Capital Upgrades & Retrofits
ASHRAE updates healthcare facility ventilation standard
The 2021 edition delivers critical guidance for designers and operators of these frontline facilities and incorporates 17 changes to the standard.
How schools are boosting air quality measures
The report found that schools have prioritized ventilation and filtration to reduce the transmission of the virus.
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.
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.
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.
Alberta energy efficiency programs in question
Ontario draws on the legacy of more than a dozen years of programming, while Energy Efficiency Alberta has had little time to capture public or capital planners' attention.
Carleton University to get co-generation plant
Carleton University expects to fire up a new co-generation plant at its Ottawa-based campus next spring as part of its sophomore energy master plan.
A blind spot in new EV charging station rules?
The new rules that will steer the installation of electric vehicle charging stations at Ontario condo properties starting next week may have a blind spot.
Will ‘ultra-high-rises’ cost more to maintain?
The new crop of 'ultra-high-rise' condos rising in Toronto will be more complicated and consequently more costly to maintain, one engineer is warning.
Energizing mixed retail space
Increased urbanization and the demand for convenience has made it more common for retailers, restaurants and office spaces to operate under one roof.
Accessibility certification fills industry void
Much of the existing building stock falls short of the universal design ideal, but RHFAC can help owners/managers identify impediments to access and set priorities to address them.
Lighting design that illuminates condo security
Lighting design can make a big difference in the safety and security of a condominium.
Inside the Zero Carbon Building Standard
The CaGBC is working to spearhead the next evolution of green building with the launch of its Zero Carbon Building Standard.
High-GWP refrigerants losing market share
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has granted new regulatory flexibility to retrofit stationary air conditioners with a refrigerant that is slated to be phased out for other cooling, refrigeration and foam blowing purposes.
Colliers International moves into brand new HQ
Colliers International just moved more than 220 employees into its sprawling new headquarters in downtown Toronto.
Aging mall in cottage country finds new life
A few years ago, an aging mall in Midland, Ontario, was left struggling like many enclosed shopping centres across Canada.
Research challenges current green roof standards
Flooding is giving rise to new research on how green roof performance metrics can better manage water capacity.