Operations
Making good pest control moves
Whether moving into an existing office space or eyeing a new development, a building’s pest control plan should be a primary concern.
Energy audits
An energy audit is the logical first step in helping to reduce a facility’s utility costs and carbon footprint, and justify capital expenditures. Here are 10 things every building manager should know before embarking on an energy audit.
ASHRAE introduces new labelling program
The Building Energy Quotient program introduces a scoring system and database that will allow participants to compare their building’s performance ...
Environmentally-friendly pest control
The most effective pest control method is an integrated pest management (IPM) system, which takes proactive sanitation and facility maintenance steps to help prevent pest issues before they occur. Reducing the need for reactive chemical ...
Wireless, paperless and effortless
Concierge Plus is an online community portal designed to help property management carry out specific administrative tasks while connecting to residents ...
Building automation can save energy
Energy efficiency in highrise multi-residential buildings can be achieved through a variety of retrofits. However, one method that is often overlooked is ...
ISO 50001 energy management systems standard
The ISO 50001 energy management systems standard initially focuses more on commitment to performance than performance itself.
Computerized maintenance management systems
A computerized maintenance management system (CMMS) assists property managers in the daily coordination of repair efforts. With the emergence of cloud-based “software as a service,” an online CMMS has emerged, allowing residents ...
Saying goodbye to T12 fluorescents
Since the first Canadian energy efficiency regulation that phased out a handful of inefficient general service fluorescent lamps (GSFL) was introduced in 1995, there has been steady progress in the availability of more efficient lighting solutions ...
Utilizing site-recovered energy
Many commercial building owners are turning to energy recovery ventilation technology that recovers energy on-site and reuses it to reduce the demand ...
Zooming in on onscreen problems
Studies have found there is a relationship between a computer user’s vision and the position and size of what’s on that person’s screen.
The enemy within
Recent research has found that bedbugs can carry bacteria that have historically proven lethal to humans. This has raised the bar for integrated pest control providers. They now must kill the bedbugs and the potentially deadly microbes they carry.
Improving water efficiency
There are many aging irrigation systems that operate ineffectively. Thankfully, advances in technology mean many of the inefficiencies can be reduced or ...
Falling glass can cause legal headaches
In Ontario, it is unclear which statutory warranty period applies to the occurrence of falling glass given the lack of specific case law and Tarion direction.
Peer pressure underpins conservation strategy
Facilities managers and building operators in Ontario’s elementary and secondary schools have a new tool for tracking energy consumption – one that will soon allow them to benchmark a school’s performance against ...
High-performance building approach to condos
In recent years, environmental regulations, new innovations and higher energy costs have raised the bar on green buildings and provided economic incentives ...
Implementing an emergency response plan
It’s important to have a comprehensive emergency response plan (ERP) in place before disaster strikes. The longer an issue is not resolved, the bigger ...




