Building Systems
WiredScore certification to launch in Canada
Proponents and early adopters suggest the program can provide simplified credibility for landlords and simplified assurance for tenants via a formal third-party building assessment and an easily decipherable rating system that is tied to rigorous criteria.
Albion Library first with trans-friendly signage
The new Albion Library, opened earlier this summer, is the first of Toronto’s 102 branches to introduce gender-neutral washrooms.
VRCA announces 2017 Silver Award winners
The Vancouver Regional Construction Association (VRCA) has announced the Silver Award winners for the 2017 Awards of Excellence.
The pros and cons of different humidifiers
The type of humidification system chosen will directly affect the amount of time, effort, and expense that must be invested to keep the equipment running at peak performance.
Beating the heat in commercial buildings
With summer just around the corner, here are some tips for facilities managers to consider when preparing their commercial buildings to beat the heat.
Backup power critical to hurricane preparedness
The start of hurricane season is around the corner and it’s important that facilities are prepared.
Scotiabank shifts gears with new Digital Factory
The half-pixelated gear that hangs above the entryway symbolizes the output of Scotiabank’s new Digital Factory in Toronto.
Evergreen targets carbon neutrality with retrofit
Evergreen is targeting carbon neutrality in the retrofit of its heritage-designated kiln building at Toronto’s Brick Works site.
Bergeron Centre a model for fully integrated BIM
The use of building information modelling to develop the Bergeron Centre at York University earned the project a Canada BIM Council award.
Library facility reads like ‘fragment’ of its landscape
The new Waterdown Library and Civic Centre is designed to read like a ‘fragment’ of the Niagara Escarpment over which it cantilevers.
A facility addition with surgical precision
Adding a new wing to the fully developed site would require surgical precision. The original Chinook Regional Hospital, which was constructed close to 30 years
TDSB faces $3.4-billion renewal needs backlog
The Toronto District School Board (TDSB) has offered a window into its renewal needs backlog by releasing facilities data for each of its school buildings.
Lab facility demos energy-saving ‘earth tubes’
Energy-saving 'earth tubes' were among the features expected to help earn UTSC's new Environmental Sciences and Chemistry building LEED Gold status.
MLSE scores goal with BMO Field makeover
BMO Field hosted the celebration of two goals at the TFC’s home opener May 7. One was the completion of the sports venue’s $150-million transformation.
A window into better building envelopes
The building envelope can truly make or break energy-efficiency efforts. Major systems improvements may help, but those savings could fly out the window.
Real estate reaps smart technology paybacks
Real estate owners/managers point to the efficiencies and savings that can come with real-time monitoring and operational responses, which also support asset value and competitiveness in the marketplace.
Change to Toronto sewers bylaw on tap for Jan. 1
One of two sewers bylaw changes that are expected to trickle down to building owners and managers is on tap for the New Year.




