TREB concerned over proposed changes to Land Transfer Tax

The Toronto Real Estate Board (TREB) is raising concerns over proposed changes to Toronto’s Land Transfer Tax (LTT) that will increase costs for all home buyers in the city, but will impact first-time home buyers the most.

According to the TREB, the proposed LTT changes come at a time when many potential homebuyers are seriously concerned with housing affordability in Toronto, and contradicts recent provincial government changes to the Land Transfer Tax intending to help make housing more affordable.

“In recent months, housing affordability in Toronto has received significant attention not only from the City’s residents and businesses, but also from senior levels of government, which have been actively considering policy options in this regard,” said Larry Cerqua, TREB president, in a press release. “The proposed changes to the City of Toronto’s Land Transfer Tax are a cash grab, and would make all Toronto home buyers pay more Toronto Land Transfer Tax, which means that the City is proposing to make home ownership in Toronto even more expensive.”

This week, the City of Toronto’s Executive Committee will receive a report proposing that during the City’s upcoming 2017 Budget process, several changes be made to the way the Toronto Land Transfer Tax is implemented by harmonizing with the province’s higher Land Transfer Tax rates, including:

Increasing LTT rates by adding an additional LTT rate on the portion of a property valued from $250,000 to $400,000.
Harmonizing the LTT rebate for first-time home buyers with the Provincial LTT rebate threshold of $4,000, which would increase Toronto’s rebate for first-time home buyers from $3,725, but not represent a large enough increase to offset the increase those buyers would experience from the new additional LTT rate on the portion of a property valued from $250,000 to $400,000. This means that first-time buyers will be losing ground because with the new additional LTT rates, a $4,000 rebate equates to the LTT payable on a $368,000 home, whereas currently without the additional LTT rates, the City’s maximum rebate of $3,725 equates to the LTT payable on a $400,000 home. The city proposal also considers the possibility of increasing the rebate to $4,475 instead of $4,000, which would make first-time homebuyers eligible to receive a full refund if they purchase a property worth up to $400,000.
Eliminating the first-time buyer rebate entirely for home buyers that have selected a home above a particular price that will be determined by City Council.
Increasing the LTT rate on the value of a home over $2 million from two per cent to 2.5 per cent.

The buyer of an average-priced home already pays more than $11,000 in LTT to the City. The proposed changes, if applied, would mean the buyer of an average-priced home in Toronto would pay an extra seven per cent in LTT to City Hall, or $750. A first-time buyer of an average-priced Toronto home would pay an additional $475 to City Hall, representing a four per cent increase. This is in addition to the $75 LTT Administration Fee added through last year’s City budget process.

“These proposed changes would mean that the City’s budget relies even more heavily on a revenue source that has already been criticized by the City Manager for being unpredictable and unreliable. City Hall should be focused on making home ownership in this great city more affordable, not less; and should be relying less on this tax, not more,” added Von Palmer, chief communications and government affairs officer at TREB. “TREB will be participating in the City’s upcoming budget consultations and will be raising concerns with these proposals if they move forward.”

Jon Douglas joins Menkes Developments

Jon W. Douglas has assumed the role of director of sustainability with Menkes Developments, where he will identify strategic priorities and oversee the implementation of sustainable practices and standards. Bringing 10 years of experience in project management and sustainability consulting to his new responsibilities, Jon will provide guidance to Menkes’ property management and development teams.

“Sustainability is most successful and has long-term impact when it supports the organization’s strategic vision,” he says. “These initiatives thrive when personnel work in tandem with finance, marketing and operations divisions.”

Jon was previously a sustainability practice leader with Perkins + Will and the national program manager, sustainability division, with MMM Group Consulting. He holds an MBA from Western University’s Ivey School of Business and is a LEED accredited professional in building design and construction (BD&C) and operations and maintenance (O&M). Earlier this year, he was named among 30 Under 30 Sustainability Leaders by Corporate Knights.

CBC/Radio-Canada approves proposal for new Montreal broadcast facility

CBC/Radio-Canada’s Board of Directors recently approved a proposal for the construction of a new Maison Radio-Canada (MRC) broadcasting facility in Montreal, Que.

The proposal was submitted by a team led by real estate developer Broccolini Group and includes architecture and design studio Quadrangle, Béïque Legault Thuot Architectes (BLTA) and Dupras Ledoux Engineers.

The new structure will rise in the parking lot east of the existing CBC building located at the corner of René-Lévesque Boulevard East and Papineau Avenue. Radio-Canada will lease these new facilities under a 30-year term. Construction is scheduled to begin in September 2017, with completion slated for January 2020.

The new proposal features clear and simple wayfinding, interconnected spaces with the public and plenty of natural light on all floors as a way of reflecting Radio-Canada’s mandate to be more open and accessible. Creators and programmers will work within modern and versatile spaces which will help support the collaborative workplace strategy of the digital, multiplatform public broadcasting company.

The building features a sky-lit atrium at the centre of the building that will act as a public entrance and also as a pivot point for the work spaces that surround it. The connection between the different spaces will feature bridges that connect the various floors, providing for easy communication and creating a dynamic and lively central space for the complex.

“As the headquarters of Radio-Canada, the new home of MRC will be a landmark building incorporating the principles of creativity, connectivity, transparency, immersion and visibility, which are all central values to the mission and vision of Radio-Canada,” said Ted Shore, Quadrangle principal, in a press release. “We look forward to continuing to work with our consortium partners and Radio-Canada, to realize this forward-looking facility which will allow Radio-Canada to flourish within a dynamic and ever-changing media environment.”

Photo rendering provided by Broccolini.

An overview of pre-winter roof inspections

Just like other parts of the building, the roof requires ongoing maintenance and preventative repairs. Studies have shown that a roof that has not been well-maintained will, on average, last for half the length of the manufacturer material warranty. Proper maintenance and care maximizes the life expectancy of roofs, which means savings in the long run.

It is recommended that roofs be inspected in the fall before the winter and then again in the spring. That’s because the harsh elements of snow, rain, ice and cold temperatures common to Canadian winters can put a lot of wear-and-tear on the diverse components of roofs. Therefore, roofs should be inspected and maintained both to ensure that they’re prepared to take on the harsh winter months and to see how they held up to the winter that just passed.

Why is it important to do pre-winter roof inspections and maintenance?

Many property owners and supervisors do not think of their roofs until it is too late. Leak repairs can be very expensive in the winter months because repairs become harder to complete, take longer to fix, and in many situations can be very dangerous. It’s better when roof work can be done in dry and safe conditions. Hence, it may be more efficient, and therefore more cost-effective, to do roof inspections and maintenance before winter arrives.

Who can perform pre-winter roof inspections and maintenance?

A seasoned roofing contractor or professional roofing consultant should be hired to inspect roof conditions and carry out any required roof maintenance and repairs. A qualified roofing professional will be prepared with the necessary tools and experience to identify any faulty roof components where leakage may occur in the future. The roofing contractor will be able to patch roofing membranes, clean drains and eaves trough systems, fix rubber and metal flashings, and re-apply necessary sealants and mastics that have failed.

What should the property owner/supervisor expect from roof inspections and maintenance?

Expect the roofing contractor to provide a written roof inspection report. The report will point out any deficiencies and defects identified on the roof. Usually, the report includes photos with captions. These descriptions explain the repairs that need to be done and are usually written in easy-to-understand language. The cost for the roof repairs and maintenance will usually be outlined on the first or last page of the report.

Once an agreement is made between the building owner/supervisor and the roofing contractor, the roofing contractor will use his/her roofing tools and expertise to repair and maintain the roof. The written report is a great reference point for the owner/supervisor of the building to visually see what took place before and after the roof maintenance and repair. The inspection and maintenance report is also a great document to keep and refer back to, to see what areas of the roof need periodic attention.

Carrying out a proper pre-winter roof inspection and maintenance in the fall can proactively save property owners a lot of money in the long term. Identifying minor roof deficiencies before they become undetected roof failures can prevent headaches in the future. If there is one takeaway from this article, it’s that roofs age just like other building components, and that they also need preventative care to last longer.

Nuno Torres is manager and foreman at Luso Roofing & Sheet Metal. Located in Toronto, the family-owned and operated company specializes in installations and repair services.

Ontario breaks ground on Mackenzie Vaughan Hospital

Ontario recently broke ground on the first hospital slated for the city of Vaughan, which will provide state-of-the-art health care services to over 500,000 people. The province is investing up to $1.3 billion in the project.

Mackenzie Vaughan Hospital will provide modern surgical services and operating rooms, advanced diagnostic imaging and other specialized services. Health care professionals at the new hospital will use the most advanced smart technology available to improve the patient experience.

“Today marks a truly momentous occasion for the community of Vaughan and York Region as we celebrate the official ground-breaking and start of construction for the new Mackenzie Vaughan Hospital. Our new hospital will be the first smart hospital in Canada designed through the eyes of the patient,” said Altaf Stationwala, president and CEO of Mackenzie Health, in a press release. “Mackenzie Health’s smart hospital vision will feature fully integrated smart technology, including systems and medical devices that can speak to one another. The health care team will be enabled with actionable information in real time that enhances the delivery of efficient, high quality, patient-centred care.”

This is one of 35 major hospital projects across the province that is currently under construction or in some stage of planning. Construction on Mackenzie Vaughan Hospital is expected to be completed in 2020.

Federal and provincial governments invest in new Centennial College campus

Centennial College will soon have a new aerospace campus at Downsview Park. Ontario is investing $25.8 million to help develop the Centennial College Downsview Park Aerospace Campus in Toronto, while the federal government will provide $18.4 million.

The joint investment will make it possible for about 500 new students to attend the three new aerospace and aviation-related programs that will be available at this campus, in addition to the 400 that will move to this facility from another Centennial campus.

More than 900 students graduate every year from aerospace and aviation-related programs in Ontario postsecondary institutions. Investing in this project helps the province continue to build a high-tech hub that will allow students to develop the skills they need for the roles they will be filling.

“Centennial’s new training facility will anchor Ontario’s first aerospace industry cluster, deemed vital to meeting challenges to Canada’s fifth-place ranking as an aerospace technology provider in a global market,” said Ann Buller, president and CEO of Centennial College, in a press release. “But more than that, the rejuvenation of the historic de Havilland plant will bring new activity to a local community that will benefit from it, as well as form a magnet for Canadian aerospace investment. It will also strengthen Centennial’s ranking as a top-10 applied research college in Canada.”

“Our government is proud to support Centennial College’s new Downsview Park Aerospace Campus. It will provide a leading-edge learning environment for students to prepare for high-tech knowledge jobs in the aerospace industry,” added Deb Matthews, Minister of Advanced Education and Skills Development. “Providing access to high-quality education and training facilities is critical to building the highly skilled workforce we need to support good jobs and economic growth for today and tomorrow, and this investment will help us to do it.”

Over half of the world’s top 25 aerospace firms do business in Ontario. According to a press release from the province, the Ontario aerospace sector directly employs more than 21,000 workers and supports another 17,000.

Enercare CFO named a WXN Top 100 Award winner

Evelyn Sutherland, Enercare Inc.’s chief financial officer, has been named a Women’s Executive Network (WXN) 2016 Canada’s Most Powerful Women: Top 100 Award winner.

Sutherland joined Enercare in August 2011 and as a member of its executive team, has helped lead the company through a period of dramatic growth, both in size and revenue. In addition to her role at Enercare, Sutherland currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Canadian Mental Health Association, York Region and South Simcoe Branch and serves as the Treasurer and Chair of the Audit Committee.

“I am honoured to have been named as a WXN Top 100 Award Winner,” said Sutherland in a press release. “Enercare has made many positive strides in achieving gender parity among management and executive staff. With approximately 50 per cent of women at the executive level, Enercare has created an environment for women at all levels to be successful.”

The WXN Top 100 Awards were launched in 2003 to celebrate the accomplishments of the country’s top female executives as well as their organizations and networks. It recognizes women in senior positions in Canada’s public, private and not-for-profit sectors. Nominees were selected based on vision and leadership throughout their careers, as well as their contributions to their organization’s corporate performance, management and strategic direction, and community service.

“I am very proud of Evelyn. This is such a great accomplishment and so well deserved,” said John Macdonald, Enercare president and CEO. “She has, and continues to be, a key leader for our brand and has been instrumental in not only driving our results, but has been such a valuable contributor to our corporate vision and culture, helping to shape the direction of our organization.”

Sutherland was presented with the Scotiabank Corporate Executives Award during a gala event that took place at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre on November 24.

Ontario to upgrade and expand Don Yard GO facility

Ontario plans to improve the Union Station GO rail corridor to better manage congestion, increase service and support the growing number of commuters across the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA).

The planned improvements include a $17.1-million upgrade and expansion of the Don Yard facility that includes modifying existing tracks and creating three new storage tracks, 300 meters of new concrete retaining walls, a substation upgrade and compressed air systems that will reduce the noise caused by trains and allow trains to shut down during layover periods. In three years, the new tracks will become mainline tracks as part of Ontario’s GO Regional Express Rail (RER) expansion plan, and will be designed to meet mainline standards. These changes will allow Metrolinx to better meet future demand for GO and UP Express service while reducing fuel consumption and costs.

The GO RER plan represents a historic investment in Go Transit that will help provide faster, more frequent and more convenient transit services to communities across the GTHA by 2025. It will increase the number of weekly trips on the GO Transit network from approximately 1,500 to nearly 6,000 over 10 years.

“These track and rail improvements are part of one of the largest and most complex rail upgrades in the world. GO Transit is transforming to bring residents of the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area a faster and more efficient way to travel,” said Bruce McCuaig, Metrolinx president and CEO, in a press release. “The upgrade will help us reduce deadhead trips, fuel consumption and costs, crew hours, and congestion within the Union Station Rail Corridor at peak travel times.”

How contractor claims for extras should be prepared

In Ross Clair v. Canada (Attorney General), the Ontario Court of Appeal held that a contractor’s $1.437 million claim for extras was barred because the contractor had not provided sufficiently detailed information in support of its claim. The case turns on the specific wording of the contract at issue, but serves as a useful reminder for how claims for extras should be prepared and submitted by contractors and evaluated by owners and consultants.

Ross-Clair (contractor) was engaged by Her Majesty the Queen, Public Works and Government Services Canada (owner) to construct unit management offices for the Correctional Services of Canada. The contract outlined requirements for the approval of change orders and claims for extras.

With respect to claims for extras, the contract provided only two narrow instances in which extras were claimable – the discovery of substantially different soil conditions than those contained in the plans and specifications or neglect or delay of the owner in doing anything that the contract required of the owner. If an extra claim fit within one of those two categories, then the contract set out three pre-conditions for consideration of the extra. First, the contractor had to provide written notice of a claim for an extra to the project engineer (engineer) within 10 days of the discovery of changed soil conditions or neglect or delay of the owner. Second, the contractor had to give the engineer a written claim for extra expense or loss within 30 days of the final certificate of completion. Third, the contract specifically provided that the written claim for extras had to “contain a sufficient description of the facts and circumstances of the occurrence that is the substance of the claim to enable the engineer to determine whether or not the claim is justified”.

The central issue on appeal was whether the contractor had provided sufficient description of its $1.437 million extra claim to the engineer, requiring the engineer to make a determination of whether to allow the extra. The contractor had provided the engineer with a letter which cited delays due to site conditions, weather conditions, alterations to the contract and disruptions to the original sequence of construction. Enclosed with the letter was an “Additional Cost Summary” that listed its subcontractors and the additional costs attributed to their work which totalled the amount of the extra. The owner immediately took the position that the information provided was not of sufficient detail to permit the engineer to determine whether the claim was justified. The contractor applied to the court for a direction that the engineer consider the extra and provide a decision on the issue.

The Court of Appeal held that the requirement of the contractor to provide the engineer with a “sufficient description of the facts and circumstances” to enable the engineer to determine whether the claim was justified meant that the contractor was required to provide detailed information. The court noted that without detailed information, the engineer was not in a position to determine whether the claim for extras was justified. With respect to the exact nature of the detailed information required, the court turned to the contractual clauses dealing with change orders which explicitly required a cost breakdown identifying the costs of labour and material, each subcontract amount, and the amount of percentage mark-ups. The court noted that the contractor’s claim had failed to include “little if any” and “skeletal” support for the claim. Further, the contractor had not included any information relating to the nature and extent of the owner’s responsibility for the delay, whether compensation had already been paid on account of any extra expenses, and did not explain whether the extra fell within the two categories of permitted extras or the change order provisions of the contract. As insufficient detail was provided, the Court of Appeal held that the claim for extras was barred by the contract and the engineer was not required to consider the claim.

In arriving at its conclusion, the court noted that detailed information was required even though the engineer was intimately familiar with the project. In other words, where the contract requires detailed information, a contractor will not be able to argue that it was unnecessary to provide that to a project engineer who already knows the issues by virtue of their involvement in the project.

The court also noted that the fact that the owner and engineer had repeatedly asked the contractor to provide more information in support of its claim “solidified” the court’s conclusion that insufficient information was provided by the contractor. The suggestion that the owner and engineer’s position on the issue somehow confirms the court’s legal analysis is somewhat peculiar, but it does highlight the benefit of an owner and consultant clearly documenting what it considers to be non-compliance with contractual terms in writing.

The disallowance of a $1.437 million extra claim without any assessment of the legitimacy of the actual claim is a harsh result, but one that is in perfect compliance with the court’s interpretation of this contract. This decision highlights the importance of ensuring that all contractual terms for the submission of extras and change orders are carefully complied with. Contractors, consultants, and owners should look at the entire contract for clues as to the type of information that should be included in extra claims. Detailed information, to the extent that it is available, should be provided in full and within any timelines set out in the contract. Finally, where the consultant or owner is not convinced that the information provided is sufficient to meet the contractual requirements, that should be clearly documented in writing.

Rebecca Cleary is a member of the construction and engineering practice at the law firm of Alexander Holburn Beaudin + Lang LLP.

Green Standards partners with GM for landfill-free solution to office transformation

Green Standards, a North American environmental firm with Canadian roots that helps companies divert used office equipment from landfills to benefit non-profits, has partnered with General Motors (GM) in a major waste diversion initiative.

The Detroit-based vehicle producer is aiming to repurpose tens of thousands of pieces of furniture and equipment valued at $1 million—items that were displaced by its transformation from traditional automotive company to a business that will redefine personal mobility. The pilot program is expected to benefit about 100 Michigan-based community organizations, with a focus on Detroit.

GM is also teaming up with office furniture manufacturer Herman Miller. The Herman Miller rePurpose Program, managed by Green Standards, is an industry-leading solution for managing surplus corporate assets through a combination of resale, recycling and donation.

Through rePurpose, GM will divert from the landfill nearly all existing furniture, equipment and supplies resulting from renovations occurring at GM’s Technical Center in Warren, the Proving Ground in Milford and global headquarters in Detroit. GM will reallocate some assets to other company locations.

“We view waste as just a resource out of place,” said David Tulauskas, GM sustainability director. “This reuse program enables us to reduce our environmental footprint while making a positive contribution to our community.”

General Motors is the first metro Detroit-based automaker to undergo a large-scale, multi-site campus decommission project. The multiyear office asset reassignment project has the potential to expand across the U.S.

Cody High School in Detroit will be the first beneficiaries of the rePurpose program. In addition to furniture and equipment, employee volunteers from GM, Herman Miller and Green Standards will undertake a three-room makeover to enhance the educational learning experience of students and faculty.

Photo by Jeffrey Sauger for General Motors

Pictured in front is Latoya Hall-King, principal at Cody Detroit Institute of Technology College Prep; second row L to R is Michelle Parker, principal of Cody Medicine and Community Health Academy; and Jonathon Matthews, principal Cody Academy of Public Leadership; back row L to R is Gabe Wing, director of Safety and Sustainability, Herman Miller; Trevor Langdon, executive general manager, Green Standards; and Candice Messing, manager of Facilities Projects at General Motors.

Protecting emergency power supply system docs

The new emergency power supply system (EPSS) has been commissioned. The design, factory witness testing, installation and site benchmarking are complete. This state-of-the-art power plant is ready to protect the facility in a power outage.

The intellectual property is also new, complete and correct. The facilities team may still have hard copy O&M manuals, program disks and manufacturer’s cut sheets but it probably also has duplicate soft versions of this material stored on a network hard drive.

Just as paper is subject to loss, aging or damage, intellectual property is susceptible to server failure, viruses and human error. Here are some suggestions for leveraging the power of technology while mastering best practices to protect, preserve and control these vital records:

1. Create revision control program

Changes will occur throughout the system’s lifetime. Programs will be modified, capacity may be increased, control set points may need adjustment and features may be added.

A strict revision control policy is essential; all changes must be documented and all media updated accordingly. Establish a staff position responsible for this process.

2. Retain redundant architecture

Data centre operators maintain mirrored operating systems, data files and facilities. Treat intellectual property related to the EPSS no differently. Establish redundant architecture in house or off site.

For example, web-based services allow facilities staff to see virtual representations of equipment physical location, nameplate and specification data, as well as emergency call lists, drawings, service reports and more. These systems also allow staff members to collaborate online regardless of time or location.

3. Have staff run simulations

As the need for data continues to grow, data centres and their EPSSs are becoming large and complex. Many mission critical operations include simulators as part essential systems. This tool is invaluable for training and allows personnel to simulate scenarios before taking actions that may affect the facility.

Given the enhanced importance of data and the increased complexity of systems, a simulator is becoming a necessity rather than a convenience. Fire departments pre-plan their response to major properties to enhance efficiency and response; data centre staff should run simulations of maintenance and emergency scenarios for the same reason.

4. Stay in touch with system team

Maintain contact with the vendor, contractor and consulting team. The team that designed, engineered, manufactured and commissioned the EPSS remains an important resource for system reliability.

When the maintenance vendor services or repairs the EPSS, have the technical information of record. Don’t relegate this responsibility to an outside entity. It’s the organization’s facility, its system, and the life blood of the company.

5. Keep spare parts inventory

The maintenance vendor may be responsible for supplying these parts but maintaining and auditing a spare parts inventory on site assures control and availability when needed. Restock the spare inventory as parts are used and to maintain fresh inventory.

As systems age, components may become obsolete or scarce. Understand the availability of critical spares and the options available. A spare parts inventory list containing the part description, application, manufacturer, manufacturer’s part number and sources is an important part of documentation.

6. Post system diagram

Post a graphic, one-line diagram of the entire emergency power supply system at the system controls or building operations office and keep it up to date. Use this to get a quick overview of the entire system for routine operations and in case of emergency.

Follow these tips to help preserve all the intellectual property that documents the design, factory-witnessed testing, installation, and site-benchmarking associated with the commissioning of a facility’s EPSS. Maintain up-to-date records for ready access to protect the facility and maximize the efficiency of its operations whenever emergency power comes into play.

The preceding article is reprinted with permission from the ASCO white paper “Commissioning the Emergency Power Supply System.” Bhavesh Patel is vice president, global marketing, ASCO Power Technologies. He can be reached at 800-800-ASCO.

UK addresses decline in housing affordability

The United Kingdom’s tight housing market has prompted new government efforts to relieve renting costs and boost the country’s supply of private and public stock. This includes: a move to prohibit real estate agents from charging fees to private rental tenants; cancellation of planned rent increases to some tenants of publicly owned housing; subsidies to help others renters buy their dwellings; and funds to stimulate construction of 140,000 new homes by 2021.

“The challenge of delivering the housing we so desperately need in the places where it is currently least affordable is not a new one, but the effect of unaffordable housing on our nation’s productivity makes it an urgent one,” Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond told the House of Commons yesterday as he tabled the 2016 autumn economic statement.

Details of “a comprehensive package of reform to increase housing supply and halt the decline in housing affordability” have been promised in a pending government white paper. Meanwhile, two prominent real estate industry associations suggest the somewhat unexpected proposal for consumer protection legislation for renters could simply divert costs that will still flow through to tenants.

“Banning letting agent fees will be welcomed by private tenants, at least in the short-term, because they won’t realize that it will boomerang back on them,” predicts Richard Lambert, chief executive officer of the UK National Landlords Association (NLA). “Agents will have no other option than to shift the fees onto landlords.”

The scenario may seem unusual in countries like Canada where rental housing tenants typically contract directly with the landlord or property manager, but the NLA estimates that 57 per cent of its members rely on real estate agents, at least occasionally, to facilitate leasing of vacant units. This has also led to accusations that some agents are taking advantage of their gatekeeper role to extract undue commissions, particularly in highly competitive markets like London. In turn, while disavowing unscrupulous practices, the NLA contends prospective tenants should bear costs for credit checks, which are typically passed through in leasing agents’ fees.

“Government must strike the right balance between allowing credible, regulated letting agencies to recover reasonable costs and the unquestionable need to protect tenants from suffering excessive charges by less scrupulous agents,” concurs Jeremy Blackburn, head of policy with the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS).

Concurrently, the government’s halting of the so-called Pay to Stay policy means some tenants of the UK’s vast network of public housing under the auspices of local authorities will not face threatened rent increases. The now-cancelled policy would have required tenants with taxable incomes greater than £31,000 (CAD $52,000) or £40,000 (CAD $67,000) in London to pay market or near-market rents.

“The government will work to deliver its commitment to ensure that social housing is occupied by those who need it most through other measures,” the economic statement decrees.

A small fraction of social housing units will also be removed from the rental stock via a newly announced Right to Buy pilot project, which will provide subsidies to assist more than 3,000 sitting tenants to purchase their homes. “It is critical that this pilot also tests mechanisms for replacing homes sold like for like, without which the sector will be deprived further of much needed affordable rented homes,” Blackburn advises.

Restroom users prefer paper towels to air dryers

A new Canadian survey has found that 75 per cent of people prefer to use paper towels to dry their hands rather than air dryers when both methods are available in public restrooms.

In fact, after surveying more than 1,000 Canadians over the age of 18, Cadence Research, on behalf of Kruger Products, found that when only air dryers are available, 62 per cent of people look for other ways to dry their hands, from clothing to bathroom tissue. Some choose to not dry their hands at all.

Disinterest stems from a number of reasons. Speed and time are big factors, as 91 per cent of respondents say paper towels dry faster, wile 85 per cent find lineups for air dryers are longer than lines for paper towels. Seventy-six per cent of respondents say air dryers are too noisy.

“Business owners understand that just one poor experience during a customer’s interaction with them can damage the entire relationship,” said Rob Latter, corporate vice-president, AFH Business and Strategic Planning, Kruger Products. “Yet, when firms only make air dryers available in their washrooms, it could have a potentially negative effect on the customer’s experience should they not want to use it.

Latter says that everyone “serving the away from home marketplace should take note of these findings,” as customers are looking for alternate hand drying methods in on-site restrooms when only air dryers are available.

“While this type of behavior is unlikely to be reported, it can still negatively impact the customer experience,” he says. “With the findings indicating a paper towel preference, it is certainly an issue worth addressing.”

Study finds medical scrubs contain dangerous bacteria

New findings via Duke University in the U.S. reveal that intensive care nurse scrubs are covered in dangerous bacteria that can be transferred between patients or lead to infection of the nurses themselves, and that pockets and sleeves of scrubs, and bed rails in a room, are most likely to be contaminated.

“This study is a good wake-up call that health care personnel need to concentrate on the idea that the health care environment can be contaminated,” said Deverick Anderson, M.D., the study’s lead author and associate professor of medicine at Duke University School of Medicine. “Any type of patient care, or even just entry into a room where care is provided, truly should be considered a chance for interacting with organisms that can cause disease.”

According to Duke Health, The Duke-led research aimed to understand how pathogens travel between the “transmission triangle” in a health care setting: patients, the environment where care is administered, and the health care provider.

The study acquired cultures from the sleeves, pockets, and midriffs of the surgical scrubs of 40 intensive care unit nurses at Duke University Hospital. Each set of scrubs was new and the samples were collected at the start (before any patient interaction) and end of each shift. Cultures were also collected from the bodies of all patients the nurse cared for during each shift and the patients’ room contents (bed, bedrail, and supply cart). In total, 167 patients received care over 120, 12-hour shifts. The study collected 2,185 cultures from the nurses’ clothing: 455 from patients and 2,919 from patients’ rooms.

Organisms were identified on the nurses’ clothing that were not present at the beginning of a shift, but were present at the end. The researchers then looked for those same organisms in the samples collected from patients and their rooms.

They searched for five pathogens known to cause difficult-to-treat infections, including MRSA, a staphylococcus strain that is resistant to antibiotics. They found 12 instances when at least one of the five pathogens was transmitted from the patient or the room to the scrubs. Six incidents each involved transmission from patient to nurse and room to nurse. An additional ten transmissions were from the patient to the room. The researchers did not document any nurse-to-patient or nurse-to-room transmission.

“I think sometimes there’s the misconception that if, for instance, a nurse is just talking to patients and not actually touching them, that it might be okay to skip protocols that help reduce pathogen transmission, like washing hands or wearing gloves,” Anderson said. “The study’s results demonstrate the need for caution whenever health care providers enter a patient room, regardless of the task they’re completing.”

P3 National Award for Southwest Calgary Ring Road

The Southwest Calgary Ring Road project is the Gold Award recipient in the financing category of the 2016 National Awards for Innovation and Excellence in Public-Private Partnerships (P3s).

The annual awards by the Canadian Council for Public-Private Partnerships (CCPP) honours governments and/or public institutions and their private sector partners who have demonstrated excellence and innovation in the establishment of public-private partnership.

The Southwest Calgary Ring Road is vital to the completion of the Calgary Ring Road corridor and consists of new and existing infrastructure – approximately 31 kilometers of new six and eight lane divided freeway including additional and auxiliary lanes. Fifteen kilometers of Priority New Infrastructure will be located on lands that were acquired from the Tsuut’ina Nation.

The design-build-finance and operate project had a total project cost of $1.4 billion and a $700 million value for money saving. The project achieved optimization through amortization of costs with the use of medium term financing – a unique feature for a P3 project. Risk allocation has been optimized to achieve significant pass down of risk allowing Alberta Transportation significant opportunities to achieve value for money.

The awards panel noted this project involved new and existing infrastructure as well as a unique set of constraints that required an optimization of risk transfer. Panelists also highlighted the innovative hybrid debt financing solution used on the project.

For all the winners, visit www.pppcouncil.ca

How to restore and prolong steam-generating humidifier performance

A wide range of cleaning and maintenance tasks are critical to ensure safe and efficient building operations. Many activities are obvious to building occupants and visitors, such as vacuuming, waste removal, light bulb replacement and so on. But far less visible is the effort exerted behind the scenes, to ensure proper operation of the building’s HVAC equipment and, ultimately, provide environmental control and comfort.

Many buildings include humidification in their HVAC system to enhance occupant health and comfort, improve manufacturing processes and preserve artifacts and furnishings. Properly controlled and maintained humidification systems protect against production line disruptions or failures, prevent loss or degradation of materials and eliminate inconsistent environmental conditions in labs and other critical applications. Keeping humidification systems clean and operating at peak performance is also essential for maintaining optimal air quality for indoor environments.

Scale and humidifier performance

In humidifiers that boil water in permanent tanks to produce steam, water impurities build up over time, coating the heat exchangers or electric heating elements and the internal walls of the tank. The most difficult impurity to remove is scale, or calcium carbonate, which naturally occurs in hard water and precipitates when heated.

Scale buildup adversely affects system performance and efficiency by slowing a humidifier’s response time and disrupting output consistency. Also, because scale buildup slows the transfer of heat into the water, heating elements and heat exchangers can overheat and eventually fail. If never removed, scale can actually become so thick that tank replacement is the only option.

Aside from performance issues and heater failure, scaled components can also pose a safety risk. For example, if the water level controller employs a float, scale buildup could cause the float to get fixed in the up or down position and fail to provide the system controller with accurate feedback. If a humidifier tank is dry with the float stuck in the full position, overheating could occur.

Removing scale from humidifier tanks

There are many methods for removing scale from humidifiers with permanent tanks. The oldest and least desirable method is manually scraping the scale off tank walls and heating elements or heat exchangers. This is labour intensive, time consuming and only viable with adequate access to all components and when the surfaces are smooth and flat.

An easier and much more thorough method for removing scale is using a chemical de-scaling solution to soften or dissolve the scale, making removal as easy as rinsing and draining the tank. Better yet is to combine descaling solution with a circulating pump to ensure thorough cleaning without manual agitation of the solution. De-scaling solutions should be used with a neutralizer for easy and legal disposal into the municipal sewer system.

Discard scale with electrode humidifiers

Electrode-type humidifiers are designed with a replaceable cylinder for boiling water into steam, instead of a permanent tank. Minerals from the fill water stay in the cylinder as water is boiled away, slowing coating the electrodes inside with scale. When the steam cylinder reaches the end of its life, it’s simply exchanged with a new cylinder. Replacements are typically done at least once per year and more often depending on water quality and usage.

Follow manufacturer service recommendations

Regardless of the humidifier type, manufacturer service recommendations should be followed. Shorter service intervals generally result in faster maintenance jobs; however, cleaning does require the system to be offline. It might be necessary to wait until the end of a humidification season or for a short break in the building’s humidification demand.

Minimizing scale in humidifiers by using softened water

One very effective way to minimize scale buildup in humidifiers is to use softened fill water. Steam generators using softened water do accumulate residue, but the accumulation builds up much more slowly and is softer and easier to remove than hard-water scale. In most cases, softened water residue can be cleaned out of the tank with a spray of water and flushed away.

Commercial water softeners require regular maintenance, such as backwash filter replacement, brine tank cleaning and refilling with salt. These tasks are simpler and much less time consuming than tank cleaning.

Preventing scale in humidifiers by using RO/DI water

There is yet another way to deal with water impurities that does not require scraping, chemicals or canister replacement, and it may even eliminate cleaning for the life of the humidifier: Total scale prevention. Reverse-osmosis (RO) or deionized (DI) water is typically 98 percent free of total dissolved solids. Humidifiers using RO or DI water can potentially run nonstop for their entire life cycle with no scale formation. Service contractors and facility managers responsible for these systems know that the key to steam generator performance is a well-maintained RO or DI water treatment system, which means occasional filter and membrane replacement.

There are even steam-generating humidifiers with built-in RO or DI water treatment systems. These combined systems offer water treatment and steam generation in one fully integrated package for maximum ease of use and maintenance in a small footprint.

Recent innovations and future expectations

Innovative humidifier manufacturers are constantly seeking new ways to reduce or eliminate the burden of cleaning and maintaining systems. New products released over the past few years mark vast improvements over earlier designs. Electrode-style humidifiers, automated descaling pump kits and low-maintenance humidification systems with integrated water treatment have simplified the task of cleaning and maintaining humidifiers. As long as there is a need for humidity, these manufacturers will continue to find ways to make upkeep tasks as painless as possible. Automation, increasingly clever designs and even system-generated reminders are now the expectation among service contractors and facility managers.

Daniel Celotta is the product development manager, engineering, at DriSteem. For the past 12 years, he has advanced through several roles in the development of commercial and industrial equipment. He is credited as a co-inventor on two patents and has patent applications pending on high-pressure fluid handling equipment at Graco and on steam dispersion technologies at DriSteem. For more information, email [email protected] or visit www.dristeem.com.

Facility fights bedbugs with creative invention

Bedbugs are becoming a huge concern in North America, spreading throughout hotels, stores, offices, apartment buildings, on transit (buses and subways) and even in healthcare facilities. Bedbugs are not particularly fussy about where they reside. As long as there is a place to hide and a convenient blood meal close by, they will be quite content.

Yet, there is an unfair stigma associated with bedbugs. Some people think that they only live and thrive in cluttered and dirty places or in underdeveloped or poor neighborhoods. Although clutter and unsanitary conditions may provide additional places for them to hide and harbor, bedbugs can still be found in high-quality hotels and healthcare facilities.

To catch a bug, you need to think like a bug and understand how they breed, what they feed on and what environmental conditions are ideal for harborage and reproduction.

Creativity helps Canadian facility fight bedbugs

Sometimes, a little creativity goes a long way when dealing with bedbugs. Recently, ergoCentric, a North American designer and manufacturer of high-quality ergonomic chairs, developed a bedbug-resistant office chair for a large Canadian-based call centre that was dealing with an infestation.

This call centre, which has more than 800 office chairs that are occupied 24 hours a day by three separate shifts, found bedbugs inside its office seating.

To create a bedbug resistant chair, ergoCentric used guiding principles of understanding how bedbugs breed, feed and live. As a result, they removed all seams and crevices where a bedbug might reside in a chair.

First, they upholstered the seat in vinyl. Next, the seams underneath the seat pan created by the upholstery process were sealed with IC+ Upholstery Solution. This proprietary coating completely seals the surface, forming a seamless, moisture and bedbug proof barrier. The back rest was made of mesh, which eliminated all possibilities of eggs being laid in the backing and other hiding areas of the chair. The back rest does, however, include a lumbar support which ergoCentric was able to make completely seamless, eliminating a further harboring point for bed bugs.

The only areas of this chair that were open for bedbugs to reside were the casters and the adjustable arms of the chair. The team decided that the ergonomic importance of mobility, with the casters and adjustments of the arms, out-weighed the risk of bedbug infestations. However, the casters and adjustable arms can be easily removed and treated with pesticides or placed in a freezer for up to five days. This will kill all bugs including the eggs.

The call centre placed the ergoCentric bedbug resistant chair in an infected area of the facility, along with other prototype chairs for evaluation. After being exposed to the bedbug infestation for more than a week, the company brought in bedbug sniffing dogs to search for the pests.

As it turned out, the ergoCentric chair was the only chair in the room that did not house bedbugs. This is because the research and development team at ergoCentric built the chair on the principles of “If you want to eliminate a bug, think like a bug,” and removed all potential cracks, crevasses and seams from the chair, creating a place where these bugs could no longer hide, breed or lay eggs.

Early detection, reporting and taking action will eradicate bedbugs from a facility. Working closely with a reputable pest control provider and asking industry providers to create items to help combat infestations are key to a successful pest management plan.

The ecoMesh™ task chair modified to be bedbug resistant.

To catch a bedbug

Bedbugs are small, flat, oval-shaped bodied insects that look like small apple seeds. Adults are brown in colour and their bodies redden after feeding. Full-grown bedbugs measure between four and five millimetres. If people look closely at an adult, they will see wing pads; however, these pads never fully develop into functional wings. So bedbugs don’t fly or even jump, which causes curious minds to wonder how they can possibly get around.

They hitchhike. They crawl into luggage, seams of clothing, backpacks, boxes and other items that help them move from one location to another. An individual can bring a hitchhiker bedbug into the transit system where it is then dropped off and picked up by an unsuspecting bystander who can bring this bug into their workplace, home or any location.

Don’t let the bedbugs bite

Bedbugs cause a huge emotional and psychological toll on individuals who are exposed to them at work or home.

A bedbug’s life begins with an egg which is white, approximately one millimetre in length and resembles a grain of salt. Whether laid as a single egg or in clusters, eggs are placed within tight cracks or crevices, such as seams of a mattress or inside chairs. The female bedbug can lay between one and five eggs each day and may lay up to 500 eggs within one lifetime. The lifespan of a bedbug is approximately one year, and just one impregnated female hitchhiker can evolve into an infestation within your facility.

Bedbugs evolve from eggs to young nymphs and pass through five molt stages before reaching maturity. Although nymphs look similar to adults, they are smaller in size and not sexually mature. Young nymphs are yellow-white in colour and start to turn reddish-brown as they mature. In order to complete a molting stage, each nymph requires a blood meal. Nymphs molt and become adults within five weeks.

When bedbugs reach maturity, they feed weekly, taking a blood meal from warm-blooded animals and humans.

Bedbugs pierce human skin with elongated beaks and extract blood. Bedbug bites are not initially painful and can actually go unnoticed for hours or days. Not everyone reacts to the bedbug bite; however, some individuals develop itching, red welts or swelling the day after being bitten. To date, bedbugs have not been known to transmit diseases; however, secondary infections can occur from scratching an area of the skin that has been bitten.

It is important to avoid scratching the affected area. If a rash develops or becomes infected, a person should seek immediate medical attention.

Bug off: what to do

Once a facility becomes infested, it can be very difficult and costly to remove bedbugs, and will require support from experts such as a reputable pest control provider. Organizations should educate their staff to identify, catch and report all pests within a facility, including bedbugs. Early detection and reporting will help eliminate them before they multiply and spread, causing infestation.

If an issue is identified, strategically place two-sided tape around the room and in front of doorways leading outside the area of concern. Bedbugs that scatter will get caught on the tape and will be prevented from moving to a new location in the facility. The tape is also a great way to help determine where they are coming from. Place tape between the blood meal and surfaces in the room. For example, in a bedroom, place tape on the legs of the bed, night table and areas surrounding the bed. When the bedbug comes out to take a blood meal, it will get stuck on the tape.

Bedbug treatments include laundering bed linen and clothing, which should be washed in hot water and dried for 20 minutes or more. When removing bed linen and clothing infested with bedbugs, it should be placed in a plastic bag before being transported to the laundry facility. Bags must be tied up and secured in order to ensure bedbugs don’t fall out and find a new home.

Vacuum cracks, seams and crevices, including baseboards and carpets, to remove bedbugs and eggs. It is very important to dispose of the vacuum bag carefully and immediately after vacuuming and also clean out the vacuum. Bedbugs that survive the vacuum process will simply walk out of the vacuum and find a new home.

Steam cleaning cracks, seams and crevices with high pressure steam will kill bedbugs and their eggs on contact. This is a very effective process for killing bed bugs on luggage, carpets, bags, mattresses, seams of chairs and other furnishings.

If there are books or items that cannot be steamed, put them in plastic bags and place them in a freezer for up to five consecutive days. Bedbugs will die in extreme heat or extreme cold.

In addition to these efforts, a pest control service may apply approved pesticides to kill off bedbugs and eggs. It is important that the application of pesticides is controlled and applied by certified pest control technicians. Inappropriate use of these products can cause negative health effects and even spread the bedbugs to other locations in a building.

Keith Sopha is president of the Canadian Association of Environmental Management and founder of CleanLearning. He is responsible for international business development for healtHcentric – ergoCentric Seating Systems and provides environmental services consulting on best practice cleaning and disinfection.