Environmental Management

Water next up for environmental data standards

Canadian Property Management

Water next up for environmental data standards

Water is the next metric the Open Standards Consortium for Real Estate (OSCRE) is tackling in its ambitious project to forge consistency in the management and reporting of environmental data.
Building electrification projects impart lessons

Canadian Property Management

Building electrification projects impart lessons

The business case for electrification works best when retrofits are synced with the end-of-life of existing mechanical equipment and/or asset repositioning plans
Outdoor lighting principles hail the dark side

Canadian Property Management

Outdoor lighting principles hail the dark side

Guiding principles for responsible nighttime lighting define how light should be applied, but, first, prospective installers are advised to consider whether lighting is even necessary.
Disputed port industry under fire in Saint John

Canadian Facility Management & Design

Disputed port industry draws fire in Saint John

The New Brunswick government and Port of Saint John are jointly investigating a fire in the metal recycler's industrial yard and its compliance with the terms and conditions of its lease.
Global energy appetite eats up efficiency gains

Canadian Property Management

Global energy appetite eats up efficiency gains

The global buildings sector made some headway in curbing its energy appetite and output of greenhouse gas emissions last year, but is still off-pace to achieve the International Energy Agency's targets.
Office IAQ best practices up for consultation

Canadian Property Management

Office IAQ best practices up for consultation

Health Canada is preparing guidance on indoor air quality in office buildings aimed at landlords, employers, building operators, facilities managers, maintenance staff and tenants' health and safety committees.
Canadian buildings scrutinized in OECD review

Canadian Property Management

Canadian buildings scrutinized in OECD review

As part of a biennial review and benchmarking of Canada’s economic performance, a new OECD report looks at progress toward the interim 2030 target and 2050 goal for net-zero carbon emissions.
carbon

Canadian Property Management

Fuel-switching challenges expected to ease

Climate, cost and capacity pose fuel-switching challenges for building owners looking to curb greenhouse gas emissions in line with Canada’s target for a 40 per cent reduction below 2005 levels by 2030.
Flammable refrigerants spark GHG reductions

Canadian Property Management

Flammable refrigerants spark GHG reductions

Researchers and manufacturers have now done much of the work to prepare for the HFC phase-down, but codes and standards will need to catch up before a new generation of lower-GWP refrigerants can be used.
GHG

REMI Network

U.S. proposes to mandate GHG disclosures

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission proposes that businesses be required to disclose greenhouse gas emissions.
Environmental mishaps can herald personal liability

Canadian Property Management

Environmental mishaps herald personal liability

Personal liability is a mounting possibility for directors, officers and supervisors of organizations that run afoul of environmental regulators or are on the losing side of civil litigation.
BOMA BEST criteria revised for multifamily buildings

Canadian Apartment Magazine

BOMA BEST criteria introduce multifamily tweaks

Landlords and condominium corporations participating in the BOMA BEST environmental performance benchmarking and certification program will have to comply with an expanded list of best practices.
net zero

REMI Network

Reaching net zero in the age of COVID-19

Optimizing ventilation and air handling systems is key to achieving net zero energy performance goals.
Deal makers offered digital option to submitting FOI requests to the Ministry of Environment

Canadian Property Management

Deal makers might avoid needless FOI requests

A proposed digital channel for submitting property-related information requests to Ontario's Ministry of the Environment would offer an alternative to the current paper-based submission of Freedom of Information requests.
Slow pace of radon testing in New Brunswick public housing draws Auditor General's attention

Canadian Apartment Magazine

Sluggish radon testing decried in New Brunswick

At the current pace, New Brunswick Auditor General Kim Adair-MacPherson calculates it will take nearly 23 years to complete radon testing in the provincial public housing portfolio.
Proposed Net-Zero Emissions Accountability Act tabled

Canadian Property Management

TCFD appears embedded in accountability Act

Newly tabled federal legislation would commit the Canadian government to set five-year targets and report progress in reaching the stated goal of net-zero emissions by 2050.
FireSmart measures emphasis no-cost/low-cost maintenance and upgrades

Facility Cleaning & Maintenance

FireSmart measures begin with maintenance

About 11 million people currently reside in Canada's wildland-urban interface areas, enjoying the benefits of proximity to forests and other natural features, but perhaps overlooking the perils.