Ops Talk Magazine Fall 2006

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Published By:

DEL

Communications Inc.

Del Communications Inc. 211 Hespeler Avenue Winnipeg, Manitoba R2L 0L5 Phone: (204) 254-6418 Fax: (204) 668-4641 Publisher David Langstaff david@delcommunications.com Editor Katrina Senyk Advertising Sales Manager Jason Stefanik Advertising Sales Gary Barrington Ross James Dayna Oulion

Production Services Provided by: S.G. Bennett Marketing Services Unit 7 - 414 Westmount Drive Winnipeg, Manitoba R2J 1P2 Layout & Design Debbie Dunmall Advertising Art Kathy Cable Hayden Sundmark ©Copyright 2006. School Plant Officials of B.C. All rights reserved.

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Publications mail agreement #40934510 Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: Del Communications Inc. 211 Hespeler Avenue Winnipeg, MB R2L 0L5 Email: david@delcommunications.com

CONTENTS Fall Colours Near Smithers ~ Chuck Morris

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President’s Message ~ John Garossino

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Secretary Treasurer’s Message ~ Jim Garfield

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Biography ~ Kelly Gahir

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Biography ~ Glenn Brennan

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Remembrance ~ Jim Thorpe

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Spoa’s 42nd Annual Conference & Trade Show ~ What A Conference It Was!

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Trex Composite Decking & Railing

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Industrial Education Safety Is Everyone’s Responsibility

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Capital Asset Management System Working Group Update

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Schools and the Design Build Process

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Major Construction Trends: Design-Bid-Build / Construction Management

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Protect Staff and Studens with Code Alert Quick Response System

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Small Communities, Large Schools

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Big Steel Box

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Clean Get Away ~ Microfiber cleaning products save time, money and your back

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Surrey School District Soars with SchoolDude

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Prevent Mold and Mildew with Proven Adhesives for Flooring Systems

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Working Smarter, Not Harder: A Trash Can For the Next Generation

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Ahead of the Curve ~ Facilities Renewal Through Energy Savings

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Thoughts On: Fishing

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Bursary Winners 2006

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Energy Usage In Your Facilities

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Tip Top Tables

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Maintain That Floor To Add Years To Its Life

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Floor-Cleaning Technology Breakthrough

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Do You Really Care?

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NFP Open & Closed Bag Filters

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School Plant Official Guy

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Clean-Air Services

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The Importance of Due Diligence in Managing Water Damage

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I’m Dreaming of a White...Halloween????

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Index to Advertisers

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Mission Statement: To provide support and recognition to our members who work in partnership with leaders in education in the province of British Columbia.

School Plant Officials Association of B.C. Fall 2006

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COVER PHOTO: FALL COLOURS NEAR SMITHERS

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Wherever our job takes us, we encounter many divergent thoughts about work and how to deal with any given issue. For many of us working in districts that cover large areas, driving from the office to one of our schools can take an hour or many, using up a good portion of our day.

This offers us time to reflect on the job we are doing, and allows for some time to think on where we are going and how we can improve. This province's topography is so varied, that at any given time, we could be driving urban areas amongst tall buildings and clogged streets, and end up smack dab in the middle of Mother Nature herself, cruising on wideopen highways alongside of meandering rivers and streams.

Often at times, the beauty and serenity is so overwhelming that one actually needs to stop and take it all in. Such is the case in the Bulkley Valley. Driving west from Smithers, the terrain changes from an open landscape to high mountains and sharp canyons. When fall arrives with its glory of yellows and reds,

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School Plant Officials Association of B.C. Fall 2006

and the first snow appears on the mountain tops, a surrealistic change seems to take place.

What could be better than to stop along the road and pause for fifteen minutes? That pause, while basking in the glory of the scene before you, can be some of the best few minutes spent thinking about your work. Very often, fresh ideas and new thought patterns come to you, allowing resolution to a problem. Let us be grateful for British Columbia’s beauty, and its ability to enhance our everyday lives. â??

We welcome your comments and feedback.

If you have an idea for a story or profile in an up-coming edition, please send it to: katrina@delcommunications.com Please include the name of the magazine or association in your email header or subject line.

We look forward to hearing from you.

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

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ciation, we have the knowledge and expertise to make real and relevant input into the future of facilities management practices in the educational community in the province of BC. Sharing knowledge and promoting partnerships may be one of the most important directions we embark upon, as it has the potential to affect the way we do business in the future.

Two years ago under the direction of President Ernie Lambert, our association “Charted our Course;” this started us on a journey. Last year, under the direction of President Lisa Johnston, this association “Navigated our Course” and brought our association a higher profile within the educational community. This year, our theme “Rowing Together in Partnership” will show the true benefits of the networking that our association is known for.

I wish you all a successful year and I hope that the work your executive is doing behind the scenes will continue to be of benefit to our membership on the whole.

I will continue to be available to all of our members, and I am committed to work diligently for this association to achieve the success we are all expecting.

Yours in service, John Garossino President School Plant Officials Association ❏

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Welcome back everyone, to another exciting year for our association.

First of all, I would like to thank all of our members and associate members for the support you have shown this association and its executive. It is support like this that creates the climate for advancement and change, which are so vital to the survival and growth of our association.

We have just completed one of the most successful years our association has seen in advancing our association’s profile in this province and I realize it will be a tough show to follow. In saying that we are planning to keep the momentum going for this up coming year and build on the success we achieved last year.

This year, your executive is planning to complete the standards and procedures manual, to continue to build on our sponsorship program, to expand and promote our certification program, to actively promote membership in our association, and to actively explore future partnerships that will be beneficial to our members.

In addition to this, we will continue to work with the Ministry of Education for the benefit of both our members and their respective districts.

Our association will also continue to work towards promoting partnership discussions within our association as they relate to facilities management. As an asso-

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JOHN GAROSSINO

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School Plant Officials Association of B.C. Fall 2006

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SECRETARY-TREASURER: CONFERENCE MESSAGE

JIM GARFIELD This year’s conference has been deemed a huge success by the membership. I have just reviewed the comments from the assessment forms. Those that responded felt that the addition of the other organizations was well received, and that the conference was a good opportunity for SPOA members to network and gain insight into other organizations. From the assessment forms received, there was 118 Excellent, 66 Good, and 3 Fair. Some of the comments from the forms were as follows: · Very good, don’t think we need to have a conference every year · Excellent, keep it rolling · One of the best conferences we have attended · Presidents’ Reception was too noisy · A change in food would be nice · Excellent, the combined conference had much to offer With the inclusion of the other organizations came the addition of new suppliers who had not previously attended our conference nor been aware of it. This in itself will help us to have a better supplier base for future conferences and to give us better exposure.

This year’s joint conference offered us the chance to visit 140 booths along with the 260 exhibitor representatives that manned these facilities. I had occasion to visit the bulk of these booths and was well received by all. The exhibitor’s hosted evening went very well with good participation from the exhibitors and delegates and I believe a fun time was had by all.

We had a total of 246 delegates attend the conference this year. The break down is as follows: 123 School Plant Officials Association Members 3 School Plant Officials Society of Alberta 12 School Plant Officials Association Retirees 7 School Plant Officials Association Associate Members 79 Recreational Facilities Association of BC 17 Canadian Educational Facility Planners International (BC Chapter) 5 BC School Safety Association

Lisa Johnston starting off the AGM with the hit of the gavel.

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School Plant Officials Association of B.C. Fall 2006

This, along with the increase in exhibitors and partners, gave us close to 600 people attending this year’s conference.

It was nice to see and gave the executive an insight into what may be available to SPOA in the future. Yes, there were a few hic-ups that did happen and these will be addressed in the future, but by and large, things went very well.

One other area that we delved into this year was sponsorship, with two major sponsors coming on board. These included B.C. Hydro, Bell Mobility, School Dude (who sponsored the breakfast), and Tersan Gas (who sponsored a hole at the golf tournament).

By allowing major companies to sponsor part of the conference, we had the added advantage of increased funds. This, in turn, allowed us to expand our conference and to continue to bring in quality speakers and programs. The basis for accepting a major sponsor was that they had to be a company that did not compete with the exhibitors, those being Hydro, Work Safe, Bell etc. This added funding will allow our organization to expand and to become a major contributor to the educational system As Conference Director, I would like to take this opportunity to thank the entire Executive who helped in making this year the success that it was. Thanks to Grant Davidson for an excellent selection of speakers, John Garossino for continually harassing me to get things done, Chuck Morris for giving us the funds needed to make this work, Pat Zinio for your assistance, Bob Hardy for keeping us on the straight and narrow, Ivan Lewis for your input, Molly Shipowich for keeping things running the way they should, and to our Past President, Lisa Johnston, for backing us and allowing us to take a few chances. I do believe she breathed a sigh of relief when it turned out to be an overwhelming success. To her I give special thanks.

When we put the knowledge that we gained from this conference and apply it to the upcoming conference, another successful conference is in the making. Thanks again to all the delegates and exhibitors, and to all who made this conference a success.

Jim Garfield,Secretary-Treasurer School Plant Officials Association of BC ❏

Chuck Morris provides the members with the Financial Report. Great job Chuck!

John Garossino giving his Presidential acceptance speech at the AGM.

BIOGRAPHY:

KELLY GAHIR

Kelly Gahir of School District #34, one of SPOA’s newly elected Directors

Kelly was born and raised in Abbotsford. She graduated from Abby Senior Secondary School.

Kelly has lived and worked in Abbotsford for most of her life.

She has raised 2 successful boys. Jeff, 23 is living in Victoria and is a supervisor for London Drugs and Jason is in

his 2nd year at UCFV in Business Management.

She started with the Abbotsford School District in 1990 and has spent 15 years of her school district career at Facilities. She has worked either directly or had experience in every department with Facilities. Prior to 2003 she had controlled community use, custodial administration and assisting the Director with district capital planning.

Since March 2003 she has worked in management, responsible for custodial staff, community use, school district liaison with the public, City and community groups for elections and

special events, office staff, work order system, assisting senior staff with demographics for capital planning.

Kelly has been involved in the successful energy team that won numerous awards and saved the District thousands of dollars.

She has volunteered her time at the BC Summer Games held in Abbotsford in 2004 as well as other special events in the city.

She has taken many job related seminars and workshops including working on her Human Resource Certificate with Executive Education at UBC. Kelly is excited about her new challenge of working with the SPOA Executive.

BIOGRAPHY:

GLENN BRENNAN Glenn Brennan of School District #61, is also one of SPOA’s newly elected Directors.

For the past three years, I have been the Assistant Maintenance Supervisor and Energy Manager for SD 61 Victoria. Prior to this I spent 22 yrs in SD 63 Saanich as a Groundsman, Mechanic Assistant, Electrician, and Maintenance Supervisor. I hold a TQ as an Electrician, Certified Energy Manager, and a U.B.C.

Diploma in Urban Land Economics.

I currently live in Brentwood Bay, and have been married to my wife, Janice, for 21 yrs. We have two great kids, Natalie, 19, and Dean, 17. I love cars, airplanes, boats, and telling people to turn down the heat and turn off the damn lights!!

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Remembering Our Origins: The Late Jim Thorpe

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[1921-2006]

Information supplemented by Art Vanidour In the early 1960’s, James Herbert Thorpe envisioned the concept of an organization in which people would discuss and share ideas, and ultimately provide solutions to problems related to the operation of school plants. Along with Don Sutherland and Jack Jones of the Vancouver School District, and Ed Burnett of the Cowichan School District (all now deceased), Jim promoted the idea.

Subsequently a number of working meetings were held in the office of the Vancouver School Board to discuss the formation of the organization.

Ed Vivien, sales rep for the Fuller Brush Company, assisted in the formation of the proposed organization by passing the message to school districts he visited on his sales route. A formative meeting was held in the Granville Street White Spot in Vancouver, followed by the first formal meeting of the School Plant Officials Association (SPOA) in the Blue Boy Hotel.

Jim Thorpe was the President of SPOA in1966/67, and Secretary 1967 through 1969. He was Treasurer sometime* during the period of 1969 - 1971, and in 1972, Jim was appointed to the position of Secretary Treasurer of the Nanaimo School District.

Although he retired in the spring of 1984, he continued to support SPOA B.C. the rest of his life.

Jim immigrated to Canada from New Zealand in 1952 as a professional civil engineer, and in 1955, became an engineer in charge of the Nanaimo School District plant. Jim was a resident of Nanaimo, B.C. for many years, and was highly involved in the community; he was past chairman for both the Building Bylaw Appeal and Area Six Community Planning boards in Nanaimo, and served on the board of retirees for unemployment insurance. Jim was president of the Rotary Club in 1966, and past president of the Naniamo Golf and Country Club. *Editor’s Note: Every effort has been made to represent Jim’s life accurately.

However, Time’s effect upon the memory blurs the clarity of details remembered.

Additionally, as the principal individuals

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involved in the circumstances pass away, unravelling the sequence of events becomes more difficult to report precisely. ❏

SPOA’s 42nd Annual Conference & Trade Show WHAT A CONFERENCE IT WAS!

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It is hard to believe that it has been five months since our last SPOA conference – and WHAT A CONFERENCE IT WAS! Our theme for 2005-2006 was “Navigating Our Course” and your Executive definitely did a great job of taking us on a very exciting, educational, and sometimes scary journey.

While navigating towards our association goals and conference, we were fortunate to be joined on our journey by three other provincial associations: BC School Safety Association, President – Ken Emmons, Recreational Facilities Association of BC, President – Willy Lee, and the Council of Education Facility Planners International (BC Chapter), President – Kendall Jessiman. It was a wonderful experience working with the three associations and we look forward to working together with these associations again.

During discussions among members of the associations it became apparent that we shared many of the same challenges.

The conference provided a great venue through which to meet new people who work in similar areas related to the maintenance of facilities. No doubt, the success of the conference was due in part to the participation of these three associations. The distinctive perspectives each association brought to the table helped to bring new understanding to all the representative stakeholders.

A big thank you to the following for ensuring that our conference was such a huge success: Jim Garfield, School District No. 58, Grant Davidson, School District No. 23, Pat Zinio – School District No. 20, John Garossino – School District No. 73, Chuck Morris – School District No. 82, Ernie Lambert – School District No. 91, Jim Meiklejohn – CEFPI, Ken Emmons – BCSSA, Rob Chavarie, Ron Philpot and Anne Borrowman – RFABC, and Molly Shipowich – SPOA. Although the Conference Planning Committee faced many new challenges this year with the addition of these associations, in true team spirit they put together an exceptional conference. The work began last fall when we received news that we might be joined by

Lisa Johnston, 2005-2006 SPOA President

a couple of other associations; but, as we did not have any definite plans, we went ahead planning in our regular fashion. In February, we had agreements with RFABC and CEFPI to join us.

The fun then began, as we now had potential for an additional 150 delegates and needed to ensure there was something for everyone.

Our topics covered a wide spectrum to ensure that we offered something pertinent to the participants of all associations. The conference planning committee was represented by all four associations: SPOA, BCSSA, RFABC and CEFPI (BC Chapter).

This year, we also brought in sponsorship for the conference; BC Hydro and Bell Mobility were two of our key sponsors for the conference, while Terassen Gas sponsored our Hole-In-One during the Golf Tournament and School Dude.com sponsored our Thursday morning breakfast. Thank you to all for your support.

Cheryl Morris spearheaded the partner’s program committee

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SPOA’s 42nd Annual Conference & Trade Show through the grapevine that it was a lot of fun. I can’t wait for next year – I Will Be Back!! Special thanks to Tom Louie and Phil Shepherd for all their help in putting together the tournament.

Following this was the President’s Reception which was shared by the presidents of all three associations. It was a full house and we even had to ask people to leave at the end of the evening.

Past President, Lisa Johnston, and Present President, John Garossino, enjoying the entertainment at the Banquet.

with the assistance of Linda Hardy, Barb Zinio, Halina Lambert, Cheryl Pearce and Colleen Ewen. They were all instrumental in providing a completely entertaining and eventful program for all our delegates and exhibitors partners. In speaking with participants in this program, they stated “they had a whole lot of fun!”

Thank you ladies, for all of your hard work!

Our Conference Trade Show was our largest ever (140 booths), and was sold out with a large waiting list. As always, our tradeshow was both informative and very entertaining. A huge thank you to all of our exhibitors for the support they continuously provide to our association. As of our Executive Meeting on September 22nd, 2006, we already have 50 booths pre-registered next year! On behalf of the Conference Planning Committee, I

Petter Legge – WOW!

I think we all thoroughly enjoyed our luncheon speaker Peter Legge. Peter’s presentation on “The Runway of Life” was excellent and I am sure made us all think about our lives personally and professionally. As President, I was fortunate to spend an hour with Peter prior to his presentation. Peter provided me with some pointers to use when public speaking and even though I still cringe at the thought of speaking in front of a group, his advice has definitely helped me and I hope that others benefited as I did.

Lunch on Thursday was hosted in the exhibitor’s hall where delegates and exhibitors were able network and discuss new solutions that are available for today’s facility management teams.

Thursday evening was the Annual Banquet and Dance. All conference delegates, exhibitors, speakers and partners were invited to the SPOA Annual Banquet and Dance. RFABC attended their own banquet but joined us for the entertainment and dancing afterwards. This year a comedian, Todd Butler, provided the entertainment for the evening. He put together a program that hit HUSTLER, BANNERMAN, VENTRAC, KESMAC REELS, SWEEPALL+

Colleen Ewen, Cheryl Morris and Cheryl Pearce take a well deserved break.

would like to thank Gordon Hoover, of BC Air Filter Ltd., and Donna Lewis, of Astravan Distributors Ltd., for all of their hard work in looking after the exhibitor portion of the program; especially the exhibitor’s evening. I know that everyone had a great time that evening slip-sliding and yes, squirting the night away.

The conference kicked off with our Annual Golf Tournament, which was once again sold out with a huge wait list. I heard

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SPOA’s 42nd Annual Conference & Trade Show

John Smith, Frank Waddell both of Simplex, Lisa Johnston and Sammy Tong of Houle Electric enjoying the beach party!

Dave & Don Sinclair of Brite Lite, Bob Love of Phillips Lighting are joined by Cheryl Morris, Colleen Ewen, Cheryl Pearce and Sammy Tong.

on all areas of those attending the conference, and from the continuous roar of laughter, it was clearly a highlight of the conference. Todd also composed a song for all of us, and I have includ-

Winners of the Best Costume at the Exhibitor’s Hosted Evening

ed it so everyone can have the opportunity to reread what he was singing. I know a few of you were laughing so hard you didn’t catch everything!

By all accounts, it was a fun conference and it was definitely a year I will never forget. I had the opportunity to not only meet fellow members of SPOA but also meet members from three other associations. Being part of the Executive has been a tremendous learning experience for me, but best of all I made a lot of great friends over the years. I would like to thank you all for your support, guidance and most of all for the friendship you have all shown me.

I would also like to wish John Garossino all the best during his term as President. John’s forward-thinking, energy and enthusiasm will definitely continue to move SPOA forward. I look forward to working with John and the rest of the Executive this year in my role as Past-President.

So as we chart a new course for the year ahead, I would like to give special thanks to all those involved in making this conference such a success. Their hard work and very long hours have raised the bar for next year’s conference. I would also like to acknowledge the membership for their continued support of this association; without it, SPOA would not be “navigating new courses” in our industry but rather, following those who are.

Keep up the good work!

Sincerely, Lisa Johnston Past-President School Plant Officials Association of BC ❏

Adon T. Rigg Market Manager British Columbia

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School Plant Officials Association of B.C. Fall 2006

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COMPOSITE DECKING & RAILING Mobil Oil invented Timberex 15 years ago, and invested more than $6,500,000 in Research & Development before the product entered the marketplace. The low-maintenance product proved to be very popular with consumers looking for a wood alternative.

Four employees of Mobil bought the rights for Timberex in 1992 and changed the trade name to Trex.. After their second plant was built in 2000, Taiga Building Products was chosen as their Canadian distributor. A third plant was built in 2004 to accommodate the increasing demand for Trex in North America.

Among Trex’s dozens of features and benefits, four are especially worth noting: 1. Trex is manufactured from more than 92% reclaimed materials (composed of ~50% hardwood furniture trims & ~50% plastic shopping sacks).

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School Plant Officials Association of B.C. Fall 2006

2. Trex is time accentuated to last more than 66 years (it has survived 11 years in a weatherometer to date – and is still ticking) 3. Trex established the Canadian Building Code for composites – CCMC 13125-R (there is only one other that complies) 4. Trex is a low maintenance decking & railing product (periodic washing as required) Trex is warehoused in Kelowna and Langley. Popular colors and profiles are stocked by most retail lumber yards. Trex Railing is easily installed using the Trex Express.

For more information, please contact: Cliffy Taylor E-mail: ctaylor@taigabuilding.com Tel: (780) 984-0637, Fax: (780) 968-1510 ❏

Industrial Education Safety Is Everyone’s Responsibility

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By Barbara Webster-Evans, Supervising Counsel, Schools Protection Program (SPP)

Everyone has heard stories of the severe injuries taking place in shop classes. Those stories are not fiction. Every year numerous children receive disfiguring injuries while using electric-powered equipment. Saws, planers, routers and jointers all have the potential to cause serious injuries in industrial education classes. Every year legal actions are commenced against the school districts and teachers alleging that they did not do enough to ensure an injured child remained safe. A typical example of one such case follows.

A Grade 9 student in woodwork class was injured while operating an electric-powered planer: the child’s injuries were severe. The cutting head of the planer had cut into three fingers of his dominant left hand. During the following two years, he underwent nine surgical procedures, leaving him with a deformity of the middle joints of the affected fingers and eventually the fusion of these joints. Although the child made a substantial recovery, he would be permanently limited in performing manual tasks requiring dexterity in both hands. Depending on his future career path, his ability to earn income in the future would be more limited than before the accident.

His parents sued the teacher claiming he was negligent in failing to properly instruct the child in the use of the planer. They alleged the child had not been warned of the extreme danger in attempting to clear chips and sawdust from the planer while it was still running. They also sued the School District alleging it was negligent in providing a planer improperly guarded with a rubber flap rather than a screwed-on metal cover.

At trial of the legal action, the child testified the injury occurred when he experienced a problem while operating the planer. Chips or sawdust coming out of the machine caused it to clog. At first, he shut off the planter, lifted the rubber flap with his left hand, and scraped the debris into the dust collector at the back of the table with his right hand. He continued to have difficulty as more debris came out of the machine. He began lifting the safety flap guarding the machine without turning the machine off. As he was scraping the debris towards the dust collector, his hand came into contact with the planer’s cutting head, severely lacerating his fingers.

In Grades 8 and 9, the child had received safety instruction on the use of power tools and machinery. He was instructed in particular to never make any adjustment of any kind while a machine was running. He must always keep his hands away

from the moving parts. If he were having difficulty, he was to call the teacher. His Grade 9 instructor was an experienced shop teacher with over 10 years experience in teaching woodworking classes. The teacher had emphasized the importance of safety rules.

He ensured his students were familiar with the appropriate textbooks. He tested his students on their knowledge of safety rules. He made sure that only those students with high marks on safety questions were allowed to operate any woodworking machinery – including the planer.

Unfortunately, the teacher could not recall any specific instruction on what to do should the planer became clogged. He stated that clogging occurred only rarely, and that when a student asked about clearing material from the dust collector, he had advised them to bang on the dust collector from the outside.

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Industrial Education The law places a very strict duty of care upon teachers and school districts with respect to students in shop classes. Proper instruction in the use of dangerous machinery is critically important to the safety of students. Safe equipment must be provided by school districts. Careful supervision of students is required by teachers.

According to legal principles, the standard of care required is determined by three factors: · The probability of an accident occurring; · The potential severity of such an accident; and · The costs of reducing the risk.

Judges have determined there is a high probability of a serious accident if safety instructions are not given clearly and carefully to students receiving education in the use of power tools and woodworking machinery. Consequently, if an accident happens and a child is injured, the courts may well judge relatively minor omissions in instruction to be negligence. They may find the teacher, and thus the School District as employer, responsible or partially responsible for a child’s injuries.

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After hearing the evidence, the Court concluded: · The teacher, though conscientious and careful, had omitted to give adequate instruction on the dangers of lifting the flap to attempt to manually unclog the planer while it was running. Given the high standard of care owed to his students, this omission amounted to negligence. · The student, in failing to heed the instructions to turn off the machine before lifting the rubber flap to attempt to clear the debris, was also negligent. · The School District was negligent for failing to install metal guards over the opening of the cover.

The Court split financial responsibility according to the degree of contributory negligence: 20% to the teacher, 20% to the School District, and 60% to the student. Because a School District is responsible at law for the negligence of a teacher, the School District was required to pay 40% of the total damages.

The student did not receive compensation for the 60% caused by his own negligence.

Lessons can be learned from this case. It is vital that teachers follow these rules when teaching industrial arts classes:

Industrial Education 1. Give careful instructions to students on all aspects of the operation of equipment that is dangerous if used improperly.

Describe the risks and dangers clearly.

2. Teach safety rules clearly, repeat them often until these rules become second nature to the students.

3. Test the students thoroughly in writing to ensure they understand all aspects of the operation, any and all risks associated, and rules for safety for each piece of equipment they will use. Ensure these examinations are signed by the student, dated and retained for reference should an injury occur.

These may be valuable evidence needed to defend a teacher should a lawsuit result.

4. Strictly enforce safety rules. Discipline violators. Revoke shop privileges when necessary. Permanently bar repeat violators from classes.

been prevented had a blade guard been on the machine.

When a serious injury results, courts have little sympathy for teachers who have allowed blade guards to be removed from equipment.

Once aware of the heavy burden of responsibility for students’ safety imposed by the law upon teachers and school districts, the need to emphasize careful instruction and strict enforcement of safety rules becomes clear. No one wants an injury to occur in any class. Equally, no one wants to be found wholly or partially responsible for a accident. Strict adherence to the above rules will reduce both the likelihood of an accident, and the probability of being found responsible should an accident occur.

If an accident does occur, immediately report to the Schools Protection Program at (250) 387-0525. For further information, e-mail queries to: protection.program@bcspp.org.

❏ 5. Ensure safety equipment is available and fully functioning. Many lawsuits occur after accidents which could have

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School Plant Officials Association of B.C. Fall 2006

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Capital Asset Management System

Working Group Update October 5, 2006

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Update Provided By: Nick Watkins, Ministry of Education

In 2005, the Ministry initiated a consultative process with school districts regarding the development of a common Capital Asset Management System (CAMS). Capital Asset Management is defined as “the identification and prioritization of facility and infrastructure physical, functional, and budgetary needs, spanning a multi-year timeframe. It also includes the process of reinvesting funds into physical assets in support of the organizational mission, above and beyond normal routine operations and maintenance.”

The Ministry established a working group with representatives from the BC School District Secretary-Treasurers’ Association (BCSDSTA) and the School Plant Officials Association (SPOA) to develop requirements for a system that would provide benefits to all parties. The current working group members are: Steve Jackson Grant Davidson Tim Klotz Tom Louie Larry Doran Mark Dale Alison Blair Gerry Slykhuis Phil Turin Michael Fong Ron Dawshka Keith Miller Nick Watkins

School District No.6 (Rocky Mountain) School District No.23 (Central Okanagan) School District No.28 (Quesnel) School District No.34 (Abbotsford) School District No.36 (Surrey) School District No.43 (Coquitlam) School District No.44 (North Vancouver) School District No.59 (Peace River South) School District No.79 (Cowichan Valley) Ministry of Education (Consultant) Ministry of Education Ministry of Education Ministry of Education

The CAMS Working Group (CWG) has met several times over the past 18 months to develop the requirements for a common system. The process has included the issuing of an RFI to solicit responses from system providers; the viewing of demonstrations from five respondents; and the collation of mandatory requirements from the perspective of all levels of users. The CWG has established two tiers of requirements for an operational system. There are four primary or “Core” functions and one secondary or “Optional” function, as described below.

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School Plant Officials Association of B.C. Fall 2006

1. Core Requirements 1.1 Capital Asset Inventory The CAMS must contain current and accurate information on the capital asset inventory owned and maintained by school boards, including: · Historical data on school openings, the age and area of the original school building and subsequent additions and demolitions; · Site area and ownership; · For schools that are open, baseline data such as the school name, address, nominal capacity, grade configuration, etc.; · For schools that are closed and/or disposed, address, legal description, approved bylaws, current use and final disposition; · For proposed schools that have been approved through the capital plan, the forecast opening date; · Portables; and · Information on other land holdings (and possibly leases).

The Ministry requires capital asset inventory data to monitor available school capacity and match it to current and forecast enrolments, and analyze capital funding requests. The CAMS objective would be to enable all users to share and update the

CAMS This information will be used to determine provincial capital needs for building renewal and replacement.

The CAMS is expected to contain historical facility audit and condition assessment data from previous audits to enable the monitoring of trends in building condition over time.

1.3 Planning and Analytical Tools Analytical tools are required to develop funding strategies to address the facilities renewal and replacement needs and priorities at the community, school district, regional and provincial levels.

The CAMS should have flexible searching and reporting capabilities.

Grant Davidson and Steve Jackson provide the audience with an update of the CAM Working Group at the AGM.

inventory data and documents such as design aid sheets, simplified floor plans (not CAD) and photographs of all school facilities.

1.2 Building Condition Assessments The Ministry initiated a facility audit process in 1994 and has updated the process and re-audited schools provincially about every five years. The CAMS will include a standardized condition assessment module to determine the current condition of all school facilities. These assessments would be undertaken by a combination of school district staff and private consultants, depending upon the cost effectiveness of data entry and the need for an independent point of view. All assessments would be completed over a period of three to five years.

The condition assessments will be used to establish the existing condition and life-expectancy of major building components and systems and site improvements and identify any deficiencies. A standardized costing model will assist with determining the value of correcting any deficiencies and scheduled life cycle renewals.

1.4 Project Management Tools The CAMS should enable school districts to create and prioritize projects; develop project budgets and schedules; approve and monitor projects through their implementation; and report on budgets versus final costs.

2. Optional Features An electronic work order system may be an optional module that could be available to assist school districts with the maintenance of their facilities. A Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS) is viewed as an asset maintenance tool to support operational activities, whereas a CAMS is for asset management functions to support executive decision-making. Some school districts with existing work order systems may wish to continue using their CMMS; however, other school districts may see this as an opportunity to upgrade their current maintenance practices. The availability of an integrated CMMS option within CAMS will depend on the selected CAMS software solution.

3. The Procurement Process and Timelines The Funding Department is working with the Information and Technology Management Branch (ITMB) and the Business Integration unit to implement CAMS as part of the Ministry Common Services Initiative. We are working with our service provider, Fujitsu Consulting Canada, to define and implement a CAMS service.

Services would include defining assessment, asset management, training, helpdesk and other services necessary to provide a full service CAMS offering.

Fujitsu is assisting the CWG with developing use case scenarios which define how the service will be used by school districts. When the mandatory requirement and use cases are developed, Fujitsu will coordinate demonstrations on behalf of the CWG, which will clearly identify how various services will work.

The CWG will then recommend a CAMS service solution. Implementation of CAMS will commence in 2007. â??

School Plant Officials Association of B.C. Fall 2006

17

SCHOOLS and the Design Build Process

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Written by Tom Bowen, mraic, maibc, Graduate of UBC of Architecture; Senior Partner of Killick Metz Bowen Rose Architects.

The B.C. Ministry of Education first used the Design Build process on the Sechelt Elementary School Pilot Project in 1999.

21 teams submitted credentials and 4 were shortlisted. As a basis for our submission and cost estimating, KMBR was able to simply adapt previous plans that Titan Construction was familiar with. Our team calculated that to submit a qualified proposal would cost $50,000. Our chances of winning were 1 in 4.

Although we joked it might be more fun to fly to Vegas and gamble the $50,000 we were confident in our ability and worked hard to win the competition. B.C.B.C. set the program and basic specifications which we met, substantially (22%) below budget.

However, from our extensive school experience we found numerous omissions in the program and knew the School District would be better served with many design features and higher quality over the long run.

The proposals were to be scored “25 points for cost, 25 for function, 15 for durability, 10 for flexibility, 15 for operating and maintenance and 10 for environmental impact.” Knowing that all elements except costs are quite subjective and observing (most) design-build competitions go with lowest price, we submitted a base price and 21 separate cost items for upgrading the project.

Unfortunately, the School District was not allowed all of the upgrades even though they would still have been well below budget. This was a serious defect of the Design Build project, plus the fact that there was no opportunity to consult directly with the School District to develop priorities based upon their own significant experience in building and operating schools.

The CFB Chilliwack Middle/Secondary School Design Build project was a 900 student, 9580 m² school with a $17.7-

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School Plant Officials Association of B.C. Fall 2006

million budget. Expressions of Interest were invited in the fall of 2004. The School District wished to maximize the program without going over the budget. REI’s were evaluated on pass / fail criteria; financial capacity and stability, project security and letters of undertaking for insurance. Rated criteria included; Experience, Expertise and Management of the Team – 20 points, Design Consultants’ Relevant Experience – 25 points, Construction Experience – 25 points, and Project Vision – 30 points.

Again, KMBR teamed with Titan Construction using the Canadian Standard Form of Agreement between Design/Builder & Consultants, with Titan as our client.

Although the School District agreed to pay both the second and third place bona fide proponents $65,000 (later increased to $75,000) for their work, the School District only received two REI proposals. We believe that 21 teams submitted on Sechelt but only 2 on Chilliwack due to the high work loads in the construction industry as well as the size, complexity, work involved, and risk of not winning the project. Without the honorarium KMBR had serious concerns that we could afford to proceed on a project of this size and complexity. Although contractors are familiar with the costs of unsuccessful tendering and build it into their overhead costs, they don’t seem to understand that consultants are not usually prepared for the financial impact of such an approach. More detailed design, specifications and drawings are more work for the consultants, but increase the chances for competitive bids.

Also, the more expressive the drawings the greater chance the judges will choose your proposal.

The RFP was very thorough and complete as the School District is experienced in school design and construction and had consultants experienced in school design help prepare it. These

Schools and the Design Build Process

same consultants helped evaluate the proposals. “In confidence” interviews and presentations were held with the client before the submissions.

The Stage Two selection criteria was based upon “the best” building within the fixed budget; Design Functionality – 45 points, Building Aesthetics – 10 points, Life Cycle Cost/Sustainability – 45 points.

The success of winning Design Build competitions is not only based on the team’s experience in the specific type of project and capability, but also on how serious and hard you work to win. On Chilliwack we researched the fact that ground source heat exchange would be very economical to obtain on the site. The RFP specified the school’s energy efficiency should be at least 30% better than standard; we set our target at 60% and it appears

we will meet our goal. The entire project incorporated highly sustainable design features.

One advantage of the Design Build process was that the team made the choices of where to direct the design and costs. We are in charge of value analysis, cost estimating, tendering and generally free of outside interference. The process goes faster. We did not limit ourselves to the Ministry defined areas and provided larger more functional areas within the budget. We provided a 350 seat theatre and a full court second gym instead of spending money on a multi-purpose area that experience tells us is expensive and not usually totally functional. The half gym would be difficult and more costly to expand in the future.

There are two primary methods of approaching Design Build.

One, the designers review the Owner’s requirements, produce a

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19

Schools and the Design Build Process

basic design and the contractor then has subcontractors and suppliers bid and propose alternatives. This process takes longer, involves a greater number of people and costs, with less certainty that the design standards are met. The second approach, which we used, brings in a single subcontractor for major trades and these designated subcontractors work with the consultants and contractor.

Everyone agrees that all have the opportunity to minimize risks by sharing in the design development and providing pricing based on a reasonable expectation of profit.

The Design Build process requires continuous working as a TEAM from proposal submission to completion. To manage shared risk for the TEAM, a reasonable contingency was established by Titan to cover unforeseen cost escalations. For example, copper doubled in price during the contract period. As the contingency diminishes so does the entire team’s end profit, so changes are less likely to be accepted.

An advantage of Design Build can be the fast tracking of the project, whereby the Consultants and Contractors make quick basic decisions to produce the proposal, and then follow their program with design continuing during construction.

Another advantage of the Chilliwack Design Build was the opportunity for

20

cooperation between the Design Build team and Owner to include changes and enhancements along the way. This high degree of cooperation is not normal with Design Building. You buy a Ford, you can’t change it to a Hummer! However, changes seriously stressed the 16 month building schedule, and therefore the costs, especially in the current market of shortages of labour, high wages and material cost escalation:

Although we believe this project has been highly successful in delivering the client with an excellent product, in retrospect, our firm is not convinced the process is worth the stress and level of compensation – the latter we feel should be higher because of risk. We are not convinced this size and complexity of project should be a Design Build competition knowing the pitfalls the process exposes the client to in terms of the prod-

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Schools and the Design Build Process uct meeting the expectations of the program and budget. As a lower risk alternative, the Owner should feel confident in hiring competent consultants with good track records and hire a contractor to manage the project for an agreed fee.

Both contractors and consultants work together during design – a process many private projects follow.

The choice of Design Build is founded on a largely “unsustainable” idea that the public benefits from obtaining the best project by selecting between competing alternatives. In fact, you may not get the best product if the best designers and contractors chose not to compete.

Contractors have a factor for risk built into their profit. Consultants typically do not have this risk factor included in our fees, which are based on our professional organization’s recommended fee schedules. The cost of design, although a small percentage of the total project cost, requires substantial amounts of expertise and labour. There is considerable duplication of professional effort and a huge loss of professional equity providing designs that are not built. The cost of this lost professional equity has to be transferred somewhere. Repeat players know they require higher potential profit margins to continue to compete in this market. If the lowest bid is the determining factor, proponents will focus on reducing capital costs at the expense of other important factors, such as life cycle costs.

The Design Build Project Delivery Practice Manual available from the RAIC is recommended reading for Clients, Consultants, and Contractors contemplating Design Build project delivery.

Actions by the Owner in Selecting Design Build firms reducing cost and risk to the proponents.

3) Fix the budget. Adjusting the budget or program part way through the submission results in non-compensated changes.

4) Fix the response time. Extensions of time mean proponents must spend more effort developing their proposal without added compensation.

5) Remove complex reporting systems and vague concepts regarding quality control, energy performance, etc.

6) Provide an honorarium that fairly

compensates the proponents for their design. If the Owner wants the contractor to present a design which is highly resolved, each proponent should be compensated to that level.

7) Agree to proceed with the selected team on the basis of the design submission without revisiting the entire design or be prepared to provide adequate time and cost extensions to make revisions. ❏

1) Choose proponents that are knowledgeable and experienced in the type of project proposed.

2) Limit the requirements for Expression of Interest. Complex expressions of interest result in considerable cost when proponents will be selected on some limited key criteria.

School Plant Officials Association of B.C. Fall 2006

21

Major Construction Trends:

DESIGN-B BID-B BUILD / CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT

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By Hugh Skinner, REFP, MCIP, Associate, Stantec Consulting Ltd. The construction industry is facing an unprecedented boom in British Columbia. A hot residential housing market and burgeoning trade with Southeast Asia are creating a premium demand on materials and labour. The labour shortage situation is expected to increase over the next two decades, as the oldest of the “Baby Boom” population reaches 60 years of age this year.

For the past three years in particular, school districts have seen situations where fewer general contractors are bidding on major construction projects than was the case historically. In some cases, there has only been one general contractor bidding on a major capital project.

This unique construction market situation is leading some school districts to question the historical “Design-Bid-Build” approach to major capital project delivery as the only, or best, approach. Under the “Design-Bid-Build” methodology, an architect is hired to fully design the entire building, and then the entire tender package is put out for bidding by general contractors.

More school districts are considering Construction Management for major capital projects. What is Construction Management?

Construction Management is a project delivery method whereby the client retains a construction manager to provide certain preconstruction expertise including cost estimating, value engineering and scheduling; during the construction phase of the project, coordination of all construction activities. The Construction Manager can bring the “constructability” perspective to the design discussion on material selection and trade availability. The Construction Manager provides Project Management and Construction Management during construction. Rather than all construction documents being put out to tender to a general contractor, the construction documents are several different tender packages for the various sub-trades required for a major school construction project. Construction Management allows for the creation of more than one tender package. Tender packages may be issued sequentially. For example, earthworks and foundations may be part of the first package, while other drawings documents are still being completed. Typically, a CCDC-2 construction contractor’s document is signed between a Construction Manager and the Client after all, or

most, of the tenders have been awarded. The initial agreement between the Construction Manager and the Client is a Construction Management Agreement. Both forms of agreement are available at the Canadian Construction Association’s website at: www.cca-acc.com/documents/ccalist.html.

Why are school districts considering using Construction Management? The primary reasons are to: (a.) secure a Construction Manager with general construction management skills (project management, scheduling, budgeting, construction site management, etc.); (b.) have access to a Construction Management firm that is actively engaging a number of sub-trades on a number of different projects; (c.) have more flexibility in tendering; and (d.) have a construction management professional involved in the planning and design process as part of the design team.

What do I need to know in order to consider pursuing construction management? Construction Management fundamentally changes the historic role of the school district, the architect, and the Contractor in the design and construction of facility. It is important to do some research. As part of this research, school districts should interview individuals with schools districts who have been involved in recent planning, design, and construction of major capital projects. Ask for the “Lessons Learned”, both pro and con.

Would the school district consider using a Construction Management approach again on a major capital project? Were there original expectations that have been met, or not been met?

Inform yourself on Construction Management through the Internet. The following sites are particularly useful: a. Council of Educational Facility Planning International: www.cefpi.org. b. National Clearinghouse on Educational Facilities: www.edfacilities.org. c. British Columbia Construction Association: www.bccassn.com/.

In summary, Construction Management may be an approach for school districts to consider on major capital projects. However, it is not necessarily a “solution” to high construction cost issues. In order to initiate an internal discussion on alternative construction methodologies it is recommended that a school district follow the following steps: (a.) conduct an internet search to gain a higher level of knowledge on what Construction Management means; (b.) interview school districts that are using Construction Management; and (c.) initiate an internal discussion on the pros and cons of current approaches relative to a Construction Management approach. ❏ CEFPI 2007 Pacific Northwest Region Conference The 2007 annual PNW conference will be held in

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School Plant Officials Association of B.C. Fall 2006

Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, July 11-14, 2007

Protect Staff and Students with Code Alert Quick Response System

U

Unfortunately, school violence is a reality.

Sometimes it’s the case of a student threatening other students or staff, or an unwelcome outside guest threatening either students or staff. The school staff inevitably ends up in very compromising situations, where either the threat of violence, or acts of violence, are directed at them or their students, with no one else within ear-shot or around to help.

Fortunately, there are very cost-effective wireless technologies now available that can significantly reduce the amount of danger staff are exposed to, when they are required to quell the threat of hostility or acts of violence that may already be taking place. This same technology is now used in many applications. Prisons, hospital psychiatric units, and senior care homes have personal duress alarm systems.

In a threatening situation or medical emergency, a mere push of a button on a wireless personal pendant worn by a staff member activates a silent wireless alarm to summon help. The system processes this alarm and instantly alerts designated security staff or school personnel that a threatening occurrence is taking place.

When an alarm is activated by a transmitter, a signal is sent to a network of wireless repeaters. The repeaters relay the signal to a receiver and a computer.

Strategically placed locators in the building(s) identify the approximate location of the area where the alarm is taking place, and send this information to the receiver and computer.

Using floor maps of the facility loaded into the computer, the alarm software displays the name and location of the person in distress on the main screen of the PC. Within seconds, it sends this information to the alphanumeric pagers worn by responding staff, via on-site paging transmitters.

The Code Alert Quick Response System is a sophisticated, wireless 900 MHz system that enables security or facilities staff to ascertain who is summoning help and where the event is occurring. The alarming transmitters are available in various styles,

including belt-clip, pendant, wall mounted and pull cords.

Canadian national distributor of the CODE ALERT solution, Omega Communications Ltd., of Kelowna BC, has had tremendous success providing solu-

tions to the healthcare and prison markets, and is now venturing into the educational market to offer a solution for staff and student safety needs. You can contact Omega at 1-888-860-8016 or info@omegacom.ca for further information. ❏

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Help Alert emergency school response systems are wireless security systems that protect school, students, staff and visitors in a way other security systems cannot. With a quick push of a button, a person in a threatening or medical situation activates an alarm to summon help. Help Alert instantly alerts designated staff. The alert is immediate, indicating who is in distress and the general location where the situation is occurring. Omega Communications provides solutions for all types of schools, large and small. The Help Alert product line can be configured to meet your school security needs and can integrate with your current security system.

Omega Communications Ltd www.omegacom.ca 1-888-860-8016 School Plant Officials Association of B.C. Fall 2006

23

SMALL COMMUNITIES, LARGE SCHOOLS A large Burnaby secondary school works to build relationships between staff and students at different grade levels As featured in the December, 2005 issue of Adminfo, the BCPVPA’s (British Columbia Principals and Vice Principals Association) bi-monthly journal.

P

Peacekeepers, mentorships and dividing grades into houses and academies are just some of the initiatives launched by Alpha Secondary in the Burnaby School District.

The programs, according to vice-principal Brian Jackson, are successful examples of how schools can foster smaller communities within the larger school community.

With 1,000 students, staff members have been working for several years to come up with programs that encourage stronger relationships between staff and students at different grade levels.

Alpha Secondary is organized on an alternate schedule to allow 45-minutes every Wednesday morning in support of the new programs. The house/academy program and mentorship program are offered on alternating weeks.

The mentorship program, under the leadership of teacher counselor Jeanne Davy, pairs senior students with grade eights on a ratio of 1:4. At the start of the year, sponsor teachers help the mentors come up with lesson plans designed to orient the new students to the school. Later, senior students will develop their own lessons based on the needs expressed by their mentees.

Grades eight and nine students and all staff, reminiscent of Harry Potter’s Hogwarts School, are divided into four houses: gold, green, blue and red. Students are distributed evenly, so every house has a good mix of kids with a variety of attributes. Family members are kept together so that there’s no unnecessary rivalry at home.

“I worked in private schools in the past and we have teachers from England and Australian schools where this is a normal thing,” Jackson said. The program began last school year, but staff members are already seeing a difference. “It connects teachers and students.” On one day, every-

24

one was asked to wear a T-shirt with his or her house colour. He heard one teacher shout “Let’s go green team!” as he walked by a student with the same colour shirt.

Multi-grade house meetings take place on alternate Wednesdays. Teachers use this time to pass along study skills and talk about safety issues.

A similar set up is provided for senior students, but they’re divided into academies. At the beginning of the school year, the 45-minute sessions cover similar issues. However, in later months, students will sign up for extra study sessions with teachers or elective sessions to learn new skills.

Science teacher Donna Morgan, coordinator of the academy program, said smaller, more cohesive groups have resulted, staff is able to collaborate on projects and students can learn skills not usually available. For example, even students who aren’t in a tech class can learn how to create PowerPoint presentations. One teacher will be teaching folk dancing. The principal will be working with students interested in developing effective scholarship letters. The teacher coordinating graduation

portfolios will use the time to support students working on that project.

But the best thing to come from the house and academy organization is the cross-grade bonding that takes place when older and younger students work together, she said.

The Peacekeepers program got into full swing last school year following a two-day retreat with students from other schools.

The Alpha students got a chance to talk about what the program would look like in their school.

There are currently 16 students, from grades 10 through 12 (with a fairly even mix of boys and girls), working as Peacekeepers. They’re supported by Stephanie Docherty, the youth services worker. “I really like the fact that it utilizes students’ skills. They have many natural abilities and compassion for other students. It gives them an opportunity to practice those skills and some will carry them forward in their daily lives or go into caring professions. There are issues staff doesn’t have to get involved in.”

On the other hand, students also learn to recognize the signs of problems that are starting to escalate out of control. The students, wearing “Got beef?” T-shirts and usually in pairs, walk the halls during lunch time and breaks.

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Small Communities The group’s recruitment strategy aims to draw kids from all social communities in the school to join the Peacekeepers. “This is really effective in having credibility with their peers,” Docherty said. This year the group is also trying to come up with ways to prevent conflicts from arising in the first place.

Peacekeeper Cole Nakatani, grade 12, said this might be accomplished by having the group do its own presentations on racism and discrimination and offering workshops on tutorial days.

Three years ago, Wayne Best, the youth services worker at the time, invited Cole to attend a conference on restorative justice.

Cole was moved by one woman’s account of how restorative justice helped her to come to terms with the young man who murdered her husband. “She’s forgiven him and tries to understand him,” he said.

“It’s better to help them [the perpetrators] understand what they did wrong.”

He said he’s received considerable training and you learn from your mistakes.

“But it’s been very successful so far. There haven’t been repeats and nothing’s escalat-

ed.” Most of the problems come from misunderstandings and people acting on rumours without knowing if they are actually true, he said. “We do follow-ups and make sure all problems are resolved.

They’re usually friends again or they’re cool with one another and nothing more will happen.”

Interestingly, it seems girls give the Peacekeepers more work than the boys.

“Girls are the bigger issue for us,” he said.

“They start [mature] earlier and their hormones are raging sooner. The guys [in grade 8 and 9] just want to have fun.”

Camille Geary, grade 12, was also encouraged to join Peacekeepers three years ago. Best saw her stop a violent attack between several girls. “An old friend wanted to fight my other friend and she brought a bunch of other girls with her.

They were kicking my friend, so I tried to step into the middle of it. Wayne asked, ‘Why did you do that?’ I said I wasn’t going to allow five girls on one person.

That’s kinda stupid.”

Best asked if she would join Peacekeepers and she agreed. “I wish they

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had it when I was younger … I was kicked out of elementary school a few times. I wish there was someone guiding me as I tried to find my way.”

She said the program works because “I’m still in high school. I’m going through the same things. I know school is hard and teachers sometimes get on your case.”

On several occasions students have come up to her and said, “I’m having a problem. Can I talk to you?”

Recently, she dealt with a case of two girls furious with each other for making offensive comments. One girl made a racist remark while on MSN. Her target responded with “I’m going to bust a cap in you,” but didn’t know what the expression meant. Meanwhile, the first girl thought her life was being threatened and she would be shot. “I think they were friends at one time,” Camille said, “but something got out of hand … Both thought they’d made a joke. I told them to find out what the words meant before they use them or never use them. They both apologized and went their separate ways.” She said she’s not sure how bad the problem would have become without Peacekeepers but an incident similar to the one she confronted three years earlier could have occurred.

“That’s what usually happens. You think it’s just between two people, but they tell someone, and they tell someone and you can have five people all at once.”

You can’t necessarily apply what worked in the last situation to the current problem, she added. “Every case is different, but you can say, ‘I’ve been through that too.’”

Three years ago, staff at Alpha began doing research into increasing connectiveness, Jackson said. The way to do that is to make smaller communities. “One of the great benefits that comes from this approach is the leadership opportunities that open for students. They rise to the challenge, grow as a result and make their community that much better. We’re at the beginning, but there’s evidence that students’ pride and sense of belonging is growing.”

Written by Leslie Dyson, a regular contributor to Adminfo. She can be reached by e-mail at dyson@uniserve.com ❏

School Plant Officials Association of B.C. Fall 2006

25

CLEAN GET AWAY

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Microfiber cleaning products save time, money and your back

By Carly Peters Everyone has seen those investigative TV reports where they swab public surfaces for bacteria and other repulsive particles.

The results are usually pretty horrifying. Germs and other harmful microbes are left behind when inadequate cleaning products and materials are used, and in settings such as schools and hospitals, it is imperative to have cleanliness. Microfiber cloths and mops not only optimize cleaning, but also save operators time, and reduce costs and waste. “No one really likes cleaning, not even most professional cleaners,� says Tim Spence, senior marketing manager for Rubbermaid Commercial Products Canada. “But, with a material like microfiber, it makes your job much easier because it works well the first time, requires little effort and does the job better than traditional material.�

Microfiber refers to an ultra fine diameter of fiber ranging between 1.0 - 0.13 denier. Unlike regular fiber, which is too thick to get into ridges and valleys of the surface, microfibers provide more surface area for trapping dirt and bacteria. Spence says Rubbermaid uses a mix of polyester and polyamide fibers, which are split in order to create microscopic “hooks� that lift up and hold dust and dirt.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------Classification of Microfiber By definition, Microfiber is a fiber with a weight / length ratio less than 1 denier (1 denier = 1 g/9000m). The fibers are often produced by splitting a larger fibre. Cloths made from polyester and polyamide fibers were introduced to the cleaning market in the early 90’s.

Yarn Count

Fiber Classification

7.0 dpf

Coarse Fiber

2.4 - 7.0 dpf

Normal Fiber

1.0 - 2.4 dpf

Fine Fiber

0.3 - 1.0 dpf

High multi Microfiber (Activefiber)

- 0.2 dpf

ULTRA fine Microfiber

RCP Microfiber = 0.13 denier dpf: denier per filament ----------------------------------------------------------------------------“We do a demonstration where we put cold cream on a mirror,� he explains. “While glass appears to be smooth, it in fact has a lot of ridges and valleys. With a regular cloth the cream just smears and you don’t get it all of it off, but microfiber cloths get into the valleys and take the cream away with it.�

Because the fibre itself is very good at picking up substances, the dependence on chemicals is reduced or eliminated completely. This not only cuts down on product costs, but also reduces the amount of chemicals in the air and on surfaces. “When you spray cleaning chemicals, how much of it actually gets on the surface, how much goes into the air, and how much are you breathing in?� Spence asks.

Microfibers also generate a static charge, which further enhances their ability to pick up dust. Rubbermaid offers an adjustable and extendable lightweight handle for the cloths, so custodians can reach the tops of lockers, ceiling projectors and

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Clean Get Away

clocks easily and not have dust fall down onto them.

The ergonomics of handles and tools is very important in school cleaning applications; back problems are the number one complaint of janitors.

Lifting and pushing heavy mops only

adds to the problem. Brian Slocum, custodian supervisor for School District No. 67 in B.C., indicates that one of the benefits of the microfibre line-up is that because there is no need to use a lot of water and chemicals, there isn’t as much weight on the end of mops.

“I love having lighter tools to work with. They are also great for those workers returning to modified work projects,” he says. “The option of having press wringing or pedal wringing h e l p s relieve the stress of bending over.

The marriage of old tools with new materials is perfect.”

Another concern the Rubbermaid line addresses is cross contamination.

“You don’t want to see janitors using

the same bucket and cloth on lunchroom tables as they do to clean the bathroom,” states Spence.

Therefore, the company offers colourcoded pads and cloths – blue for glass finishes, yellow for bathroom and green for general purpose – in order to avoid cross contamination. At the end of the year Rubbermaid is also launching a pink variety so schools have more cleaning options.

When its time to wash the cleaning products, microfiber cloths stand up to laundering better than traditional materials; one pad can be washed at least 300 times before it needs to be replaced, thereby reducing waste and costs.

“Microfibers have totally changed how we clean,” admits Slocum. “In my opinion, mops and buckets, as we know them, are a thing of the past.” ❏

School Plant Officials Association of B.C. Fall 2006

29

Surrey School District Soars with

SchoolDude

S

Surrey School District No. 36 didn’t see it coming. After settling in with a facility maintenance software program over a three-year period, the district was unexpectedly informed of the company’s discontinuation of services. Craig Nichols, Manager of Business Support Services at the largest school district in British Columiba, wasn’t seeking a change but has been amazed at the functionality and advantages of the web-native applications provided by SchoolDude.

Easy to Learn and Use One of the most noteworthy rewards in choosing SchoolDude, according to Nichols, is the ease of start-up. “Implementation was very comfortable as far as the learning curve and switching over,” he said. “It’s a matter of entering your buildings, etc. You can start off with the bare minimum and then start adding.”

With the simplicity of the program, school officials around the district are able to easily partake in the maintenance management process. “A couple of principals are actually very active using the system which increases the acceptance level,” Nichols explained.

“The more the system is accepted, the better the relationship between the requester and the maintenance department. The prin-

cipal can input a work order Sunday night, and Monday morning, someone is fixing the problem.”

Improves Communication The 65,000-student school district has also seen an increase in communication, both with administrators and within the maintenance department itself. “Getting more information into the hands of school administrators, and being able to track work orders online, that solved a lot of problems,” Nichols said.

“SchoolDude’s ability to reopen a work order to add additional costs that weren’t incurred has really helped us. We would have to create a secondary work order, with the old system, because the original was not retrievable. Now, we’re able to update it by going back into to same work order.”

Saves Time Since implementing SchoolDude, Nichols has noticed an increase in time savings as well. “Before, requests went into our previous system, and we were responsible for system maintenance,” he said. “Now, SchoolDude handles system maintenance. The fewer times our staff is being called by schools, to answer questions over and over, the more work order processing we can get through the system.”

The versatility of the web-native tools is another advantage for the district. “We’re able to monitor and track things from anywhere we want to be which makes it so much easier,” Nichols said. “I can’t gauge the money saved by using SchoolDude, but I can say that there are efficiencies gained. The response time is there – which is customer satisfaction – and there’s a perception gain.

Monetarily, you can’t measure it, but from appreciation, you can.”

For Nichols and Surrey School District, maybe change isn’t so bad after all. ❏

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School Plant Officials Association of B.C. Fall 2006

Save money. Manage operations. Look good.

Craig Nichols Manager of Business Support Services

Surrey School District #36, BC • Public school district • 65,000 students • 23,000 work orders completed in seven months

Work Order Management

Success “We’re able to monitor and track things from anywhere we want to be, which makes it so much easier.”

“There are efficiencies gained, and the response time is there.

There’s a perception gain - customer satisfaction.”

“Getting more information into the hands of school administrators and being able to track work orders online - that solved a lot of problems.”

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By Lisa Fattori As the health risks associated with mold and mildew increase, so does the need to prevent the emissions of moisture vapours from infiltrating educational facilities. Typically, moisture problems are the result of ineffective barriers between concrete sub-floors and flooring finishes. In addition to the problem of mold, the moisture vapour causes tiles to lift, which is equally hazardous and jeopardizes the safety of children.

The problem of moisture in flooring, although widespread, is not fully under-

stood by procurers responsible for the construction of new schools and the maintenance of existing facilities. Since 1984, California-based Sealflex Industries Inc. has specialized in providing solutions to moisture problems. The company’s president, Dennis Davis, has over 25 years’ experience in researching and developing products that mitigate moisture vapour emissions – products that extend the life of flooring finishes and prevent costly repairs.

According to Davis, moisture in floor-

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School Plant Officials Association of B.C. Fall 2006

ing is unavoidable, because moisture emits from the concrete sub floor, and travels into the building. Where the building sits in relation to the water table, and heating and cooling systems, all affect the moisture emission rates of a building.

“A calcium chloride test will tell you the rate of moisture emissions coming out of the concrete, and from this, you can determine which adhesive product is most suitable,” Davis says. “A lot of people are in denial that their particular

Sealflex

building doesn’t have a moisture problem. It’s a myth that ends up costing the construction industry a billion dollars a year.”

Sealflex’s flagship products include the Sealflex Anti-Fracture Membrane System, which is a three-part topical membrane for concrete slab surfaces that have a moisture emission rate of up to 11.5 lbs. Sealflex Adhesive System Products are moisture resistant up to 8 lbs. Both the Membrane and Adhesive systems are applied directly to the concrete sub floor, prior to the installation of flooring. Membrane Flooring Systems

come with a ten-year warranty, and Adhesive System Products have a fiveyear warranty.

“Our sealants have a five-year warranty, because we’ve only been selling the products for six years,” Davis says. “I caution people against manufacturers that offer a 20-year warranty on unproven products that have only been on the market a few years.”

Davis indicates that school operators need to be well-educated about the problem of moisture in flooring, and the costbenefits of applying proven adhesive systems, prior to the installation of new flooring. In its efforts to increase awareness, Sealflex offers an online course about flooring moisture and how to mitigate the problem. Upon completion of the course, architects receive a learning credit that is certified by the American Institute of Architects, although the

course is open to anyone interested in taking it. Davis remarks that “This is a great opportunity for school administrators to learn about moisture and its solutions; the knowledge they stand to gain from this course will benefit their performance as decision makers in the school system, both with regard to the health and safety of students as well as the financial aspects of operating school facilities.”

“The cost to remove a floor and install a new one is five times the original cost of flooring materials,” Davis says. “A poor sealant can cause problems within days of a floor’s installation. By being pro-active in ensuring that there is no moisture problem, school operators save money in the long run, and they haven’t the disruption and time constraints associated with costly repairs.” ❏

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School Plant Officials Association of B.C. Fall 2006

33

WORKING SMARTER, NOT HARDER:

A Trash Can For the Next Generation

A

Cuts costly maintenance; safer for both staff and users.

Although the Sybertech in-ground trash can system may look like any other trash can, and seem like any other ordinary trash can to users, its not. This revolutionary new system is quickly turning park, school, and university maintenance personnel into believers.

The Sybertech system consists of an eight foot 32” diameter polyethylene tube buried in the ground five feet; units cannot be tipped over or taken away. The lid is locked in place by two padlocks which prevent entry; a nine inch opening allows only waste generated on-site to be placed inside.

Capable of holding approximately thirty 45 gallon drums of trash (3-4 cubic yards), this system reduces the rate it needs emptying, thereby freeing up manpower for other important tasks.

Originally developed in Finland thirty years ago, this technology has spread throughout Europe and is now spreading rapidly through North America.

Sybertech’s technology does not allow wind, animals, insects or birds access to trash. People can use the trash can with-

out fear of stings from wasps or bees.

The lid has a sealed opening, and an innovative – yet simple – flange inside that suppresses any odors. When opened, the flange operates by utilizing the air flow in a unique manner: outside air travels down the center of the tube and flows up the sides, striking the flange, which redirects the air downward, thus aiding the suppression of any odor.

Since garbage is buried below ground, the inside of the receptacle is kept cool even in warm summer months, similar to how root cellars keep food cool. As the receptacle fills up, refuse piles on top of itself, compacting under its own weight at a 2 ½:1 ratio, thereby eliminating oxygen from the garbage at lower sections.

Without oxygen, composting does not take place, thereby reducing any hideous odors.

Since the material inside stays cool and damp, it does not lend itself easily to ignition. However, the system effectively suppresses fire, should a fire start: the air traveling downward picks up the smoke, which is drawn up the sides and towards

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School Plant Officials Association of B.C. Fall 2006

Sybertech

Sybertech system, typically weighs two to three hundred pounds.

Andy Tuveson, from Horizon School District in Taber, Alberta, tried a unit despite his skepticism. After installing the receptacle, he found that performed as advertised; Tuveson is purchasing more units eight months later, after not having to empty trash cans outside of a busy high school entrance. Tom Walkley, from South East Kootenay School Board in Cranbrook, B.C., who has also found that Sybertech’s system holds up to its claims,

recently bought more units after similar results. Park employees, as well as school and university maintenance staff, report savings up to 72% after installing Sybertech’s system. More time is now available for other important maintenance tasks.

For a listing of current school boards using this product, or for further information, visit the company website at www.swrl.com. ❏

the flange – cutting off the oxygen supply, and successfully choking out the fire.

Emptying the unit is safer for staff: the design reduces the possibility of lower back injuries or the risk of cuts from sharp items. Straps inside the trash can suspend a platform for garbage removal and a 6ml disposable plastic liner is used; when the lid is lifted, the four straps are lifted, the full liner along with it.

A number of school boards, in both Alberta and British Colombia, have now switched to using Sybertech’s unique system. Most schools find that Sybertech trash cans only need to be emptied once or twice a school year, and that busy football fields are not overflowing after a weekend tournament. The 6 ml liner used in the School Plant Officials Association of B.C. Fall 2006

35

Ahead Of The Curve –

I

FACILITIES’ RENEWAL THROUGH ENERGY SAVINGS

In the last issue, we discussed how Chuck Morris and Coast Mountains School District No. 82 (Terrace) had proactively addressed their rising energy costs, renewed their facilities and saved $333,000 annually in energy and operational costs. Here is another BC school district that has been ahead of the curve in terms of reducing their utility costs.

Through Energy Performance Contracting, funding became available to implement energy efficiency upgrades, using energy dollars they were already spending. As a result, they have completed two significant, self-funded, guaranteed facilities renewal projects and addressed many deferred maintenance issues. They now rank amongst the lowest energy intensity school districts in the province.

Richmond School District No. 38 Richmond School District began their energy saving journey at an energy intensity of nearly $13.30 per square metre with a target of $9.60 per square metre.

Teaming with Honeywell enabled them to exceed this target and achieve approximately $9.00 per square metre after Phase 1 of the project. The Phase 2 project with Honeywell is reducing energy intensity once again. Intensities are expected to fall to the range of $8.25 per square metre. Richmond is now in line with BC’s 10 lowest energy intensity school districts.

Eric Thorleifson was the Energy and Projects Manager who oversaw the development and implementation of two successful, district-wide energy saving retrofits with Honeywell Energy Solutions (featured in the spring 2005 Ops Talk issue). These two retrofits resulted in energy savings of approximately $1 Million annually. Please refer to the graphs below which illustrate the substantial reductions in natural gas consumption at 2 representative schools in

36

the district. Both Eric and the district recognize that it takes constant vigilance to maintain and improve upon energy savings and that if you are not always striving to reduce energy consumption, an erosion of savings can actually occur.

The district is approaching energy conservation from several angles. One is

discharge of this water”, said Eric Thorleifson.

Other initiatives include: · Aggressive shut-downs of facilities during summer, holidays and other non-occupied times · Working closely with their Information Technology department to minimize power consumption on PC’s · Energy awareness training of HVAC and custodial staff · Working with Richmond’s Sustainability Action Team on meaningful events and initiatives promoting energy conservation · Energy analysis training and continued vigilance with monitoring, analyzing and reducing energy use.

Through these combined approaches of embracing technology and behavioural modification, the district is confident that Richmond will continue to be one of the lowest energy intensity districts in BC.

through people and the other is through technology. On the people side of the equation, they are working through Richmond’s Sustainability Action Team to engage students and teachers in energy conservation and environmental sustainability. Additionally, the district embraces new technology and is always investigating how this technology, where practical, can benefit the district. “We are utilizing geothermal heating at two of our new schools (McMath and Steveston-London). We are striving for LEED Silver certification at the Steveston-London facility. Additionally, we are harvesting rainwater at StevestonLondon. This rainwater will be used for irrigation which will reduce our water consumption and the corresponding charges from our municipality for the

School Plant Officials Association of B.C. Fall 2006

Opportunity Cost Because of the steep increases and volatility in utility prices (recall Fall 2000 natural gas prices) over the past several years, had Richmond School District No. 38 not acted when they did, they would now be spending over $1 million more annually! They seized the opportunity to address their cumulative deferred maintenance issues, renew their facilities and make energy saving part of the culture of their organization.

Are you up to the challenge? First, choose a partner like Honeywell to complete your “hard-wired” energy savings, and then couple this with a robust communication and awareness program to modify the behaviour of your facility’s users. Then remain on the lookout for further ways to reduce your energy use. ❏

Thoughts On:

F

By Chuck Morris

For the most part we are immersed with very busy days, and the busiest being that of our daily work lives. Most of us have learned what the term ‘multi-tasking’ is all about. It is not just computer jargon any longer, but the continual shuffling of attention from one task to another, and another, day after day!

It is not uncommon to be working on something urgent and someone comes to you with an issue that obviously requires your immediate attention. What do you do? Diverting your train of thought to deal with the new business at hand is a practice you do hundreds of times a day. But are you accomplishing anything?

One way to help yourself is to write things down. Don’t lose track of your day mired down with phone calls and emails and other interruptions. If you try to remember everything that comes your way you WILL experience ‘information overload’! Plan your day the evening before. Write things down and prioritize

BUILDING THE FOUNDATION FOR EDUCATION

them. This will not stop the interruptions you are experiencing, but will give you something concrete to follow as you are interrupted. Do not be distracted by ‘filler’ tasks. Tending to the pile of filing awaiting you is a task that can be done when the priorities are out of the way. Another thing to remember is that being overly efficient does not mean you are completing things. Don’t be overly efficient just for the sake of being highly productive, because you may not be accomplishing anything, thus wasting time that is required elsewhere.

One way that really helps is to BLOCK OFF TIME for yourself to help you remove some of the things off your list / desk.

Don’t let anyone schedule anything for this time period. It could be one hour in the morning or a two hour block in the afternoon, whatever you think will work for you.

Communicate at your convenience, not everyone else’s. You don’t need to answer the phone every time it rings. Let it go to voice mail and pick those up later on.

Another item to remember is not to plan your day so it is full of activities. Leave time for emergencies, special opportunities and thinking time. Now, having said that, we all know what our day is really like, don’t we? However, if you put into practice at least some of the aforementioned tips, you truly will find your day a little easier to handle.

What then, does all of this have to do with fishing? Not much except if you like to fish and live in an area that has ample opportunities, try to get out once in awhile and fish. Fishing is a great stress reliever and takes you out of the office and away from your workload. The only ‘multi-tasking’ you would do on the shore of the river is watching your line and enjoy Mother Nature as you rejuvenate! ❏

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School Plant Officials Association of B.C. Fall 2006

37

BURSARY WINNERS2006 rating system which eliminates the name of the applicant at the start of the process, keeping the integrity of the process focused on achievements and not individuals.

One of our four Bursaries awarded each year is dedicated in honor of a School Plant Official named George Routley. George Routley was from School District No.79 (Cowichan) and passed away in 1992. He was instrumental in creating the Bursary Program for SPOA and in his honor one of the bursaries has been named after him. The recipient of this bursary is a dependent of a School Plant Official of British Columbia and as such carries with it just a little more meaning for the student and for our association into the future.

Glenn Miller

At our 2006 Annual General Meeting, John Garossino and I were very pleased to present the names and locations of the winners of our 2006 Bursaries. We were fortunate enough to again offer 4 bursaries in the amount of $600.00 each. We received twenty seven applications from graduating students around the province who are preparing to further their education at a recognized post secondary institution. The applications received were outstanding and really showcased how talented and accomplished these young students are in terms of academic achievement and social participation to-date. There is no doubt in our minds that these students will go on to be very successful and highly accomplished professionals in their chosen field.

The bursaries are offered to dependents of school district employees in the school plant area (i.e. Maintenance, Custodial, etc.) throughout our province.

The selection process is designed to choose a candidate using a

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38

School Plant Officials Association of B.C. Fall 2006

The recipients of the 2006 bursaries were: Katherine Lauren Davidson George Routley Award Recipient School District #23(Central Okanagan) Kristen Ferma School District #39 (Vancouver) Luke Anthony Smit School District #73 (Kamloops) You-Ree (Ruth) Kim School District #36 (Surrey) Congratulations to all students who received these awards and many thanks to the students for taking the time and effort to submit their applications.

Sincerely, Glenn Miller & John Garossino Bursary Committee Co-chairs â??

T

Energy Usage In Your Facilities

There are many questions surrounding the desire to control escalating school district energy costs. The first question is where to begin the strategy of restraint. Over the last couple of years, energy prices have become increasingly volatile which have directly impacted school budgets. The first step in controlling school district energy costs is defining how energy usage can be reduced without affecting budget restraints in other areas.

All schools and facilities, regardless of geography or scale, share four common energy needs; lighting, heating, cooling, and ventilation. To address these common energy needs a wide variety of companies specialize in everything from energy audits, performance contracts, and the manufacturing of energy efficient products. The sheer scale of product offerings in the marketplace and the shifting dynamics of school district resources can often be intimating.

To help answer energy consumption concerns, a funding program has been made available to BC School Districts through the BC Hydro Power Smart program. This program provides funds for projects that meet criteria for electrical energy reduction and building automation systems.

SD 73 (Kamloops-Thompson) received the BC Hydro Powersmart Excellence Award in May 2006. The following data reflects the energy savings can be realized

if equipment upgrades are implemented in a properly planned approach.

equipment and DDC equipment was upgraded. Also during the summer of 2004, a lighting system upgrade occurred.

The following numbers represent energy usage at this facility for the last 4 years.

Electrical 2002-2003 - 988,000 kwhr 2003-2004 - 860,000 kwhr 2004-2005 - 623,000 kwhr 2005-2006 - 614,000 kwhr Natural Gas 2002-2003 - 8,085GJ 2003-2004 - 7,316GJ 2004-2005 - 6,181GJ 2005-2006 - 4,772GJ

In the summer of 2003, one of the SD 73 Secondary High Schools upgraded the hot water heating system with high efficiency boilers and DDC (Direct Digital Controls). In the summer of 2004, HVAC (Heating Ventilation Air Conditioning)

Overall, in the last 3 years, the school district has reduced electrical energy consumption by 3,500,000 kwh which represents a reduction of 21%.

To maximize energy reduction, an ongoing commitment from all vested stakeholders must be a reality. The BC Hydro program requires that specific commitments be included in the scope of funded projects. Any project undertaken with funding is required to have a 5 year audit plan in place to confirm energy savings are realized year after year.

Eric Balt, Regional Sales Manager, Western Canada, Reliable Controls Corp., 250-475-2036. â??

School Plant Officials Association of B.C. Fall 2006

39

Tip Top Tables EDMONTON’S IRON FURNITURE OFFERS HIGH QUALITY CUSTOM PRODUCTS FOR NUMEROUS APPLICATIONS

T

By Carly Peters The school cafeteria – it’s not just a place to nosh on lunch, it’s also a hub of social activity for many establishments. Therefore it not only needs to be clean, and aesthetically pleasing, but functional as well. Schools can get both with custom built tables and chairs from Edmonton-based Iron Furniture.

Established in 1976, Iron Furniture is a family-owned and operated Canadian manufacturer, providing custom steel furniture to the hospitality, health care and recreation industry through Canada and the U.S. The company’s chairs, barstools and group seating solutions have been installed in a wide variety of applications including casinos, food courts, outdoor amphitheatres, senior homes, golf courses and hospitals.

“The custom design possibilities are endless,” says Ann Tralenberg. “We have over 300 different styles to choose from and over 20 stock paint colours avail-

able to match any project. Our standards are quite simple, ‘we provide furniture of the highest quality and comfort at a fair price and timely fashion’.”

Not only are the products aesthetically pleasing, they are especially durable for applications that get a large amount of traffic and use.

“We select materials that will stand up in a commercial and institutional environment,” she notes. “For example, we notch our tube to fit perfectly to connecting tubes, providing a clean looking, stronger weld joint. Plus, drain holes, end of tubes, cor-

40

School Plant Officials Association of B.C. Fall 2006

ners and edges are all machined and sanded to remove burrs and sharp edges that could hurt someone.”

But, why stop in the lunchroom? Iron Furniture can also custom design stand-alone desks and chairs, or combinations, as well as creating under-the-seat storage options.

Even after delivery, customers can have peace of mind in knowing that Iron Furniture’s warranty will protect their invest-

ment. Working together with their authorized dealers, customers have the factory warranty, along with the dealer’s support, when dealing with present or future furniture needs or concerns.

“We want to be part of a solution, and work to ensure that your project receives the fullest attention to detail from start to finish,” concludes Tralenberg.

“Our company motto is ‘furniture built with pride’.”

Iron Furniture Ltd. has been supplying the hospitality industry throughout Canada and the U.S. with high quality, comfortable seating; ski hills such as Whistler Blackcombe, Big White, Lake Louise, Sunshine in Banff, Copper Mountain in Colorado plus many more feature Iron Furniture’s products. Iron Furniture’s products may be found wherever people gather together.

For more information on custom products, contact Iron Furniture’s main showroom and factory at 1-800-738-4894, or visit www.ironfurniture.com to see further product offerings and factory contacts. ❏

H

Maintain That Floor To Add Years To Its Life

By Dawn M. Barker, PrairieVisions Design Ltd. Haphazard maintenance of flooring can have a greater effect than an initial impression of poor housekeeping. It can dramatically shorten the lifespan of the flooring, negatively impact the environment when it has to be replaced more often, and cause a number of safety hazards.

According to Gay Woodward, Executive Director of the B.C. Floor Covering Association (BCFCA), scheduled maintenance is an essential, but often overlooked, step for organizations.

To forego regular maintenance routines, instead ‘saving up’ for occasional intensive cleaning and polishing, may save time and money in the short term, but it’s a very shortsighted plan, according to Woodward.

“The floors don’t perform as well, they don’t look as good, and they’ll cost more because they have to be replaced more often,” she explained. “Floors will last a long time if you do regular maintenance and care.”

At first glance, regular maintenance may go against schools’

42

School Plant Officials Association of B.C. Fall 2006

“green” directive, but in fact, it’s a step in the right environmental direction.

For example, in floor installation, adhesive substances which are less environmentally friendly must often be used, but when considered over the full lifetime of the floor, the impact is less harmful. If the lifetime of the floor is substantially cut, though, more of the substances must be used in the replacement, and there is the disposal of the old flooring material to consider.

The BCFCA has recently produced a new reference manual in conjunction with the National Floor Covering Association, which brings floor maintenance to a simple step-by-step process designed to enhance the life and functional benefits of resilient flooring.

Commercial flooring is created from materials specially made for intensive wear and tear traffic patterns. “Your Universal Flooring Guide” notes that the manufacturers of flooring products recommend particular maintenance methods and materials

BCFCA

(such as strippers, sealers, polishes and cleaners) which have been tested and approved for the specific type of flooring material.

The manual begins with the installation of flooring and initial cleaning, proper procedures to apply sealant, a range of cleaning options for a range of cleaning needs, the correct way to strip old polish and sealers from the surface, and the application of polish.

The best schedule for cleaning and maintenance depends on the way the floor is used; the manual helps determine the best protective measures to employ and the schedule to use.

Rick Wagner of Maxwell Floors, a BCFCA board member, noted that whether it is a linoleum-type floor or a carpet, owners should consider traffic patterns when creating maintenance schedules, cleaning more heavily traveled areas more often than lighter ones.

“You may compare a good wool carpet in a restaurant, which isn’t cleaned until it looks dirty – and by the time spots appear on a carpet it’s too late to clean it – and an inexpensive carpet in a classroom, which is well maintained. You’d find that the less expensive carpet far outperforms the more expensive one,” Wagner said.

Woodward said that schools aren’t the only institutions that

are seeing negative impacts from improperly maintained floors.

She brings back the image of shiny-floored hospitals in decades past.

“You don’t see that as much anymore. Hospitals have cut back on maintenance budgets, and the result is that you don’t see the same pristine looking, shiny floors that say ‘this is a clean environment’ – and they won’t last as long, either.”

Accidents can happen to even the best-maintained floors, however, and the manual covers repair measures as well.

To order a manual, contact Ms. Woodward at 604-689-9928 (or e-mail to info@bcfca.com).

The BCFCA is a professional association which provides education and technical support to its members and provides public information for consumers, architects and the government in order to promote and maintain good relations and encourage a greater use of floor coverings in the construction industry and by the general public. For more information on the BCFCA, visit the website at www.bcfca.com.

“If you are consistent with regularly scheduled maintenance of your resilient flooring, there are a lot of benefits – you’ll save money, the floor will perform better, and it will last longer,” Ms. Woodward said. ❏

School Plant Officials Association of B.C. Fall 2006

43

FLOOR-CLEANING TECHNOLOGY BREAKTHROUGH

Sweeps, Washes, Polishes In One Pass

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For years, manufacturers have tried to design and build machines that combine all floor-cleaning and maintenance operations – sweeping, scrubbing, polishing and dusting. Various attempts at a total “one-pass” machine have been tried over the years, but none has been truly successful in preserving a finish that is thought to be the essence of the attractively clean floor.

A major problem to overcome in the design of a one-pass floor machine has been creating a cleaning method that combines the very different processes needed in each of the four operations.

Sweeping utilizes a cylindrical brush rotating at a relatively slow speed. Scrubbing is the application of water and detergent and the mechanical abrasion of either disc or cylindrical brushes operating at a relatively slow speed.

Cylindrical brush material – Most brushes on sweeper-scrubbers are stiff-bristled nylon or polypropylene designed for aggressive cleaning, not polishing. We found that by modifying the tip of the bristles, it created a brush with the softness and fineness of a synthetic fiber pad – yet retained the stiffness required for good sweeping and washing.

Brush pressure – The Adhancer technology uses a moderate downward brush pressure to ensure proper cleaning yet still allows the brushes to maintain their higher revolutions for burnishing. Sensors in the machine maintain the correct downward pressure even when there is a change in floor level or composition.

Detergents – Aggressive detergents clean well, but they also partially strip and dull the shine of the finish. A new class of socalled “snap-back” detergents has emerged that offer good cleaning without significantly dulling the shine of a finished floor.

While not always suitable for heavily soiled floors in an industrial environment, these snap-back detergents are suited for normally glossy floors that are only subjected to foot traffic and normal dirt.

Burnishing, on the other hand, requires a high-speed rotating synthetic fiber pad that creates just enough friction and heat to partially melt the top layer of floor finish, which helps to restore the shine. This is typically followed by hand-dusting to collect fragments of the fiber pad and filaments of finish debris – another costly and time consuming operation.

New Advance Adhancer™ one-pass multi-machine In developing the new Advance Adhancer technology, we focused on four critical areas: cylindrical brush speed, cylindrical brush material, controlled brush pressure and detergent chemistry.

Research showed that all four elements needed to be modified to be successful.

Cylindrical brush speed – Most polishers operate at more than twice the rpms of a sweeper-scrubber in order to create enough heat to alter the surface of the finish. The new Adhancer technology involves dual counter-rotating cylindrical brushes operating at a speed that is high enough to preserve the finish, but not high enough to spray water and detergent.

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School Plant Officials Association of B.C. Fall 2006

The new Adhancer multi-tasking technology sweeps, washes, leaves the shine and dusts all in one pass, and the technology is available in both walk-behind and rider models. The machine has dual high-speed counter-rotating cylindrical brushes. At the back of the machine, a parabolic squeegee collects the dirty solution and vacuum-dries the floor. No finish or fiber debris is created and no further floor care operations are necessary.

Extending the time between re-finishing When a floor is stripped, re-finished and polished, it is at its maximum gloss. Daily sweeping and scrubbing decreases this gloss

Advance

due to mechanical abrasion and chemical attack by aggressive detergents. The gloss is somewhat restored by burnishing and dusting – but never to the previous level. As illustrated in Figure 1, with each sweep, scrub, burnish and dust operation, the gloss eventually ratchets down to an unacceptable level. At that point, the floor is usually stripped and re-finished again. In applications that involve daily cleaning, the strip and re-finish routine needs to occur approximately every 80 to 90 days.

Compared to the typical sweep, scrub, polish, dust cycle illustrated in Figure 1, the Adhancer one-pass machine provides a slightly different graphic profile. Due to the design of the brushes, the lower pressure and the “snap-back” detergent, Adhancer technology cleans as well as, but not as aggressively as a typical scrubber. The benefit of the Adhancer technology, as shown by the upper line in Figure 1, is that the gloss does not deteriorate as rapidly. While the Adhancer technology will not produce the so-called “wet look” of a freshly finished floor after each pass, it will maintain a moderate gloss for a much longer period of time than the conventional scrub and burnish method, but with much lower labor costs. The result is a comparably appearing floor surface combined with significant savings in equipment and labor.

daily burnishing and dusting that will save an additional 25 to 30 percent in labor costs. The Advance Adhancer is available in both walk-behind and rider models.

Advance is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of high quality commer-

cial and industrial floor maintenance equipment. For more information on the new Adhancer one pass floor cleaning system, please contact Advance Canada at 1-800-668-8400 ext. *822 or email marketing@nilfisk-advance.ca ❏

Conclusion Advance’s new Adhancer technology has accomplished the breakthrough that was necessary to combine sweeping, washing, shining and dusting into a one-pass machine. Results of extensive testing of the new Adhancer technology have shown that this costly cycle of stripping and re-finishing can be reduced by several operations each year. Instead of a normal 90-day strip and re-finish cycle, the Adhancer technology can, at minimum, extend the cycle out to 120 days or 135 days – a 33 percent to 50 percent improvement. Also eliminated are the separate labor-intensive operations of School Plant Officials Association of B.C. Fall 2006

45

M

Do You Really Care?

By Chuck Morris

Most of us have received calls from customers with unbelievable expectations. Remember, our ‘customers’ are the staff within our district, staffing our schools and other buildings. Do you dread these calls? You know the type of call being referred to; the call that carries with it an unrealistic level of support expectation, delivered to you in a fashion that prompts you to hold the phone away from your ear, or even to hang it up!

Lugubrious calls, personal attacks (even though you may have never met the person on the other end of the phone), and just loud baleful ‘whining’ do nothing to enhance our day. When we deal with people ‘unloading’ on us, complaining that nothing is working and the person that came to fix it did nothing, one sometimes wonder how they get along in their own personal life.

For the most part, we get these calls in the office or in person when we visit our schools. Don’t forget about those who report to us; they are the front line, and are likely experiencing a lot of this first hand. Their level of frustration could even be greater than ours (how is that possible?). These calls are not something to make sport of. They really should be taken seriously, because they could be an indicator of the level of support you are providing to the facilities in your care.

By now, the vast majority of us have dealt with a great many people on a day-to-day basis. We have experienced those who call with mundane requests, the type that should be submitted on your CMMS program. Often times those calls are seeking clarifications prior to submitting the work order; those don’t elevate the stress levels of anyone. We do receive calls of support and calls expressing thanks; these are always nice to take and to pass on to the employees who actually carried out the work. Then there are the ‘other’ calls.

Do you really care?

In his celebrated book ‘Customer Satisfaction Is Worthless – Customer Loyalty Is Priceless’, Jeffrey Gitomer wrote: “Let’s define your customer… overbearing, demanding, cheap, past due, back stabbing, wolf crying, disloyal, lying…” Now then, Mr. Gitomer is speaking to sales people, people who make their living selling to millions of other people. HOWEVER, the principles he espouses are the very SAME principles that we need to exhibit. He goes on to say, “ The challenge for the 21st century is not just serving customer, its…

• • • • • •

Understanding customers Being prepared to serve customers Helping an angry customer immediately Asking customers for information Listening to customers Being responsible for your actions when a customer calls

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School Plant Officials Association of B.C. Fall 2006

• • • • •

Living up to your commitments Being memorable Surprising customers Striving to keep customers for life Getting unsolicited referrals from customers…regularly!”

Do you really care?

Those who carry out the actual work for you, and their success overall, depend upon you to a certain extent. Your success depends on how you react to your customers and how you promote your philosophy to your team(s). You had better care!

There are a number of things we all can do to place ourselves in good stead with our customers. It helps a great deal if we are: • • • • •

On Time Honest True to our word Carry out what we promise to do (in a punctual fashion) Follow up

One of the problems we encounter on a regular basis (and it is not unique to us), is the volume of work we experience. As the paperwork piles up on the desk and the phone rings incessantly, it sometimes takes a lot of extra effort to keep smiling. How about your demeanor when dealing with complaints at 4:30 in the afternoon? It takes a lot of hard work and continuous application of the points outlined above to build a relationship with your customers, a relationship that carries with it open communication and trust. However, we are all aware that 30 seconds of deceit will destroy that relationship. Is that worth it? Do you really care? If you are doing your job correctly, you had better care.

Unless something has gone drastically wrong with your operation, much of the above discussion should not be taking up the majority of your time. We experience bumps in the road when providing a service to our facilities and their occupants. That is part of every day life when dealing with hundreds of people and aging facilities. We need to learn how to make it work for them and yet still satisfy our needs (compliance, ease of providing service, contractual obligations, Ministry issues, etc.).

When practiced on a daily basis, the previously discussed points really do make your life easier, regardless of the type of calls that come in that drain all your energy. At least when viewed through the eyes of an optimist, receiving those complaint calls doesn’t cause you to feel completely outgunned!

Remember, there is much we can do to make our life easier. Do you really care? ❏

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Excellent to use for: High Speed • Routing • Sawing Cutting • Sanding • After Filters NFP Features: • 1,000 - 9,000 CFM • Modular • Expandable • Quiet Operation • Small Footprint • Indoor & outdoor units available • Bag or barrel material collection To find out more on how these filters work and how they can help keep your environment clean, contact: Airmax at 8940 Douglas Street, Richmond, BC V6X 1V3, phone 888-273-1773 ❏

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888.273.1773 School Plant Officials Association of B.C. Fall 2006

47

School Plant Official Guy

By Todd Butler

(to the tune of “Modern Major General”)

I I

I I

I

Clean-Air Services

I am the very model of a school plant official guy I supervise activities – I’m keeping an official eye On plumbing and electrical – I know all the parameters I am a school plant official – don’t call me a janitor.

I keep everything running and I do preventive maintenance

I’m suffering from budget cuts to my chief operating fund The cutbacks are so deep I’m doing two jobs for the price of one When someone gets laid off they simply shift the work over to me I’m using lots of duct tape and I’m using it creatively.

In buildings recreational and schools educational

You might be surprised at where some kids will try to hide their lunch

I can do the job because I am multi-vocational

I know a fair bit about at least a dozen industries

I supervise activities – I’m keeping an official eye

You might say I possess all the Essential Core Competencies.

Imagine an office building with four times as many people as normal.

Then, imagine those people being four times as active as normal; running, wrestling, coughing, sneezing, laughing, tearing paper, sweating and squirming.

Get the picture? Of course you do! It is the average classroom.

It may not be four times as difficult to maintain a safe and healthy indoor environment, but it is certainly challenging and we are here to help.

Established in 1989, Clean Air Services Canada Ltd. has considerable experience in a wide variety of school related HVAC cleaning projects. We understand the difficult parameters under which school plant officials must work and we use our experience combined with creative problem solving techniques and dogged determination to find solutions to your HVAC hygiene problems.

HVAC SYSTEMS CLEANING & MAINTENANCE

CLEAN AIR services canada ltd.

Ed Salahub

Marketing Manager

Ph: (604) 888-7488 Fax: (604) 888-2828 Toll Free: 1-800-540-9119 Cell: (778) 772-8344 eds@cleanairservices.com

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#5 - 19747 Telegraph Trail RR#5 Langley, B.C. Canada V1M 3E6

School Plant Officials Association of B.C. Fall 2006

I am the very model of a school plant official guy.

One valuable service we offer is an assessment of the hygienic condition of your HVAC systems. We will inspect and document the condition of the components of each system in every school in your district. Afterwards, we provide you with a detailed report containing the following: • digital photographs with commentary • information in a table format for quick viewing • each system’s current condition • each system’s cleaning history • a list of hygiene problems encountered • and budgetary costs This report, which includes our conclusions and recommendations, then becomes a valuable tool for planning future HVAC maintenance.

Our specialty services are our HVAC quality cleaning and refurbishment. Over the years, we have developed procedures and standards for HVAC cleaning equipment which provides the best value for every dollar in your cleaning budget. Our specifications, which we put in writing, call for thorough attention to details; protecting your furniture and equipment; assessing possible sources of contamination; reporting areas of concern noted during the cleaning project and providing a pictorial report following completion. We also schedule cleaning projects during the school year without affecting the teaching schedule.

Our high quality services and methods effectively assist you in the daunting task of providing healthy, clean air to every child in all your schools. ❏

The Importance of Due Diligence in

Managing Water Damage

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Every year the Schools Protection Program (SPP) pays out substantial dollars to repair damage caused by water. In fact, water damage is the single most frequent and costly cause of property loss to the Program. Claims result from the failure of water supply, sprinkler, drain and sewer pipes, roof leaks and ground water and flooding.

The characteristics of water make it particularly troublesome. It travels easily, led by gravity and capable of fitting through the smallest openings. Even a small amount can lead to major problems, not only from water itself, but from fungus (dry rot, mould, mildew), rust, corrosion, and water-born pathogens. The cost of repairs may be inflated due to decontamination requirements. In addition, there are potential health issues to students and staff, especially those with poorly functioning or highly stressed immune systems. And of course, these issues may cause interruptions in class time and interference with the operations of your facility.

In our experience, two common errors are made in the hours following a water damage incident, which led to higher remediation costs, more significant health hazards and longer interruptions in school operations. Facilities personnel inexperienced in water damage sometimes cost the facility more money than necessary because they have inadvertently: 1) Underestimated the severity of the situation; or 2) Overestimated the severity of the situation.

Underestimating the severity Even if it is clean water, it may not be “just a little water” to be mopped up. If it is inside walls, especially those with insulation or other areas that are difficult to dry, mould growth can sometimes become significant in as little as 24 hours. When it does, health risks and remediation costs go up.

It is important to take the steps to identify water damage that may not be immediately obvious.

Drying quickly and drying properly are key to avoiding larger problems later on.

Overestimating the severity Sometimes, the mere possibility of mould leads to panic and an overzealous response. This can result in huge bills for tearing out and reconstructing areas that turn out (after lab analysis results are

known) to have only been minimally contaminated, or not at all.

It is important to professionally assess the extent of water damage in order to develop a reasonable response.

Do It Right and Do It Fast It is important to develop the right response and it is important to do so quickly. The specific response will depend upon: • The amount of water • The type of water (clean, grey or black/sewage) • The types of material affected • The amount of mould present, if any • The types and amounts of pathogens, AND • The specific location of the moulds and pathogens relative to population risk groups Questions on How to Do It Right and Do it Fast?

Call SPP immediately. We will assist with advice, referrals and assignment of an adjuster or restoration contractor. Please call (250) 356-1794 at any time. In the meantime, stop the spread of water and start a basic mop-up using staff or a reputable restoration contractor. ❏

Specializing in custom supply & installation of Talius Rollshutters and vandal-proof screens.

School Plant Officials Association of B.C. Fall 2006

49

“I’M DREAMING OF A WHITE...HALLOWEEN????”

I

By Ernie Lambert

It was the fall of ‘06, 2006 that is, October 27th to be exact. The location is School District No. 91 (Nechako Lakes) which includes Vanderhoof, through to Burns Lake, Fort St. James and Granisle. The weatherman called for possible flurries changing to rain. As unusual as it might seem, they were mistaken. Only 30 hours later we had snow accumulations ranging from 14 to 42 inches depending where you were in our District.

Power was out in many areas for up to 72 hours resulting in no heat, light and sometimes water. Access was impossible and although we had our snow removal contracts in place most were not prepared for an incident of this magnitude. Most were planning to operate four wheel drive pickups with plows. You might imagine how successful they would be with over 40 inches of wet snow.

They say what you survive makes you stronger provided you learn from it. So what did we learn? Fortunately we learned that we had done some things right.

Thanks to my assistant we did have our snow removal tenders complete and our contractors in place in advance of when we would normally expect our first snowfall. Our area coordinators were able to contact our staff over the weekend to get a jump on the cleanup. We had good communication between Senior District Staff, School Administration, Facilities Staff and the District Transportation staff. This was only possible as most of our staff have cellular phones. Land lines were not to be counted on. We also kept the community informed through the District website and media broadcasts. Some of our contractors were concerned that their bid price would not even meet their expenses as a result of this extraordinary event. We worked with them

50

School Plant Officials Association of B.C. Fall 2006

to ensure they were fairly compensated.

What might we have done better? Once this event is over (and at the time of this writing it may not be) we will debrief and come up with a comprehensive list. Right now I think we can come up with a few: • Make sure everyone knows and understands the communication protocols and has current contact lists, • Define expectations in advance if communication cannot be established, • Have current lists of available equipment available in remote communities with contact numbers, • Better preparation for any emergency where in fact you could be isolated for up to 72 hours without some basic needs.

What are we doing right now?

We need to consider, and prepare for several possibilities. These might include: • Snow removal from rooftops if the accumulation continues to grow, or if it starts to rain, increasing the weight, • Flooding may be a concern if the snow accumulation were to melt too fast, • Electricity is still only intermittent at best as falling trees continue to cause damage, • We may have to start hauling snow offsite to make room for more.

What is the best part about an event such as this? People pulling together to find solutions, by putting others needs ahead of their own.

What is the worst part? The weather forecast! ❏

INDEX TO ADVERTISERS Aaron’s Professional Supplies

32

Johnson Diversey

11

Airmax Air Purification Systems Inc.

47

KD Engineering Co.

17

All-Pro Services Ltd.

5

Killick Metz Bowen Rose Architects Planner Inc.

19

Allmar International

35

MAPEI

42

Belimo Americas

38

Matrix Planning Associates

Bevanda Architecture

38

MJM Acoustics Ltd.

33

B.G.E. Service & Supply

30

Nilfisk – Advance Canada

45

Omega Communications Ltd.

23

Pacific Blue Cross

43

Big Steel Box

26, 27

Blue Imp Playgrounds

8

5

Cariboo Awnings & Shutters

49

Pacific Controls Ltd.

20

Catmandu Excavating & Bobcat Service Ltd.

30

Pomeroy Consulting Engineers Ltd.

37

Chairlines

9

R.G. Dobbin Sales Ltd.

15

Clean Air Services Canada Ltd.

48

Reliable Controls Corp.

39

Comac Corporation Inc.

19

Roofing Contractors Association of B.C.

14

24

Rubbermaid Commercial Products

D.G. MacLachlan Limited Euroline Windows Inc.

OBC

4

SchoolDude

31

Flexible Eutectic Boilers Ltd.

25

Sealflex Industries, Inc.

33

Garaventa (Canada) Ltd.

28

Simplex Grinnell

37

GLP Canada

28

Spears Sales & Service Ltd.

13

Honeywell

32

Taiga Building Products

12

Husky Floor Machines Ltd.

34

Talius

IFC

Interface Flooring Systems

29

Tandus

Interior Turf Equipment Ltd.

10

The Colborne Architectural Group Pacific Inc.

Iron Furniture Ltd.

41

The Rock Group

JM Bean & Co. Ltd.

11

Zurn Industries Limited

9 16 4 21

“Rowing Together In Partnership” Ops Talk actively seeks article contributions from industry professionals.

If you have an idea, or wish to write an article, please send an email to katrina@delcommunications.com or call 866-403-5467.

School Plant Officials Association of B.C. Fall 2006

51

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