Architecture schools strategic to accessibility

Academic curriculum developers are exploring how to embed universal design standards into the programs and guiding principles of 12 Canadian architecture schools. University of Waterloo has initiated the effort with support from newly announced grants from the Ontario government’s EnAbling Change Program.

The project proponents will take a two-pronged approach, examining both course content and the schools’ own educational spaces. The latter will serve as a living lab for mitigating and removing barriers and applying innovative approaches to design, with the lessons learned then cycled back into students’ training.

Looking to the broader post-secondary sector, University of Waterloo has also received funding to develop a guiding framework for the design and development of new buildings and/or assessment and retrofit of existing campus facilities. It’s intended to broaden general understanding of how design decisions affect people with disabilities and to promote possibilities for inclusive spaces.

“We are very pleased to be receiving these EnAbling Change grants to ensure accessibility is incorporated as a standard in architectural curriculum,” says James Rush, University of Waterloo’s vice president, academic, and provost.

“It is a significant step on our path to be more inclusive while ensuring that accessibility and sustainability are at the forefront in spatial design,” concurs Marilyn Thompson, associate provost and Waterloo’s lead on accessibility.

Together the two grants total nearly $225,000 and are part of an announcement of 14 new projects, collectively receiving about $1.3 million in funding, aimed at building awareness and improving accessibility. The EnAbling Change program supports shared-cost endeavours led by not-for-profit corporations, industry organizations or professional associations.

This year, the Ontario government had three priority objectives in its choice of grant recipients:

projects aligned with the economic bounce-back from COVID-19;
projects focused on online support for people with disabilities, seniors and/or marginalized communities; and
development of best practices that can be scaled up for broader use throughout the province or country.

Also of interest to the commercial real estate sector, the Retail Council of Canada has been awarded $120,000 to develop a webinar series and guidebook, which will provide information on preventing and removing barriers for both customers and employees within retail venues. This will also focus on mental health and accessible online services.

Lower-income renters still lack housing options

As the second quarter of 2022 approaches, all signs indicate the rental market is bouncing back thanks to improvements in economic conditions, increased migration, and high vaccination uptake reducing the need for widespread pandemic containment measures. But what’s welcome news for apartment owners is worrisome for lower-income renters.

According to CMHC’s 2022 Rental Market Report, affordable housing supply continues to fall short of demand in most Canadian cities. The majority of markets surveyed in 2021 cited a relative lack of affordable units for households in the lowest income quintiles, while some reported significant declines.

“Our data indicates that rent growth has exceeded wage growth in most centres between October 2020 and October 2021,” said Gustavo Durango, Senior Economist at CMHC. “In real terms, the decline in wages over the course of the year exceeded the decline in rents, which further deteriorated affordability conditions.”

While the national vacancy rate for purpose-built rental apartments hovered at 3.1 per cent—down slightly from 3.2 per cent in 2020—vacancies declined more sharply in 21 of the 39 census metropolitan areas surveyed. Vancouver, and most cities in Alberta, Saskatchewan, and the Atlantic region, all experienced low vacancies akin to 2019 levels.

Toronto, Winnipeg, and Abbotsford-Mission were the only markets in Canada that saw a rise in vacancy rates, while 13 city centres held steady—including, notably, Montréal which accounts for roughly 30 per cent of Canada’s rental market universe.

“The vacancy rate in the Montréal remained stable at 3 per cent in 2021,” commented Francis Cortellino, Economist. “The gradual resumption of international migration and the return to in-person classes decreased the vacancy rate in the downtown area, but it remained at a higher level than before the pandemic.”

In Vancouver, however, the apartment vacancy rate dropped from 2.6 per cent in 2020 to 1.2 per cent in 2021. The return of students and increased migration led to tightening conditions that have since intensified the existing imbalances in the rental market. Throughout the pandemic, lower-income households faced significant challenges finding affordable units; even with B.C.’s rent freeze temporarily easing pressure for existing tenants, rents increased in 2021 by roughly 2.1 per cent at unit turnover.

“With the return of economic growth, rental demand increased faster than supply in 2021,” commented Eric Bond, Senior Specialist, CMHC. “The Vancouver rental market again faces many of the same imbalances it did in 2019.”

The good news for Vancouverites is that more rental housing seems to be coming. CMHC’s data indicates rental starts during the first three quarters of 2021 increased 31 per cent year-over-year, signalling that new construction will soon be bringing much-needed supply to the west coast market. But will there be enough affordable units to address the growing need?

Unlikely, given new rental buildings tend to garner higher rents. That said, CMHC research shows some relief is typically seen at the regional level when demand is eased for existing housing.

GTA market: slower to recover

In Toronto, it continues to be a slightly different story. Throughout 2021, the lingering effects of the pandemic impacted the purpose-built rental sector negatively, leading to a second consecutive annual increase in the average vacancy rate. Ontario faced more stringent COVID-virus containment measures compared to other provinces, and restrictions were often implemented for longer periods of time given case counts were higher in the dense Toronto neighbourhoods. As 2021 unfolded, those measures continued to disproportionately impact service-sector industries that were more reliant on in-person interactions, delaying the economic recovery for segments of the population that were more likely to rent. Although the vacancy rate for purpose-built rental apartments in Toronto rose to 4.4 per cent, the number of affordable units geared to lower-income renters declined.

“The stock of row and apartment units affordable at 30 per cent of monthly income, to low- and middle-income renter households decreased from the previous year, down 0.6 per cent and 0.4 per cent for the second- and third-income quintiles, respectively,” the report states. “Our data indicates that removals in 2021 due to demolition, condominium conversion, or for the owners’ own use, were concentrated mainly in the City of Toronto.”

Meanwhile, the average monthly rent for condominium apartments in Toronto was 45 per cent higher than the average rent for purpose-built rental units, and vacancies were significantly lower at 1.6 per cent. CMHC accredits this discrepancy to the fact that higher income earners were less impacted by the pandemic, and therefore more able to afford the higher rents.

Other key markets:

In Ottawa, rental demand in 2021 increased sufficiently to offset the addition of a considerable number of units that were added to the rental stock. The vacancy rate remained stable at 3.4 per cent, the highest its been in the last 25 years. Yet, according to the data, options were still limited for lower-income households.

In Edmonton, the average vacancy rate was 7.3 per cent, statistically unchanged from October 2020. Rental demand kept pace with supply increases, and was backed by improved labour market conditions, the return of students and improvement in international migration. Though less of a challenge than in other Canadian centres, the supply of affordable purpose-built rental options remained on the low side compared to the need.

In Halifax, the vacancy rate declined to just 1 per cent in 2021, with rental supply unable to keep up with the higher demand. Canadians fleeing COVID-19 restrictions, crowded the city resulting in record interprovincial migration trends. Lower vacancy rates and higher rents likely challenged lower-income households, young adults, fixed-income seniors and new immigrants searching for affordable rental apartments.

For the complete report, click here: www.cmhc-schl.gc.ca

Potential cost of CMRAO’s discipline process

According to its website, the Condominium Management Regulatory Authority of Ontario (CMRAO) is a regulatory body providing oversight of condo managers and management companies.

We normally think of the CMRAO as the body that oversees the licensing of Ontario’s condominium property managers. But the CMRAO’s mandate also includes education, training, discipline and enforcement. In other words, there’s more to the CMRAO than just licensing.

The CMRAO’s enforcement rights

In a case late last year, two condominium corporations complained to the CMRAO about a manager’s failure to turn over records following termination of the management contract. The failure to turn over records was a specific violation of Section 54 of the Condominium Management Services Act, 2015 (CMSA) and Section 35 of Regulation 123/17 (the general regulation under the CMSA).

Quite separate and apart from any consideration of disciplinary procedures, the CMRAO brought a court application against the manager; and the CMRAO successfully obtained an order requiring the manager to comply with a manager’s obligations under Section 54 of the CMSA. The court also ordered the manager to pay costs of $7500 to the CMRAO.

The CMRAO’s authority to make this sort of court application exists under Section 67(1) of the CMSA, which reads as follows:

‘If it appears to the director (of the CMRAO) that a person is not complying with this Act or the regulations or an order made under this Act, the director may apply to the Superior Court of Justice for an order directing that person to comply, and, upon the application, the court may make the order that the court thinks fit.”

So, the bottom line is that the CMRAO can be a powerful enforcement alternative for anyone (for instance, a condominium corporation) who is concerned about a manager’s failure to comply with the CMSA.

The potential cost of the CMRAO’s discipline process

The CMRAO also has the authority, in an appropriate case, to discipline a condo manager. The CMSA and regulations spell out the mandate of the CMRAO to receive complaints and to take disciplinary procedures. Among other things, the CMRAO may:

Attempt to mediate or resolve a complaint.
Give the manager a written warning.
Require a manager to take further educational courses.
Require a principal condominium manager to take further educational courses.
Refer a matter, in whole or in part, to the CMRAO discipline committee.
Suspend or revoke a manager’s license (with prior notice and the right to a hearing).

Depending upon the circumstances, a discipline process, particularly a hearing by the discipline committee, could become very expensive and sometimes quite lengthy, involving lawyers and expert witnesses. This, in turn, raises the following questions: Who would be responsible to cover the manager’s costs for the hearing? Normally, a complainant would not be ordered to pay such costs. And the CMRAO also won’t normally be ordered to pay such costs. Is this cost simply part of a manager’s “cost of doing business”?

Let’s take a simple example: Mary Smith is managing a 100-unit high-rise, Condominium Corporation No. 123. One of the owners in the condominium, Fred Jones, makes several complaints about Mary to the CMRAO. Some of the complaints are very serious, including allegations of unprofessional conduct involving alleged discrimination and harassment. The CMRAO is not able to “get to the bottom” of the complaints. The CMRAO concludes that the complaints are serious enough to merit a hearing by the discipline committee. The committee holds a hearing and ultimately determines that the complaints are without merit, and orders no discipline against Mary. However, the costs for Mary’s defence total $100,000.

The management contract (between Mary’s principal condominium manager and the condominium corporation) includes a typical indemnification provision, whereby the condo corporation agrees to indemnify the manager against costs incurred as a result of claims, provided the claims don’t result from the manager’s negligence or misconduct. Does that indemnification provision apply? Is the condo corporation obligated to cover the costs of Mary’s discipline hearing?

And of course this raises some further questions: Are these costs covered by the manager’s professional (E & O) liability insurance or by the condo corporation’s insurance? And is the manager even a named insured under the condo corporation’s insurance?

According to our enquiries, the answers to these questions may, in many cases, be unclear. So, our recommendations are as follows:

First and foremost: Ask the insurers involved—the manager’s insurer and the condo corporation’s insurer—whether or not they would cover the defence costs in the event of a hearing by the CMRAO discipline committee. If not, you might also ask whether or not it is possible to obtain such insurance for an added premium.

Then, with the benefit of that “insurance information”, and after a good discussion between the condo corporation and the manager about responsibility for such costs, you can hopefully make the appropriate revisions to the indemnification provision in the management contract so that the responsibility is clear.

When it comes to the CMRAO, there is more to think about than just licensing.

James Davidson and Nancy Houle are partners at Davidson Houle Allen LLP Condominium Law. dhacondolaw.ca

New 9th Avenue bridge opens to traffic in Calgary

The 9th Avenue S.E. bridge, connecting Inglewood and downtown Calgary, has officially opened. It replaces a temporary bridge that had been in place during the removal of the original 110-year-old Inglewood bridge that had reached the end of its lifespan.

In partnership with the Calgary Municipal Land Corporation (CMLC), the city began replacement of the original, 110-year old Inglewood bridge in 2019. Drawing inspiration from the original structure, while boasting modern design standards, the new bridge will improve flood resiliency, reduce maintenance costs and enhance cycling and walking connections.

“We know that folks in the community have been eagerly awaiting the new bridge and we are thrilled to be able to now open for drivers,” says project manager Evan Fer. “We thank Calgarians for their patience, and we look forward to our next milestone of welcoming pedestrians and cyclists onto the bridge later this spring.”

The bridge will initially open with one lane in each direction and will provide a similar level of service to the existing temporary bridge, while construction continues over the coming months. The additional lanes will be opened later in spring which will provide improved service for transit and motorists.

With this milestone achieved, work will now focus on preparing the structure’s north and south multi-use pathways to open for cyclists and pedestrians in spring 2022, as well as landscaping the area surrounding the bridge. Existing pedestrian detours will remain in place until the new bridge pathways are complete.

Removal of the 9th Avenue temporary bridge will be completed in spring 2022. The west Elbow river pathway will also be reopened later this spring when remaining work is complete.

Affordable housing gets nod in Alberta budget

Alberta’s 2022 provincial budget commits $118 million in capital funding over three years to launch a 10-year affordable housing scheme aimed at easing a current waitlist of 24,000 households seeking subsidized accommodations. The strategy, dubbed Stronger Foundations, is targeting a 40 per cent expansion of Alberta’s affordable housing portfolio, to support 25,000 more households, through a combination of new supply and rent assistance.

The vast share of funding will be drawn from the federal government’s National Housing Strategy, but the Alberta government has pledged to augment those dollars with proceeds from the sale of surplus or under-used provincial real estate assets. The initial capital budget allocations will be largely channelled to developing an envisioned affordable housing asset management framework “to optimize the affordable housing portfolio owned by the Alberta Social Housing Corporation” and to develop a framework for delivery of affordable housing in partnership with municipal, non-profit and private developers.

The newly released Alberta budget earmarks $16 million to begin that work in 2022-23 with installments of $33 million and $48 million set for the following two budget years. In addition, it promises $21 million over three years for Indigenous housing, and $14 million in operating funds over three years for additional rent supports that will enable approximately 3,000 households to obtain private market housing.

“The strategy will transform the province’s affordable housing system to address growing demand, increase long-term financial sustainability and improve accessibility for Albertans with low income,” the budget document states. Meanwhile, Alberta Finance Minister Travis Toews stressed Alberta’s relative affordability advantage in his budget speech.

“We offer a more affordable province to live than virtually any other Canadian jurisdiction,” he boasted. “Albertans have some of the lowest home prices and rents among Canadian urban centres. In fact, Albertans are able to purchase at least two homes for every one home purchase in Toronto or Vancouver.”

All-women development team breaks ground on Reina

The Reina condo project, a boutique mid-rise fully developed and designed by women, is one step closer to rising in Etobicoke, Ont. as it’s set to begin construction.

A significant gender gap among leaders in the development industry inspired Taya Cook of Urban Capital and Sherry Larjani of Spotlight Developments to ‘change the narrative,’ and bring together a team of women across industries, from construction to sales.

Reina, which means Queen, was designed by an extensive community consultation process and uses forward-thinking design to resolve common pain points of condo living.

“It feels wonderful to be at this stage in our journey now, getting ready to deliver on our promise of a community-first mixed-use building that doesn’t compromise on style,” says Cook. “It is our hope that young women continue to consider development for their future careers so that we can better incorporate their diverse perspectives in city-building.”

“To be at our ground-breaking now demonstrates the powerful energy created when women direct on real estate developments,” adds Larjani. “We’re so proud to be here and the market response is a testament of the strength of vision of our all-women leadership team. Let’s keep the momentum going and continue to champion diverse projects across our industries.”

The year-long community consultation process into Reina’s development gathered feedback and varied perspectives from multigenerational families, parents with young or adolescent children, and single people.

After listening to and reviewing feedback, Reina’s resulting design is a contemporary mid-rise with large, flexible floor plans and an amenity program geared towards fostering community between residents and neighbours. Amenities are sized at 25 per cent larger than guidelines established by the City of Toronto and include a gym and fitness studio strategically located by the kids’ playroom with windows for parents to keep an eye on their children.

Other amenities include a hobby room, a snack shack inspired by a consultation with the Girl Guides, a sound(less) room for meditation, music lessons, or karaoke among other activities, as well as a library, parcel room, a games room and a community room. A property manager will be hired and provided a budget to actively program these spaces and build community.

Picketed balconies wrap around Reina’s exterior as the building steps back, with beautiful south facing views of the new oasis-like courtyard and Etobicoke’s lakefront.

Architecture by BDP Quadrangle features a subtle white brick exterior with soft curves and rounded corners with generous setbacks on the east and west to activate the public realm. A series of picketed balconies offer beautiful south-facing views overlooking the 6,500-square-foot exterior courtyard with barbecues, harvest tables, shared outdoor workstations and a children’s play area.

Live-work suites on the ground floor are designed for multigenerational living offering two entrances, a full-sized kitchen, and a smaller kitchenette for families with adolescent children or aging parents in need of an in-law suite. Stroller parking is available on almost every floor while suites are arranged to maximize storage opportunities or support add-ons. Additionally, a higher proportion of generously sized two and three-bedroom plans are offered.

Feature photo: FRONT ROW (L – R) Sahar Borodinas (Electrical Engineer, MCW Consultants Ltd.), Wendy Chase (Surveyor, R. Avis Sureying Inc.). MID ROW (L – R) Frances Hahn (Interior Designer, BDP Quadrangle), Mara Nicaolou (Construction – Urban Capital), Manali Pradhan (Lawyer – Harris Sheaffer LLP). BACK ROW (L – R) Sunhwa Kim (Interior Designer, BDP Quadrangle), Nataliya Tkach (Hydrogeologist, EXP), Stacy Meek (Project Manager, EXP), Lisa Ward Mather (Associate, Urban Strategies), Eve Lewis (Sales, Marketvision), Lisa Spensieri (Architect, BDP Quadrangle), Taya Cook (Development – Urban Capital), Heather Rolleston (Architect – Quadrangle), Sherry Larjani (Development – Spotlight Development), Mercedes Byers (Energy Consultant – Pratus Group Inc.), Fatima Shakil (Structural Engineer – Adjeleian Allen Rubeli Limited), Oleksandra Onisko (Energy Consultant – Pratus Group Inc.), Tina Pham (Construction Manager, Bluescape), Jane Almey, (Construction Manager, Bluescape), Fung Lee (Landscape Architect, PMA Landscape Architects).

Corporate officers to assume more liability

Ontario employers and corporate officers could be in line for significantly steeper fines for violating the Occupational Health and Safety Act. Newly introduced amendments propose a fivefold increase in the maximum fine levied to individuals, taking it up to $500,000, and the inclusion of corporate officers on the list of those designated to hold corporate liability and potentially face fines of up to $1.5 million.

The move is part of a package of legislation in the omnibus Bill 88, Working for Workers Act, introduced yesterday in Ontario’s legislative assembly. It would impose new obligations on employers and professional/trades regulatory bodies through amendments to the Occupational Health and Safety Act, the Employment Standards Act and the Fair Access to Regulated Professions and Compulsory Trades Act. It would also enact the new Digital Platform Workers’ Rights Act to address minimum wage and working conditions for contractors to app-based service delivery channels such as Uber and Door Dash.

Of note for the property and facilities management sectors, Bill 88 aims to ease the transition for licensed trades and professions moving to Ontario from another province or territory within Canada. The proposed amendment to the Fair Access to Regulated Professions and Compulsory Trades Act would establish a maximum period of 30 business days for regulatory bodies to process applications from qualified domestic labour mobility candidates, and to either grant credentials entitling applicants to work in their new jurisdictions or give reasons for refusal. As well, applications would have to be formally acknowledged within 10 days.

“We want more skilled professionals and tradespeople to come here,” says Monte McNaughton, Ontario’s Minister of Labour, Training and Skills Development.

“It’s never been more important that we attract more workers to fill in-demand jobs,” concurs Premier Doug Ford. “To do so, we’re cutting red tape to make it easier for skilled professionals from across Canada to get the papers they need to work in Ontario, faster.”

Other proposed amendments to the Occupational Health and Safety Act would require employers to include naloxone in their emergency and first aid supplies if there is a reasonable risk of opioid abuse in the workplace, and to ensure that staff is appropriately trained to recognize the signs of an overdose and administer the antidote.

Also among the proposed amendments, a list of 11 “aggravating factors” would be explicitly stated in the Act to provide context for determining penalties. These pertain to: the seriousness of harm to workers; defendants’ recklessness or lack of remorse; previous incidents of non-compliance or convictions under the Act; the influence of profit-seeking or cost-cutting motives in workplace conditions; and attempts to conceal the commission of a violation or failure to cooperate with investigating authorities.

Bill 88 also proposes an amendment under the Employment Standards Act to require employers to state policies and reveal intended practices for electronically monitoring employee activity in all workplaces with at least 25 employees.

Canadian companies earn CIMS certification

Numerous Canadian cleaning and maintenance service companies have achieved the Cleaning Industry Management Standard (CIMS) certification, ISSA has announced.

Created by the industry for the industry, the certification is the first consensus-based management standard that outlines the primary characteristics of a successful, quality cleaning organization.

“Earning CIMS certification demonstrates that organizations are dedicated to a higher standard of cleanliness, which is essential given the biorisks that exist today,” said ISSA Executive Director John Barrett. “Using CIMS as a management framework allows cleaning organizations to maintain quality, efficiency, and customer satisfaction.”

This year’s new and renewing companies that have earned CIMS-Green Building with Honours include Commercial Cleaning Services in St. Catharines, Ont.; Hines Facilities Services Ltd. in Fort McMurray, Alta.; Kleenway Building Maintenance Services, Inc. in Richmond Hill, Ont.; MP Group Ltd. in Edmonton, Alta.; and Power Clean Building Maintenance Ltd. in Saanichton, B.C.

In addition, Classic Building Systems, Inc. in Calgary, Alta. achieved CIMS-GB.

Meanwhile, Ottawa’s Service Star Building Cleaning Inc. earned CIMS with Honours, and Goldstar Cleaning Services out of Fernie, B.C. is one of three companies in North America to achieve certification without honours.

Relevant for in-house operations and outsourced building service contractors of all sizes, CIMS leverages five core elements of management best practices and requires participants to meet 100 per cent of the mandatory elements and 60 per cent of the recommended elements, per section.

An ISSA-accredited third-party assessor completes an on-site evaluation to validate that the cleaning operation follows documented systems and processes that support cleaning for health.

Preparing for another pandemic

COVID-19 took much of the world by surprise. But it shouldn’t have. For several years, public health experts had warned of the importance of preparing for a global pandemic, and this is the fifth since the beginning of the 20th century, according to the CDC: The Spanish flu in 1918, the Asian flu in 1957, the Hong Kong flu in 1968, and the Swine flu in 2009.

Since they weren’t as deadly or as widespread as COVID-19, and only one happened in recent memory, the memory was long buried before 2020.

It will happen again, though.

In July 2021, the Center for Global Development gathered a panel to discuss ways to predict and prepare for the next pandemic, which they believe may come much sooner and be more severe than we think. People have started travelling again, so once a virus has been identified in one part of the world, it’s only a matter of time until it spreads across the globe.

How COVID-19 changed the cleaning industry

In the post-pandemic world, professional cleaners have become a necessity; an essential service that businesses need to fit in their budget for the health and safety of their employees and their customers. Before, many companies wanted their cleaning service to work at night, after everyone had gone for the day. Now, some opt for daytime cleaning so people can see the building being sanitized, reassuring them that it’s safe. The invisible has become visible.

Moving forward, there will be a continued high demand for cleaning and sanitizing services. Cleaning companies will need to use what they’ve learned from COVID-19 and adapt to this new normal if they want to survive.

Stay up to date on CDC and EPA recommendations

What we know about COVID-19 and the latest strains is constantly changing as scientists continue to study the virus. The same will be true of viruses that may cause future pandemics. The CDC continually updates its guidelines on the best ways to clean and disinfect to fight the viruses in accordance with this new information. Cleaning services need to keep up with the latest guidelines and make sure all their employees are trained to follow them consistently.

The Environmental Protection Agency keeps a list of disinfectants they recommend as the most effective in killing the COVID-19 virus. As other viruses threaten our health and new disinfectants become available, that list will change. A cleaning company that works with chemists and other scientists to successfully develop new germ-killing formulas would have an edge on its competitors.

Consider cutting-edge technology

Long gone are the days when a professional cleaning crew did their job with only a mop and a bucket. Companies are employing cutting-edge technologies that help them clean faster and more efficiently. For instance, my company has been using ultraviolet (UV) radiation as a method to disinfect for more than a decade, and it’s now a technology that is gaining widespread interest.

Researchers at the University of California, Santa Barbara, are experimenting with short-wavelength ultraviolet light, UV-C light, which is deadly to bacteria and viruses. They are working to make LEDs that emit this light more effective and cheaper to use. At least one company is using similar technology in the form of robots to disinfect and sanitize hospital rooms.

Drones are being used to clean large spaces, like stadiums, quickly and efficiently. They fly overhead and spray down the area with a powerful disinfectant.

Innovation is even protecting the technicians by engaging battery-powered, touchless cleaning for bathroom fixtures and surfaces. Removing contaminants through a top-down wash, rinse, sanitize and wet-vac removal keeps the cleaning technician safe from the contaminants and helps prevent cross-contamination.

Market to the well-informed, health-conscious consumer

Since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, the public has become more concerned with cleanliness. They are washing their hands more frequently and wiping down high-touch surfaces like door handles and computer keyboards. They’ve learned the importance of disinfecting their spaces and expect more from their cleaning company.

In this climate, the cleaning industry must stress it does more than “clean.” We also sanitize and disinfect. We need to let prospective customers know that the chemicals we are using are safe, yet strong enough to kill COVID-19 as well as other viruses that have become a health threat. They need to be confident that we are on top of the latest protocols to get the job done correctly. Companies that don’t keep up may find themselves edged out of this growing and rapidly changing industry.

As we look ahead to our future, it’s important to keep that next pandemic at the forefront of our planning. It’s not pleasant to think we could all be in a similar situation again and it would be great if this never happened in our lifetimes. But cleaning companies can benefit greatly from being prepared and ready to respond if a new pandemic emerges.

Doug Flaig is President of Stratus Building Solutions, a janitorial services franchise organization, and has spent over 20 years in the world of multi-unit retail with Dunkin’ Donuts, Burger King, 7- Eleven stores, and Wetzel’s Pretzels overseeing hundreds of franchise retail locations. Prior to joining Stratus Building Services, he served as Chief Operating Officer with Safe Facility Services in Thousand Oaks, Calif.

Building Benchmark BC initiative announces strong uptake

The Building Benchmark BC database now captures the energy and GHG emissions of 1,163 buildings, representing 8.4+ million square metres of floor space. An initiative of OPEN Green Building Society with support from local government groups, total registered buildings have more than doubled since the program’s inception in January 2020, while registered floorspace has increased by 70 per cent.

“Governments are dropping not-so-subtle hints that new standards of practice are coming, and the growing interest in this program demonstrates that industry is taking note,” said Donovan Woollard, Managing Director of OPEN Green Building Society. “By joining Building Benchmark BC, property owners and policy makers can capture insights on how to direct resources towards the best interventions, in the right buildings, to achieve the highest climate benefit.”

As the results from the program’s second year show, a growing number of British Columbia building owners are positioning their properties for forthcoming standards in building energy and carbon management by voluntarily reporting their emissions and energy use on a public interactive website. The Year Two Annual Report, released March 1^st, 2022, includes a timeline that captures all announced and anticipated climate change targets and regulatory requirements and deadlines in the province.

“Building Benchmark BC is a great way for people to understand their building’s performance,” said Damian Stathonikos, President of BOMA BC. “It is a low-stakes way of getting started, doesn’t require a huge investment, and can really pay dividends.”

To download the Building Benchmark BC Year Two Annual Report and explore the graphical outputs, visit buildingbenchmarkbc.ca.

New secondary school to be built in West Kelowna

Construction of a new 1,200-seat secondary school in West Kelowna is expected to start in 2025 with completion by September 2027. It will be the first new secondary school to open in the Central Okanagan School District since 2002, when Kelowna Secondary school was replaced.

The Government of B.C. is providing $102.7 million to build the new school while the Central Okanagan School District will contribute $3 million. The school will include a neighbourhood learning centre that can be used for community programming, such as child care, Indigenous or cultural services, and children and family resources.

“We know students benefit from learning in vibrant spaces built for 21st-century learning, where students can follow their aspirations and thrive,” said Jennifer Whiteside, minister of education. “We have worked closely with the Central Okanagan School Board to invest in a new school that meets the needs of families in the community, now and for future generations.”

The school will be built with enhanced greenhouse gas reduction strategies, which will be achieved through high-efficiency HVAC and lighting systems. It is also being designed with future climate impacts in mind as it will incorporate non-combustible materials in construction.

“This new school will address the significant capacity issues and increasing number of portables at Mount Boucherie Secondary school. The entire community looks forward to providing input on how the new school can meet the needs of our students as well as serving as a community hub,” said Moyra Baxter, chair of the Central Okanagan board of education.

The school will be built on the site of the existing George Pringle Elementary facility. Current students will be moved to nearby schools, including Webber Road Elementary, which will reopen to students in September 2022.

The Value of Independent Pre-construction Surveys

As Ontario neighbourhoods adapt to accommodate more and more new citizens, the expansion of mass transit, residential housing and infrastructure could have consequences for pre-existing building owners. To limit the impacts of adjacent construction work on older assets with damage potential, many building owners and condominium corporations are turning to independent pre-construction surveys. Conducted by qualified engineers prior to the onset of neighbouring work, these detailed inspections provide a snapshot of an existing property’s condition so that owners are aware of the issues that may be exacerbated by the sustained vibrations cause by construction work.

While in some cities, such as Toronto, developer-led surveys of all neighbouring buildings are mandated before any new development can proceed, structural experts warn that existing assets aren’t being adequately protected given the surveys are more designed as a loss control and claims defense mechanism for the developer.

“For that reason, we recommend to our clients that they allow the developer do their pre-construction survey, then we’ll come in and conduct an independent survey they can directly rely on,” said Justin Tudor, President, Keller Engineering. “Developer-led preconstruction surveys have value, but they are often cursory and may provide insufficient detail to ensure a comprehensive capture of existing conditions. Furthermore, the developer is often not required and is commonly resistant to providing the findings of their pre-construction survey to the owner.”

Referring to an independent pre-construction survey his company recently conducted in Mississauga, Tudor explained that the assessment involved identifying existing cracks in walls, floors, and exterior cladding of the first two storeys above grade, and interior finishes of all storeys below grade to facilitate a comparison once the adjacent construction was complete.

“Although other building elements can be affected by adjacent work, extensive monitoring of elements such as stone facades require detailed investigations and costly initial surveys,” he said. “In our experience, crack creation or propagation in the building’s parking garage and lower levels is the most effective way to monitor for building movements as a result of adjacent construction activities.”

Typical Project Scope

For most independent preconstruction surveys, the scope of the project includes:

A site review to document the building’s condition, noting existing cracks in foundation walls, and signs of deterioration and settlement. A basic review typically focuses on the first two storeys of exterior cladding, below grade interior walls of common rooms, stairwells, corridors, and parking garage floors, walls and ceiling, but can be expanded to include upper stories by way of drone (if permitted in the area);
Preparation of video showing the general location and extent of pre-existing deterioration;
A report on the findings, including a detailed summary with photographic documentation and recommended remedial actions, if required;
Storage of the documentation for a three-year period.

Benefits for the property owner

According to Tudor, the peace of mind independent pre-construction surveys bring to all types of building owners can’t be underestimated.

“Developments and transit expansions are happening all around us,” he said. “Those excavations will vibrate and potentially damage adjacent properties. Aging buildings need to be documented to capture the difference between what’s fallen apart due to wear, and what’s damaged as the result of the construction.”

With a pre-construction survey, owners can rest assured that the conditions of their building are appropriately documented prior to any adjacent construction activities, so that any resulting damage can be attributed back to the source.

For more information on independent pre-construction surveys and other related services, please visit www.kellerengineering.com

CPM April 2022

FCM Spring 2022

Budgets offer contrasting energy cost measures

Neighbouring provinces have introduced contrasting energy cost measures in their 2022-23 budgets, but both promise potential relief for commercial and multi-residential building owners. British Columbia’s new temporary tax credit will refund 5 per cent of eligible expenditures made between February 23, 2022 and March 31, 2025 on upgrades that help buildings achieve prescribed reductions in energy-use intensity. Meanwhile, Alberta promises a natural gas rebate if prices rise above $6.50 per gigajoule (GJ) during the six months from October 2022 to March 2023.

In his budget speech last week, Alberta Finance Minster Travis Toews likened the move to a rebate Ralph Klein’s government offered in 2006. Few details and no program cost estimates are revealed in the budget, but natural gas utility customers with annual consumption of less than 2,500 GJ would be eligible. That’s expected to include most single-family homes, farms, small multifamily buildings, small commercial buildings and small industrial operations.

“Increasing energy prices and commodity prices generally, combined with excessive federal stimulus and supply chain disruptions, have resulted in inflation rates not seen in decades. This is pushing up costs for Albertans and has elevated concerns over the costs of utilities,” Toews maintained. “To alleviate the fear of spiraling utility costs and to allow Albertan’s to benefit from an owned resource, budget 2022 implements a consumer price protection mechanism. This means Albertans needn’t fear a run up in natural gas prices of the variety currently experienced in Europe and Asia.”

Next door, the B.C. budget allocates $42 million for the new tax credit, aimed at supporting deep retrofits in commercial and multifamily buildings. It additionally estimates $8 million in foregone revenue in each of the next three budget years once provincial sales tax (PST) is removed from the purchase of heat pumps beginning on April 1 this year.

Furthering the contrast with Alberta’s initiative, the PST exemption for heat pumps comes in tandem with a new surcharge on the purchase of fossil-fuel fired heating or cooling systems, which will see the PST jump from 7 to 12 per cent. The tax penalty takes effect on any new purchase as of February 23, 2022. For contracts that were signed but yet to be fulfilled prior to Feb. 23, equipment must be installed by April 1 to qualify for the 7 per cent PST rate.

“These revenues will offset the cost of new incentives to make heat pumps more affordable for homeowners in rural and northern British Columbia,” B.C. Finance Minister Selina Robinson advised in her budget speech. “While most people want to make the right choice by the environment, it isn’t always the most affordable option. We are working hard to change that.”

Kimberly-Clark unveils biggest tech innovation in over a decade

Kimberly-Clark Professional has launched what it calls a first-of-its-kind automatic washroom innovation, the ICON™ paper towel dispenser collection.

The full collection includes paper towel, toilet paper, soap, and sanitizer dispensers that each feature six designer faceplates: silver mosaic, black mosaic, white mosaic, cherry blossom, ebony woodgrain, and warm marble.

Users can also customize the faceplates with their own design or imagery. In addition, black, white, and silver are available within the standard range.

The design customization coupled with patented technology creates a more efficient, 99.99 per cent jam-free and virtually noiseless dispensing experience that is 85 per cent quieter than the leading competition. Kimberly-Clark Professional calls the ICON paper towel dispenser the quietest towel dispenser on the market.

A touch-free use minimizes contact points for a more hygienic experience and its one set of batteries lasts up to 150,000 dispenses.

Mayur Valanju, VP of Product Development and Innovation, says that the ICON dispensers “represent our most significant upgrade in technological advancements in over a decade”.

Susan Gambardella, President, Kimberly-Clark Professional North America, added that the dispenser elevates hygiene “by introducing modern engineering and design into the overall experience”.

All ICON dispensers are equipped to distribute Kimberly-Clark Professional’s global brands, including Kleenex, Scott, and Cottonelle.

A tech-savvy approach to smarter building access

The work-from-home revolution, rise of online deliveries, and other resident trends have created a buzz at multifamily buildings. With this increased activity comes heightened considerations for building security and access control that property operators are wise to address.

Ahead, Preston Grutzmacher, Residential Business Leader with SALTO Systems, shares insights into multi-residential access control trends and technologies.

How has the pandemic and work-from-home shift increased the need for “smarter” entry solutions in residential buildings?

The pandemic has driven the adoption of multifamily technologies for both residents and building operators. And while the original drivers for these technologies may have been safety-related, they’re now becoming more about enhancing the overall resident experience.

For example, the way residents book ﬁtness rooms, grant guests access, or even check into their vacation rental has become more convenient and safer. Before the pandemic, a resident would likely have had to visit their gym in person to see if a machine was available so they could start exercising. In recent years, though, the introduction of occupancy limits and social distancing in response to COVID gave rise to new solutions where residents can instead log onto their building’s app and reserve a timeslot in the gym remotely. This approach is not only safer but leads to an improved resident experience because residents can quickly check to see if there is space for them or if their favourite machine is available without leaving their unit.

Also, guest access was a manual or in-person process before the pandemic. Where residents once might have had to ask their property manager for a guest keycard or mechanical key, now we have the tech to let residents open up their building’s app and grant visitor access to their friends or service providers. There’s no need for a resident to visit the building’s front desk staff, property manager, or pay a deposit for additional mechanical keys.

Here’s another example. In years past, it was common for potential renters to schedule a time to visit a building for a showing. The potential renter had to coordinate schedules with the leasing agent – typically during business hours – and then tour the building alongside the leasing agent. Because of the pandemic, though, many properties implemented self-guided tours using digital keys to limit staff and renter contact.
Self-guided tours were created as a safety procedure but quickly improved potential renter experiences. Another beneﬁt with self-guided touring is that potential residents can view apartments after business hours with family or friends without an accompanying leasing agent.

Lastly, we’ve also seen the growth of “aparthotels” which is where multifamily building owners have a single building with both traditional 12-month leases and furnished units that are speciﬁcally for vacation rental purposes. Hospitality guests prefer aparthotels because they receive a PIN code and go directly to their room; there is no need to see a hotel concierge, wait in line, or potentially be exposed to COVID.

All of these solutions and enhanced resident experiences require smarter access control and often smart electronic locks.

Similarly, how has the rise of online order deliveries driven demand for smart door solutions?

Residents aren’t going out to eat or visiting brick-and-mortar stores as much as they did prior to the pandemic. They are, however, ordering food from local restaurants and items from online stores constantly. Of course, both food and package delivery providers need a convenient way to get into buildings, and this has sparked a transformation at the front door of many multifamily buildings.

In today’s multifamily buildings, a video entry panel, package delivery or locker solution, or smart lock are essential devices. Residents expect to be able to remotely let in delivery drivers via a mobile device. Locked front doors and mechanical keys just don’t cut it anymore.

How are smart access control solutions evolving to address these trends?

We’re seeing the emergence of a new ecosystem of hardware and software speciﬁcally designed for the multifamily market. These platforms can be focused on the resident experience, in-unit IoT control, vacation rental guest management, package delivery, video entry panels, virtual concierges, or self-guided touring.

At SALTO, for instance, we’re focused on doing what we do best, which is producing the latest in access control technology and smart electronic locks. We have smart locks designed for every door type, unit locks, deadbolts, common areas, perimeter doors, main entrances, back of house, exit devices, elevator control, overhead garage doors, padlocks, aluminum storefronts, and much more. Moreover, our state-of-the-art technology makes managing these devices simple and obtainable with minimal infrastructure.

Because SALTO’s solutions on their own don’t meet every multifamily operator’s needs since we focus on access control, we also partner with leading multifamily technology platforms to make buildings more efficient, easier to manage, and improve the resident experience. This enables our platforms to either be standalone for access or integrated into other leading platforms to deliver a comprehensive building management solution.

Overall, it’s our opinion that residents and building owners win when systems are open and have strong technology partnerships with best-in-class platforms.

How do these solutions save property owners/managers costs?

Many multifamily owners and managers are facing labor shortages. There is simply more work to be done than staff can complete, and this means building teams have to become more efficient.

That said, smart access solutions make managing buildings easier. Property managers can remotely open doors, instantly grant guest access, issue digital credentials, and make changes to access permissions quickly. And, when access control is integrated with other systems, it means that property managers may only need to manage a single database of users, dramatically lowering data entry requirements. Removing the margin by property managers makes buildings more secure.

Overall, trading mechanical keys for smarter, faster, and more efficient smart access control is the true key to making buildings easier to manage, more efficient, and more secure – all while boosting the resident experience.

Preston Grutzmacher is a Residential Business Leader for North America with SALTO Systems. Learn more about smart access solutions for all buildings at www.saltosystems.ca.

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