REMI

Operations

Converting hotels into multifamily apartments

Given the uncertainty of the travel and tourism sector, could converting hotels into affordable apartments serve as an effective solution to the housing crisis?

The keys to reopening multi-res operations

As Ontario prepares to reopen the economy, what will the upcoming months look like for multi-res operations? Legal expert Joe Hoffer shares important tips to help landlords manage the risks as they navigate their way into "new normal".

Smart buildings harnessed for pandemic response

While climate change may have slipped somewhat from people’s consciousness and priorities right now, it’s noteworthy that the pandemic and climate crises are both problems of exponential growth against a limited capacity to cope.

Energy demand load shifts to residential base

The energy demand load has shifted in sync with much of Ontario’s workforce from commercial to home offices, prompting calls for suspension of time-of-use pricing during the current COVID-19 related upheaval

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.

AI-driven energy management platforms

The apartment rental landscape is changing. Utility costs are rising, creating the need for improved energy management.

Smaller buildings spared Ontario benchmarking

Owners of smaller commercial and multi-residential buildings in Ontario will still be welcome to voluntarily share energy and water consumption data, but a looming deadline for mandatory disclosure has been withdrawn.

Friendlier CHP environmental approvals welcome

It's still unclear how the process of securing environmental approvals for combined heat and power systems will be streamlined, but the Ontario government's recent pledge has been greeted enthusiastically in the buildings sector.

IAQ standards dissect freshness of outdoor air

Guidance related to natural ventilation, particulate filtration and compartmentalization of multi-residential HVAC systems are prominent in the list of identified "significant changes" compared to the incumbent 2016 version of the standards.

Don’t flush money down the toilet

It is estimated that 20 to 25 per cent of all toilets in North America are experiencing leaks at any given time, making toilet leaks the number one cause of water loss in multi-unit residential buildings.

Climate risk profilers wrangle fragmented data

A widening scope of resources can be tapped to build increasingly sophisticated risk profiles, but sustainability practitioners note that data is often fragmented and difficult to obtain.

Built Green Canada launches HD Renovation Program pilot

Built Green Canada announced it has launched the High Density Renovation Program pilot with four projects underway, courtesy of Strategic Group’s office-to-residential repurposing projects in Calgary and Edmonton.

Energy efficiency primed for climate action

Few signatories to the Paris Agreement have specifically listed energy efficiency targets in required national plans for meeting their commitments so Three Percent Club founders see plenty of room to capture untapped emissions reductions.

Keeping up with Ontario’s Electrical Safety Code

Insights from the Electrical Safety Authority (ESA) on the new Ontario Electrical Safety Code and how it affects residential property owners.

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.

In deep water

Extreme weather events are directly impacting the cost of residential property insurance, but there are ways to keep rising costs at bay.

New rules could help dislodge drug dealers

Proposed amendments to Ontario's Cannabis Control Act would allow authorities to lock down and bar entry to residential dwellings in the course of laying charges