Federal
New refrigerant restrictions set for 2025
Regulators in Canada and the United States are out of sync in banning the R-410A refrigerant that’s currently a mainstay of variable refrigerant flow (VRF) heat pump systems.
Water quality standard boosts healthcare industry
As healthcare facilities increasingly focus on patient safety and infection prevention, effective water management has become a critical aspect of medical device processing.
Unmarked graves hold obvious truths
The 2021 discovery of unmarked graves at the site of the former Kamloops Indian residential school both shocked Canadians and confirmed what the evidence had already made obvious.
New water use initiatives afloat in summer 2024
New water use initiatives from the Canadian government and the Open Standards Consortium for Real Estate (OSCRE) have been unveiled for public input over the course of summer 2024.
Prized office tenant steps up green demands
Ottawa landlords are contemplating a list of new expectations from a prized office tenant following recently announced updates to the federal government’s green operations strategy.
Poll sees decline in global workforce well-being
Being actively disengaged at work is equivalent to or worse than being unemployed when it comes to well-being.
Housing labour and innovation
For Canada to meet its target of building 5.1 million homes in the next twelve years, a concerted focus on labour and innovation is required.
Plastic chemicals face growing scrutiny
The United Nations Environment Assembly adopted a resolution on March 2, 2022, to end plastic pollution by 2040.
Navigating supply chain transparency legislation
The deadline for Canadian businesses to file their first annual report on supply chain transparency is fast approaching.
Canada far from meeting accessibility goals
Federally-regulated organizations will need to prioritize specific actions that advance accessibility and disability inclusion by 2040.
A first Passive House retrofit in Halifax
Once complete, it will serve as an inspiration for others pursuing deep retrofits of existing buildings, an endeavour that offers the most hope for reducing greenhouse gas emissions in Halifax.
Archival preservation facility is a net-zero first
Library and Archives Canada’s new preservation storage facility opened as the first net-zero carbon archival centre in the Americas,
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.
Ottawa commercial landlords bid welcome
Mona Fortier, President of the Treasury Board of Canada, confirms that public service employees will be expected to spend 40 to 60 per cent of their working hours in a formal office setting.
Minding mould in LTC and hospitals
Air exchanges and mechanical systems that were sufficient when buildings were constructed may be considered undersized today, allowing fertile ground for mould growth.
A recap of IFMA’s World Workplace
In the past, cleaning suppliers, landscapers, and pest control companies dominated FM shows. Not anymore.
Fossil-fuel-fired power plants placed on notice
Utilities and other entities selling power into public transmission and distribution networks have about 12 years to cut the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from their production processes down to near-zero levels.