Sensors to monitor air pollution on UBC campus

UBC’s Rapid Air Improvement Network (RAIN) is installing a network of air quality sensors on the campus this summer, with plans to also use mobile monitoring and sophisticated analysis instruments to locate and study air pollutants.

The goal is to gather necessary details for fast and effective interventions. Air pollution is linked to as many as nine million deaths per year worldwide and 14,000 annually in Canada.

The team plans to leverage the university’s traffic, population and operations data, which can be quickly tuned to improve air quality. The mobile monitoring station will be used further away, including communities affected by wildfires and other areas in urgent need.

The data will be translated into effective interventions, including control strategies for engines, traffic flow and building ventilation.

“Air pollution is chemically and physically complex, and concentrations outdoors and indoors can vary dramatically with location and over time,” said principal investigator Dr. Steven Rogak, a professor of mechanical engineering in the faculty of applied science. “With RAIN, we are looking to produce meaningful information that can help the public, industry and governments take smarter actions on health and climate around the world.”

The RAIN team includes experts in health, chemistry, meteorology, engineering and environmental policy, working with academic, government and industry partners. The project is receiving $2 million in new infrastructure funding from the federal government through the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI).

Rogak, an aerosols expert, adds that air quality has become even more important in the midst of the ongoing COVID-19 crisis.

“We are looking for solutions that improve air quality and promote healthy homes and workplaces through the current pandemic, and after,” he said. “And they should be relevant not only in Canada but also beyond, including in lower-income countries.”

New office supply poses backfill challenges

An influx of new office supply was always expected to shake up the status quo in Toronto’s downtown commercial real estate market given that approximately two-thirds of the 8+ million square feet of space currently under construction is already preleased. However, prospects for backfilling were perhaps viewed with less trepidation entering 2020 when the downtown Class A vacancy rate floated around 2 per cent.

A year of pandemic-related upheaval, which saw a fourfold increase in sublet space and the Class A vacancy rate climb to 5.5 per cent, now has commercial landlords more nervously contemplating demand trends as many tenants look to retrench or at least reassess their future space needs. Although the source of this uncertainty may be extraordinary, industry veterans note the scenario itself is far from novel.

“Too much new supply coming at the wrong time has always been the office sector’s Achilles heel,” Paul Morassutti, vice chair, valuation and advisory services, with CBRE Canada, reflected during a recent online presentation accompanying the release of the firm’s 2021 market forecast.

CBRE’s 2020 fourth quarter statistics for 10 major Canadian markets show that the vast proportion of in-progress office space is slated for Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal with Toronto host to 9.1 million square feet or slightly more than half of what’s under construction. Toronto’s share of new downtown office space is even higher, representing more than 67 per cent of downtown construction nationwide and equivalent to about 10 per cent of the city’s existing downtown office inventory.

Vancouver has 61 per cent less space under construction, but it’s set to make a bigger dent in the city’s smaller inventory. The approximately 3.5 million square feet of new office supply in progress is equivalent to 14.5 per cent of the current net rentable area downtown. CBRE pegged the downtown Class A vacancy rate at 4.2 per cent as of Q4 2020, up 100 basis points from Q3 and 210 basis points from Q4 2019.

With most informed determination indicating that a portion of the pre-pandemic workforce will permanently vacate formal office accommodations, Morassutti warned there is likely to be a larger and longer-lasting glut than investors envisioned 12 to 18 months ago. Even with no new supply pending and complete employment recovery, economic growth and job creation would be needed to attain pre-pandemic occupancy levels. CBRE’s modelling concludes the dual impact of off-site work and new supply could give rise to as much as a 4 per cent jump in Toronto’s downtown office vacancy rate.

“We can say without equivocation, remote work is here to stay. Virtually every tenant survey supports this. The physical office will absolutely continue to be part of the future of work, but it will be designed to support more flexibility and choice. It will have to incentivize people to come in,” Morassutti maintained. “The issue is: what impact would a 10 per cent reduction in demand have on long-term vacancy? After all, the retail sector has been completely upended by the movement of just 10 to 15 per cent of sales to online platforms.”

Smaller deals, longer lease-up schedules, lower rents anticipated

Findings from Altus Group’s November 2020 survey of 85 commercial real estate executives verify that many asset and property managers are readying for more challenging times. About 35 per cent of the respondents will see lease terms expire for 5 to 20 per cent of the office space in their portfolios during 2021, and another 2 per cent face rollover of more than 20 per cent of office holdings. Upwards of 60 per cent of respondents expect market rents will drop for high-quality office space and more than 75 per cent predict falling rents for lower-calibre space.

A majority — 57 per cent — expect tenants will adjust their space requirements downward in the future because more staff will be working from home, but relatively few foresee shrinkage of more than 20 per cent. Meanwhile, 57 per cent of respondents predicted it would take nine to 12 months to lease high-quality space — a notable upward adjustment in expectations from the 34 per cent who foresaw that timetable when questioned in June 2020. Similarly, respondents generally voiced less confidence in their tenant retention ratios.

“Overall, leasing activity in Q4 was very low in general, especially in the central business district, and not expected to pick up until workers return to the office,” accompanying Altus analysis concludes. “Lower quality assets, especially older Class B and C downtown buildings, will suffer the most from flight to quality and structural vacancy (space never being backfilled).”

Nevertheless, Morassutti offers some hopeful qualifiers.

“We added almost 5 million square feet of new supply in Toronto beginning in 2008 in the midst of the global financial crisis and another 6 million square feet beginning in 2013 and, quite frankly, the market outperformed virtually all vacancy forecasts both times,” he recalled. “Despite the many doomsday forecasts that we see, Vancouver and Toronto still have the lowest vacancy rates in North America. Montreal and Ottawa are in the top five.”

Pre-pandemic trends to be retained, discarded or modified in the recovery

Looking to the broader economy, Benjamin Tal, deputy chief economist with CIBC world markets, joined Morassutti in the online forum to reiterate that COVID-19’s wallop is not a conventional recession. He sees the seeds of a strong and rapid recovery in its uniquely slight blow to goods-producing sectors, the comparatively easier reactivation of the services sector and pent-up demand from consumers with higher incomes who have been stockpiling earnings over the past year.

“We are sitting on $19 billion of excess cash. This is the story of this recession. The abnormality is that there is a huge amount of money sitting, seeking, waiting for a correction,” Tal asserted. “I believe, in a relatively short period of time, we will see a significant amount of spending. The economic boost is that this spending will be going not to goods, but to services — exactly where the jobs are needed.”

That spending momentum has already been channelled to residential real estate, in particular pushing up housing prices outside of large urban centres. Tal charted the steeper rate of increases in areas peripheral to large cities, but cautioned that a post-pandemic rebalancing of work routines could rein in some more far-flung markets.

“Maybe today your current employer is fine with you working from home. What about your next one? If you move to a remote area two or three hours’ drive from Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal under the assumption that you will be working from home fulltime, that’s a big risk,” he submitted. “You will see some people will have to rent an apartment in the city because they will be back in the office at least a few days a week.”

For now, many investors, asset and property managers are grappling with the challenge of differentiating temporary routines and lasting trends, especially while daily life is still largely in the grips of the pandemic interlude. Few commercial real estate insiders realistically await a full reversion to the 2019 way of working, but it is equally unlikely that the vast majority of workers and consumers have fully embraced a life bereft of social interaction.

Some people may move to locales where they can live more affordably and upgrade their housing options, but, once there, look to replicate other aspects of the lives they’ve left behind. That could mean demand for pedestrian-oriented development, experiential retail and other functions and amenities associated with urban downtowns.

“Increasingly, the office will become less of a commodity and more of a consumer product, and like every consumer product, the office will have to continue to fight for its customers and meet their needs because those customers have options,” Morassutti speculated. “One uncomfortable question that we should be asking ourselves is: Who said the old office was that great to begin with?”

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

Bassett named new CCA board chair

Ray Bassett is the new chair of the 2021-22 Canadian Construction Association (CCA) board of directors.

Bassett, who was named chair at the association’s annual general meeting, takes over from outgoing chair Joe Wrobel.

Bassett is the vice president and chief underwriting officer at Travelers Insurance Company of Canada, where he manages client relationships with national and larger regional construction companies, leads strategic initiatives in product development and technology, and guides the business strategy of the Construction Services Group for Travelers in North America.

A 37-year veteran of the construction surety industry, Bassett has led both claims and underwriting practices for leading national surety companies in Canada and is focused on improving collaboration and value among stakeholders in the construction industry, including public and private project owners, the construction and project finance lending community, financial ratings agencies, consultants, the construction law bar, and the surety industry.

Bassett joined the CCA board of directors in 2010 and has chaired the Manufacturers, Suppliers and Services Council and an executive committee on federal prompt payment which was instrumental in having industry concerns and recommendations addressed in the federal Prompt Payment for Construction Work Act.

“(We need) a long-term federal infrastructure plan that is evidence-based, and is better aligned with the needs and priorities of provincial and municipal governments, and has a clear and uncluttered funding mechanism. This will bring more public and private projects to the market in a more predictable flow,” said Bassett. “This is good for our industry and good for Canada.”

CCA’s 2021-22 board of directors are:

Jean François Arbour, president, Groupe SCV;
Andrew Arnill, operations manager, West-Can Seal Coating Asphalt Products;
David Bowcott, global director, growth, innovation & insight, AON;
Rob Carvell, COO, Trane;
Charles Caza, senior vice-president, general counsel and corporate secretary, Bird Construction;
Nicole Chabot, vice president, L. Chabot Enterprises Ltd.;
Leslie Doka, director of construction, Wright Construction;
Trevor Doucette, vice president stakeholder management, Graham Construction & Engineering;
Wayne Ferguson, senior vice president, EllisDon Corporation;
John Flemming, president, Ocean Contractors;
Nadine Fullarton, president, CANB, Moncton Northeast;
Eric Gaulin, president & CEO, Telecon;
Quentin Huillery, COO, Ledcor;
Russ Kerr, branch general manager, Vipond;
Branden Kotyk, division manager, Western Canada, Victaulic;
Patrick Lafrenière, director of projects, Atlantic, JCB Construction Canada;
John Mollenhauer, president and CEO, Toronto Construction Association;
Brendan Nobes, director major projects, Rcs; and
Francis Roy, president, Groupe Humaco.

A missing condo governance best practice

What is the first thing that comes to mind when we think about a condominium? The response can vary significantly depending on whom you ask. The same level of diversity in potential responses is a mirror reflection of the nuances that compose the institution of condo governance. Where there are people, there is conflict. Where there is conflict, there is politics.

Condos are filled with people. The ability to navigate the political processes of a condo can be very challenging. The magnitude of diverse (and competing) interests, egos and money that are involved in the industry replicates that of a government, a microcosm of the macrocosm. Yet, it is a very unique and distinct political animal, especially when trying to navigate it.

A condominium is a nonprofit corporation, quasi-administered through government regulatory bodies, with elected officers who are also shareholders of the corporation. These dynamics are what give rise to the designated term “condoland,” and also why governing such a unique institution necessitates governance best practices.

One of the unique elements of condo governance is the fact that there are elections held every year at the AGM. This presents both challenges and opportunities, depending on whom you ask. Most governments require much longer than 12 months to accomplish planning and administering their agendas. These processes often require years. With condo boards dealing with changes in directors on an annual or sometimes bi-annual basis (depending on term durations), this presents a significant challenge, especially when newly elected directors join with competing interests or agendas they want to introduce. In addition, you have the AGM input from unit owners that the board is expected to act upon as quickly as possible.

The stakeholder who traditionally becomes overwhelmed by this process ends up being the property manager, tasked with having to navigate these political dynamics, in addition to the maintenance and operations of the facility, not to mention community engagement.

When looking at options for ensuring a successful onboarding and transition of newly elected directors, it’s best to look at what other institutions with similar processes implement as best practice. Looking at non-profit, corporate and government institutions, there is a best practice that is used when onboarding newly elected officials to an executive governing body, and is coincidentally not practiced in the condominium sector. That practice is board orientations.

The practice of board orientations

Non-profit corporations dedicate full days to exclusively focus on orientation workshops with a new board, often done so annually to coincide with a new term. These workshops allow directors to understand one another’s individual interests and goals for their term, and also review what the organization’s overall goals are for the term ahead, so that everyone is on the same page and has a clear understanding. In the corporate sector, the same concepts are implemented. Executive boards go off on weekend retreats dedicated for the same purpose. Informal meetings, with the help of external facilitators at times, ensure each director understands the macro goals for the year of the term ahead. These retreats are in essence a board orientation.

Governments do the same. At the federal and provincial levels, when cabinet ministers are appointed, the entire cabinet—acting as the executive authority of the government—meet as a group, at times for extended periods. This is to ensure they concur with the agenda of the governing party and how they are going to move forward with their executive road map. It is another form of a board orientation, an executive governing body ensuring its representatives have a clear understanding of what the goals and priorities will be for the term ahead and their designated responsibilities in achieving those goals. The practice of board orientations, particularly after AGMs, is not implemented as a standard governance best practice across condoland, but it should be.

This is where there is tremendous opportunity to help navigate the unique political dynamics of condo governance. Conducting board orientation meetings immediately after AGMs (within one to two weeks) provides the opportunity for board members to share their individual priorities and gain a better understanding of one another. All it takes is one new director to get elected to have a completely new board composition.

Board orientations also help prioritize the feedback of unit owners from the AGM and organize them as part of the agenda for the term ahead in an efficient manner. Implementing this subtle best practice in the form of an informal orientation meeting can go a very long way in alleviating the burdens of navigating the unique political animal that is condoland.

Alexander Ramirez is a principal at CondoHarmony Inc. He holds a combined honours BA in political science and labour studies from McMaster University and a graduate certificate in dispute resolution from York University. His specialized practice focuses on proactive dispute resolution with administrative board governance. [email protected]

Nominations open for Canada’s Best Restroom 2021

It’s that time of year again when Cintas Canada is seeking nominations for Canada’s Best Restroom.

In their quest to identify the best washroom in the country, Cintas is asking the public if they know a business with an awesome washroom, or if you think your own business facility has what it takes to “own the throne”.

Nominations for deserving washrooms are now open at bestrestroom.com/ca until May 14, 2021.

The annual Canada’s Best Restroom contest highlights businesses that have invested in developing and maintaining exceptional washrooms.

“With hygiene concerns being top of mind these days, the message behind the contest couldn’t be more relevant,” said Candice Raynsford, Marketing Manager, Cintas Canada. “Being a finalist in this contest really is a rewarding accomplishment. It drives exposure to the business as it acknowledges their commitment to customer service.”

Last year’s winner, the Westview RV Park in Alberta, won after a recent renovation which focused on giving its customers the five-star treatment.

“It was an incredible honour to be recognized by Cintas Canada for the clean and comfortable washrooms we created for our customers,” said Carol Crick, co-owner and operator, Westview RV Park. “Being named a finalist at the start of the camping season last year helped us attract new customers. The recognition we’ve received since winning has carried over into the upcoming season and generated great exposure for our company.”

Nominees for the 2021 contest will be judged on five criteria:

cleanliness
visual appeal
innovation
functionality
unique design elements

Cintas will select five finalists in June and ask the public to vote for the 2021 grand prize winner. The winner will receive $2,500 in facility services from the company to help maintain their award-winning washrooms.

For contest updates, fun facts and washroom trivia, “Like” Canada’s Best Restroom on Facebook.

For more information about the Canada’s Best Restroom contest, contact Christina Alvarez at [email protected] or 708-908-0898.

Minto’s latest condo a geoexchange first

Minto Communities GTA will debut its first multi-residential geoexchange energy system with the launch of North Oak condo, the fourth phase of the Oakvillage community, in Oakville, Ontario.

Geothermal technology is picking up steam in the high-rise residential industry. It reduces carbon emissions and shields residents from rising utility costs through the harnessing of renewable ground source energy. Resident comfort is also enhanced. Because the geoexchange system provides year-round heating and cooling, there is no system “switchover” between seasons.

The system is designed so that future towers of the Oakvillage community can also be connected, creating a community energy system aligned with goals set out in the Town of Oakville’s Community Energy Plan.

“It is a very proud moment for Minto Communities GTA to launch North Oak, which also marks our first project that will offer community energy through a geoexchange system that significantly reduces carbon emissions and enhances the value provided to our residents,” said Roya Khaleeli, director of sustainability and innovation, Minto Communities GTA.

“Oakville is a really special town, and our site is surrounded by so much natural beauty that there was no question North Oak’s design would create seamless connections to the outdoors and push the envelope on sustainability.

North Oak will rise to 20 storeys and 207 units, located at Trafalgar Road. and Dundas Street East. Starting at mid $400,000, suites will offer one-bedrooms, lofts, two-bedrooms, two-bedrooms and dens.

Social connections and biophilic design

Architect BDP Quadrangle designed a vertical tower juxtaposed with horizontal massing, set back from the street to be pedestrian friendly. The façade utilizes articulation, metal accents, and precast brick to provide tactility to the project, creating a line that reflects the neighbouring developments and respects the surrounding low-rise community.

The condo will also feature BDP Quadrangle’s Neighbourhood Nest concept. A double-height ceiling atrium will connect the lobbies of North Oak and its sister building. Designed to be a social space where residents can meet and socialize, the Neighbourhood Nest also serves as a resilient feature with a back-up power connection, communications system, and critical goods refrigeration for use during emergencies.

Director of Innovation at BDP Quadrangle Michelle Xuereb said sustainability and resiliency were top-of-mind.

“As we’ve seen in the last year, there will always be times of unpredictability, where community members will need access to deeper support,” she said. “The Neighbourhood Nest is our response to this human need. It’s a flexible space which will be used every day casually, but it’s also there and ready to serve during times of turbulence.”

Expansive glass walls will border the Neighbourhood Nest to showcase the surrounding amenity program. There will be two party rooms including one which extends onto an outdoor terrace with pergola, barbecues and seating overlooking the pond, a fitness centre, pet wash, bike repair and wash, and a coworking space lounge. Outside, a 1.5 kilometre multi-use trail will weave throughout as a way of bumping up resident connections.

Inside North Oak, an expansive planter filled with native species on the ground floor will greet residents as they enter the lobby, surrounded by raised seating. The two-storey glass walls connect residents to the abundant green spaces on the exterior, showcasing Athabasca Pond.

Interiors by Figure3 use calming light tones and natural materials. A variety of palettes include indigo and champagne accent options. The design is elevated by an emphasis on hardware, and large floor-to-ceiling windows. Every suite gives residents a balcony or terrace, continuing to extend the connection to outdoor living.

North Oak will be located on the north portion of the Oakvillage master-planned community, which is connected to nearly 300 kilometres of woodland trails. Once completed, Oakvillage will offer a mix of traditional, back-to-back and rear lane townhomes and condos.

New roads leading into the community will prioritize and maximize pedestrian comfort, using decorative paving to slow down passing cars, while a new bicycle path will run along Trafalgar Road.

National Cleaning Week returns to elevate and celebrate the industry

The annual National Cleaning Week event returns from March 28 to April 3, 2021 with the aim of helping to change the way the world views cleaning.

The 2021 event, organized by ISSA, will offer countless ways for industry professionals to celebrate the value of clean, recognize frontline essential workers, explore training opportunities, support charitable causes, and more.

The industry is also invited to attend the Virtual Clean Advocacy Summit on March 30-31, 2021.

“National Cleaning Week is a time to recognize the ongoing efforts of frontline cleaning professionals, provide essential workers with opportunities for growth, advocate for our industry, and support ISSA Charities efforts,” said ISSA Executive Director John Barrett. “Whether you’re new to the industry or have been a part of it for years, we hope you will join us and help push the industry forward at a time when it is needed most.”

This year’s National Cleaning Week will be built upon three pillars:

Advocacy: The Virtual Clean Advocacy Summit is a two-day event that brings together manufacturers, distributors, building service contractors, and residential cleaners to learn about public policy issues affecting the industry, like the Clean Start Tax Credit. The industry is essential in the fight against COVID-19 and the Summit will provide guidance on how to engage with elected officials and become an Advocate for Clean.
Education: From certification through ISSA’s Cleaning Management Institute to a vast catalog of educational courses, ISSA offers a wide range of training opportunities. With new information frequently emerging during the pandemic, it is imperative that industry members have access to expert knowledge and can further professionalize their organizations and their staff through certification.
Charity: ISSA Charities, which encompasses Cleaning for a Reason, ISSA Hygieia Network, and ISSA Scholars, needs support to continue making the world a cleaner, healthier, better place to live. National Cleaning Week is an ideal time for everyone to consider ways they can contribute to charities that have a positive impact on the industry and beyond.

“The pandemic has presented many challenges for our industry and for the people who rely on cleaning expertise, products, and services,” added Barrett. “We are excited to take a moment to celebrate just how far the industry has come in the last year and to envision where the next year will take us.”

For more information about National Cleaning Week, visit https://www.issa.com/advocacy/get-involved/advocacy-events.

Meanwhile, ISSA has also announced that it is planning to return to an in-person ISSA Show North America for 2021.

Telus Sky home to fastest elevators in the West

Three of the residential elevators at the Telus Sky building in Calgary are the fastest in Western Canada, moving at 1,600 feet per minute (fpm). TK Elevator Canada completed the installation of a total of 17 elevators in December 2020.

At 729 feet tall, Telus Sky is the third tallest building in Calgary and is one the 20 tallest buildings in Canada.

“While many people associate tall buildings in Canada with Toronto, there has been a significant increase in high-rise buildings throughout Western Canada as urbanization demands are inspiring developers to create the vertical cities of tomorrow in places like Vancouver, Edmonton and Calgary,” says Blaine Coupal, president and CEO, TK Elevator Canada. “Calgary is a very special area for us, and we are truly grateful that our state-of-the-art elevator systems are helping safely transport so many people to heights previously thought unimaginable in the region.”

Developed by Telus Corporation and 7^th Avenue Sky Partnership, the building was designed by Bjarke Ingels Group and Dialog. Construction began in February 2015. In addition to the office and residential spaces, Telus Sky features a dynamic LED display on the building’s northern and southern facades known as Northern Lights, the largest public art fixture in Canada.

7^th Avenue Sky Partnership is also pursuing LEED Platinum certification for Telus Sky, which would make the facility the most environmentally sustainable building in Canada over 650 feet in height.

TK Elevator Canada is involved in many of the top high-rise commercial buildings and residential towers in Calgary, including Brookfield Place East, the tallest building in Calgary at 810 feet tall. TK Elevator is also responsible for the elevator systems for the West Village Towers A and B, which will help comprise Calgary’s tallest multi-residential mixed-use development at more than 42 floors each.

The fastest elevators in the Western Hemisphere are located at One World Trade Center in New York City. TK Elevator designed and supplied the elevators at One World Trade Center, which can travel at speeds up to 2,000 fpm.

EllisDon’s Western Civil group operates separately

EllisDon‘s Western Civil Group has separated out from under the Buildings Group umbrella to operate as a separate entity and region serving Alberta and British Columbia.

The new group will be led by Colin Hill, vice president of Western Civil, EllisDon. Hill is a 20-year veteran in civil construction and will work with a hand-selected team of industry experts.

Over the past five years, Hill has been actively developing the Western Civil team under the Calgary Buildings Group with the intention of becoming an independent entity at the right time.

“I am incredibly excited to lead our deeply talented civil team as we take on our own area of responsibility in Western Canada. I am very proud of the civil team we have built over the years, and our achievements as a group in a short period of time are an indication of even greater things to come,” said Hill.

Western Civil will focus on transit, infrastructure, environmental and small civil projects and will operate out of EllisDon’s already established hub centres in Western Canada.

Major projects include the Edmonton Valley Line LRT, West Calgary Ring Road, Bowfort Road Interchange, Airport Trail Tunnel, and the Glenmore and Bearspaw Water Treatment Plant Upgrades.

“Our team is focused on collaboration with the buildings groups in Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver and we commit to work collectively in these areas to deliver a broader range of construction services and market share,” said Hill.

Western Civil will lean on their self-performing concrete form, place and finish capability for increased competitiveness across the region.

Arts Umbrella opens new education facility in April

Arts Umbrella is opening its brand-new arts education facility this April on Granville Island in Vancouver.

The 50,000 net-square-foot space more than triples the organization’s current space, providing children and youth with expanded programming and studio spaces and, for the first time ever, welcoming the public to on-site performances and exhibitions presented by young people in art and design; dance; and theatre, music and film.

The initial building design was completed in 1995 by award-winning architecture firm Patkau Architects, with the current repurposing led by Henriquez Partners Architects and consultants BTY Group (project management).

Arts Umbrella’s new home will serve as a model for arts education across North America, significantly increasing the non-profit’s capacity to work with school boards, community centres, and neighbourhood houses to provide transformative experiences for vulnerable young people in our community.

The organization currently reaches more than 24,000 young people across Metro Vancouver annually and, within the next 3-5 years, the new core facility will reach approximately 15,000 children and youth each year through tuition-based programs and performances, as well as community programs, distance learning, bursaries, and scholarships.

The building will house six spacious dance studios; four theatre, music and film studios with specialized technical and audio equipment; 10 art and design studios, including state-of-the-art media labs and a photography darkroom; a 132-seat theatre; a public exhibition space; and a dedicated workshop area for woodworking, stagecraft building and general fabrication that will enhance capacity to train future industry professionals.

“As Canada’s leading non-profit arts education organization for young people, we are inspired to significantly build on the legacy that Arts Umbrella has built over the last four decades,” says Paul Larocque, president and CEO of Arts Umbrella. “Over the past few years, our staff’s hard work, innovations, and programming requirements have steadily pushed against the boundaries of our current space. Now, we have room to support and inspire more young people, proving that creativity really can be limitless.”

Shoring up water conservation practices

When it comes to the push to maintain and bolster sustainability efforts, shoring up your water conservation practices is an important factor.

March 22, 2021 celebrated World Water Day, wherein the United Nations raises awareness of the global water crisis. A core focus of the day is to support the pursuit and achievement of ensuring sustainable water and sanitation for all by 2030.

The theme of this year’s World Water Day was valuing water, which plays such a key role in all areas of life, from households to food, culture to health, education to economics.

It is a key issue for facility managers, too.

Those who actively promote water conservation in their buildings not only help preserve a declining natural resource and protect local ecosystems, but also save energy and lower water costs for their facilities and industries. In the past decade alone, CBS estimates water utility costs have risen over 30 per cent as many cities battle with their ageing infrastructure and dwindling resources.

In celebration of World Water Day, SSC Services for Education shared water conservation tips and strategies for facility managers and service providers at schools and other public buildings.

Here are five ways to improve water conservation in facility operations:

Conduct an irrigation audit

Consider conducting an audit to determine how much of your system is operational and to identify areas where water efficiencies can be implemented. Routine inspections help ensure systems are functioning properly and are not applying water to hard surfaces.

Upgrade to smart controllers and flow sensors

These systems use computerized water models that adjust daily to shift irrigation when there is rainfall or water runoff. Upgrading will alert users to leaks and malfunctions, allowing for timely fixes that can reduce wasted water.

Add sustainable landscape elements

Creating a rain garden can enhance curb appeal, and they are also designed to catch and store rainwater. Designing landscapes with plants that don’t require as much upkeep can also reduce water use and strengthen the surrounding terrain. Examples include adding native plants, making a wildflower grove, or creating a pollinator garden.

Collect sump wastewater

Many facilities and sites interact with water tables and must be pumped to remove water that could damage nearby buildings or cause instability. If the water is safe, it can instead be harvested and used to irrigate the surrounding area rather than being added into the storm or sewer systems.

Take inventory on indoor water usage

While outdoor facility activities largely contribute to water usage, it’s also important to be aware of indoor activities that do the same. Consider converting toilets to low-flow or dual-flush systems, install low-flow faucets where possible, regularly check for water leaks, and always be mindful of running water when washing hands, showering, and even cooking.

Hotel housekeepers now being paid to get COVID-19 vaccine

Companies are beginning to recognize the importance of offering COVID-19 vaccinations, and employees like hotel housekeepers are at the top of the list.

Some major employers are even starting to offer pay as a motivation for workers to get the jab.

The Marriott hotel chain recently announced last week it will begin offering four hours of pay to all employees in Canada and the U.S. who get the vaccine, including hotel housekeepers, reports The Hill. In addition to getting paid time off to receive the injection, the workers will receive education on the vaccine through the hotel chain’s new Vaccination Care Program.

Marriott says it is hopeful that encouraging workers to get vaccinated will help the hospitality industry begin to recover from the economic costs of the pandemic.

According to the U.S. Travel Association, the hospitality industry lost more than 50 per cent of its workforce due to the pandemic.

Marriott isn’t the only company providing such incentives. Others including Wells Fargo, Trader Joe’s, and Instacart are giving frontline workers paid time off.

In Canada, companies like Starbucks have also introduced “vaccine pay” in recent weeks.

There have been calls to make it a wider measure north of the border. Ontario NDP leader Andrea Horwath has called on the government to allow workers to take three paid hours off to get the vaccine.

“I would ask the Premier and the government to make it easy for folks, to take the burden off, to make sure people don’t have to worry about losing pay when they book their appointment to get vaccinated,” said Horwath earlier this month.

Meanwhile, south of the border earlier in 2021, ISSA wrote to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices to ask that the entire cleaning supply chain be given priority access to vaccines in order to safely continue to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.

Sluggish radon testing decried in New Brunswick

At the current pace, New Brunswick Auditor General Kim Adair-MacPherson calculates it will take nearly 23 years to complete radon testing in the provincial public housing portfolio. She concludes that’s an unduly protracted schedule given the concerning levels of contamination found in the 19 per cent of units where tests have already been conducted.

In her 2020 annual report, released in late February, Adair-MacPherson outlined details of the Department of Social Development’s timetable and budget for identifying and remediating units where high concentrations of the radioactive gas are evident. Thus far, that entails a phased three-year scheme — stretching to the end of the 2022-23 — to tackle 284 units where radon levels exceeding Health Canada’s acceptable threshold of 200 becquerels per cubic metre (Bq/m³) have been recorded, along with plans to test 3,645 yet-to-be-assessed dwellings at the rate of 160 units per year.

“If we extrapolate the number of identified contaminated units identified so far, we can estimate that 32.6 per cent of the remaining untested units, or 1,188 units, will test positive for exceeding radon level guidelines and require remediation,” the Auditor General’s report states. “In our view, given the possible health risks of radon, this pace of testing is too slow.”

Exposure to radon is currently considered a factor in about 16 per cent of lung cancer cases. A nationwide Health Canada study of 14,000 homes during 2007-2009 found some of the highest radon concentrations in New Brunswick where nearly 19 per cent of tested homes registered levels between 200 to 600 Bq/m³ and 6 per cent surpassed 600 Bq/m³.

About $1.5 million has been budgeted to reduce radon concentrations in the 284 identified public housing units through a mixture of three remediation approaches:

heat recovery ventilation, in the range of $2,500 to $5,000 per installation;
sub-slab depressurization, at about $4,000 per installation; and
sub-membrane depressurization, at about $10,000 per installation.

The estimate also includes labour costs and approximately $11,400 for post-remediation testing.

Meanwhile, the Auditor General suggests it should cost about $219,000 for the required number of radon test kits, at $60 per kit, to cover the remainder of the public housing portfolio. Logistically, test kits must be in place for a three-month period and, as a best practice, radon testing should occur between late fall and early spring when the weather is cold.

The Auditor General also chides the Department of Social Development for being slow to inform residents of test results. At least six months elapsed before public housing technical service managers were notified on June 1, 2020, with tenants living in the affected units informed still later.

“SD (Social Development) has confirmed as of November 2020, all notices have been distributed. As we were notified of SD’s awareness of the issue in November 2019, we feel there was a lack of timeliness in the issuance of the notices to tenants,” the Auditor General’s report states. “Due to the possible health and safety impact to tenants in contaminated units, in our view this process needs to be completed in a timelier manner in the future.”

New U.K. High Commission aims to be greenest

The new British High Commission in Ottawa, designed by HOK, is a high-performance building that will capture passive solar heat, reduce water usage by 40 per cent, and incorporate locally sourced recycled construction materials.

Additional sustainability features of the LEED Gold-targeted building include extensive daylighting, vehicle charging stations and a program to divert 75 per cent of construction waste for recycling. Ottawa-based Pomerleau has begun construction on the the $35-million project with completion scheduled in 2022.

“We are proud and excited that our new High Commission will be the greenest building in the UK diplomatic network, setting gold standards across the world,” said Susan le Jeune d’Allegeershecque, British Commissioner to Canada. “It will also be less expensive and more efficient to run and maintain in the long term.”

The new three-storey facility will move the British High Commission two kilometers north from a building it has occupied for 60 years in downtown Ottawa. The new location sits adjacent to the commissioner’s official residence on the Earnscliffe National Historic Site. Once the home of Sir John MacDonald, Canada’s first prime minister, the Victorian-style Earnscliffe dates to the mid-1800s and lies in a picturesque setting along Ottawa’s ceremonial route and the banks of the Ottawa River.

“The new High Commission building provides a contemporary foil to Earnscliffe, taking subtle material cues from the home’s limestone facade while projecting a bold, forward-looking vision of modern Britain,” said Andrew Butler, HOK Practice Leader.

“Together the two buildings will consolidate the UK’s official functions in one efficient and compact campus. The building uses discreet security measures and landscaping to ensure safety while enhancing the surrounding public space and the serene, manicured gardens of Earnscliffe.”

Top-up funding supports B.C. women entrepreneurs

Canada announced $1.4 million in additional funding for six recipients in British Columbia to support women entrepreneurs to navigate the pandemic and continue to grow their businesses. This investment represents a top-up to the $6.3 million in Women Entrepreneurship Strategy (WES) funding previously provided to these organizations.

Women entrepreneurs are crucial to Canada’s economic success, and supporting their success is key to ensuring a strong, inclusive recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. As Canada marks the one year anniversary of this crisis, it has never been more important to ensure the economic gains women have made are not lost.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has created many challenges for women entrepreneurs. The Government of Canada is committed to an inclusive and equitable recovery that ensures all Canadians can benefit from a strong, resilient economy. This funding is helping women entrepreneurs adapt and position their businesses for success,” said the Honourable Joyce Murray, Minster of Digital Government and Member of Parliament for Vancouver Quadra.

The top-up funding invests in an ecosystem of organizations that aim to support women entrepreneurs in British Columbia through coaching, mentorship and networking opportunities, especially during the challenges of the past year. The funding also helps businesses start up, scale up and access new markets, which is even more important as the economy recovers from COVID-19.

“The past year has had a disproportionate impact on women business owners, and investing in women entrepreneurs is critical as we look towards economic recovery. Women’s Enterprise Centre is grateful for the recognition of this increased need for support to women-owned businesses. This funding enables us to provide direct support to women across the province, including to entrepreneurs in rural communities as well as immigrant and indigenous women entrepreneurs,” said Jill Earthy, CEO of Women’s Enterprise Centre.

The six organizations are: Community Futures Development Corporation of Fraser Fort George, Community Futures Development Corporation of North Okanagan, Community Futures Development Corporation of Shuswap, Groundswell Education Society, SUCCESS and Women’s Enterprise Centre.

Building construction investment sets record

Total investment in building construction reached a new record in January, according to Statistics Canada.

The total of $16.0 billion is an increase of 2.8 per cent from December, and is based on continued strength in the residential sector. Investment in non-residential construction remained flat for the fourth consecutive month.

On a constant dollar basis, investment in building construction increased 3.0 per cent to $12.6 billion in January.

Residential construction investment continues to rise

Investment in residential construction rose 3.9 per cent to $11.6 billion in January, following a record high in December 2020. Gains were reported in every province except Manitoba. Ontario was the largest contributor, accounting for over one-third of the growth.

A fourth consecutive monthly increase was reported in single-unit construction investment, up 4.0 per cent. With the exception of a large drop in April 2020 related to the COVID-19 pandemic, this component has increased eight times in the last nine months. While Ontario remained as the provincial leader in this component, Nova Scotia and Quebec both reached record highs.

Multi-unit construction investment increased 3.7 per cent on sustained growth in new construction and renovations in large condominium apartment projects. Multi-unit construction investment has been rising in Ontario from May 2020 to January 2021, with the majority of the investment reported in the census metropolitan area of Toronto.

Non-residential construction investment remains flat

Non-residential construction investment held steady for the fourth consecutive month at $4.4 billion in January.

Institutional construction investment rose 0.6 per cent, up in seven provinces, led by Newfoundland and Labrador and Nova Scotia. Renovations to a hospital in Corner Brook, Newfoundland and Labrador, as well as the construction associated with the Nova Scotia Community College, contributed to the growth in these two provinces.

Investment in commercial building construction edged up 0.2 per cent. Increases in five provinces more than offset declines in the other provinces. Investment in Ontario rose for the third consecutive month, attributable to the construction of high-value office buildings in the cities of Toronto and Ottawa, Amazon’s ongoing Project Python in Ottawa, as well as an indoor recreational building in Pickering as part of the planned Durham Live tourist district.

Industrial construction investment dipped 0.4 per cent to $804 million. This was the second consecutive monthly decline, with Alberta (-5.1 per cent) and Manitoba (-2.9 per cent) posting the largest decreases. Investment in this component fell to its lowest level since January 2018, excluding the low level reported in April 2020 related to COVID-19 shutdowns.

Human resources takes on new role during COVID

During pre-pandemic times condominium managers and support staff looked at human resources as the driver of the intake/hiring process and perhaps a department that does other things we never see or hear about. In fact, it might be accurate to say that staff who reports to a high-rise building twenty kilometres from head office never stops to think about human resources once the intake is behind them. But that was pre-COVID-19.

Once a state of emergency was declared and governments at all three levels started rolling out new bylaws and mandates, human resources had no choice but to team up with operational staff to ensure that processes put into place at the remote work sites not only met pandemic operational requirements, but also protected workers. Employers have obligations under the occupational health and safety legislation to keep workers safe. There is also an obligation to keep the workplace safe and this is a joint responsibility between management and the board.

Human resources became a key player on pandemic response teams set up by management companies to identify what restrictions, processes and mandates were needed to continue working, but in a pandemic safe environment. While we can see human resources supporting head office staff, the involvement in operations is, for the most part, something new. Human resources is not the only group seeing their scope widen: boards of directors are also being bombarded with policies and processes they have no control over.

In pre-pandemic times, we worked out site office hours with boards and now we see employers (management companies) mandating that site offices remain closed to resident and director visits. Criteria for reopening offices during the pandemic, mandated by the management company, are no longer up for debate. Directives that management staff are not to attend in-person meetings and the criteria that must be in place should the boards push for these dangerous meetings were delivered to the board, not negotiated.

It’s not just the management company saying and doing this; the government has moved slowly from an educational approach of physical distancing and masks to a more punitive approach with high fines and, in some cases, incarceration. Add to these recommendations from the Condominium Management Regulatory Authority of Ontario on what managers should be doing for their client communities and you have an environment where the persons who are most knowledgeable about the many services covered by the management contract are dictating to the boards what must be done.

When a management company starts dictating how services will be provided, support from human resources is a must. Imagine the pressure that the manager is under from the client to open the office on one hand and, on the other hand, the employer placing what might appear as restrictive conditions on that opening. The manager looks at the board as their quasi-employer and their real employer as being at odds. Residents wanting to come to the office, getting too close to concierge, heightened emotions because of the pandemic—all of this is a recipe for manager burn-out.

Again, we have to look to human resources to offer emotional and mental support venues for staff, talk about and clarify corporate directives on staying home with kids when no daycare is available, remote working policies, information resources and so on. Human resources now has an obligation to communicate on a regular basis (weekly is good) to all staff, head office and field operations, not just to offer tips and resources but to offer a means of communication that offers the field staff a means to reconnect with their employer. New regulations disallow litigation against a firm or organization as long as the firm or organization has taken reasonable steps to protect workers and workplaces.

Better managers and boards will take a serious look in the post-pandemic period to ascertain what went well, where the process may have broken down and, consequently, this joint governance team should prepare an updated emergency preparedness plan for working and living through a pandemic. Human resource professionals will most certainly be analyzing steps taken during this pandemic and updating pandemic control plans. We shouldn’t be looking at this as a one-time event. Scientists are saying that we may see more and more viruses and pandemics going forward. Will you be ready?

Murray Johnson, GL, CCI (Hon’s) is vice-president of client operations at Crossbridge Condominium Services Ltd and president of CCI-Toronto and Area Chapter.

Smaller deals, longer lease-up schedules, lower rents anticipated

Pre-pandemic trends to be retained, discarded or modified in the recovery

The practice of board orientations

Residential construction investment continues to rise

Non-residential construction investment remains flat

Heat Happens: Lessons on Cooling and Comfort

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