Guelph Council Chambers receives lighting retrofit

Guelph Council Chambers have been retrofitted with new light emitting diode (LED) lighting to replace bulbs and lamps that have faded or burned out. The three-day retrofit replaced 91 incandescent bulbs and 136 fluorescent lamps for a total cost of $19,870.

The new LED lights will conserve approximately 8,500 kilowatt hours (kWh) per year, which is roughly the amount of energy used by one household over three months. This change will reduce Council Chambers’ energy costs by about $1,250 per year. In addition, LED lights have a longer life than standard lighting, which will save an additional $5,000 per year in maintenance costs based on 2,000 hours of operation.

LED bulbs use 46 per cent less electricity compared to standard incandescent or fluorescent bulbs or lamps, last longer and require less maintenance. They also produce less waste heat, which will require less energy to cool Council Chambers, further reducing costs. They also provide better light quality, as they are brighter and fade less over time.

CBRE to acquire Caledon Capital Management

CBRE Group, Inc. will be acquiring Caledon Capital Management Inc. (Caledon), a Toronto-based investment management business specializing in private infrastructure and private equity investments.

Upon closing, Caledon will be renamed CBRE Caledon Capital Management Inc. and will operate as a separate business unit under CBRE’s independently operated investment management subsidiary, CBRE Global Investors.

“CBRE’s global reach and resources will improve Caledon’s access to more and larger quality investment opportunities around the world, said David Rogers, founding partner, Caledon. “This will enhance our ability to continue to deliver attractive returns for our clients as infrastructure investing becomes increasingly global.”

The Caledon management team comes with deep and successful experience in infrastructure and private equity investing. Prior to Caledon, most of the management team worked for Canadian pension plans that are leaders in infrastructure and private equity investing. This team will continue to manage the business and will maintain significant long-term ownership.

Caledon’s team of more than 30 people in Toronto manage more than CA$9 billion of assets for institutional investors through a combination of direct investments, co-investments, secondaries and primary funds. The pending addition of Caledon will complement the suite of investment solutions offered by CBRE Global Investors and its listed equity management arm, CBRE Clarion Securities.

“Investors are increasing their allocations to alternative investments, including real assets,” said Ritson Ferguson, CEO, CBRE Global Investors. ”Caledon’s market-leading investment solutions are a logical extension to our existing suite of real estate and infrastructure investment solutions, enhancing our position as an industry leader.”

A role for employees in workplace pest prevention

Facility managers might be surprised to find out how often an employee accidentally introduces pests in the office. It happens more than one might think, especially with two of the biggest offenders: cockroaches and bed bugs. These pests are capable of hitching a ride into the office on personal belongings such as a purse, briefcase, lunch box and on clothing. This is a contributing factor in the upward tick in bed bug activity in places including offices, schools and other commercial properties.

To prevent pest infestations in the workplace, consider rolling out an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program. These programs monitor and detect pests at the earliest stages and combat them before they can become a major problem. Taking a proactive IPM approach is more environmentally conscious because it helps eliminate the need for chemical treatments. When employees understand this approach, they are more likely to do their part.

When it comes to pest management, facility managers can’t carry the burden alone. It takes a team to protect a facility from pests. To best protect against pests in and around a property, employees need to be knowledgeable of the issues, understand their roles in the processes and support the facility manager’s efforts. Pests can be introduced in a variety of ways, from incoming shipments, poor sanitation regimens and through an employee’s personal belongings, so it’s crucial to use a comprehensive approach. Keep the following tips in mind to take a pest management program to the next level.

Communicate openly

Speaking openly, on an ongoing basis, about the organization’s pest management program will make employees feel comfortable discussing pest issues. This dialogue should include keeping employees in the loop about proactive pest management initiatives such as reporting pest sightings or concerns and even notifying employees of upcoming service visits. It should also include communicating with staff about the potential risk of introducing pests into the facility from home. Increase staff awareness and understanding of how they can affect pest management with strategies including:

1. Have a clear, simple plan in place to keep shared meeting spaces clean when they’re not in use. Also, consider designating someone from the administrative staff to keep an eye on communal areas.

2. The greater the number of people that use coffee and filtered water machines, the greater the potential for spills. Make it easy to clean up this area by providing paper towels and cleaner, and place a trash can immediately next to the machines. This should cut down on tiny spills from creamer cups, sugar packets and water.

3. Encourage employees to keep their workspaces tidy and remove any food and drink containers after use.

4. Create an environment where employees feel comfortable sharing any concerns around pest issues. Most importantly, employees should be able to speak up if they have pest problems at home. This should be as discrete as possible to respect personal privacy. If they report an issue early, the facility’s pest management team can devise a plan to eliminate pest threats before they get out of hand.

5. Encourage employees to report structural damages and deficiencies such as leaky pipes, broken windows and improperly closed doors.

Train staff

Consider training staff on the specific pest pressures the facility faces and often-overlooked signs of pest activity. Most reputable pest management providers offer complimentary staff training, so ask about on-site training sessions for the team. Training sessions give staff a chance to meet the organization’s pest management professional face-to-face, which is important for staff to be comfortable enough with the pest management team to communicate any issues.

Pest management professionals can discuss the basics of IPM, as well as educate teams on the basic biology of pests, conducive conditions and pest hot spots that are specific to the facility. Conducive conditions are environments within or around an establishment that are favorable for pest activity, such as standing water and improper drainage. Pest “hot spots” are the key areas inside and outside of a building that pests target as entry or harborage points.

As the organization builds a relationship with its pest management provider, continue to have the provider host more tailored training sessions specific to the organization’s needs, such as one dedicated to bed bug education. Any report of bed bugs, from a single sighting to a full-blown infestation, can hurt a facility’s reputation and ultimately affect the organization’s bottom line. The training session can include information on bed bug biology, how they can get into a facility, how fast they can spread, evidence of their activity, potential hiding spots and more. There’s no doubt that being proactive and educating teams about bed bugs will help protect the facility.

Pest management professional also commonly provide educational materials to share with employees, such as tip sheets and checklists to help with sanitation and maintenance. Consider including seasonal pest management tips in regular newsletters to keep these issues top-of-mind.

Maintain protocol

Even with the most stringent pest management programs in place, there’s always the risk of pests finding their way inside. Employees need to know whom they should notify, and how, in the event of a pest issue.

Establish a pest-sighting protocol that identifies key staff members that should receive pest-sighting reports. The protocol should also lay out a clear communications process for reporting a pest incident, which is as important as acting proactively to prevent pests. Here are examples of steps that can be included in a pest-sighting protocol:

If at all possible, catch the insect and provide the pest management professional with a sample.
Document when and where the pest activity was spotted. Be as detailed as possible, such as recording the approximate number of pests observed.
Notify the appropriate internal contact immediately.

To reduce the risk of pests being transmitted from homes to the office, arm staff members with basic pest knowledge and provide ways to document and communicate pest concerns . By working with the organization’s pest management provider to get staff on board with the organization’s efforts, the facility manager can increase efficiency and generate savings at a facility while maintaining a stringent pest prevention program.

Alice Sinia, Ph.D. is the resident entomologist – regulatory/lab services for Orkin Canada focusing on government regulations pertaining to the pest control industry. With more than 10 years of experience, she manages the quality assurance laboratory for Orkin Canada and performs analytical entomology as well as provides technical support in pest/insect identification to branch offices and clients. Alice can be reached at [email protected].

Toronto buildings on track to energy savings

Toronto’s commercial buildings have once again been designated as a course to energy savings in a new iteration of the conservation challenge, race2reduce. Participating owners, managers and tenants will be aiming for the same finish line as last time — a 10 per cent collective reduction in energy consumption — but race marshals are promising some added features along the route.

Joint sponsors, the Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) of Greater Toronto and Toronto Hydro, will welcome entrants for the first year of the race until August 31 and plan to stoke their competitive spirit with a selection of annual awards to be offered in 2018, 2019 and 2020. There’ll also be a coach on-hand as a new conservation consultant joins BOMA Toronto later this summer.

“This is an ambitious program and we’ve set the target high,” Susan Allen, BOMA Toronto’s president and CEO told a gathering at the official launch earlier this week.

Fittingly, prospective racers had an opportunity to load up on carbs, hear some encouraging words and scope out some of their likely rivals. The host venue, Toronto Dominion Centre, is among the 88 buildings comprising more than 33 million square feet of commercial space within Toronto Hydro’s jurisdiction that are already registered.

“When we get together as an industry and collaborate on a meaningful initiative like this, we all benefit,” affirmed Scott Pennock, senior vice president and Toronto portfolio manager with Cadillac Fairview.

Since the new race2race is aligned with Toronto Hydro’s efforts to hit its mandated 1.6 million megawatt-hour energy savings target under Ontario’s Conservation First Framework, participants are encouraged to take advantage of Save On Energy incentives for both retrofit measures and operational savings. Savings achieved through other actions will also count toward the overall target provided they can be measured and verified.

Indeed, race organizers are introducing an innovation award to recognize new approaches to finding and maintaining energy savings. Other awards will celebrate the year’s best reduction in energy use, team excellence and tenant engagement. Categories for multi-building landlords/property managers and multi-location tenants also ensure that teams will be pitted against their peers.

“There is an edgier competition to this race. I am looking forward to some really interesting grudge matches as the program moves forward,” quipped Joe Bilé, Toronto Hydro’s manager of CDM program delivery and business development.

Evidence from the first Race to Reduce suggests intense but friendly jostling for position is about to ensue as next-generation teams begin their three-year pursuit January 1, 2018. BOMA Toronto and Toronto Hydro would also be pleased to replicate the success that the non-profit community development organization, CivicAction, achieved with the pace-setting original.

Ultimately, 200 participating buildings surpassed the goal for a 10 per cent collective reduction in energy consumption over the four years from 2011 to 2015 — delivering a 12.1 per cent reduction that translated into $13.7 million in cost savings. CivicAction CEO Sevaun Palvetzian reiterated that her organization takes even more pride in the post-2015 survey findings that 62 per cent of participants credit the race itself for prompting them to look for ways to save energy. Similar creative schemes to draft off the vitality of private sector will be critical as governments drive to cut greenhouse gas emissions and meet their global commitments.

“We get stuff done because we try to pick the big urban issues that need all hands on deck,” Palvetzian explained. “A lot happens at the sub-national level and increasingly more things will happen on a sub-national level.”

Algoma Central Properties sells Delta Sault Ste. Marie Waterfront Hotel & Conference Centre

Algoma Central Properties Inc. has sold the 195-key Delta Sault Ste. Marie Waterfront Hotel & Conference Centre to a private domestic buyer, acording to Colliers International Hotels who handled the deal.

The property, situated in the heart of downtown Sault Ste. Marie, is the only full-service hotel on the city’s waterfront, with an excellent mix of modern amenities including more than 12,000 square feet of meeting space, an indoor swimming pool, whirlpool and sauna, a restaurant/bar with an expansive outdoor patio, leased fitness centre and spa, and many more.

Algoma Central Corporation operates the largest Canadian flag fleet of dry and liquid bulk carriers on the Great Lakes – St. Lawrence Waterway, and the hotel sale was part of the company’s new strategic objective to dispose of its real estate holdings.

IESBC announces 2017 Vision Award winners

The Illuminating Engineering Society of British Columbia (IESBC) has announced the 2017 Vision Awards winners, which honours outstanding B.C. lighting engineers and designers for their local and international projects.

This year, IESBC handed out 10 Awards of Merit, two Awards of Excellence, one B.C. Hydro ReDesign Award and one IESBC Vision Award. Submissions were judged based on how well the lighting design met the program criteria and it is not a competition.

“IESBC received a record number of submissions this year varying from transit stations, education facilities, all the way to an industrial chipping processing facility,” says Robyn York, IESBC’s chair member and lighting specialist at Inform Contract. “The application of lighting techniques and controls submitted this year were highly innovative and it was inspiring to see new ways to illuminate a space.”

Awards of Excellence were presented to Integral Group for the Telus Garden Office Tower and Total Lighting Solutions for the Evergreen Line.

AES Engineering took home five of the 10 Awards of Merit. The projects are: Grandview Heights Aquatic Centre, Langara College Science & Technology Building, UBC Campus Energy Centre, Okanagan College Kelowna Trades Complex and West Newton Cricket Fieldhouse.

The other Awards of Merit winners were:

Total Lighting Solutions: Main Street Station and Evergreen Line
MMM Group/WSP: Vancouver Creekside Paddling Centre
World’s Famous Building Corporation & EOS Lightmedia: The Jack Chow Building (two Awards of Merit).

The Main Street Station project also received the 2017 BC Hydro Award and the Vancouver Creekside Paddling Centre received IESBC’s 2017 Vision Award.

The IES’s national Illumination Awards will be presented on August 10 at the IES Conference in Oregon.

Toronto looks to boost kid-friendly condos

Draft guidelines designed to promote kid-friendly condos are poised for a two-year trial run after getting green-lit by the planning and growth management committee last week. If Toronto City Council adopts the committee’s recommendations at its July 5 meeting, applications for multi-residential developments will start to be scrutinized with a view to these Growing Up guidelines.

The move to plan for the increasing number of families expected to raise kids in vertical communities follows a 2012 condo consultation and a 2014 roundtable on planning cities for families, according to a staff report accompanying the guidelines. The consultation revealed challenges including a dearth of amenities tailored to children, while the roundtable addressed a range of issues including the availability of affordable family housing.

The guidelines, which reflect input from developers and families, consider the neighbourhood, the building and the unit in answering how to build vibrant communities that are inclusive of youngsters. They contemplate everything from integrating child care facilities into new developments, to grouping large units on the lower floors of a building, to designing units for future flexibility.

Neighbourhood guidelines

In addition to looking for opportunities to integrate child care facilities into new developments where needed, the neighbourhood guidelines encourage grouping together child care facilities, parks and schools at the same site.

“The TDSB [Toronto District School Board] will use these guidelines as a stepping stone in continuing to review and provide for opportunities to integrate new schools into specific development areas where there is anticipated significant residential intensification, population growth and student accommodation pressures that are beyond our ability to address within existing property holdings,” wrote Carla Kisko, associate director, finance and operations, TDSB, in a letter addressing the staff report.

TDSB notices informing future residents that their kids may not be able to attend a local school due to capacity issues have become a fixture of development sites in rapidly intensifying neighbourhoods.

The guidelines also encourage parkland to be allocated on site where needed and discourage development that causes “new net shadow” to be cast on parks, open spaces and playground.

A development in the rapidly intensifying Yonge and Eglinton neighbourhood recently faced pushback from parents over concerns including that the condo would restrict the amount of sunlight reaching the playground of the school next door.

Building guidelines

In addition to calling for two- and three-bedroom units to be grouped together on the lower floors, the building guidelines specify that these larger units should comprise at least 25 per cent of all units. The guidelines further specify that 10 per cent of units should be three bedrooms and 15 per cent, two bedrooms.

Design considerations include future-proofing units for possible consolidation or reconfiguration as families’ needs change. Among the suggested strategies for accomplishing this are avoiding shear walls in favour of columns and weighing the option of wood-frame construction.

Two-storey units are tagged as a way to improve sound privacy — a source of conflict in condos — by laying out living and sleeping areas on different levels. The guidelines also encourage built-in supervision through the wrapping of outdoor play areas with C- or L-shaped massing for mid-rise buildings and for the bases of high-rise buildings.

Whether outdoors or indoors, amenities are expected to support a mix of different activities and demographics, with kid-friendly spaces to be allocated in equal measure to the large units. Shared facilities could become even more prevalent depending on the uptake of the recommendation to combine some of the amenities in a common space on sites with more than one building.

Other considerations are to integrate stroller storage into lobbies and provide informal spaces for kids to interact with features such as generous, naturally lit elevator corridors and hallways.

Unit guidelines

In addition to promoting demountable partitions and prefabricated elements for long-term flexibility, the unit guidelines point to fold-away furniture and movable walls for short-term flexibility. The unit guidelines also specify minimum dimensions for both units and rooms.

Two-bedroom units should measure between 936 and 969 square feet and three-bedroom units, between 1,076 and 1,140 square feet.

That compares with two-bedroom units available for purchase between 2010 and 2015, which ranged from 49 square metres to 196 square metres (roughly 530 square feet to more than 2,000 square feet), notes the staff report accompanying the guidelines. The three-bedroom units available for purchase during the same period ranged from 69 square metres to 324 square metres (slightly less than 750 square feet to nearly 3,500 square feet). Units in older buildings are typically larger, while units in newer buildings have trended smaller and smaller.

All bedrooms should be able to accommodate two people and measure 11 square metres (roughly 120 square feet), according to the guidelines, but at least one must meet this minimum and none should be squeezed into less than eight square metres (86 square feet). Kitchen and dining rooms should be at least nine square metres each (just under 100 square feet) and living rooms, 16.5 square metres (just over 175 square feet).

A minimum width of roughly 1.5 metres (five feet) is prescribed for entrances, to provide ample passageway for people and strollers. Laundry rooms are ideally nearby, as the guidelines recommend considering making them multi-purpose to serve double duty as mud rooms. And balconies — preferably inset — should measure at least 2.4-metres deep (just under eight feet) and 2.7-metres wide (just under nine feet) .

Consultation to continue

The planning and growth management committee adopted a recommendation to have staff consult with the design and development community during the trial run and provide an interim report in the first quarter of 2018 with proposed revisions. A suggestion from the Federation of North Toronto Residents’ Associations (FONTRA) to include families living in vertical communities in the continuing consultation as well went unheeded, but the group welcomed the guidelines.

“It is apparent that mid-rise and tall buildings are increasingly becoming ‘home’ for Toronto families, and it is critical that these are ‘good places to live’ at unit, building and neighborhoods scales, as examined in the report and guidelines,” stated a letter from FONTRA co-chairs Geoff Kettel and Cathie Macdonald.

The planning and growth management committee also adopted a recommendation to have staff report back in 2019 on the roll out of the draft guidelines.

Michelle Ervin is the editor of CondoBusiness.

Proposed bill on mercury-containing lamps debated at Senate committee

The Standing Senate Committee on Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources met on June 1 to debate Bill C-238, which calls for a robust national strategy for the safe and environmentally sound disposal of mercury-containing lamps.

According to Darren Fisher, Member of Parliament for Dartmouth–Cole Harbour and sponsor of the bill, little has been done to protect Canadians from toxic mercury-bearing light bulbs that are tossed into landfills, which then contaminate land and water every day.

“The Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment reported that waste lamps, whether broken or intact, contribute about 1,150 kilograms of mercury into Canadian landfills each year,” he said at the senate meeting. “Sources state that it takes only 0.5 milligrams of mercury to pollute 180 tons of water. With remediation of mercury in land and water being so costly and incredibly difficult, we have to prevent mercury contamination in the first place.”

The Recycling Council of Ontario, (RCO), a long-time advocate on the issue, was in attendance to speak about proper management and national standards on handling and disposing of this hazardous material, and how it will benefit human health and the environment. Currently, mercury-containing lamps are still used in commercial and institutional sectors.

“The lighting industry estimates that more than 40 million mercury lamps are sold into office towers, malls and hospitals across the country every year,” said Jo-Anne St. Godard, executive director of RCO’s Take Back the Light, Canada’s leading light recycling program for businesses and institutions.

About 85 million mercury-containing lamps are sold in Canada every year, which represents 300 kilograms of mercury, 20 million kilograms of glass, 287 kilograms of phosphor powder and 295,000 kilograms of metals.

“While there are labelling requirements that indicate when mercury is present in a lamp, the lack of materials management strategy to keep them from disposal makes labelling inconsequential,” added St. Godard. “Therefore, Bill C-238 provides an important first step in advancing lamp management practices and facilitating awareness on how they should be managed. An end-of-life strategy makes sense and is particularly prudent.”

Strategies may include identifying practices for safe disposal of lamps, establishing guidelines for facilities to ensure safe and sound disposal is carried out and developing a plan to promote public awareness on safe disposal.

Bill C-238 was first introduced to parliament in February 2016 and has since passed through a second reading in senate and is now currently in the Senate committee stage.

Take Back the Light

Take Back the Light provides a simple low-cost opportunity to have fluorescent lamps and light fixtures recycled responsibly.

“The program encourages commercial buyers of lighting to make responsible choices. Whether lighting a stadium, subway tunnel, or office, buyers can use their purchasing influence to choose sellers and retailers that extend their services to include proper recycling,” RCO states. “The program also has first-of-its-kind recycling standard that ensures full recovery of mercury and accountability of all material to final disposition.”

For businesses or organizations not currently registered with Take Back the Light, we offer a low-cost solution that ensure every spent light is tracked and managed from collection point to final disposition under stringent environmental, health, and safety guidelines.

Demand outpaces supply in GTA new home market

In April, demand for new homes in the GTA continued to outpace supply, driving up prices for all types of available new homes, says the Building Industry and Land Development Association (BILD).

There were 4,680 new homes sold in the GTA in April, up seven per cent from one year ago, according to Altus Group, BILD’s official source for new home market intelligence. According to year-to-date sales data, in the first four months of this year, 17,977 new homes were sold, which is an increase of 24 per cent compared to the same period in 2016 and 48 per cent above the 10-year average.

The supply of new homes, however, continued to decline. At the end of April, there were only 9,387 new homes available to buyers across the entire GTA, marking the first time that inventory has dropped below 10,000 units in over a decade. One year ago, there were 21,056 new homes available for purchase in builders’ inventories.

“Builders are not able to keep up with the demand for new housing,” said Bryan Tuckey, BILD president and CEO, in a press release. “The product that builders are able to bring to the market is quickly purchased and prices for all types of new homes keep increasing as a result.”

In April, the average price of available new low-rise single-family homes, which includes detached, semi-detached and townhomes, climbed 40 per cent year-over-year to reach $1,212,297. The average asking price for available new detached homes in the GTA last month was $1,810,232, while the average price for an available semi-detached home was $856,036 and for townhomes was $946,496.

Prices of available new multi-family homes, condo apartments in high rise and mid-rise buildings and stacked townhomes jumped 24 per cent over the last year. The average price of available units reached $570,226 in April, with the average price per square foot at $685, and the average unit size at 832 square feet.

Prices of available condominium apartments climbed due to both an increase in average unit size and a significant increase in average price per square foot, which climbed 17.5 per cent compared to April 2016.

“The declining number of new homes available to purchase is not a question of less product being brought to market,” said Patricia Arsenault, Altus Group’s executive vice president of research consulting services. “There were more than 11,000 units in projects opened in the first four months of this year – that’s about one-third higher than the average for the previous two years. But new product is selling well. For example, for projects opened in the first quarter of this year, only one in five units were still available to purchase at the end of April; for the same period in 2015, that proportion was about double (two in five).”

According to BILD, about 70 per cent of the new homes that were purchased in April in the GTA (3,265 units) were multi-family condominium apartments in high-rise, mid-rise or stacked townhomes, which 30 per cent (1,415 units) were new single-family low-rise homes including detached, semi-detached and townhouses.

Single-family low-rise sales fell 39 per cent from one year ago while sales of multi-family condo apartments climbed 61 per cent compared to April 2016.

Health care facility patients at risk for Legionnaires’ disease

A report from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the U.S. found that patients in health care facilities are at risk for Legionnaires’ disease.

In response, ASHRAE is alerting facilities to its ASHRAE Standard 188, which helps develop water management programs to reduce Legionella in buildings.

More than 76 per cent of Legionnaires’ disease cases acquired from Legionella exposure in U.S.-based health care facilities are “harsh,” and include possible fatal risks to patients, according to the CDC.

Legionnaires’ disease is a serious type of pneumonia caused by bacteria, called Legionella that lives in water. Legionella can make people sick when they inhale contaminated water from building water systems that are not adequately maintained.

“Determining Legionnaire’s disease causation is not simple since the mere presence of Legionella in a water system or device is not sufficient to cause disease,” says Michael Patton, member of ASHRAE Committee SSPC 188. “The bacteria must ultimately be inhaled or aspirated into the lungs of a susceptible person to cause disease.”

The report’s findings – part of the CDC’s monthly Vital Signs publication – are based upon exposure data from 20 states and New York City. According to the CDC, the analysis was limited to these 21 jurisdictions because they reported exposure details for most of their cases, which allowed the CDC to determine how Legionnaires’ disease was associated with health care facilities.

About three per cent of Legionnaires’ disease cases were determined to be “definitely associated with a health care facility,” with 17 per cent of cases listed as “possibly associated with a health care facility.”

“Since people with conditions that have reduced their ability to fight off infections are especially susceptible, it is not a surprise the report found patients in health care facilities to be at risk,” adds Patton. “It’s vitally important all buildings incorporate good design, operations and maintenance procedures that prevent growth and spread of Legionella as these are regarded as the best methods of preventing disease.”

ASHRAE notes a Water Management Plan will reduce the chance of heavy colonization, amplification and dissemination to people. ASHRAE Standard 188: Legionellosis: Risk Management for Building Water Systems assists designers and building operators in developing a Water Management Plan that includes practices specific to the systems that exist in a particular building, campus or health care facility.

Existing asbestos stockpile raises concerns

After years of working in commercial buildings and industrial plants as a journeyman thermal insulator, Fred Clare, vice-president of the International Association of Heat and Frost Insulators and Allied Workers, is now undergoing treatment for cancer he believes is related to asbestos exposure. He’s lost friends and colleagues over the years to health effects like asbestosis and one of the most aggressive forms of cancer — mesothelioma.

“It’s like an elephant sitting on someone’s chest until they can no longer breathe,” he says. “They used to say the only people who could pronounce the work mesothelioma were doctors and insulators. The number of friends I’ve lost is uncountable.”

There is no safe level of exposure to asbestos, and anyone is in danger if they inhale the fibrous silicate minerals. These fibres are extremely fine and can remain suspended in the air for hours. Although Canada is finally banning asbestos-containing products for good by 2018, that doesn’t mean a risk won’t linger. After decades of mining and importing asbestos, various types of buildings still harbour the known carcinogen in their walls, floors, pipes, roofs and electrical insulations. There is a commitment to control it, but the government hasn’t clarified issues related to existing stockpiles.

At one time, asbestos was used in more than 3000 different applications around the globe. Today, CAREX Canada says about 152,000 Canadians are exposed to it at work, from construction workers and electricians to plumbing and heating tradespeople and other specialty contractors. Removing it remains a massive issue. Found in most industrial plants, in schools, hospitals and residential buildings, there is a responsibility to ensure it is removed and disposed of properly; however, people still believe it poses no problem if left alone.

Clare says it’s unfathomable to treat buildings like museums, where it’s alright if nothing is touched.

“We shouldn’t give people a nonchalant idea of asbestos; people think it’s okay if not disturbed, which is totally impractical,” he urges. “Everything we build goes through wear and tear and breaks down over time.”

Next steps for existing asbestos

Necessary steps the federal government is being urged to take with asbestos in existing buildings include harmonizing regulatory standards for asbestos disposal and national registries of contaminated buildings and workers who have been exposed. More expert panels to advise on proper implementation of legislation would also help. This extends to working with provincial governments to change compensation legislation and developing a comprehensive health response to asbestos-related diseases, including early detection and effective treatment.

Elements like waste management and non-compliance are a multi-prong problem, according to Fe de Leon, researcher with the Canadian Environmental Law Association (CELA), which provides legal services to people of low income and other vulnerable populations.” She sees these issues as a shared responsibility among the provincial and federal government. Proposed regulations need “much stronger language” around what the government intends to do, for instance, the full life cycle of asbestos in consumer products.

“We have strong advocates in unions and the healthcare field who think there needs to be better “right to know” provisions that include development and expanding the registries that exist for workers, as well as the registries that demonstrate the existence of asbestos in buildings,” says de Leon. “Those two key things are dealt with in parts of the federal government announcement, but there needs to be more open discussion on what elements are needed to improve those provisions, and how they intend to share the information that is gathered in those registries.”

The clinic de Leon works at has been receiving numerous calls from the public, from parents and students in academic institutions who are concerned they are not fully protected through existing regulations.

They are right to worry. Members of the public may be exposed to fibres if they occupy buildings where asbestos was present and disturbed during a renovation. They may also come in contact with fibres that workers carry on their clothing. More than 2,000 Canadians die every year from diseases caused by asbestos exposure, such as mesotheliomas and lung, laryngeal and ovarian cancers. The most recent statistics show death from mesothelioma increased 60 per cent between 2000 and 2012. In 2012, there were 560 new cases, up from 276 cases in 1992, as the latency period of the disease can be anywhere from 20 to 40 years.

Compliance in the field

A few weeks ago, in the hallway next to Clare’s hospital room where he underwent a treatment procedure, workers set up an asbestos tent for maintenance work. Dust was visible and there were no warning signs in place alerting patients and staff of danger, a reality that Clare faces every day.

He wants to see more urgency to safely remove asbestos, and flags building materials like acoustic tiles and pipes. If they were installed prior to the 1980s they likely contain asbestos. Yet even a few years ago he was alerted that asbestos piping for drainage purposes was being installed in downtown Toronto and Ottawa. Most likely, the asbestos was non-friable, which means it is not readily subject to crumbling, powdering and becoming airborne. “An oversight,” he adds.

“When I looked into it, I found it was being installed in brand new condominiums,” he says. “There’s no way you’re going to snap asbestos piping without causing dust; they’re not looking at issues like accidents and abrasion. Are owners who are selling those multi-million dollar buildings letting the public know they’re using this product?”

Canadians may be more aware of hazards today, but non-compliance is still an issue. At a recent health and safety conference, Partners in Prevention, Meghan Kelly, training specialist at Pinchin Ltd., spoke about what she sees in the field regarding regulatory compliance.

“Although regulatory compliance in the industrial, commercial and institutional (ICI) sectors is fairly good among building managers and employees, it’s not perfect,” said Kelly.

The idea that asbestos containing materials won’t harm anyone if left alone and managed properly is unrealistic.

“We see over and over again, despite best efforts and intentions, these accidental disturbances continue to happen and work continues to be done improperly,” said Kelly. We keep running into repeated risks associated with asbestos exposure.”

Many owners and managers have asbestos management surveys and programs in place. Kelly sees “pretty good control” of compliance regarding work being done, with asbestos awareness training picking up. However, gaps remain, such as failing to update information in asbestos records after repairs and renovations, which result in inaccurate records, and owners are planning work based on these records. She also see less overall compliance with small scale commercial businesses and in northern areas of Canada, most likely due to lack of financial resources and awareness. Big compliance gaps are also evident in the residential sector, where contractors are conducting work without necessary training.

Light and fluffy, asbestos is a silent masquerader, quieter and less expensive than other materials, rendering workers voiceless. Once called a miracle fibre because it was fire proof, durable and said to last forever, it is so long lasting that once inside a body, it cannot be expelled or broken down.

“Once you’re exposed, it goes on for years and years and years and years,” says Clare. “For the rest of your life.”

Rebecca Melnyk is online editor of Facility Cleaning & Maintenance

TFS sounds alarm over rise in balcony fires

Toronto Fire Service (TFS) is sounding the alarm over a recent rise in the number of balcony fires caused by carelessly discarded cigarettes. Currently, it is the leading cause of blazes in high-rise buildings in the city, said Deputy Chief Jim Jessop.

Jessop said Wednesday that there have been 27 of these incidents to date in 2017, which works out to an average rate of one per week. That’s double the rate for 2016, which saw a total of 25 such incidents. The associated property damage to date in 2017 has topped $300,000.

“As the summer months approach, our fear is the number of fires resulting from carelessly discarded cigarettes over balconies in high-rise buildings is going to increase,” said Jessop, speaking at a press conference.

The press conference followed analysis by TFS’ investigations division that identified the emerging trend as well as a string of these incidents last week.

In one case, fire fighters had to rescue an occupant in a wheelchair after a carelessly discarded cigarette sparked a fire in a neighbouring unit. Jessop said it’s “very fortunate” that none of these incidents has caused a serious injury or fatality.

TFS is calling on high-rise building residents to “please stop carelessly disposing your cigarettes over the balcony,” he said. Balcony fires can also be ignited by cigarettes discarded in potted plants, particularly when peat moss is present, Jessop added.

TFS’ public education division is launching a month-long campaign tonight that will see it visit high-rise buildings to inform residents about this leading cause of fire. This division is also visiting buildings where blazes have been sparked by carelessly discarded cigarettes with the goal of preventing repeat incidents.

Jessop cautioned high-rise building residents to be mindful of the quantity of combustible materials, such as chairs and plants, on their balcony.

“If you see cigarettes have landed and are accumulating on your balcony, speak with your property management company as well,” he said.

Cash deals prevail in smaller U.S. markets

International investors are predominantly paying cash for commercial acquisitions in mid-sized and smaller U.S. markets. A newly released report from the National Association of Realtors (NAR) focuses on transactions for foreign clients who bought, leased or sold properties last year, involving about 225 brokers and/or sales professionals or 20 per cent of 1,125 survey respondents.

“Nearly half of Realtors reported that they experienced a greater number of international clients looking to buy commercial space over the past five years,” observes Lawrence Yun, chief economist for the association, which largely represents brokers and sales professionals in secondary and tertiary markets where deal values tend not to top USD $2.5 million. “Forty per cent expect an increase in foreign buying clients this year. The healthy labour markets and lower property prices in smaller markets are poised to make up a larger share of activity.”

Properties in Florida and Texas captured the greatest share of incoming capital in 2016, accounting for 26 per cent and 19 per cent of foreign purchases respectively. California, at 8 per cent, and New York, at 6 per cent, were the next most popular destinations, but the survey reports sales in a total of 28 states with the median price at USD $1 million.

Sixty per cent of sales were all-cash transactions, while 34 per cent of investors received financing from U.S. lenders. Only 1 per cent of investors relied on mortgage financing from their own countries. Retail, apartment and industrial properties represent 57 per cent of the acquisitions, but the undefined “other” category was the most popular investment, attracting 23 per cent of the deals.

Together, Chinese and Mexican purchasers were behind more than 30 per cent of acquisitions, with investors from United Kingdom and Venezuela each covering another 7 per cent. Investors from 14 nations account for more than three quarters of sales volume, while the complete field of purchasers represents 32 different countries.

“Multiple years of steady job growth and the strengthening U.S. economy — albeit at a modest pace — makes commercial property a safe bet for global investors looking to diversify their portfolios and generate returns outside their country of origin,” Yun says.

Foreign vendors generally traded lower valued properties, demonstrated in the median price of USD $550,000. Nearly 60 per cent of properties sold for less than USD $1 million. However, 13 per cent sold for more than USD $10 million.

Chinese vendors were most active among the top five foreign sellers, representing 15 per cent of sales, while vendors from Brazil, Canada, France and Mexico each offered up 10 per cent. Land was the top commodity, accounting for 30 per cent of sales activity.

Adera recognized for building excellence

Adera, a B.C.-based real estate organization, was recently presented with awards for design, architectural quality and innovation by the Canadian Home Builders’ Association (CHBA) and the Greater Vancouver Home Builders’ Association (GVHBA).

At the CHBA’s 2017 National Awards for Housing Excellence, Adera received the Design Excellence Award, as well as two individual New Home Awards for The Shore in the Attached-Mid-to-High-Rise Condominium Units under 1,000 SF category. This is the third time Adera has received this honour at the National Awards.

Adera’s commitment to sustainability and architectural excellence, including both the interior and exterior design of a new development, helped lead the company to award success.

“We are thrilled and humbled to be recognized in this year’s National Awards for Housing Excellence,” said Eric Andreasen, VP of marketing and sales at Adera, in a press release. “We are passionate about our projects and providing homeowners with the best quality homes. These awards are a reflection of this and our team’s hard work.”

Adera was also recently honoured at the 2017 GVHBA Ovation Awards, which recognizes the work of some of the best new-home, renovation and design member companies in Metro Vancouver. The Ovation Awards were established to recognize influential and trend-setting companies.

At the GVHBA Ovation Awards, Adera’s Prodigy project won for Best Multi-Family Lowrise Development and Sail was recognized for Excellence in Innovation and Sustainability in New Residential Construction. Adera was also honoured with the Grand Innovation Award: Multi-Family Home Builder of the Year for the second year in a row.

UBC Wesbrook Village condo reaches key milestone

The final mass timber panel has been installed at Adera Development Group’s Virtuoso project in UBC’s Wesbrook Village, marking a key milestone in its construction. The historic development is the first market condominium project built using mass timber, specifically CrossLam Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT) panels supplied by Structurlam Products LP.

Virtuoso is a luxury condominium featuring signature West Coast Modern architecture. The residences surround a central Zen garden and feature up to 850 square feet of private outdoor space and a large rooftop patio.

The use of mass timber on this project provides it with a sustainable advantage, as mass timber provides legitimate fire resistance, outperforms concrete in seismic conditions and is a superior renewable building resources. Mass timber also reduces the amount of airborne and impact sounds between attached homes, which complements Adera’s Quiet Home technology.

In mass timber projects, prefabricated panels arrive on site already ready to install, producing less waste on site. Each floor at Virtuoso consists of about 160 CLT panels, which were lifted at a rate of one panel every 12 minutes. Seagate Structures, Adera’s partner in the framing of the building, worked at a high speed, installing 4,500 square feet of flooring in less than three hours.

Adera was recently recognized with the Design Excellence Award at the 2017 Canadian Home Builders’ Association (CHBA) National Awards for Housing Excellence. The company is vocal about its commitment to sustainability and architectural excellence. Moving onto luxury wood construction seemed a natural next step for Adera, which previously completed nine REAP (Residential Environmental Assessment Program) certified projects in the UBC area.

Springtime pest removal

Springtime is here and summer is just around the corner. The birds are chirping, the sun is shining and the annual incursion of spring pests is upon us. Carpenter ants are swarming, wasps are buzzing and raccoons, squirrels, skunks and birds are all having babies. If the animals are in your buildings, property owners and managers need to know how to safely and humanely evict urban pest animals from the premises.

Why are they there?

If any animal (and insects are animals too) is in your building there is a reason – carpenter ants prefer to nest in moisture damaged wood, so perhaps there is a leaky window or roof or pipe that also needs to be dealt with. For birds or racoons nesting in buildings, it means there is an opening allowing them inside, or perhaps a weak spot in the roof or siding that allowed them to make their own hole to get in. Your pest control contractor can eliminate the carpenter ants and evict the squirrels, but unless the moisture issue attracting the ants and the holes allowing access to the squirrels are dealt with, the problem will recur, as will the expense. Often it is not enough to just deal with the current pest problem.

The offenders

Raccoons, skunks and squirrels are the most common wildlife species that cause problems at this time of year. Feathered offenders include pigeons and seagulls on rooftops and ledges, plus sparrows and starlings in dryer vents and insulated parkade ceilings. We also need to deal with moles digging up nice fresh spring lawns and ants pushing up sand in patios and driveways. Some clients are also “lucky” enough to have wood peckers banging holes in the side of their building in order to attract mates, look for emerging ants or create a hollow for a nest.

The risks

Structural damage from the animals pecking or ripping or chewing into soffits, fascia boards or even right through a roof to gain entry. Raccoons are the worst offenders here – they can rip holes in asphalt shingles or cedar shakes and even break off clay roof tiles.
Fire! Fires occur every year in North American cities due to stove and dryer vents being plugged by small bird species (sparrows and starlings) filling the vent pipe with nesting material.
Water damage due to roof drains and gutters being plugged by bird droppings and nesting material (from pigeons and gulls), plus water leaking into the access holes raccoons or squirrels make in a roof.
Sickness and disease due to contact with droppings. Dozens of different viruses and bacteria are in the urine and feces of birds and wildlife. Birds nesting near HVAC units on rooftops can result in contractors refusing to service the units plus unsafe air being circulated to the occupants of the building. Call a professional experienced in the particular pest problem. If there is an established carpenter ant issue in an older three-storey wood frame building with moisture problems, it may be beyond the abilities of a regular service technician. Many pest control companies have specialists who can safely and legally deal with bird and wildlife problems, but many do not. Make sure they can address the following, depending on the situation:

What to do about it

Call a professional experienced in the particular pest problem. If there is an established carpenter ant issue in an older three-storey wood frame building with moisture problems, it may be beyond the abilities of a regular service technician. Many pest control companies have specialists who can safely and legally deal with bird and wildlife problems, but many do not. Make sure they can address the following, depending on the situation:

Safe removal of nesting material and droppings deposited in and around nests.
Sanitizing and de-odorizing the area and repair of any damage done plus prevention of re-entry.
Safe and humane removal of the offending adult animals, plus removal of the babies and re-uniting mom with the babies.
Access and safety– do they have the proper ladders, ropes and safety gear plus permits to operate lifts in order to get to the necessary location.
Legal issues – migratory birds (seagulls) are protected, as are bats. Raccoons and skunks are classified as fur bearing animals; some squirrels have legal protections but most sparrows and starlings and pigeons do not. Regardless of status, all animals must be humanely treated. If they are not bad press, bad reputations and legal proceedings from the SPCA may follow. Knowing these details is important.

Regardless of the situation or species, a common sense solution with a good outcome for the owners, tenants and pests can usually be found. So, enjoy the sun while it lasts this summer and hopefully you won’t need to evict any “wild” tenants!

Brett Johnston is president of Assured Environmental Solutions, Inc, a full service pest management company operating in Metro Vancouver with specific expertise in bird and wildlife control, carpenter ant and rodent control, and all things bed bug including heat treatments. Contact info: 604.463.0007, [email protected] or www.assuredenvironmental.ca

Whiterose Janitorial Services: Pure and Simple

The 1980s are often remembered for big hair, synth music and power suits with over-exaggerated shoulder pads, but the decade was about more than just pop culture. It was a time of entrepreneurship, when people left their nine-to-five office jobs to run their own business. Some said goodbye to the security of a regular paycheque on their own accord, motivated to take the risk in order to be their own boss; others were pushed by company layoffs and mergers during the global economic recession of the early ‘80s. Then there were those like Albert Crimi who, from his earliest recollections, always wanted to launch his own company.

It was while Albert was in college that he gave starting a new business serious thought. At first, he contemplated opening a fast food franchise, which seemed like a natural progression having worked in the industry for four years. But upon greater consideration and some sage advice from then-girlfriend, now wife, Sandra, he set his sights on the cleaning industry.

“Sandra and I have always valued cleanliness and order, rooted in our strong beliefs that they aid in living a healthy lifestyle, so it made sense,” he explains.

In 1986, one year after graduating from Humber with a diploma in business administration, Albert combined his interest in improving people’s well-being with his passion for entrepreneurship and launched Whiterose Janitorial Services Ltd. By day, he worked as an accountant for what’s now the world’s largest package delivery company, UPS. At night, he handed out business cards in the hope they would drum up interest in Whiterose and eventually land him an account. Albert’s dedication and perseverance soon paid off. Just two months into his new business venture he inked his first contract with Amerella of Canada Ltd., a leading importer and distributor of fashion apparel. To mark the occasion, Albert bought a key ring “to hold all the keys of the properties I’d soon be cleaning,” he says, adding he still has it to this day, stored away in a lockbox at his house for safekeeping.

“I told Sandra about the key ring and she thought I was a bit of a dreamer back then,” he continues with a laugh. “But I was serious. I was very ambitious.”

Within two short years, the key ring was full – thanks in part to Albert’s partner in life and work, who not only supported his business aspirations but worked closely with him to keep the company going in its formative years. Today, Sandra serves as the company’s vice-president of operations, overseeing the day-to-day operations to support Whiterose’s growth and add to its bottom line. Albert remains focused on the company’s big-picture goals – a strategy that has worked for him for more than three decades, though it was a juggling act in the beginning.

“I spent my evenings and weekends managing sales and marketing whilst cleaning in the commercial sector,” reminisces Whiterose’s president and CEO. “I’ll never forget the countless days I’d spend driving around with my kids’ car seats in the backseat and cleaning supplies in the hatchback.”

President and CEO Albert Crimi, with his wife and Vice-President of Operations, Sandra.

By the early ‘90s, the company had grown to a point that Albert was comfortable enough to stop straddling two jobs and plant both feet in his blossoming business. Around this time, he stepped away from his role as sole cleaner, hiring someone to fill his shoes so that he could focus on running and further developing the company. Then, in 1997, he received a phone call that unbeknownst to him at the time would change the course of the business.

“A condominium requested a quote for a cleaning contract, which was a first because Whiterose was focused on the commercial, retail and industrial markets,” explains Albert. “We got the job and our reputation for providing top-quality cleanliness led to another and another. The company took on new life and has seen successive growth year after year for the past 20 years.”

Today, Whiterose’s core business involves providing cleaning and live-in/live-out superintendent services to the condominium sector. The company maintains numerous condos in the Greater Toronto-Hamilton area (totalling millions of square feet of cleanable space), including the two tallest in Canada – Aura, which rises 79 storeys in Toronto’s downtown core, and the nearly completed and partially occupied One Bloor (previously One Bloor East) located in Yorkville, one of the country’s most exclusive shopping districts.

The Secret to Outstanding Service

Like all successful cleaning companies, Whiterose’s commitment to delivering topnotch customer service has been key to its longevity. For Albert, excellent client care involves being proactive, not reactive; listening carefully to customers’ needs; ongoing communication; and providing proper instruction to, and supervision of, its workforce.

“I have always seen myself and each employee of Whiterose as part of a team, where the company as a whole is only as strong as each individual working in it,” he explains. “With this in mind, I have focused on improving training and supervision amongst staff.”

Early on, supervision involved weekly site visits to ensure the job wasn’t just done but it was done right. While regular inspections are still an integral part of the company’s quality assurance program – Albert himself routinely walks through the properties the company maintains and even personally performs the ‘white glove test’ for dust as part his hands-on approach to the business – Whiterose recently implemented a customized software program that provides real-time GPS tracking of employee movements, including attendance, hours worked and time spent on specific tasks. The cloud-based platform is also a crucial operational tool that assists with inventory control, processing work orders, personnel management and worksite scheduling.

“We customize work schedules for every site and regularly review the needs of each site, updating as required, so it’s going to make us more efficient,” says Albert about the software program. “It’s also going to strengthen our relationships with our customers.”

Soon to be accessible through Whiterose’s website, the platform will be an information and communication hub for clients. It will allow them to monitor their portfolio 24-7, providing complete transparency of contract service delivery, and, with mobile integration, enable clients to directly contact a supervisor/superintendent, if the need arises.

A Little Goes a Long Way

Now in its thirty-first year of operation, Whiterose has come a long way since the company was a one-man show run out of Albert’s home in Woodbridge, Ont. Today, it boasts hundreds of employees, including seven supervisors, and an office in the heart of downtown Toronto. Whiterose also now offers a full range of turnkey cleaning and building maintenance services, though Albert consciously chose not to diversify the company’s offerings beyond its area of expertise because “a jack of all trades is a master of none.” However, it does provide its customers carpet, garage and window cleaning as a convenience, upon request.

“I strongly believe that it is our obligation to alleviate the day-to-day cleaning tasks so that our clients can focus on what really matters to them,” says Albert, who acknowledges that this commitment to putting customers’ needs above all else couldn’t be achieved without the company’s dedicated staff.

“The strength of our business is our people,” he adds.

To maintain a positive work environment, Whiterose provides competitive compensation and benefits. Albert also makes a point of recognizing and rewarding employees for their hard work, often handing out prepaid gift cards.

“It’s a small thing but it goes a long way,” he says. “That’s one of the three (pillars) that make a business successful … If you treat your employees with respect and dignity, remember where you came from and are humble at all times, then everything else will fall into place.”

Clare Tattersall is the editor of Facility Cleaning & Maintenance

Photos by Robyn Russell