University of Guelph receives Legacy Project Award

The University of Guelph is the recipient of the CSLA Legacy Project Award (2017) for the creation and implementation of its original 1965 master plan.

The CSLA Legacy Project Award is intended to recognize distinguished landscape architecture projects which were forward-thinking for their time, contribute significantly to their communities, showed leadership and innovation, and are still relevant examples of excellence in the profession of landscape architecture. The Legacy Project Award honours projects which have left and continue to leave a lasting impact on Canada’s landscape.

“This is a gratifying award and wonderful recognition for the University of Guelph,” said Kevin Golding, chair of the University’s Board of Governors and chair of the Master Plan Steering Committee. “We take great pride in our University’s heritage, beauty and environment, especially our public open spaces and natural gardens.”

Completed in 1965, the University’s original master plan emphasized a pedestrian-oriented environment and social spaces, while respecting history and nature and promoting construction innovation and sustainability. The plan also reinforced the University’s important role in the City of Guelph.

The CSLA award jury highlighted the plan’s tree-defined walkways and streets, and such innovations as the underground steam-heating system and brick detailing over asphalt to meet winter conditions and lengthen the system’s lifetime.

The original master plan was developed and implemented by the landscape architecture firm of Project Planning Associates Ltd. It has been revised every five to 10 years to accommodate campus growth and changes.

The 1965 campus plan is now 51 years old and remains a vital document that will guide the university for many years to come.

B.C. Privacy Commissioner launches investigation

Acting Information and Privacy Commissioner Drew McArthur is investigating whether landlords in British Columbia are asking prospective tenants for too much personal information.

“My office receives several calls each week from individuals who have been asked by potential landlords for sensitive personal information including medical data, T4 slips, or copies of bank statements,” said McArthur. “Low vacancy rates in Victoria and Vancouver create a significant power imbalance in favour of landlords, so renters are reluctant to assert their privacy rights and jeopardize their housing options. Landlords, whether renting a basement suite or managing a multi-unit complex, are subject to B.C.’s privacy laws. They may need to verify identity or employment income, but they may only collect what is reasonable. They cannot ask for whatever personal information they want.”

The Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner for B.C. has guidelines for landlords and tenants online at oipc.bc.ca/guidance/guidance-documents/

For this investigation, the Acting Commissioner asked several private sector landlords and rental management companies what information they require from renters and how, specifically, they use that information. The Commissioner also requested information from several public sector landlords, including B.C. Housing, the Capital Regional Housing Corporation, and Metro Vancouver.

When complete, the report will be available online: oipc.bc.ca

Ottawa’s Constitution Square sold in joint venture

The Greystone Real Estate Strategy (Greystone), Canderel and Canstone Realty Advisors have purchased Constitution Square, one of the largest Class AA office complexes in downtown Ottawa.

Greystone will be the majority owner of this LEED Platinum-certified office and retail complex. Canderel will act as both the property and leasing manager and Canstone Realty Advisors will act as asset manager and provide advisory services.

Constitution Square is an eight-minute walk to Parliament Hill and is located at 340-350-360 Albert Street. It was constructed in three phases between 1986 and 2007 and now totals more than one million square feet of net rentable area across three office towers. It occupies an entire 2.47-acre city block bounded by major downtown thoroughfares Albert, Slater, Kent and Lyon Streets.

“Constitution Square represents a strategic opportunity for our institutional clients and we are extremely pleased that this latest acquisition enhances our significant investment position in the Ottawa area,” said Ted Welter, managing director and chief investment officer, Alternative Investments, Greystone Managed Investments Inc. “We believe that Ottawa’s downtown core will benefit from the growth momentum currently underway.”

Canderel was involved in the development and management of the first two phases of the complex, according to Daniel Peritz, senior vice-president of Canderel.

“We look forward to maintaining the high level of customer service that tenants have come to expect, while introducing new initiatives to further enhance their experience of Constitution Square,” he said.

Trevor Blakely, chief executive officer of Canstone Realty Advisors, says Ottawa’s downtown core is poised for growth and Constitution Square will benefit from being one block away from the future Light Rail Transit (LRT) system and redevelopment of LeBreton Flats.

Menkes launches Healthy Spaces wellbeing program

Menkes Developments Ltd. (Menkes) has launched a three-year wellbeing program called Healthy Spaces across its portfolio of commercial buildings in the Greater Toronto Area.

The program sets out to engage office occupants and offer them healthier lifestyle options and opportunities.

“The rollout of our Healthy Spaces initiatives furthers our commitment to occupant health and wellbeing and will hopefully give our building occupants the opportunities and encouragement to start making small but meaningful lifestyle changes to live healthier” says Jon Douglas, Menkes’ director of sustainability. “For us, it’s making sure our buildings aren’t impeding on someone living a healthy lifestyle. So the program we’re developing is creating opportunities for healthy choices. Health is still an individual’s choice, but we want to make sure occupants have the right information so that they can choose that healthy lifestyle.”

Menkes’ Healthy Spaces program has four main areas of focus: Eating Well, Being Active, Maintaining Health, and Engaging Minds. Douglas says each area includes focused initiatives for employees to improve their nutrition, physical activity, preventative health and mental health.

For example, Eating Well activities could include tenant catering guides, healthy food maps and live cooking demos, while Engaging Mind initiatives could include stress management seminars and morning meditation classes.

“Employees spend an increasing amount of time indoors and the buildings they work in have an effect on their health,” adds Douglas. “We believe that our new program, and specific initiatives to actively promote health and wellness throughout our buildings, will help people’s wellbeing.”

Earlier this year, Menkes became the first Canadian real estate company to participate in Fitwel, a new evidence-based building certification system that optimizes occupant health and productivity through targeted improvements to workplace design and operational policies.

“While we have always strived to be an industry leader in green-friendly, sustainable real estate development and operations, we believe the next step is to focus on the quality of the work environment and its impact on the health of our tenants,” says Peter Menkes, president of the commercial and industrial division of Menkes. “The developing trend of wellness in real estate is where we saw sustainability ten years ago with the emergence of LEED, and now we see programs like Fitwel supporting us in responsible building management.”

Climate risk raises stranded asset potential

Fire and flood created an ominous backdrop for real estate investment in the spring and summer of 2017 as natural calamities engulfed or inundated billions of dollars worth of property in North America and beyond. Worldwide escalating tallies of damage from storms and drought-related phenomena are indisputably capturing the industry’s attention.

“If you’re in investments, you need to consider climate change or you’re not doing your job,” affirms Lisa Lafave, senior portfolio manager, real estate, with the Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan (HOOPP).

Yet, as with most examples of how ESG (environmental, social, governance) considerations are applied to asset and property management, there’s a continuum of commitment across a very broad field of players. The Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark (GRESB) 2017 results — propitiously released during the brief lull between Hurricanes Harvey and Irma — show a growing group of institutional investors and REITs that are enacting sustainability policies with associated performance requirements, disclosing their portfolios’ green status and using ESG metrics to guide their own decision making. Even so, GRESB primarily benchmarks participating portfolios’ impact on the environment rather than the other way around.

“Few companies are really thinking about climate change from the perspective of stranded asset potential,” says Francisca Quinn of Quinn & Partners, a consultant on sustainability strategies who works with several of the Canadian GRESB participants. “One of the conventional responses has been: Well, you can just get insurance. I think we’re going to get to the situation, which we’re already seeing in the residential sector, where you can’t get insurance. So, what do you do so you don’t get stuck with an asset that is not insurable?”

Market preoccupations

There are signs that long-term investors are beginning to unload precariously located properties, but shorter term preoccupations remain enthralling. For example, not unlike the recent state of the regional topography, some real estate analysts are suggesting the glass is more than half full in Houston’s commercial/industrial market following Hurricane Harvey’s dramatic wallop.

CBRE projects heightened demand for light industrial space, hotel accommodations and multifamily rental units as residents recover from an epic storm and flood, refurbish damaged properties and replace destroyed belongings. Building material and appliance distributors are tagged as a lucrative new tenant base, while temporarily displaced companies looking for swing space are expected to fill in some of the 11.1 million square feet of sublease space that was available in the office sector at midyear.

This post-Harvey overview of market conditions, released two weeks after the hurricane rolled ashore, calls Houston’s approximately 214 million square feet of office inventory “mainly unscathed” with fewer than 40 of the total 1,200 buildings reporting damage. That fraction nevertheless holds some interest for Canadians since Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB) is the pending owner of nearly 2.8 million square feet of office space in two commercial districts where flooding did occur — West Houston and Galleria — as part of its late June agreement to acquire the Parkway REIT portfolio.

In an August 30 statement, current Parkway management reported “only minimal damage” for which they expect insurance coverage “subject to a nominal deductible”, but there’s little guarantee the deductible will be so nominal next time there is a claim. Insurance is a large component of expected operating cost increases related to ongoing volatile weather trends.

Looming vulnerabilities

In a prescient discussion of potential investment risk in South Florida released about 14 months before Hurricane Irma hit, Bill Maher, LaSalle Investment Management’s North American head of research and strategy, outlined scenarios for increased costs, eroding lender confidence and an exodus of tenants in coastal areas where there is a high probability of rising sea levels. He also described investors as generally blasé.

“According to LaSalle Acquisitions, brokers are reporting that the risk of rising sea levels is not impacting sales of institutional assets,” he noted. “Insurance companies are becoming aware of this risk but have not broadly increased premiums since the typical policy period is only one year. Real estate investors do not appear to be pricing this risk.”

Beyond spiking premiums or outright loss of insurance coverage, property taxes could jump to help cover local governments’ flood protection costs while capital markets become standoffish. “Lenders could re-price debt in the market, hurting leveraged returns, or refuse to finance an asset because its flood zone changed,” Maher warned.

GRESB’s nascent debt survey, which just released second-year results, reveals somewhat similar insight from the 25 participating entities — including four banks and 19 private equity funds or mortgage REITs in the United States, United Kingdom and continental Europe — that finance real estate and underwrite commercial lending. Flood risk is identified as one of four major risk management considerations related to a property or portfolio’s sustainability (along with regulatory upheaval, threat of obsolescence and social conditions and expectations).

Lenders deemed to be making effective use of ESG lenses report that they are adjusting loan criteria to “minimize and/or eliminate exposure to current or future flood-prone areas” and underwriting “significant increases in flood insurance premiums”. To do so, they are employing GIS mapping of flood-risk scenarios along with portfolio monitoring techniques to project future changes in insurance eligibility or premium increases.

Resiliency experts say building owners/managers should be doing much the same thing.

“If you do not know what the risk exposure is of the assets in your portfolio, something is wrong. Particularly if the risk is foreseeable — and it is entirely foreseeable,” asserts Alexander Hay, an engineer and specialist in security and protection of critical infrastructure who has been working with Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) of Greater Toronto on strategies for commercial real estate to adapt to extreme weather.

Failing safely

As a starting point, owners/managers need to think about the key operational demands of their buildings and their contractual responsibilities to their tenants. From there, they can identify potential vulnerabilities and plan to respond.

For example, critical equipment housed below grade will be easily compromised in a flood, while inhabitants of urban North America’s ubiquitous glass-box residential towers will quickly feel the heat or cold if power failures shut down HVAC systems. Alternatively, from a contingency planning perspective, owners/managers could bolster resilience through passive design (in new construction), investments in off-grid power sources and/or forging alliances with operators of nearby commercial buildings to share emergency resources.

The goal is ultimately a building that can fail safely — that is, one that possesses the capacity to survive chaotic events in condition to quickly return to normal operations. Hay casts commercial buildings and their management structure as the ameliorating intermediary between building occupants and potentially calamitous forces outside. Accordingly, if those forces become more persistent, tenants will move away from risk toward stability.

“We’ve had extreme weather since Noah so it shouldn’t be a shock that some extreme weather is happening somewhere in the world. What is changing significantly is the value at risk,” he says. “Commercial real estate is becoming more and more important in whether or not a company survives. If you look at this with cold commercial interest, if the city becomes less resilient, the value of real estate drops.”

A one-two punch courtesy of Hurricanes Harvey and Irma has certainly raised awareness, with the estimated combined cost of the two storms currently pegged at about US $290 billion (CAD $354 billion). Yet, it’s no revelation. Rather, it’s a boost of momentum for adaptation and investment strategies that were already in motion.

“I can see sophisticated investors exiting investment funds where they don’t have faith that the investment team is looking at climate risks,” Quinn concurs. “There will be more capital migrating to the people at the front end of the bell curve. At some point, money will talk.”

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

Toronto unveils first multi-function paramedic station

Councillor Maria Augimeri (Ward 9 York Centre) and Toronto Paramedic Services Acting Chief Gord McEachen recently hosted a community open house and ribbon cutting ceremony to officially open Toronto’s first new multi-function paramedic station.

The event was held on September 13 at the new paramedic station, located at 1300 Wilson Avenue in North York. The official remarks and ribbon cutting were followed by station tours, paramedic skills demonstrations and vehicle displays.

The new ambulance station is the first multi-function station in the city, and is the largest ambulance station ever built in the city of Toronto. It is designed to hold up to 25 ambulances and their respective paramedic crews, as well as other support services to serve patients more efficiently and effectively.

The facility was built following an infrastructure investment as part of Toronto Paramedic Services’ key strategic initiatives designed to prepare the service to meet the City’s pre-hospital emergency needs as residents continue to grow and age.

A sound alternative to window replacement

Hotels and motels located near noisy streets, highways, train tracks, airports or urban city walks face the challenge of keeping external noise from penetrating into what should be the quiet, peaceful sanctuary of the guest room.

Hospitality-specific soundproofing solutions address the primary culprits of noise ingress — windows and patio doors — to cut external noise, without replacement or major renovation.

Already used in thousands of rooms across North America, these solutions in many ways remain lesser known. However, other options, which can range from replacing double pane windows to inserting sheets of Plexiglas, have a limited ability to reduce exterior noise.

As a result, many owners and managers are turning to the soundproofing industry for solutions engineered for maximum noise reduction.

Replacement windows

Studies have shown that 90 per cent of exterior noise enters through windows, not walls. However, replacing windows seldom adequately resolves the problem.

Double or triple-pane windows, for example, filter out only slightly more noise than a single pane, if any. Although effective at insulating from external heat or cold, these products are not engineered for soundproofing.

With double-pane windows, the two pieces of glass within the frame vibrate like the two tynes of a tuning fork, which actually creates more noise. Also, the air space for both double and triple-pane windows does little to retard the sound vibrations.

Much of the noise that enters through windows comes through leaking window seals. With age conventional window seals fail, so any partial relief experienced by replacing windows may be short-lived.

Soundproofing technology

Some hotels are turning to soundproofing companies that have experience engineering products used in the most noise-sensitive environments in the world, such as recording studios.

One solution, a “second window,” is designed to be installed in front of existing windows, matching and functioning like the original window, no matter its design or whether it opens or closes.

This inner window essentially reduces noise from entering on three fronts: the type of materials used to make the pane, the ideal air space between original window and insert, and improved, long-lasting seals.

The first noise barrier, laminated glass, dampens sound vibration much like a finger on a wine glass stops it from ringing when struck. An inner PVB layer of plastic further dampens sound vibrations.

Air space of two to four inches between the existing window and the soundproof window also significantly improves noise reduction because it isolates the window frame from external sound vibrations.

Spring-loaded seals in the second window frame put a constant squeeze on the glass panels, which prevents sound leaks and helps to stop noise from vibrating through the glass.

When choosing such soundproofed windows for a hotel project, the most objective measure of sound reduction is the window’s Sound Transmission Class (STC) rating. In this rating system, the higher the number the more noise is stopped.

A typical STC rating for standard windows is 26 to 28, for example. Acoustic soundproof windows, by comparison, have a typical STC rating of 48 to 54.

Since external noise can also enter sliding glass doors, which are common on ground-floor hotel rooms or upper-level rooms with patios, similar soundproofing strategies can also be used effectively in these applications.

Like the soundproof windows, a second sliding glass door can be added, but mounted either inside or outside an existing sliding glass door to reduce external noise entering through the patio door.

Energy savings

Soundproofing hotel windows and sliding glass doors can also reduce the heating-cooling portion of energy bills by adding another layer of insulation.

Whether hotel owners and managers seek to protect their customers from stressful external noise intrusion, offer more peace and quiet, or reduce heating-cooling related energy costs, soundproofing existing windows is a viable alternative to replacing them.

Randy Brown is the owner of Soundproof Windows, Inc. headquartered in Reno, Nevada.

Sub-contractor named for new Niagara Falls Entertainment Centre

Plan Group Inc., a multi-trade construction services provider, has been named the sub-contractor of choice to provide electrical, mechanical and information communications and automated technologies (ICAT) for the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation’s new Niagara Falls Entertainment Centre project.

Located in Niagara Falls, Ontario, the Niagara Falls Entertainment Centre will feature a performance space with multiple stage configurations and seating for over 5,000 guests of all ages. Additional features of the space include a public lobby and gathering spaces, box offices, bar and concessions.

The company’s contract with Bird Construction Inc. will include design build leadership, mechanical construction such as plumbing, sheet metal, controls, sprinklers and HVAC, electrical construction and ICAT services including lighting, power distribution, fire alarm, security, audio visual and theatre lighting systems.

Following the completion of the project, Bouygues Energies & Services Canada, sister company to Plan Group Inc., will provide facilities management and lifecycle services to the property, including plant maintenance, utility management, housekeeping and waste management, grounds keeping services, help desk services, security services, theatre equipment maintenance and lifecycle management during the 20-year concession period.

“We are proud to be a part of the team building and maintaining this facility which will contribute to the overall health of Ontario’s economy,” said Paul Sheridan, president and COO of Plan Group Inc. “This is an exciting project for us because not only are we able to showcase our integrated project delivery model with all three of our disciplines – electrical, mechanical and ICAT – but this is also the first opportunity we’ve had to work alongside our sister company Bouygues Energies & Services Canada.”

Clearcable acquires Hamilton Technology Centre

The City of Hamilton recently announced the sale of the Hamilton Technology Centre (HTC) to Clearcable, in what is described as a win-win business transaction for both parties.

HTC was established in 1993 as a small business incubator. Due to the age of the building, it requires immediate capital improvements, and it has ongoing operating costs. As the City invests and supports various small business programs, the property was declared surplus by City Council in February of this year.

“Clearcable will adopt the original vision of HTC by applying their own expertise contacts within this industry, and continue to foster the development of emerging technology companies such as theirs,” said Hamilton’s Mayor, Fred Eisenberger, in a press release. “We see Clearcable as a business and community leader in supporting Hamilton’s technology sector.”

Clearcable is a Hamilton-based, specialized telecommunications technical consulting firm specializing in the needs of broadband service providers and rural municipalities. Established in 2004, Clearcable has been a tenant at HTC since April 2016, and since moving to the facility, has experienced considerable growth in its operations. The company had been looking for opportunity to expand in the development and incubation process in the technology sector, and the acquisition of HTC allows this to occur.

“This acquisition will help us realize our vision of a private technology innovation centre,” added Rob McCann, president and founder of Clearcable. “As a business operator with close ties to Hamilton, both personally and professionally, I look forward to an opportunity to invest in Hamilton’s success.”

Clearcable plans to make changes that provide some space for co-working as well as accelerator spaces, where entrepreneurs can work individually or together. Capital improvements to the facility are in the plan, as well as supporting the ongoing operating costs.

Required upgrades to single-speed elevators lifted

The Technical Standards & Safety Authority (TSSA) recently lifted the requirement to undertake certain upgrades to the controls of single-speed elevators, but it doesn’t necessarily mean that building owners who operate this equipment should abandon planned modernizations.

Building owners who have contracts in place for the work are likely on the hook to follow through, while building owners who forgo the work may find their insurance and maintenance contracts in jeopardy. And statutory obligations to maintain properties in a safe condition stand, regardless of the TSSA’s decision to overturn its own 2014 order mandating upgrades by 2022 to mitigate the then-anticipated risks associated with aging single-speed elevators.

As their name suggests, these devices travel at one speed, which makes them prone to stopping a few inches above or below floor level when their brake is activated, posing a trip-and-fall hazard. Single-speed elevators, which originated in the 1950s, are typically found in older, low to mid-rise residential buildings, including condo conversions and rental apartments.

The latest TSSA order, which took effect Aug. 1, explains that the original order came out of a review launched in 2010 of the risks associated with aging elevators. Data analysis done in early 2014 by a TSSA-led risk reduction group with representation from the elevator industry and elevating device owners identified the leveling accuracy of single-speed elevators as the main risk.

The TSSA indicated in an online FAQ that the reversal of the order follows the analysis of three more years of data, in which the forecasted rise in the rate of incidents on these devices had failed to materialize.

“The risk related to these devices was not as large as previously projected and with the requisite level of maintenance, this single speed technology, that was prevalent for more than half a century, can continue in the delivery of safe vertical transportation until these elevators are upgraded,” the TSSA said in the online FAQ.

The Canadian Elevator Contractors Association (CECA), however, has expressed concerns that lifting the requirement to complete what it termed safety improvement work poses a risk to riders of these devices. Following the decision, CECA drafted a form letter that members will have the option of using to ask customers to release them from responsibility for claims arising from the trip-and-fall accidents commonly associated with single-speed elevators.

“It’s basically going to say, ‘You’re taking on the full liability for this elevator,’” said Doug Guderian, speaking as a board member of CECA. “‘If you upgrade it, that’s fine; if not, if there is one of these incidents, you hold us harmless, meaning you pay for our legal costs as well if something comes of it.’”

In cases where a trip-and-fall incident leads to a claim, both the building owner and the elevator contractor are normally named in the lawsuit, triggering their respective insurance policies. Many of these claims go through the office of Mark Jackson, president of the Insurance Market, which insures building owners as well as most of Ontario’s independent elevator contractors.

In Jackson’s experience, building owners are typically the party held responsible for incidents relating to the operation of single-speed elevators.

“It’s [the device] naturally not going to level because of the way it was designed,” he said. “In those cases, there’s nothing the elevator contractor could have done differently, so they weren’t negligent.”

Jackson suggested that the TSSA’s recent reversal could have implications for the insurance policies of building owners who eschew upgrades to the controls of single-speed elevators. Insurers may hike premiums or issue critical recommendations requiring the modernization work within a set timeframe — typically 60 to 90 days — failing which building owners could lose their coverage.

“If the TSSA is not going to mandate that, insurers that are insuring buildings with single-speed elevators are going to likely start mandating that from building owners,” said Jackson. “They’re taking on the risk of an injury related to a trip and fall, so I don’t see why it’s any different than a pothole in a parking lot.”

Modernization work can take these devices out of service for anywhere from one to two months, which Guderian, president of Elevator One, noted may require residents with mobility issues in buildings with only one elevator to find temporary alternative accommodations. The cost of upgrading the controls of a single-speed elevator runs between $100,000 and $150,000, as building owners will often simultaneously make other upgrades because it’s cost-effective to do so.

The TSSA reports 55 of the estimated 700 to 1,200 single-speed elevators in Ontario have been upgraded “as a direct result of” the initial order made by the safety authority in 2014. CECA disputes this figure, claiming that roughly 50 per cent of these types of devices have undergone modernization based on a survey of its members, who represent about 80 per cent of elevator maintenance contractors in the province.

Guderian, speaking as president of Elevator One, suggested the lower-than-expected risk level observed by the TSSA in its data could be a result of many single-speed elevators already having been upgraded and under-reporting of incidents for investigation, because the cause of their inaccurate leveling is well known.

Numbers aside, Ray Eleid, elevator consultant, Solucore, observed that corporations and REITs with single-speed elevators in their portfolio likely moved quickly to respond to the order. Meanwhile, small companies that manage one or two buildings — and that are more likely to operate these types of devices — likely held off.

“Yes, there are liabilities associated with single-speed elevators, but one thing that the owner will tell you is that they don’t break down much,” said Eleid. “That’s why they don’t feel the need to modernize, because they’re pretty simple in their circuits, so they tend to run more reliably than the newer stuff.”

In fact, these devices originally leveled more reliably, until the asbestos used in their brakes to prevent glazing was outlawed in the late 1980s, early 1990s, the elevator consultant explained.

The TSSA’s latest order comes as a private member’s bill, the Reliable Elevators Act, makes its way through the Ontario legislature. The legislation — which aims to improve the reliability of elevators old and new by setting deadlines for contractors to complete repairs — has passed the second of three readings and been referred to committee for detailed review and public input.

Despite the otherwise reliable operation of single-speed elevators, there are reasons why Eleid continues to recommend the modernization of these devices, some of which are pushing 50 years old, well past their expected 30-year lifespan.

“When people trip and fall, especially elderly, they get badly hurt, so you do want to modernize these things because it’s better from a liability perspective and also from a safety perspective,” he said.

What’s more, single-speed elevators lack the additional safety brake that acts as a back-up to prevent cabs from crashing into overheads or pits, Eleid added.

The TSSA’s latest order actually continues to recommend the modernization of single-speed elevators too, but as a non-mandatory mitigation strategy. Other non-mandatory mitigation strategies include using audible annunciation to warn riders when the cab fails to stop level and signage to caution tenants about the leveling issues associated with these devices.

If single-speed elevators are not upgraded, they will be required to undergo prescribed maintenance more frequently — at least every two months instead of every three months.

The TSSA order notwithstanding, condo corporations have duties under the Condominium Act to repair and maintain their properties, and to prevent unsafe conditions that could lead to injuries, said Laura McKeen, a partner at Cohen Highley LLP Lawyers. Landlords have similar obligations under the Residential Tenancies Act.

As with most legal questions, building owners have to consider their unique circumstances in determining how to respond to the TSSA order, such as how well their equipment has aged and been maintained, McKeen said.

“In terms of risk management, corporations should be looking at repair and maintenance logs for their elevators to determine whether or not these kinds of retrofits or a different maintenance schedule is appropriate,” she said.

Likewise, McKeen recommended that building owners obtain legal advice specific to their unique circumstances if they are having second thoughts about proceeding with modernization work for which they already have contracts in place — a sentiment echoed by lawyer Leanne Rapley.

“Generally speaking, owners with contracts for modernization and retrofit work will be obliged to fulfill those contracts,” said Rapley.

Rapley, whose firm does elevator liability litigation and counsel, said the TSSA’s recent about-face should not stop building owners from proceeding with upgrades to the controls of single-speed elevators for which they have planned and budgeted. She cited the challenges of maintaining single-speed elevators to code, noting that their leveling function is sensitive to humidity, weather and weight, as well as the costs of sourcing the rare original equipment manufacturer parts.

“In my opinion, that the TSSA ordered the replacement of single-speed elevators was an appropriate recognition of the potential risks and costs associated with it,” Rapley said.

Eleid, the elevator consultant, expects to see increased vigilance from elevator contractors in dealing with these devices, which could lead to an uptick in elevator shutdowns as mechanics face possible penalties from the TSSA for allowing these devices to operate unsafely. And a shutdown could leave a building without elevator service for six months, because that’s how long it takes to get equipment on site for modernization.

“The advice to the owners is: if you have a single speed, stay the course, get it replaced, because there’s a lot of additional exposure there as well and it definitely is going to affect your ability to get insurance and/or an elevator contractor to take care of it,” said Guderian, speaking as president of Elevator One.

Michelle Ervin is the editor of CondoBusiness.

TRU selects developer Kelson Group for The Reach

Thompson Rivers University (TRU) Community Trust has selected Kelson Group, a local Kamloops real estate company, as the successful proponent of an RFP for the second parcel of land in the Trust’s 90-acre master-planned development called The Reach.

The request for proposals saw many developers from across the country submit their bids for consideration, with Kelson Group coming out on top.

“Every bid that was submitted was a viable bid, and we couldn’t be happier that Kelson Group, a local company with a great reputation, was able to compete and win this parcel of land,” said Frank Quinn, board chair for the TRU Community Trust.

Kelson Group is a local family owned company that started managing properties more than 40 years ago and developed their first property in Abbotsford from the ground up in 2012. They have recently completed a development in Langley and are constructing a new apartment building named Peterson Landing at 1430 Summit Drive in Kamloops that will open in the spring of 2018.

Kelson’s proposed 56,000 square foot development at The Reach will be a 4-storey multi-family rental located on the North side of TRU’s Old Main building (895 University Dr/Site A on the attached rendering). Construction is expected to start next spring with a goal of opening by September 2019.

Jason Fawcett, vice president of Kelson Group, says, “The Reach’s vision to offer a new walkable community for Kamloops, enrich the TRU campus, and return funds to support university initiatives, aligns perfectly with Kelson’s values. TRU is a very important part of Kamloops, and we are excited to have the opportunity to contribute to its growth by developing an exciting new rental building in the heart of the campus.”

Phase 1 of Quebec’s biggest mixed-use development breaks ground

Devimco Immobilier recently broke ground on Phase 1 of Solar Uniquartier, a development that is being touted as Quebec’s biggest mixed-use real estate project. The project, which is referred to as “the South Shore’s new downtown”, now accounts for an investment of $1.3 billion, which is $300 million more than the initial estimate.

The project, a joint effort between Devimco Immobilier, Fonds immobilier de solidarité FTQ, Fondaction, Devimco Investissement and a Quebec pension plan, will feature residential, commercial and office space, as well as a 184-room Courtyard by Marriott hotel in its first phase. Clients of the hotel will have access to a conference centre with four multi-function rooms with a capacity of over 1,000 people.

Solar Uniquartier meets the criteria laid out in the Metropolitan Land-Use and Development Plan – PMAD from the Communauté métropolitaine de Montréal in terms of sustainable development of the territory through densification and mixed uses in areas with easy access to public transit and active transportation.

“The buildable area in the first phase of our new project will be 650,000 square feet,” said Serge Goulet, president of Devimco Immobilier, in a press release. “The project’s innovative concept will bring future residents, workers and consumers together in a multi-use neighbourhood, giving the community the opportunity to live, work and play in the same place. The mixed-use concept will be applied starting in the first phase.”

When complete, Solar Uniquartier will feature 2,600 housing units; the tallest residential tower on the South Shore, featuring 245 rental units and 125 condo units; over 130,000 square feet of green space; 1.2 million square feet of commercial and office space; two hotels, a conference centre and a European-inspired sports, health and recreation complex; and a public square facing the future Du Quartier light rail station.

“We are pleased to be a partner in an original and innovative initiative that is at the leading edge of sustainable development,” added Léopold Beaulieu, president and CEO of Fondaction. “This mixed real estate project, with its encouragement of public transit and of neighbourhood services in an eco-district, will have clear social benefits while helping fight climate change and supporting the region’s economic development, in particular through job creation.”

Solar Uniquartier will be the first transit-oriented development (TOD) project revolving around Montreal’s future light-rail transit network, Réseau électrique métropolitain. It will also be the only residential project that is linked indoors to a light-rail station (Du Quartier station). This will allow Solar Uniquartier residents to reach downtown Montreal in 10 minutes.

In addition, the City of Brossard plans to broaden and extend Boulevard du Quartier by building an overpass above Highway 10 to help alleviate traffic problems. It will also feature a covered pedestrian and bicycle passageway as well as a ramp providing access to Highway 10.

“We are applying all the TOD principles with this project,” added Goulet. “The future neighbourhood is designed in keeping with innovative planning practices, promoting sustainable development and an environmentally responsible approach, with green spaces playing a central role in the project.”

Regular use of disinfectants linked to lung disease

The regular use of disinfectants could increase the chance of developing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) by nearly a third, according to new preliminary research.

A study by Harvard University and The French National Institute of Health and Medical Research (INSERM) examined more than 55,000 nurses in the United States since 2009. Researchers found certain tasks involving frequent exposure to disinfectants, such as cleaning surfaces, and specific chemicals in disinfectants, led to a 22 to 32 per cent increased risk of developing COPD.

Dr. Orianne Dumas, an INSERM researcher and study lead, presented findings at the European Respiratory Society International Congress this week. For the past eight years, 663 of the nurses were diagnosed with COPD.

“We found that nurses who use disinfectants to clean surfaces on a regular basis – at least once a week – had a 22 per cent increased risk of developing COPD,” says Dr. Dumas. “There was a suggestion of a link with the weekly use of disinfectants to clean instruments, but this was not statistically significant.”

The researchers also looked at exposure to specific disinfectants: glutaraldehyde (a strong disinfectant used for medical instruments), bleach, hydrogen peroxide, alcohol and quaternary ammonium compounds (known as “quats” and mainly used for low-level disinfection of surfaces such as floors and furniture). All of these were associated with an increased risk of COPD of between 24 and 32 per cent.

“In our study population, 37 per cent of nurses used disinfectants to clean surfaces on a weekly basis and 19 per cent used disinfectants to clean medical instruments on a weekly basis.” Dumas concluded.

Previous studies have linked exposure to disinfectants with breathing problems such as asthma among healthcare workers, but the link between disinfectant exposure and COPD has received much less attention. Two recent studies among Europeans showed that working as a cleaner was associated with a higher risk of COPD.

“To the best of our knowledge, we are the first to report a link between disinfectants and COPD among healthcare workers, and to investigate specific chemicals that may underlie this association,” Dumas says. “Our findings provide further evidence of the effects of exposure to disinfectants on respiratory problems, and highlight the urgency of integrating occupational health considerations into guidelines for cleaning and disinfection in healthcare settings such as hospitals.”

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Ontario unlocking surplus land to create affordable housing

As part of its Fair Housing Plan, Ontario announced it is unlocking surplus provincial land to create more than 2,000 new rental housing units in Toronto. Peter Milczyn, Minister of Housing, was joined by Mayor John Tory in Toronto’s West Don Lands today where the official announcement was made.

The sites include:

A lot in the West Don Lands, south of Front Street, between Trinity and Cherry Streets
A lot in the West Don Lands, east of Cherry Street and north of the rail line
27 Grosvenor Street and 26 Grenville Street, which is currently a multi-level parking structure and the two-story former Provincial Coroner’s Office

“Our communities are at their strongest when they make room for everyone,” said Peter Milczyn, Minister of Housing and Minister Responsible for the Poverty Reduction Strategy. “By freeing up underused land to build a mix of market and affordable rental housing, more people in Ontario will be able to find an affordable home in neighbourhoods they love.”

The province is leveraging the value of this land to develop new rental and affordable housing units for individuals and families in Toronto. This will pave the way for strong neighbourhoods that will feature both market and affordable rental housing, including much-needed family-sized units, with up to 30 per cent of the units earmarked for affordable housing.

This pilot program is one of 16 comprehensive measures under Ontario’s Fair Housing Plan that, according to the press release, aims to bring stability to the real estate market, protect the investments of home owners, and ensure that more people are able to find a home that fits their budget.

“We need to do everything we can to build more affordable housing in Toronto and we need to do it much faster,” said John Tory, Mayor of Toronto. “Today’s announcement is about the Government of Ontario and City of Toronto working together to speed up the delivery of affordable housing by releasing surplus public land. The City will do everything we can to encourage development of affordable rental homes by providing incentives to developers such as waiving fees and charges. By working together, we can make housing affordable for the residents of Toronto.”

Govan Brown joins Structure Tone companies

Govan Brown has joined the Structure Tone family of companies, expanding Structure Tone’s geographic reach into Canada.

“Structure Tone and Govan Brown have tremendous synergies and perfectly complement each other’s businesses and client rosters,” says Structure Tone CEO Robert Mullen. “We have been working together for over 10 years and determined that by joining forces, we’re better able to serve our clients by leveraging each other’s strengths, geographies and resources.”

Founded in 1994 in Toronto, Govan Brown is one of Canada’s national leading providers of interiors and renovation services for the corporate, retail and hospitality markets. The company’s portfolio includes such notable projects as Nordstrom in Ottawa and Toronto, MEG Energy in Calgary, Loyalty One in Toronto, CIBC Wood Gundy in Ottawa, Electronic Arts in Vancouver, Simons in Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary and Toronto, and the implementation of Rogers Communications’ “sharespace” offices across Canada. The 200-person firm is headquartered in Toronto and has offices in Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg and Ottawa, with a joint venture office in Montreal.

“Govan Brown has spent the last 25 years becoming the top interiors contractor in Canada with an incredible body of work and company culture,” says John Brown, Govan Brown partner. “We wanted to ensure the next 25 years would be just as successful, and what better way to do that than to partner with a firm that is extremely similar to ours and shares our processes, values and client-focused approach. The move also exposes our staff to the resources, career opportunities and other benefits of being part of a larger organization.”

Govan Brown will retain its name, and its current leaders (Jon Taylor, John Brown and Ralph Govan) will retain a share of ownership in the company and maintain their roles as the senior management team of the business.

GTA home sales plunge 34.8 per cent in August

The Toronto Real Estate Board (TREB) announced that there were 6,357 home sales completed in the GTA in August 2017, a drop of 34.8 per cent year-over-year. Sales across all home types fell during the month of August.

There were 11,523 new listings entered into the TREB’s MLS System, a decline of 6.7 per cent compared to August 2016, which is the lowest this figure has been for August since 2010.

“Recent reports suggest that economic conditions remain strong in the GTA,” said Tim Syrianos, TREB president, in a press release. “Positive economic news coupled with the slower pace of price growth we are now experiencing could prompt an improvement in the demand for ownership housing, over and above the regular seasonal bump, as we move through the fall.”

The average selling price for all home types combined was $732,292, an increase of three per cent compared to August 2016. This growth was mostly driven by the condominium (21.4 per cent), townhouse (8.9 per cent) and semi-detached (12.1 per cent) market segments, which continued to experience high single-digit or double-digit year-over-year average price growth.

The MLS Home Price Index composite benchmark, which accounts for typical home types throughout the GTA, was up by 14.3 per cent year-over-year in August. However, since MLS HPI growth surpassed average price growth, this indicates fewer high-end home sales were completed this year, compared to last year.

“The relationship between sales and listings in the marketplace today suggests a balanced market,” added Jason Mercer, TREB’s director of market analysis. “If current conditions are sustained over the coming months, we would expect to see year-over-year price growth normalize slightly above the rate of inflation. However, if some buyers move from the sidelines back into the marketplace, as TREB consumer research suggests may happen, an acceleration in price growth could result if listings remain at current levels.”

Undertaking fire alarm retrofits in older buildings

The replacement of a fire alarm system can be a complex and challenging undertaking. The basic issues are few: Provide at least the same level of safety as the existing system, conform with applicable codes, and satisfy the authority having jurisdiction – typically the municipality. The challenge comes from accomplishing this while minimizing cost and disruption to building occupants.

At its simplest, a fire alarm system consists of a control panel, initiating devices like manual pull stations and smoke detectors, notification devices such as bells and strobe lights and the wiring connecting these components. Together, the system provides a means to determine the presence of a fire, and to notify building occupants. Humans can be among the most effective fire detectors, but may not always be present or awake.

A fire alarm replacement project may result from an emergency development or from a planned process. Emergency developments include equipment failure or a fire department order and can lead to costly firewatch requirements, a shortened contractor tender process and inconvenient equipment delivery times. When a fire alarm system is allowed to deteriorate to the point where an emergency replacement is required, cost and inconvenience are increased.

The risk of such an urgent situation can be reduced by routine maintenance by a qualified fire services company. As soon as the fire service company gives notice that the equipment can no longer be economically repaired should problems arise, engaging a reputable consultant increases the level of control of the situation for the owner. This is similar to maintaining an older car. There comes a time when replacement parts are no longer available and maintenance costs outweigh the costs of replacement. Fire alarm systems typically reach this point between 20 to 30 years of service life.

Planned replacement before failure allows a controlled process. The owners have the luxury of time to select hardware that will suit their needs, make considered improvements to the system, and choose a contractor without the cost and time pressures of an emergency. This is a much less stressful and economical process than an emergency replacement.

Replacement may be required for reasons other than age. For example, when the building’s use or occupancy changes, it is generally subject to some code upgrade of systems including fire alarm. This change of occupancy can include the conversion of industrial or commercial spaces to residential, or the addition of a daycare to an existing space.

Fire alarm replacements to accommodate elevator upgrades have been very common in recent years. When an elevator system in a building is replaced, many jurisdictions require that the new elevator system be in full compliance with the current elevator code, which includes sophisticated recall functionality based on the activation of specific fire alarm devices, like the smoke detectors in elevator lobbies. Equally importantly, elevators are not to respond based on the activation of other devices, like manual pull stations. These recall functions are required to be accomplished through the fire alarm system, but not all existing fire alarms are capable of performing the required sequence. In that case, the only choice is to replace the fire alarm system with a new one. Of course, this can come as an unpleasant surprise to building owners who are already faced with costly elevator improvements.

When beginning a project and deciding on the scope of improvements, several principles should be followed. For instance, code requirements are rarely retroactive. That means that while everything that you do must comply with current codes, conditions that are not a direct hazard can generally be left as-is. For example, when replacing a fire alarm control panel, you need to make sure that all the devices throughout the building are compatible with the new panel, but generally, there is no requirement to add more devices, or change their locations. Similarly, when the wiring is still functional and will work with the new system, it does not need to be replaced, even if it does not fully comply with current codes.

Another key principle is that the building code assumes new construction, and by extension, also assumes that the building is fully compliant with the code and applicable standards. Many building systems, including the fire alarm system, are interconnected with others, so older buildings cannot always achieve full compliance as envisioned by the code. In those situations, it can be quite difficult to satisfy the municipality that a new design that may not fully comply with the prescriptive requirements of the codes still improves safety and is sufficiently compliant.

Replacing a fire alarm system in an existing building can be a complex and unpredictable process. The help of a design consultant and a good fire service company can make it as economical and streamlined as possible.

Martin Coles is a project engineer at Jensen Hughes. He focuses on the development of fire alarm systems, code consulting, and engineering technical services.