REMI

Capital Upgrades & Retrofits

surfside

The fatal flaws behind the Surfside condo collapse

Building failures of this horrific scope are seldom seen in North America. But it is important to examine what happened so we can learn and prevent similar collapses in the future.
governance

5 ways technology is uplifting condo communities

Technology is revolutionizing the way condo buildings operate and positively impacting the lives of residents and managers.
reserve funds

Reserve funds ignore climate target impacts

We should be asking our reserve fund planners to look at the Paris accord target dates and compare the end-of-life replacement of our gas-burning appliances against the target dates.
EV chargers

Scanning the road ahead for EV-ready condos

As the country moves to accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles, questions are brewing among people living in multi-unit dwellings.
condo collapse

Could a Florida condo collapse happen in Ontario?

How would this scenario unfold in Ontario? Leaving aside the construction process itself, there are vast differences between Ontario and Florida condominium laws that would have given the Champlain towers significant added protections following registration.
procurement

Three red flags of risky procurement practices

Federal scrutiny of condo procurement should be sufficient reason for diligent condo boards to examine their procurement practices.
windows

Condo windows: repair or replace?

For condo buildings built in the 1980’s or 1990’s, there is likely a window project coming up in the reserve fund study.
real estate

Insurance crisis affecting reserve fund planning

The insurance crisis in condominiums is affecting how boards are planning for disasters in Ontario.
repairs

Condos in precarious spot if small repairs sit idle

Should the corporation move forward with certain maintenance repairs if the issue has the potential to become exponentially worse?
elevator repair

Ontario advances elevator repair legislation

Ontario is kicking the dust off of elevator repair legislation, which was passed under the Liberal government in May 2018 but never proclaimed into law.
SAIT partnership

Digging into the coming geothermal boom

While the relevance of geothermal has been percolating for years, the buzz is that more developers are starting to pay attention.
mentorship

What the new Construction Act means for condos

Construction is a billion-dollar industry in Canada. While most large projects at condominiums proceed relatively smoothly, there is always risk of friction for contractors and
building permits

How to avoid a DIY renovation disaster

The renovation work should aim to improve the property and make it more accessible for residents and visitors.
hydro

Gaps flagged in new CDM programs

After 2022, companies must use their own funds to reimburse embedded energy managers, but will be offered “an enhanced level of technical support and resources.” It's a move some see as more short-sighted.
green building

Creating a condo sustainability plan for 2021

A sustainability plan and budget should be made with the mindset of plan and prevent, instead of react and pivot.

Canada’s condo insurance crisis

Impacts of the hard insurance market are trickling into condominium corporations across Canada, challenging boards and managers in their wake.

Reserve fund budgeting: A fan coil unit retrofit

One of the most under addressed issues in aging condos is the fan coil unit. Residents often take an “out of sight, out of mind” approach.