Workplaces
Realizing trauma-informed care in the workplace
Trauma is defined broadly as an emotional response to an overwhelming incident or series of events. When our subconscious ability to cope is overwhelmed, we
Tapping into the disability purchasing market
Canadians with disabilities make up the largest potential market of consumers, clients, employees and homeowners, with an annual buying power of $25 billion.
Workers now expect more from employers — a human factors approach can help
People are now looking to see if the organizations they work for align with their personal health needs.
Inside a Passive House first in Surrey, B.C.
Designing the Clayton Community Centre to become Passive House certified for ultra-low energy use was no easy feat, especially since the international standard had never been pursued for this type of facility in North America.
Indigenous-led projects raise bar for city-building
The architects and developers behind some of Canada’s new Indigenous-focused projects are designing spaces that harmonize with their natural landscapes, setting a higher standard for how urban buildings impact the environment and their surrounding communities.
Inside the reboot of Hootsuite’s Vancouver HQ
Brightly-coloured lounge furniture, in a peachy warm palette, curves around a stone fireplace in the living room of Hootsuite’s newly transformed Vancouver headquarters that was downsized during the pandemic.
Smarter care at Vaughan’s first hospital
Through the doors of Cortellucci Vaughan Hospital, the first hospital to ever rise in Vaughan, Ontario, life’s health challenges are met with comfort, safety and lots of natural light.
Creating a neurodiverse workplace
As employees eventually return to the office, most will bring with them a heightened sensitivity to their surroundings—specifically to what they touch and their proximity to coworkers.
Guidelines inform resilient healthcare facilities
Newly released guidelines offer a standard for approaching the planning and designing of healthcare facilities from a resiliency perspective.
Pandemic expands an aging workforce
The pandemic is pushing people to reconsider their post-work-life ambitions.
What can the new workplace learn from retailers?
Just as bricks-and-mortar stores embraced experiential retail to entice consumers who might otherwise shop online, organizations are now hoping to woo their remote-savvy workers back to the office.
A path to fully inclusive community hubs
The idea of creating inclusive community hubs—where people of all ages and abilities can gather together—is gaining significant momentum.
Campus high-rise brings health to new heights
Dingy is a word that conjures thoughts of old institutional spaces. Academic buildings with dimly-lit hallways and windowless classrooms punctured with fluorescent glare. Rarely are
Indigenous voices hushed in planning processes
Indigenous communities across Canada continue to be sidelined or completely excluded from initial planning phases of new developments and renovations.
Pandemic intensifies evolving role of FM
Facility managers are no longer viewed as a back-office function, but rather “a strategic instrument to attract and retain talent and create a great experience,”
Can purchases help reverse global warming?
When considering products with recycled content, pay attention to the types of recycled materials that are in them.
What toxic chemicals are lurking in our buildings?
In the age of COVID, it's also important to consider how chemical exposures influence our ability to fight disease.