal camera to take one or more employee’s temperatures at one time. Other devices, such as “touch” and handheld systems, can also be used to perform temperature checks quickly.
Analyze and evaluate cleaning and sanitizing procedures.
Reconfigure the workplace so that there is more social distancing between staff and plastic shields are installed.

Finally, we advised this client to give us a seat at the table regarding building safety, health, and operations. The post-COVID-19 era is likely to be ever-evolving. It will require ongoing vigilance to protect staff and visitor health and keep the doors open and the facility operating.

Robert Kravitz is a frequent writer for the facility management industry.

PCL begins Calgary’s Green Line utility relocation

City of Calgary has named PCL Construction Management Inc. as the construction management contractor for the Green Line utility relocation project. PCL will manage the relocation of city utilities, schedule and coordinate the relocation of third-party utilities for electricity, phone, cable and fibre optic, and other services.

Preconstruction planning will begin this spring with construction starting fall 2021 with a project timeline of two to three years. The city is prioritizing utilities located in parts of Beltline east and downtown Calgary.

The utility relocation project is an important milestone on the Green Line LRT journey, says Green Line general manager Michael Thompson. “This essential advanced work project will make way for the Green Line by relocating shallow and deep embedded utilities in some areas of Beltline east and downtown that will conflict with main construction.”

The Green Line LRT is the largest infrastructure project in Calgary’s history. In total, the Green Line will be 46 kilometres of Light Rail Transit (LRT) from Seton in the southeast to 160 Avenue N. This line will almost double the existing LRT network.

Thompson says the city is committed to supporting business and residents. “The city is undertaking a review of its stakeholders potentially impacted by the project in Beltline east and downtown to ensure they are engaged and informed, and any necessary mitigation is considered. The city is committed to working with businesses and residents in the area and has a team that will be equipped to respond to public concerns, address issues and support timely resolution.”

Since 2017, Green Line has been conducting utility relocations and other enabling works and early works projects along the southeast alignment from Shepard to Ramsay/Inglewood stations.

Murray Tysowski elected as new CRCA president

Murray Tysowski, the president of Aurora Roofing Ltd., from Coombs, British Columbia, has been elected as the president and chairman of the board of the Canadian Roofing Contractors Association (CRCA).

Tysowski officially took over the role from Jacques Beaulieu, senior provincial manager of Atlas-Apex Services (Manitoba) Inc. at CRCA’s virtual annual general meeting and conference.

In 1974 Tysowski started his career in the roofing industry and by 1979, he founded Aurora Roofing with Jim Watson, who left after 15 years. Tysowski joined the CRCA board of directors in 2017 and has served as the 1st vice-president from 2019 to 2021. He has also served on the board of directors of the Roofing Contractors Association of British Columbia (RCABC) for more than 15 years. He is the current RCABC president.

Tysowski’s plans are to ensure that the board of directors continues to govern with excellence, transparency and openness. He also plans to increase CRCA’s communications with our key industry stakeholders.

Also elected as CRCA board of directors are:

Pierre Lafontaine, Groupe Raymond – Les Toitures Raymond, QC (1st Vice President)
Lindsay Pochynuk, Clark Roofing (1964) Ltd., SK (2nd Vice President)
Bob James, Tru-Craft Roofing (2005) Ltd., AB
Jacques Beaulieu, Atlas-Apex Services (Manitoba) Inc., MB (Past President)
Rob Kucher, Cardinal Roofing & Sheet Metal Inc., ON
Yves Bradet, Atlantic Roofers Ltd., NB (Treasurer)
Jeremy Croft, A&A Roofing Limited, NS
Terry Casey, North Shore Roofing Ltd., NL
John Mills, Sika Canada Inc., ON (Secretary and Associate member representative)

Ontario extends educational deadline for transitional general licensees

Ontario made a regulatory amendment under the Condominium Management Services Act, 2015 (CMSA) to extend the time that all transitional general licensees have to complete the education and exam requirements to apply for a general licence. The previous deadline of June 30, 2021 is now May 31, 2022.

This change will allow current transitional general licensees to renew their licence for one more year as part of the 2021–22 licence renewal cycle. A transitional general licensee may not apply for a renewal of the licence or reapply for the licence after May 31, 2022.

Up until now, condo managers had been calling for changes to the CMRAO deadline. Completing educational requirements by end of June was challenging for many as the pandemic is adding new pressure to the daily work managers undertake.

According to CMRAO, “this change was made in recognition of the exceptional challenges that condominium managers and management provider businesses have been facing as the result of COVID-19, and the difficulties individuals have had completing their education program.”

This new deadline will help alleviate the stress to complete education and exam requirements, in order to apply for a general licence before the 2022–23 licence renewal period.

Beginning June 1, 2021, transitional general licensees should follow the normal process for renewing their licence by logging into their account on the CMRAO website.

Making facility hygiene a priority

As life in Canada gradually starts returning to normal with greater COVID-19 vaccine availability and officials easing social restrictions, ensuring proper hygiene in public places remains critical to health and safety.

Today’s challenging and evolving environment has generated new demands on the way people live and work. Facility managers are now faced with new challenges that include adapting to a new hygiene standard and adhering to high safety protocols. Although challenging, this provides an opportunity to enhance cleaning quality, create a safer work environment, and secure the new hygiene standard.

To guide facility managers as they prepare to navigate this new environment, Tork, an Essity brand, created the Tork Office Hygiene Package^TM.

Products and services for every area of the facility

The COVID-19 pandemic has shifted attitudes towards public spaces, with increased awareness of hygiene. According to a recent study by Essity, a leading global hygiene and health company and the maker of the Tork brand, 3 in 4 employees expect their employer to provide extra cleaning rounds to ensure hygiene.¹In particular, common areas, such as reception areas, restrooms, and breakrooms, which are heavily frequented, require the most maintenance. Fortunately, there are many hygiene tools, products, and services to help facility managers meet these increased hygiene expectations in all parts of the office:

• Reception areas, office areas and conference rooms: By providing hygiene solutions in these common areas, facility managers can demonstrate their commitment to securing the new hygiene standard, while also ensuring that employees and visitors feel safe.

• Restrooms: The quality and availability of hygiene products in the restroom is essential to maintaining high levels of hygiene. With high-capacity hygiene solutions, fewer checks are required and dispensers can be easily refilled and maintained. By saving time with more efficient products, facility managers can spend more time improving hygiene in other parts of their facility.

• Breakrooms and kitchens: Breakrooms and kitchens are high-traffic areas where employees eat and meet. By providing the right hygiene solutions in breakrooms, such as cleaning cloths, facility managers can show they care about creating a healthy work environment, throughout the entire office.

• Entire office building: To help ensure hand hygiene anywhere, the Tork Hygiene Stand can be placed in high-traffic office areas to remind employees and staff to practice proper hand hygiene when soap and water are unavailable. Moreover, other products like Tork EasyCube^®, the world’s leading facility management software for data-driven cleaning, can help cleaning teams stay ahead of hygiene demands by informing them of exactly what products are needed and where, bringing any office cleaning regimen to the next level.

Discover the Tork Office Hygiene Package

With different areas of the office requiring different hygiene solutions, it can be difficult to know how and where to start. The Tork Office Hygiene Package can assist in readying offices for business with a tailored selection of products and services to cover each area.

What’s more, Tork also developed an informative trend report focused on office hygiene, which offers guidance for facility managers in understanding how the pandemic changed hygiene standards in office buildings, and how to address these new challenges moving forward.

To learn more, visit www.tork.ca/en/office-hygiene.

^{1 2020 research study by Kantar commissioned by Essity.}

QuadReal forms operating partner group

QuadReal Property Group has named Michael Zea to lead its newly formed operating partner group. Taking on the role of executive vice president and operating partner, Zea will work with the various operating companies in which QuadReal holds an ownership interest.

“With these partners we share investment conviction, business values and a commitment to take performance to the next level. I am excited about the opportunities ahead, and to work alongside our talented, globally based colleagues,” says Zea, who brings experience as a partner with the management consulting firms, McKinsey & Company and Oliver Wyman, to his new tasks.

“A track record of collaboration and deep experience in operating businesses position him ideally for this role and to join our executive leadership group,” maintains QuadReal chief executive officer Dennis Lopez. “We welcome Michael and share with him the enthusiasm in the growing market leadership being built by our operating companies in their areas of expertise.”

Zea will work from QuadReal’s New York office along with Thierry Keable, senior vice president, and Hunter Jordan, vice president, of the new operating partner group.

Condos lag on fire code compliance

Many residents across Ontario are living in condos with outdated fire safety plans. This might be of particular concern among an aging population. Part of these plans includes a list of persons requiring special assistance: names and locations of people whose health conditions or disabilities may impede the evacuation process. This should be refreshed regularly, but isn’t always the case.

A fire recently occurred in such a building that transformed into a more senior demographic over the years. Deputy Chief Carrie Clark of the Barrie Fire Department was on the scene. “50 out of 75 units needed assistance in evacuating during an actual fire event,” she said during an online session hosted by CCI Huronia in March. “That’s pretty significant, resource-heavy for a fire department to actualize.”

To keep up, corporations should be attuned to all types of changes. As Jeff Struewing, vice-president of Shore to Slope Management Services, noted, plans may also need an overhaul if building systems are updated or renovations alter the layout of floors or rooms.

High-rise building systems are often too complicated for a manager to tackle all facets of fire code compliance alone, added Murray Johnson, vice-president of client services Crossbridge Condominium Services. Updating the plan with a reputable fire code consultant who is in-the-know regarding code changes is key to avoiding liability and staying safe.

Communicating fire code compliance to residents is critical, he said, and can be accomplished through the annual distribution of the resident emergency responsibility instructions and the assistance required forms. “Going even further, if you’ve got nothing to put on the bulletin board, do an educational campaign. Let them know about all the things in their unit they may be responsible for.”

Owners should obtain copies of fire safety policies that address how to respond to deficiency lists and emergencies. For the information to become second nature, managers should also reinforce fire code compliance with staff at regularly scheduled meetings, and dedicate an ongoing section in the management report to keep the topic at the forefront of a community.

Don’t just solve deficiencies. Prevent them.

“High-rise buildings have complex systems that both directly and indirectly affect fire code compliance,” said Johnson, citing generators, sprinkler systems, fire pumps, doors and soft skills like training as examples. Gather all records into one central binder to hand over when a fire inspector requests it, including proof of repairs.

Going beyond minimum standards, work to address a notice of violation, but also prevent them from recurring. Having processes in place ensures both safety and optics ahead of an inspection. To catch deficiencies ahead of time, one example is creating door logs (doors need to close and latch under their own power) and asking cleaning staff to check chute and stairwell doors as part of their routine, or HVAC staff and fire inspectors to check and log suite doors when visiting every year.

He also detailed how a manager’s annual plan should include checking the fire safety plan and other related items like inspections. Highlight all fire-related tasks and file a copy of that fire plan into the centralized record-keeping system. “That way, not only will the inspector see what the logs and records show, they’ll also see how you’ve planned out your year,” he said.

“Know your building and know the people in your building,” said Clark. Looking ahead, fire safety plans should be reviewed annually or more often. When changes are made, corporations might consider sending a copy to the fire department to review. According to her list of “Dos and Don’ts,” a fire department lock box should have current keys, enough to properly address the building. “A master key is a lot cheaper to cut than the 50 fire doors we are going to tactically demolish when we go in to do our checks,” she said, adding that doors are the easiest things to “write up.”

“There are more fire deaths that have occurred in corridors due to flammable decorations than people staying in their suites,” she said. “The door’s fire rating is ruined when you attach things to it. This includes mats, shoes and scooters.”

Keeping up on repairs and reports

Most corporations complete an annual life safety systems test, yet aren’t as savvy on providing repair reports, said Michele Farley, president and senior code consultant at FCS Fire Consulting Services, who regularly sees fire alarm records on many notices of violation throughout Ontario.

“This does not necessarily mean the test wasn’t done; it often means the repairs haven’t been done or completed, that there is no record of the correction of deficiencies or certificates of completion or, worse, no records at all,” she said. “Part two of the fire code requires condos to keep records for a minimum of two years.”

When it comes to repairs, some contractors are quick to inspect but slow to hand over a deficiencies list. “Finding the right contractor who can commit to providing the reports quickly is important,” noted Struewing. “Something to consider is authorizing the contractor to complete minor repairs during the inspection.” Have an on-site supply of smoke detectors, heat detectors, pull stations or fire extinguishers for instance, or ask the service provider to keep these common items on hand.

During the hiring process, Farley suggests paperwork management be part of the service-provider contract. There should also be a clear understanding of what the contractor’s responsibilities are during and after system tests, as well as a corporation’s own follow-up actions to facilitate all necessary repairs, maintain certificates and close-off records. “Inspections could include multiple documents and contractors,” she noted. “Your fire alarm company might not be the company that tests your private fire hydrants, smoke control systems or generator. Do your best to streamline annual inspection around the same time or even the same month.”

In-Suite: knowing the equipment and gaining access

All board members and managers should know what type of life safety equipment is required by the Ontario fire code in suites and whose responsibility it is to have this checked and tested. This will depend on the building type. Townhouses, for example, won’t have the same systems as high rises do. “Make sure you provide residents with a list of what’s in their suites, either in your rules, regulations, declarations or their welcome package,” said Farley. “Be clear what their fire safety requirements are and remind them at least annually.”

Scheduled suite access can include checking a unit’s fire safety equipment during a yearly inspection, but approaching owners and renters about entering a unit for risk assessment can be tricky. Common concerns are suspected hoarding and balconies used for storage.

“You can be both firm and empathetic,” said Farley. “Give as much notice and options of days and times as reasonable and possible, but you should also be clear. Include a statement that arrangements have been made, that it is imperative access be granted at that time, and what the access is for so they understand why you’re coming in. Hopefully occupants comply, but if not, you’ve made your intentions clear, your reasons clear and you’re prepared to go to the next step of achieving that access, even if that happens to be calling a lawyer.”

The preceding article contains snippets from a CCI Huronia panel, “Hot 10 Fire Prevention Tips for Condos.” For more safety information please visit CCI Huronia.

Major construction starts on Broadway Subway

Major construction has started on Vancouver’s Broadway Subway project, a 5.7-kilometre extension of the Millennium Line from VCC-Clark Station to Broadway and Arbutus. Acciona-Ghella Joint Venture is delivering the project.

The estimated cost of the project is $2.83 billion, funded and delivered by the Province of B.C. ($1.83 billion), with contributions from the Government of Canada ($896.9 million) and the City of Vancouver ($99.8 million in kind). It is projected to create more than 13,000 direct and indirect jobs during the construction phase.

“This is an exciting milestone for a critical infrastructure project that will transform the way people travel in and around the Broadway corridor and create good-paying jobs to support B.C.’s economic recovery,” said Rob Fleming, B.C.’s Minster of Transportation and Infrastructure. “Investments in public transit infrastructure are crucial to improving commute times, reducing carbon pollution and laying the foundation for strong economic growth.”

Six new underground stations will connect communities and neighbourhoods to make it easier and more affordable to live, work, shop and access services along Broadway. Once opened in 2025, the commute from VCC-Clark to Arbutus Station will take 11 minutes, saving the average transit user almost 30 minutes a day and relieving congestion along Broadway.

“Groundbreaking on the Broadway Subway is an important milestone, not just for the City of Vancouver, but for the entire region and province as a whole. As Metro Vancouver’s second-largest employment centre, the Broadway corridor helps generate $14 billion in gross domestic product that will power our economy for decades to come,” said Kennedy Stewart, mayor of Vancouver. “As we begin to chart our path out of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Broadway Subway will move us all forward in a way that not only supports people, but also ideas, innovation and investment.”

Crews have focused on site preparation, building demolition and utility relocations for the past few months. The start of traffic deck construction will begin at Mount Pleasant Station in the coming weeks.

The innovative engineering solution on the project involves drilling and placing vertical columns to support steel plates for the traffic decks. Traffic decks will keep people travelling through the station blocks on Broadway while excavation and construction continues underground.

Later this year, work will begin on the elevated guideway and tunnel portal that will provide access to the underground portion of the new line.

The majority of the line will be built underground using a pair of tunnel-boring machines. Next year, both machines will have a staggered launch from the Great Northern Way-Emily Carr Station.

Heat is on for electricity demand projections

Electricity demand projections through the vaccination rollout period should take two contradictory factors into account, energy management specialists affirm. Office occupancy is likely to lag pre-pandemic densities well into 2022, but more rigorous ventilation specifications could offset savings from reduced plug and systems loads.

“This is where you do the ‘what ifs?’. What’s the new normal going to look like? Are we expecting people are going to start coming back in September or October?” Scott Rouse, managing partner with Energy@Work, advised during an online seminar sponsored by the Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) of Greater Toronto last week. “You’ll also want to consider what your facility requirements are going to be. NRCan (Natural Resources Canada) has put out a very good tool for this, and ASHRAE has been fantastic in providing direction on what we need to look at with respect to filtration, relative humidity, filter size, etc.”

NRCan’s free online guide, Efficient HVAC Operation during a Pandemic, includes a self-administered assessment scorecard and related discussion to help building managers and operators gauge the effectiveness of filtration, outdoor air intake and humidification, along with general maintenance, commissioning, training and communications standards. Meanwhile, ASHRAE opened a COVID-19 technical guidance portal in March 2020 and soon after established an epidemic taskforce to assemble and coordinate resources to support healthy building operations and mitigate risk, including extensive guidance on requirements for reopening buildings and re-establishing their pre-pandemic functions.

“The idea is to bring operations and management together to determine the best HVAC strategy, and then you can project what the impact is on your energy use,” Rouse recommended. “Filtration has an impact. Relative humidity and how much outside air you need are also big ones.”

Ontario-based property and facilities managers may be able to tap into incentives for energy-efficient HVAC upgrades through the recently launched 2021-24 Conservation and Demand Management (CDM) Framework. Rebates on the installation of a range of prescribed products will be a main thrust of the initial years of this four-year program cycle, reflecting new directions from the provincial government.

“We’re really focusing on the prescriptive track. That is lighting, HVAC and manufacturing and other equipment. So it’s an enhanced list of measures, and looking at reducing administrative burden for applicants, which will turn into a quicker pre-approval and a quicker incentive payment,” Rob Edwards, business manager, private sector, with the Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) told online attendees. “We’ve got about half the budget that we had previously, but we’ve really had some efficiencies in the market and we’re looking at some good programs that are really going to be a good fit for the commercial real estate sector, the (CDM) program delivered under the IESO and the Save On Energy brand.”

Further supporting the case for energy-efficient HVAC, associated monitoring and controls, large commercial customers enrolled in Ontario’s Industrial Conservation Initiative (ICI) program have renewed incentive to curb energy loads during peak demand periods this summer. The 2020-21 pause on measuring enrollees’ peak demand during the five hours of highest total system demand has been lifted. Entering heat wave season, industry insiders foresee opportunities to achieve favourable billing factors — which will be used to calculate their share of global adjustment costs in 2022-23 — given that building occupancy is expected to remain low during the period when the five peak hours conventionally occur.

“For the second summer in a row, many of your properties will likely have a lot fewer people in them every day than you would see under normal circumstances,” reiterated Mark Olsheski, vice president, energy and environment, with Sussex Strategy Group.

Data from approximately 30 Toronto office buildings shows a general, but varying drop in electricity consumption in 2020 compared to 2019. Rouse cited year-over-year outcomes ranging from a 1 per cent increase to a 34 decrease in buildings his company monitors. Discarding the best and worst performers, he pegged the average reduction at 25 per cent during the 2020 heating season and 30 per cent during the cooling season.

“That was consistent across building types from mid-tier to A to AAA,” he said. “But anybody on deep lake cooling wasn’t affected as much during the cooling season.”

Despite CDM incentives and a promised long-term reduction in the global adjustment component of hydro bills via the so-called renewable cost shift, many building owners/managers view the prospect of further unexpected announcements and measures with some wariness. Olsheski characterized last year as something of a bumpy ride.

“If there are changes on such a frequent basis, that does factor into decision-making. Sometimes the best intentioned interventions of government can have consequences of layering in additional considerations when it comes to investment and things like that,” he submitted.

“Energy savings are kind of baked into our capital budget year. If these projects are going to be executed and we’re going to get these savings, we factor that into making our Class A or Class B decision (for the purpose of the ICI program),” noted Terry Flynn, a general manager with BentallGreenOak and the chair of BOMA Toronto’s energy committee. “COVID was a disruptor that certainly nobody predicted years ago in their strategies.”

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

Manulife is raising standards in real estate

Attaining and maintaining higher standards of cleanliness and disinfection remains the priority for facility managers. So, too, does communicating those standards.

During these challenging times, residents, tenants, visitors, and the general public want visual and certifiable affirmation that landlords and facility operators are taking the required measures to safeguard the health of anyone entering or leaving a building. Prior to COVID-19, much of the cleaning and maintenance happened silently. Now, tenants, visitors, and employees increasingly want that work to be quantifiable and certifiable.

Facility operators are taking on this duty, and they’re being recognized for the intensification of their cleaning and maintenance through ISSA’s GBAC STAR Facility Accreditation, which has seen vast uptake across Canada and the globe since launching a year ago in spring 2020. Everything from commercial real estate to convention centres, theatres, stadia, and airports have pursued and achieved accreditation.

In the real estate field in Canada, Manulife Investment Management (“Manulife”) has led the way.

In February, Manulife became the first Canadian real estate landlord to achieve the accreditation by attaining the certification for seven of its Montreal properties. Its GBAC STAR accredited facilities include office and retail buildings at Centre Manuvie – 2000 Mansfield St., 1001 de Maisonneuve Blvd. West, 2000 Peel St., 420 Notre-Dame St. West, 465 and 485 McGill St., and 715 Square Victoria St.

To say Manulife has a significant presence across Canada would be an understatement: in addition to real estate, the company also has a diverse portfolio in the areas of private markets. Manulife’s real estate portfolio is certainly extensive – it develops and manages commercial real estate for thousands of customers around the globe. As of March 31, 2021, it totals 63 million square feet of office, industrial, and retail space and over 6,500 multifamily units across Canada, the U.S., and Asia.

It’s fair to say that pursuing and achieving GBAC STAR accreditation was a logical step for Manulife. The high standards of these buildings have already been recognized through other notable certifications. On the environmental side, all seven of its GBAC-accredited properties are also BOMA BEST certified, a national green building certification program from Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) Canada, aimed at setting realistic standards for the energy and environmental performance of existing buildings.

The commitment to environmental sustainability in the group’s real estate properties was also recently recognized when Céline Laforce, property director for Manulife, was honoured with ISSA Canada’s Environmental Stewardship Award for 2020. In addition, the GBAC STAR-accredited building at 1001 de Maisonneuve Blvd. West was among 15 prize recipients in the energy performance improvement component of BOMA Quebec’s Défi Énergie en immobilier (DÉI), a four-year competition aimed at reducing energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions of commercial, institutional, and multi-residential buildings in Quebec.

Putting people first

The desire to help set the pace when it comes to cleaning, maintenance, and infection control is indicative of Manulife’s standing and its aspirations in Canadian real estate. Focusing on people – tenants, residents, employees, or visitors – is nothing new for the company. The real estate group consistently emphasizes that its teams are committed to establishing and implementing comprehensive practices to ensure health and safety at its buildings.

There is also a great focus on what Manulife terms “preventive maintenance” of its buildings. Proactive measures have been key throughout the first 12 months of the pandemic and are sure to continue, to some extent, for the foreseeable future. Stephen Nicoletti, Managing Director, Real Estate Asset Management, Eastern Canada at Manulife Investment Management, and his team stress that high tenant retention is a core part of Manulife Investment Management’s main goals. Tenants are surveyed every second year with the aim of assessing and improving customer service.

One of the key ways of building customer relationships is ensuring fluid communication is maintained at all times. This is vital, particularly in response to the pandemic, with preventative maintenance communications being a constant priority. The company also holds several programs and events for its tenants throughout the year, focusing on various topics and initiatives including health and wellness.

Combatting COVID-19 with ValkarTech

Montreal-based firm ValkarTech supports Manulife in the operation of the seven GBAC STAR-accredited real estate properties. The consulting firm guides, supports, and advises on ways to optimize the operational performance of facilities in terms of building hygiene and sanitation.

Manulife became the firm’s first property partner in July 2019, eight months before the COVID-19 pandemic escalated to a Canadian emergency. While Manulife had cleaning protocols and processes in place already, ValkarTech assists with the management of the janitorial work including cleaning and maintenance and managed the application/registration process for Manulife’s GBAC STAR accreditation for the seven facilities.

ValkarTech senior director, Derek Oliveira, notes his company strongly believes that the environment in which people operate directly affects their quality of life, health, and families. “This is what motivates us to transmit good work methods related to housekeeping operations at all levels,” Oliveira said. “Proof of this is the performance of Manulife’s buildings in Montreal.” He adds that by collaborating with ValkarTech on the management of housekeeping operations, “Manulife confirms that it places as much importance on the health of the building occupants as it does on its operating budget.”

Oliveira adds ValkarTech is “extremely grateful for the privilege” of working with Manulife to amplify the facilities’ cleaning and maintenance protocols and standards. “In doing so,” he says, “Manulife actively participates in the evolution of the industry and sets an example of sound management.”

Setting the new standard

That “sound management” is demonstrated by the fact Manulife has summarized recommended measures within six key categories, each of which are designed to ensure the safe and ongoing return of tenants, visitors, and contractors. Many of these recommendations follow the pattern of what has been seen across the industry in the last year – use of PPE, social distancing, signage and communication, enhanced cleaning, and disinfecting.

Other, more specific measures have included revamping HVAC operations, including installation of air filtration units with double HEPA filters in elevators at three of the GBAC STAR-accredited facilities, the Manulife Centre at 2000 Mansfield St., 2000 Peel St. and 715 Square Victoria St. These high-performance filtration units, specifically designed for the shared-space considerations of elevators, have been proven to eliminate 99.9 per cent of airborne virus and bacterial particles.

COVID-19 has magnified the need for real estate operators like Manulife to not only bolster their cleaning, maintenance, and health and safety measures, but also to communicate those measures to tenants, visitors, and employees. At a time when standards and expectations are being raised, companies like Manulife and ValkarTech are setting an example for real estate operators across Canada. Others can and should follow suit as the industry looks to safeguard against infectious disease.

A full overview of Manulife Investment Management’s recommendations can be found in the company’s return to office: tenant guidebook. Manulife Investment Management’s property management services are engaged in real estate property management and are not authorized to provide, and do not provide, investment advice or investment advisory services. Additionally, the content of this site is not intended nor should be construed as an offer to buy or sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy or sell any security or to participate in an investment strategy. Additional information about the company, its properties, and its operations can be found at www.manulifeim.com/realestate.

More information on GBAC STAR accreditation can be found at https://www.mediaedge360.ca/gbac. For additional program details and information, please email [email protected] or contact him at (416) 803-4653.

How to upgrade parking garage safety

The underground parking garage is the largest common element in most condominiums, but it is often overlooked when it comes to meeting basic safety criteria.

With residents spending very little time in the parking garage, along with the headache of having to arrange for temporary parking permits, coordinate the moving of vehicles and find a qualified contractor available to do the job on time, it’s easy to see why such projects are postponed year after year. Yet upgrades can be completed with minimal disruption and will improve the safety and security of residents and visitors.

Here are three simple ways condo corporations can upgrade the safety of the underground garage, and the benefits of doing so.

Improve visibility

Two main ways to increase visibility are through lighting and painting (coatings).
Bright lights such as fluorescent lights and LEDs can help people easily spot approaching vehicles and vice versa. In addition, with a new coating over dim, faded or peeling surfaces with bold new colours that reflect light back, residents can effectively multiply the value of their investment as the new luminance of underground garage creates a safe and inviting area.

Present clear markings

The colour scheme seen in parking garages that are up-to-code is the result of coordinating multiple bylaws; for example, municipal property standards, fire code, building code, and health and safety codes.

And while there may be slight differences among municipalities, the common requirements specify that:

Ceilings and walls are to be devoid of cracks, holes and loose paint.
Ceilings and vertical surfaces, such as walls and pillars, must be painted white, with a 60 cm black dado on all perimeter walls, bays and pillars.
Overhead pipes, which are often uncoated and left to rust, are required to be colour-coded and protected from corrosion. Ensuring that pipes are maintained and marked correctly is important to visually differentiate plumbing, gas and sprinkler pipes.
Emergency exits must be clearly indicated with highly visible signage and painted green. Providing clear directions towards the exits, as well as signage and directional arrows indicating the flow of traffic, will help reduce wandering in the garage, as well as help ensure traffic flows in the right direction.

Provide an anti-slip surface

Bare concrete can become a slip hazard on floors, ramps and stairs, especially on rainy days and from snow transported inside during the winter months. Installing an epoxy or other specialty anti-slip coating is an effective way to provide residents and visitors with the grip they need, whether they are driving or walking.

Advantages of a well-maintained garage

Decreased maintenance costs: Investing in the maintenance of an underground garage can help reduce unexpected repair bills and keep costs manageable. Certain specialty coatings may help reduce problems associated with moisture, which is often the cause of chipping, cracking, cratering and rust found in underground garages. They may also protect against stains from motor oil, anti-freeze, as well as other chemical fluids from leaky vehicles—making floors easier to clean and maintain.

Health and Safety: Adequate lighting, colour-coded walls, pipes and other surfaces, as well as proper signage and anti-slip coating are all great ways to ensure the safety of visitors and residents while also reducing the potential liability of the corporation.

Planning parking garage maintenance

Timing: While an underground garage project can be completed at any time during which the temperature is consistently above 5 C, early in the year is best, before the annual spring clean up. Because the surface preparation involves sanding rusting pipes, scraping loose paint chips and power washing the ceiling and vertical surfaces, scheduling the annual garage cleaning after the painting will ensure that any remaining debris is cleared away. It is also easier to obtain street parking permits in the spring before road closures due to festivals, marathons or road construction begins.

Contractors: Like any coating system, preparation is key to a quality finish. Even premium products may fail when the surface is not prepared thoroughly. Underground garages are not painted often, so it is important to ensure that contractors are experienced and have references to back up their work to achieve the most value. Quality contractors may cost a little more but are better equipped to deliver a quality finish, while staying on schedule to minimize resident disruption.

Holden Johnson is manager of business development and marketing at ArmourCo Solutions.

Nova Scotia adds new protocols for showing rental units

The Province of Nova Scotia has announced new protocols for showing residential rental units and rental properties during the third wave of COVID-19.

Effective May 21, 2021, a ministerial directive under the Emergency Management Act now requires landlords to gain residential tenants’ consent for in-person showings for the purpose of renting, or in cases where the property is being sold. This applies to rental houses and rental units in buildings and dwellings covered under the Residential Tenancies Act.

If a tenant chooses not to allow in-person viewings, they must allow the landlord, and up to one other person, entry into the rental unit to film or photograph the property for virtual viewings. The landlord must give notice to the tenant a minimum of 24 hours before entry.

“The changes being made will help ensure the health and safety of tenants, landlords and potential tenants, while still allowing essential business to take place,” said Patricia Arab, Minister of Service Nova Scotia and Internal Services. “The new directive will help to strengthen our collective efforts to fight the third wave of COVID-19.”

In addition, the goverment reiterates that public health protocols must be followed during in-person viewings of residential rental units.

The minister’s directive will be in effect until June 30 unless extended. Click here for more information: Direction-of-Minister-Residential-Tenancies-Virtual-Showing.pdf (novascotia.ca)

LeftBank condo in River District launching in June

The 34-storey LeftBank condo in the Don River area of Toronto is launching next month, ahead of an eight-month closure of the soon-to-be upgraded Don Valley River Trail.

There will be an estimated 388 residential units once complete. This is Broccolini’s second condo in the River District. River & Fifth was launched in spring 2019 and is currently under construction near River and Dundas Street East.

“While you are minutes from the hustle and bustle of downtown’s financial district, there is this serene natural beauty and calmness you get from being adjacent to the surrounding ravine, trails, and water,” said Phil Brennen, vice-president of real estate development at Broccolini. “We are fortunate to have two projects that back on the Don, giving us the opportunity create a complete community in one neighbourhood block, and make a strong visual impact to the east end skyline.”

The Montreal-based developer envisions new community infrastructure for the neighbourhood, with widened, tree-lined streets, boutique retail spaces designed to host cafes, mom-and-pop shops, and other services. Through a new pedestrian walkway that links the community to Bayview Avenue, residents will be able to seamlessly connect to the Don Valley River Trail and navigate to neighbouring green spaces like Riverdale Park East and West, Corktown Common, and Evergreen Brick Works.

Amenity program

Spanning more than 15,000 indoor-and-outdoor square feet, amenities include an outdoor terrace with views of the east waterfront, a co-working space, kid’s room, a speak easy, fully equipped fitness studio with a separate yoga studio, meditation room, and juice bar, a gaming lounge, tool annex, and a pet spa.

A smart home system, “Home by Broccolini “will further support a connected life for residents, with the ability to use an app to lock doors, access amenity spaces, allow visitors entry, detect leaks, and more.

Interior suites are designed with both nature-inspired wellness and city-living in mind. Ranging from studios to three-bedrooms, finishes include wood tones, colour blocking and ceramic backsplashes, culminating in retro-Italian inspired kitchen designs.

Cornelia Oberlander passes at age 99

Canadian landscape architecture icon Cornelia Oberlander has died at the age of 99. A leader in sustainable design, a pioneer of green roofs, she was in practice for more than 70 years based in Vancouver, B.C.

Her notable projects include the New York Times building courtyard (with HMWhite), the Canadian Chancery in Washington, D.C., the National Gallery of Canada in Ottawa, the Canadian Embassy in Berlin, and numerous projects in Vancouver.

Vancouver residents and visitors continue to benefit from Oberlander’s dream of ‘green cities’ that infuse rural and urban harmony.

Her contributions to Vancouver’s public spaces include iconic logs as seating on our public beaches (1963), Robson Square (1983), the Vancouver Public Library Central Branch rooftop garden (1995), and the VanDusen Botanical Garden Visitor Centre (2011). She also designed landscapes for the Vancouver General Hospital burn unit garden, and UBC’s Museum of Anthropology and the C. K. Choi Building.

Oberlander also made her mark nationally and internationally. She designed landscapes for non-market housing and playgrounds across the country, and helped draft national guidelines for the creation of play spaces in Canada.

She was a highly-decorated, award-winning design professional whose influence has earned her the ranking of Companion of the Order of Canada, the highest level of the Order of Canada.

Oberlander’s passing comes after Vancouver City Council voted to bestow her posthumously with the prestigious Freedom of the City Award, which recognizes “individuals who have gained national or international acclaim in their field and brought recognition to Vancouver through their work.”

“Cornelia Oberlander was one of Vancouver’s most renowned Jewish residents, and during Jewish Heritage Month this May, we honour her outstanding accomplishments in bringing world-class landscape design to Canada, and to Vancouver in particular,” said Mayor Kennedy Stewart. “On behalf of council, I extend my deepest sympathies to her family and friends. May her memory be a blessing.”

A funeral was held at the Temple Sholom Cemetery in Vancouver, which she designed, on Monday May 24, 2021. A video of the service is available online.