Capital Upgrades & Retrofits
What toxic chemicals are lurking in our buildings?
In the age of COVID, it's also important to consider how chemical exposures influence our ability to fight disease.
Why FMs can’t sell ideas to senior management
Facility managers require resources to accomplish tasks, but other departments within the organization need the same and limited resources.
New chapter for Edmonton Public Library
The Edmonton Public Library recently revamped its flagship branch: the Stanley A. Milner Library.
COVID-19 related investment unveiled
The commercial real estate, facilities management and construction/retrofit sectors appear poised to capture a share of the spending announced in the Canadian government’s fall economic statement.
How will campuses change because of COVID-19?
Colleges and universities are questioning how much space will be needed in the future campus, how it will be operated, and how to make our built environment more healthy, sustainable and resilient.
Making data-driven decisions to cut energy losses
Retrofits to remedy energy losses through the building envelope are sometimes based on assumptions and uncertainty.
Feds to invest $2 billion in energy retrofits
A promised $2 billion investment in large-scale building retrofits will be central to the Canadian government’s job creation ambitions. Energy efficiency champions have plenty of ideas of how and where the funds could be best leveraged.
Circadian lighting improves seniors’ daily routines
Circadian lighting plays a special role in facilities management as long-term care homes and schools increasingly look to enhance wellbeing among seniors and children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.
Blazing a trail for zero carbon in Nova Scotia
The zero carbon project marks an evolution in warehouses and, more broadly, the potential for a lower-emitting industrial sector.
Turnaround tales of value-add assets
Prominent Canadian asset managers recently recounted their experiences in repositioning underperforming properties, offering insight on turnaround logistics and the role value-add assets play in investment strategies.
Setting a new standard at Ken Soble Tower
With mechanical systems nearing end of life, inadequate ventilation and other issues, the 50-year Ken Soble Tower was in critical need of an upgrade.
Accessibility tracks sustainability trajectory
Market pressure and industry competitiveness could propel accessible commercial real estate in the coming decade, much the way those complementary forces have already bolstered energy efficiency and low-carbon footprints.
Museum retrofit safeguards precious artifacts
While museum relics are meant to be cherished and preserved long-term, the building systems that protect them are not.
Lessons for upgrading older schools
When planning retrofits or renovations for older schools, administrators have the chance to implement green, sustainable and high-performance design solutions.
The benefits of ergonomic LED task lighting
Recent research into the use of task lighting has provided evidence that incorporating positionable light sources in individual workspaces provides valuable benefits.
Massey Hall burnished for new generations
Panellists expressed a sense of pride and responsibility about making an imprint on a building that is both a civic landmark and embedded in Canada's cultural psyche.
Ontario invests $26M in Shaw Centre, culture attractions
Ottawa's Shaw Centre is among the Canadian facilities to benefit from the Ontario government's plans to invest up to $26 million towards upgrading the province's culture and tourism attractions