Building Bermuda 2023

17th edition | 2023 | Priceless

BuildingBermuda THE PUBLICATION FOR PROPERTY DEVELOPERS AND CONSTRUCTION DECISION MAKERS

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Call before you dig Avoid hitting underground cables and keep your workers safe Please call BELCO at least one week before any digging or trenching. We’ll visit your site to locate and mark underground cables. This free service helps to keep workers safe and prevents the interruption of your electricity supply.

For more information, email info@belco.bm or call 955.

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At the beginning of hurricane season, trim your trees at least 10 feet from power lines to reduce storm related outages.

Call BELCO 3 weeks in advance to schedule a power shutdown so you can trim safely.

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Building Bermuda

°ƋåųüųŅĹƋƉÎŅƋƋ°čå Traditional architecture with a

twist

17th Edition 2023

30 32 34

ĜŞƉŅüƉƋĘåƉƋųĜ°ĹčĬå Point Pleasant Park revamp

båƵƉ ĜƋƼƉÎŅĹÚŅŸ Luxury with water views

From the CAOB

7

Opinion from The Construction Association of Bermuda

Solar energy

8 10 13

Bermuda’s biggest installations

BELCO’S future

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Commissioner’s House restoration

36

Hilton branded resort

Housing development conversion

Moving from fossil fuels

Harrington Sound house

For an eco-conscious family

Publisher Ian Coles Director of Marketing Lissa Fisher Art Director Tim Parker Editorial Contribution Tim Smith, Don Burgess, Peter Backeberg, Annabel Cooper Editorial, Advertising & Distribution: PO Box HM 2032, Hamilton HM HX, Bermuda.

Tel: (441) 292-7279.

Email: hello@bm.bm.

Website: www.bermudamedia.bm.

Building Bermuda is published annually by Bermuda Media. © 2022 Bermuda Media. All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reprinted or reproduced without the written permission of the publisher.

Bermuda College

17 22 23 24

New career development centre

)ĹåųčƼƉåþÎĜåĹÎƼ Reducing greenhouse gases

Theatre renovation Backstage at City Hall

båƵƉüƚĹÎƋĜŅĹƉŸŞ°Îå City’s unique waterfront venue

Fairmont ŅƚƋĘ°ĵŞƋŅĹƉ renovation

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Behind the $190 million gut-out

Boutique hotel

42 46

Unique resort community

8°ÎĜĬĜƋĜåŸƉĵ°Ĺ°čåų

College course and career opportunities

Changing tides

48

New world for facilities managers

Cleaning and Covid-19

49

The importance of cleaning and cleaners

Associated media include Bermuda Business Visitor Your Future New Resident Guide House Garden Kitchen & Bath Going Green <RXU 2̲FH Bermuda Real Estate Handbook Bermuda Channel Health and Beauty

BUILDINGBERMUDA2023

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BUILDINGBERMUDA2023

Opinion: From the Construction Association of Bermuda

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roper training and apprenticeships are a key facet of any professional trade and service, and the CAOB has been the local sponsor representative for the NCCER (National Center for Construction Education and Research) for more than 20 years. Without fully trained service providers, there is a massive liability that can be incurred if procedures are not adhered to, or best practices are not followed.

The CAOB provides the tools and training to get Bermudians certified in hundreds of trades, and has also given out hundreds of thousands of dollars in scholarships for Bermudians studying overseas to gain a professional qualification in a construction related field.

Of course, this doesn’t happen without adequate funding and the dedication of the membership of the CAOB. A significant portion of our funding came via a Government grant. However, despite vigorous, repeated pleas with various Government Ministers, the grant afforded to CAOB has not been provided since 2020. During the past two years, members dug into their own pockets to allow the continued full-time employment of an executive director, but ultimately we realised that this was not sustainable, and we have begun to forge a new path – finding ways to provide the youth and other individuals keen to gain certification, with the resources to take them on their journey in construction and the trades.

We enlisted Patrick Caton, a board and

BUILDINGBERMUDA2023

company member to attain his master trainer status and become our recognised NCCER sponsor representative. In his capable hands we have raised our profile back to pre-pandemic levels.

Like many industries, construction and specifically the CAOB has had a

challenging two years. The loss of funding from the Bermuda Government was a big blow, but we are actively seeking alternate funding methods to enable us to continue providing the NCCER education and training programmes in the schools and Bermuda College. We firmly believe our industry must lead the charge to ensure the local workforce has the necessary skills to support our industry.

The CAOB is emerging as a stronger organisation that seeks to grow our engagement with all stakeholders. The changing business landscape means things will not be as they were pre-pandemic.

There will be changes to the way we do business that we have not yet anticipated.

As one of the largest employers in Bermuda, the construction industry plays a vital role in Bermuda’s economy, and the CAOB remains committed to ensuring our workforce has a voice.

the leader in construction industry training

We offer training programs across multiple craft areas. We have 40 instructors in Bermuda trained in the NCCER Curriculum. Reach out today and find out how we can help you.

@caobermuda @construction.bermuda Contact: [441] 292.0633ŴőŴinfo@caob.bmŴőŴwww.caob.bm

7

Bermuda’s largest solar installer keeps growing Building on 14 years of experience, AES launches its sister company, Solar Roof Maintenance

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ith several new large-scale installations completed and others underway, AES maintains its position as the preferred provider of solar energy on the island.

And now, with the addition of its sister company, Solar Roof Maintenance Ltd., adopters of solar energy have a seamless service to turn to when it is time to have their panels removed to paint their roof.

Founded in 2008 by Chartered Engineer, Tim Madeiros, AES has more experience and solar PV capacity installed 8

in Bermuda than all other local providers combined. In the past 12 months, AES has increased its capacity by more than 50%, with several Government and other commercial contracts, adding another 1.5 MWs (megawatts) to its portfolio of installations. AES recently completed the solar installations of 200kW combined on the Government Administration Building on Parliament Street and the adjacent Post Office building on Church Street.

The installation of 433kW at the Department of Public Transport bus

garage on Palmetto Road will commence shortly.

“The roof of the bus garage is an exciting project. It is large enough for us to install panels that will produce almost 500kW, which will make it one of the largest installations on the island”, says Mr. Madeiros.

Mr. Madeiros explains that “the combination of AES’s experience gained over the past 14 years, the quality of the workmanship, and the SunPower panels AES supplies exclusively in Bermuda, BUILDINGBERMUDA2023

&* MRWXEPPEXMSRW SR ,IRIVEP 5SWX 4ǽGI Building and Government Administration Building

seen occur in my 14 years of installing these systems — it’s completely covered by the warranty. You truly get a robust 25-year warranty that includes shipping to Bermuda and the labour to replace the item. No other manufacturer offers this coverage, and no other company in Bermuda is able to offer this value”.

AES and SunPower are focused on consistent, long term, value for the customer, ensuring that the customer’s adoption of solar energy is easy and

seamless, for their business or household, over the 25-year warranty period and beyond. “With the launch of Solar Roof, we have addressed what some said was a deterrent to going solar — the ongoing care of Bermuda slate or SKB roofs”, says Madeiros. “You can now have your solar panels removed, have your roof painted by the Solar Roof team, and your panels placed back on your roof and reconnected, all in one seamless service from a trusted provider.”

which consistently perform over the the long term, are just some of the reasons the company is so successful in winning the largest and most prestigious solar contracts. In contrast, when other solar panels available in the Bermuda market don’t deliver what was promised over 10 or 15 years, there’s no real recourse for the purchaser. Buying cheaper solar panels may be tempting initially, but over time, the return on investment is very often significantly less with those brands than what you will receive from the SunPower panels we use at AES. That’s because the cheaper panels degrade over time and end up not producing the power they promise.”

SunPower provides a 25-year warranty on power output, plus workmanship.

“In other words” says Madeiros, “the SunPower warranty covers not only the power output of the panel, but the entire panel. So if the panel somehow loses its structural integrity — which I have not BUILDINGBERMUDA2023

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Krista Barnes, Director, Communications and Sustainability, explains BELCO’s long-term plans as it demolishes and dismantles a landmark building and power generating engines

F

or the past 117 years, Bermuda Electric Light Company Limited (BELCO) has been proudly powering the homes and businesses of Bermuda. During that time, much has changed; consumption of electricity has grown exponentially, and our system has been continually improved and adapted to meet the needs of our customers, always working to make the system safer, more economical, and more reliable. We have also learned over the decades about the environmental impact of our power generation operations, and we have worked steadily to remediate historical damage while seeking new, more sustainable methods of generating electricity.

In April 2020, our North Power Station (NPS), which is comprised of four generating assets, was commissioned to replace inefficient and outdated engines with modern, efficient engines. We believe this will be Bermuda’s last fossil-fuelpowered plant. Alternative power generation technology is improving, and we believe now, more than ever, there is an opportunity to transition to economical, large-scale, renewable power for Bermuda. Going forward, our focus is on achieving Net Zero by 2050 using battery energy storage systems; offsetting emissions; increasing internal and operational efficiencies; the introduction of more renewable energy sources to our energy mix; and upgrading our transmission and distribution infrastructure to accommodate the intermittent nature of most renewable technology.

Since inception, BELCO has installed 16 power generating assets along with 8 smokestacks to meet the island’s energy demands. As of today, we have decommissioned 50% of our generators and are looking to remove 63% of our smokestacks.

10

Taking a wrecking ball to fossil fuels BUILDINGBERMUDA2023

BELCO’s central plant, showing building demolition underway

These old engines, as well as the buildings they were housed in and associated infrastructure, including some of our smokestacks, are now being decommissioned, dismantled, and disposed of in our Asset Retirement Project (ARP), which has been planned since 2014. Not only does the ARP address several safety concerns on-campus along with several the operational and environmental concerns of our stakeholders, but it also creates usable space for our future diversification requirements, increases the aesthetic appeal of our facility, remediates any historical damage to the property, and will ensure the safe BUILDINGBERMUDA2023

removal of hazardous material.

The ARP is confined to the BELCO central plant and is expected to last between one to two years with the initial phase of the project consisting of the cleaning out of building interiors and exteriors; the draining of oil and fluids; and Asbestos Containing Material (ACM) abatement. With the ACM abatement process completed, the project team is now well advanced in the demolition of buildings. Currently, BELCO in combination with highly skilled contractors, are working on the demolition of the Old Power Station while dismantling and removing several decommissioned generators.

As the energy industry has evolved over the past century, BELCO has strived to go above and beyond in terms of safety and service to the community while evolving with the industry. We are committed to investing in Bermuda’s sustainable energy future; however, we recognise that change does not happen overnight. The amalgamation of all the small steps we take will bring us success and we are excited about the progress we have made so far. We encourage all of our stakeholders to remain connected with us because this is only the beginning.

To learn more about BELCO’s ARP progress visit www.belco.bm.

11

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Custom Design for Eco-conscious Family S

itting high above Harrington Sound is a unique European-style family home designed for seamless indoor-outdoor living, with a natural aesthetic, that is energy efficient and easy to maintain, even when hurricanes are on the horizon.

The interior design was the work of Eimeir Johnston, Senior Interior Designer at Cooper Gardner, in close collaboration with the owners. The architects were John Gardner and Jonathan Castro of Cooper Gardner, the project manager was Will Irvine of BUILDINGBERMUDA2023

13

Lighthouse Construction and Project Management, and the home was built by Vieira’s Construction & Painting.

“The client’s husband travels a lot and with two small children she doesn’t want to be lugging furniture in and out of the house,” explains Johnston, in reference to the pre-hurricane ritual Bermuda’s residents are so familiar with.

To solve that problem, she came up with the idea of a permanent concrete bench in the more exposed outdoor seating area, softened by easy to move cushions. Behind this is a built-in planter, providing greenery without the need for heavy pots.

To this end, they have also dispensed with traditional shutters, using hurricane grade windows instead, which, when open create plenty of natural air flow inside the house.

The original building, which hadn’t taken advantage of the views, was all but knocked down and rebuilt save for the two-storey, one bedroom cottage, which now serves as the pool house and was renovated to match the main house.

The new swimming pool, which also

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overlooks the Sound, has, like so much of the property, been designed to look as natural as possible and blend into the surroundings. A dark tile was used to make the pool and sea water match and, instead of an infinity edge, the tile has been taken all the way up and wrapped around a square edge, giving an infinity feel without the infinity cost. This is also more energy efficient and doesn’t use as much water as a traditional infinity pool.

Just for fun, the hidden piece of land to the far side and below the pool has been turned into a putting green.

All around the property, the owners have kept as much of the original planting as possible and have made the most of all available outdoor spaces. A courtyard at the front of the house provides an alternative al fresco entertaining or relaxing area, particularly on a windy day, and at the back of the house is a smaller terrace, which protects the inside from the sun and provides another spot for enjoying the phenomenal view.

From the minute you enter the house, it is apparent how important the view

BUILDINGBERMUDA2023

and natural light is to the owners. Many of the windows are tall, wide or both. The doors are glass fronted. There are skylights in the powder room and front porch. And deliberate sightlines to the outside have been created upstairs and down.

The entry corridor, which hides storage, a stylish powder room and laundry room,

leads you through to the very spacious, double storey, open barn-style living area with open plan kitchen on one end and doors into a den and separate en-suite office at the other.

A monochrome palate and what Johnston describes as “very honest materials” have been used throughout

15

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including concrete floors, black frames, white walls, light and dark tiling, oak, and brass. Particularly striking are the large wooden ceiling beams, which were reclaimed from an old barn in West Virginia.

“That was to add character to a newbuild property,” she continues. “A lot of the time it can be quite hard to give layers to something that’s new. They’ve had a previous life.”

The house is full of interesting character in so many other ways. Floating stairs lead up to the three bedrooms and the two children’s rooms are connected to the main bedroom via a bridge. These have a wood finish to them, “to soften acoustically under foot as you move upstairs to the more private areas of the house,” says Johnston.

In contrast to the double-story living area, the den has dark walls, designed to ‘hide’ the TV. The addition of a wood burning fireplace makes it an ideal room for winter ‘hibernating’.

Even the light fixtures are naturallooking materials whether it’s the dramatic ‘lobster pot’ style pendant lights above the dining room table, the brass and wood hanging lights in the kitchen or subtle white sconces on the walls.

In the spirit of energy efficiency, the owners installed a number of solar panels on the flatter parts of the roof, and they have the ability to install a battery storage system in the future, with space deliberately left in the garage for that purpose.

Hidden away in the basement, along with copious under-stair storage and a gym, is an equipment room which houses two heat pump water heaters, tankless water pump systems and a circulation system for hot water on demand. Again, saving water and saving electricity.

KEY CONTRACTORS • • • • •

2Tech Ltd. Cooper Gardner DCLA Ltd. Efficiency Limited Lighthouse Construction/ Project Management • King’s Plumbing & Mechanical Ltd. • TreeCon Limited • Vieira Construction & Painting BUILDINGBERMUDA2023

New Building for Career Development Multi-million dollar Athene Career Development Centre opens on Bermuda College Campus

A

s a former student, Vanessa Bean felt a personal connection as the project lead for the recent design and build of the Bermuda College’s Athene Career Development Centre (CDC). Further enhancing this connection was the collaborative work BUILDINGBERMUDA2023

done with the Bermuda College staff and the contractor, Overnight Construction, whose founder, Sanz “Kitty” Pearman, is also a former Bermuda College student.

“One of the themes was that most people connected to the project had some investment in the College or in the

development of young people in general,” says Ms. Bean, Senior Interior Designer at OBMI Bermuda and Project Lead for the Athene CDC. We worked closely with the Bermuda College Foundation team, Garry Madeiros, Michael Hollis and Project Manager David Braddock, during the permit and construction phases. The Bermuda College team lead by Cleun Gaiton provided valuable feedback and expertise that enhanced the project. I believe a project is more meaningful when the people that will be using the space are involved in the process.”

Ms. Bean says her former Art Professor, Dr. Edwin Smith inspired her to attend Savannah College of Art and Design, and for this project they worked together on bringing art into the new spaces. Meanwhile, she and College’s Graphic Designer, Cherie Richardson, collaborated on the brightly coloured 17

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mural that highlights the foyer as you enter the Centre.

The colours of that mural come from the new palette of the College’s rebrand, which Ms. Bean says, “inspired us as we sought to set a new design standard that can be used throughout the campus in any future upgrades.

“In approaching any project, you want to design a space that can be timeless, and also represents the culture of the facility. The College had not done any major work for more than 25 years. So I view this project as a start to all the design and updating going forward. It has a simplicity that will be easy to replicate throughout the campus.”

For the exterior design, OBMI chose to follow the existing architectural style, rather than create a unique look for the addition. This was found to be the most cost effective and sustainable solution.

The architectural work was led by the late Glyn Quarterly and Ms. Bean attributes its success to the “extensive attention to detail” by Mr. Quarterly.

“It was his last project, and even when unwell, he came into the office to ensure the project was finished. We view this as a celebration and tribute to his work,” she says.

The new Centre sits near the middle of the campus and was built atop an existing one storey structure. This central location is fitting for what has become a key BUILDINGBERMUDA2023

division of the College – Professional and Career Education (PACE).

Despite the bold colour palette that greets visitors as they enter the Centre, the design team utilised more neutral and gentle materials and tones in the classrooms and offices. A soft grey vinyl covers the floors while the walls are painted a light blue/grey, which Ms. Bean says creates a calm atmosphere that promotes focus for studying, versus an overly-stimulating space.

These choices were also part of a longer-term focus on sustainability.

“The vinyl floors are durable, so will last, even with moving the modular furniture around on them,” she explains.

“They also clean easily with soap and water so they don’t require the use of chemicals. Also, in comparison to tile, vinyl flooring is more acoustically absorbent and physically far easier on the lecturers who spend so much time standing and walking on it.”

The windows were extended down to the floors to allow more light in, while the colour of the walls reflects the incoming daylight, reducing the need for lighting during the day.

“We try to design in ways that are financially sensible as well as functional,” Ms. Bean says.

When building on an active campus it is important to operate with the highest level of safety and caution. The

contractor, Overnight Construction Ltd., were creative and very effective in getting materials on and off the site in a safe and efficient manner without causing too much disruption.

Design Innovation Since 1936

bermuda@obmi.com +1 441.278.3550 BERMUDA.OBMI.COM

19

The pandemic, whilst disruptive with the “usual delays”, was something of a benefit to the project.

“The campus was not operating at full capacity for most of the project’s duration which certainly helped with the timeline,”

20

BUILDINGBERMUDA2023

says Ms. Bean of the 11-month build phase.

The new Athene Career Development Centre is more than 7,500 square feet in total and includes the 1st floor lobby/ foyer, PACE with lobby, three offices, a meeting room, a support room, a model classroom, innovation lab and computer lab. There is also a new, accessible washroom.

Ultimately for Ms. Bean the satisfaction for this project is that it fits with her overall design philosophy.

“I like to help people,” she says. “So, a project like this that can potentially help so many people is very rewarding. I am proud of the simplicity of the design that can be replicated around the campus. The spaces are flexible and everything in the classrooms can be changed to meet the needs of the College going forward.”

Thank you to the Bermuda College Foundation for the opportunity to manage the building of The Athene Career Development Centre.

KEY CONTRACTORS • A.F. Smith • Bendell Design • ECM Services Ltd. • Efficiency Limited • H&H Plumbing and Mechanical • OBMI • Overnight Construction Ltd. • Pembroke Tile & Stone • Precise Systems Integration (PSI) BUILDINGBERMUDA2023

21

Reducing greenhouse gases AIRCARE SǺIVW WSQI XMQIP] XMTW SR IRIVK] IǽGMIRG]

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ccording to the U.S. Department of Energy, it is estimated that 40% of all U.S. CO2 emissions result from the demand for heating, cooling, and hot water1. While the same study has not been conducted locally, the findings are an alarming indicator that heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems are a large contributor of greenhouse gas emissions regardless of geographic location.

Your commercial and/or residential HVAC system is most likely one of your facility’s largest consumers of energy, which increases costs; and, beyond the source of electricity, your building’s largest contributor to environmental damage through unnecessary emissions.

However, with careful thought, planning and action, these harmful emissions can be significantly reduced while at the same time reducing costs. Some of the key factors to consider and address are:

Install Energy Efficient Systems Replacing/installing heating and

cooling equipment with modern, energy efficient equipment can reduce energy use by as much as 50%2, in addition to significantly reducing unnecessary CO2 emissions.

Se ing Energy Efficient Temperatures Setting HVAC systems to an optimal, energy efficient temperature – such as 780F in the summer and 680F in the winter – will ensure that you’re heating and cooling systems are not wasting energy and money or emitting extra, unnecessary greenhouse gases.

Regular Preventative Maintenance To ensure your HVAC system is running at optimal efficiency, a regularly scheduled maintenance plan should be developed and executed. The plan will ensure your system’s longevity and efficiency along with ensuring your system is as friendly to the environment as possible.

AIRCARE specialises in the latest energy efficient systems from the world’s leading manufacturers such as Daikin and Midea, and preventative HVAC maintenance, both of which will result in the reduction of potential issues, emissions, operating costs, and unexpected emergencies.

To minimise emissions and maximise efficiency, AIRCARE works with clients to determine their needs and takes a measured approach that includes full building energy audits and recommendations, integrated building system design, installation, testing and energy management and building automation systems. Once a system has been agreed, AIRCARE technicians can take care of full system management, testing and certification, create custom controls, alarms and notifications and provide detailed energy usage analysis and reports which ensures proven cost savings.

For more information on how to improve your HVAC efficiency visit aircare.bm or call 292-7342.

1 https://www.eia.gov/environment/emissions/carbon/ 2 https://www.regulations.doe.gov/eecompass

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BUILDINGBERMUDA2023

Dressing up the theatre Backstage at the Earl Cameron Theatre gets a thoroughly good review

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ehind the scenes at The Earl Cameron Theatre at Hamilton’s City Hall has received a significant facelift to help the actors, singers, musicians, and others produce their very best performances.

Patrick Cooper, City of Hamilton Chief Operating Officer and City Engineer, explains. “We have been dealing with budget constraints of $230,000 to $250,000 on this project, trying to get the best value for money out of it.

He adds one of the most challenging things with renovating the dressing room area was the time pressure, due to events scheduled throughout the year.

“We had to determine what is most important, and in which order to get things done.”

Mr. Cooper said the dressing room area hasn’t been renovated in many

BUILDINGBERMUDA2023

decades, with it receiving a “patch” update around 15 years ago.

Some of the changes include ensuring the flooring is all the same, replacing the makeup area mirrors and lights, installing new tankless water heaters, hidden under the vanities, in the bathrooms, and new clothes racks in the dressing rooms. The break room in this area has also seen some of the equipment hidden to make it more visually appealing.

The most significant change sees an interior wall in the Green Room taken out, creating more space.

Chris Bailey, Assistant City Engineer says, “A huge 26ft beam comes across the top to extend this space and make it more usable.”

Two new mirrors have also been placed on the Green Room wall at the foot of the stairs leading up to the stage.

The Green Room also includes 28

lockers for performers to store clothes and other items.

One other addition is to the area leading into the orchestra pit where sound-attenuating drapes have been installed. Mr. Bailey says, “The curtain is in addition to a door, and provides a space for musicians to enter and leave as required during performances without light or sound transferring from the Green Room into the orchestra pit and further into the auditorium beyond.”

Mr. Bailey suggested that the best feature of the renovations is “a purpose designed theatre dressing room that will better support theatrical, dance and musical performances for the enjoyment and benefit of the community.”

KEY CONTRACTORS • Cooper Gardner

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Unique waterfront venue

Out with the old and in with the new at City of Hamilton’s stunning new function space 24

BUILDINGBERMUDA2023

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ast summer, the City of Hamilton launched a massive renovation of the former No. 6 Shed on Front Street, with a host of significant improvements aimed at turning the 6,500 sq.ft. rental space into the City’s premier waterfront event venue. It has now been renamed and rebranded as Pier Six Waterfront Complex.

The City worked with local architects to develop a plan for the building that would take advantage of the structure’s unique attributes and exceptional location, while also addressing the challenges of the building.

The renovated, fully airconditioned building includes a bar area and a catering kitchen.

The venue’s interior spills out through generous double doors onto a grand patio – the ideal spot for waterside dining and dancing under the stars.

“This structure is more than 100 years old,” explains Chief Operating Officer and City Engineer Patrick Cooper. “With buildings that old, you continually find issue after issue as you peel back the layers of previous renovations, as we have found with Pier Six. We took it back to

BUILDINGBERMUDA2023

25

its bare bones, so that what we were left with is a solid structure which will last for years, with minimal upkeep required.”

New electrical conduits have been installed in the building’s walls and the site’s plumbing upgraded, allowing for sparkling new ‘his and her’ bathrooms to be created — a major selling point when organisations are looking for functional event space.

Contractors have recut and shaped all of the window openings on the waterside, which are being changed to full-length windows to take advantage of the harbourside views.

Mr. Cooper explains some of the challenges that workers have overcome: “Above every window and doorway is a support lintel which is essentially a concrete structure with a steel rod inside.

What we found when we were renovating is that most of the rods had rusted over time and blown out the surrounding concrete. The contractors have had to chip out the old rebar and replace with new rods, which was something we hadn’t initially anticipated.”

Another unexpected renovation issue that workers discovered was significant termite infestation and consequential damage to the building’s roof.

“It wasn’t until we ripped down the ceiling that we realised how serious the termite issue was,” says Mr. Cooper. “The wooden ceiling beams have been removed and will be replaced with modern steel beams.” These new beams give the interior a sleek, modern, and subtle industrial charm.

The Front Street building has long been used as a cruise ship terminal; however, about ten years ago, the City moved the terminal to the lower floor and began to rent the top floor as a space for events.

“This versatile waterfront venue has been purposely engineered to be easily transformed into whatever you want it to be,” Mr. Cooper says, “Pier Six will be the ideal location for conferences, dinner parties, charity functions, and private events.”

KEY CONTRACTORS • ABM • Archway Ltd. • Pembroke Tile & Stone 26

BUILDINGBERMUDA2023

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alk up and down Trinity Church Road looking for the new-build house and you will likely waste an entire day trying to spot it.

Nestled away on the water side of this historical lane is a brand-new white cottage, which embraces traditional Bermudian architecture and looks like it has been there forever.

Named after the winter resident that nests on the cliffs below, Kingfisher Cottage is built on a cliff edge overlooking Harrington Sound. It is a two-storey, one-bedroom home with off-street parking, open plan kitchen and living area, two full bathrooms, additional flexible living area, considerable outdoor entertaining space and even an outdoor shower. The property has water access via concrete stairs which lead all the way down the cliff to a landing area.

Finished in June 2022, the property took a year to build and, because of the steep, sloping nature of the site, had to take full advantage of all up to the minute BUILDINGBERMUDA2023

engineering techniques available in Bermuda.

The cottage was designed by architect Geoff Parker with support from architectural technologist, Nick Strong, who also oversaw all the construction.

“The site had quite restrictive zoning requirements,” explains Parker. “The main restriction was a 600 square foot maximum site coverage. That’s generally pretty small, even for a cottage.

“We designed the house as two storeys on the 600 square feet of buildable area and extended the lower floor under the required on-site parking area. Overall, we managed to achieve almost 1,600 square feet of usable house by using the slope of the site creatively, and it still appears from the roadside as a tiny one storey cottage.”

Before excavation began at the top,

27

work at the base of the cliff was carried out to stabilise it and concrete was poured to fill the paleosol (fossilised soil) layer that had been eroded.

An unexpected bonus of such a tricky site was the deep wooden deck they were allowed to build that provided an exterior connection from one side of the house to the other, significantly increasing the amount of usable outdoor recreational space.

“This was a revision we added on because we realised the site was such a sheer slope that when you came out the door it was a two-foot-wide path and then a steep tumble down to the cliff,” adds Strong.

Built using accoya for the structural components, with Spanish cedar pergola and railings, the deck is cantilevered and has three structural supports with concrete footings into the rock. Sliding doors lead out from the open plan kitchen and living room and the panoramic view takes in Hall Island, Trunk Island and everything in between.

In spite of the small site, this isn’t the only outdoor recreational space. There is also a paved terrace ideal for BBQ’s.

The main entrance sits on the road level and the refinished cedar front door takes you into a buttery-style entry-way, complete with smooth roof and finial ball 28

at the peak.

From there, steps lead up towards the ensuite bedroom or down a wide staircase to the main part of the house.

The property is rented, so the colours, fixtures and fittings are neutral but with a coastal feel to complement the location.

The owner enjoys salvaging useful materials and this is evidenced in the distinctive, live edge Bermuda cedar mantel which sits above a Rumford fireplace in the living room. It was repurposed from a 17th century house.

Other salvaged items include the 200-year-old roof rafters and the old Bermuda and Yorkshire stone used to create steps leading down from the road level to the outdoor recreational areas.

Everything is designed to be functional, flexible, natural looking, easy to maintain, and stand up to the elements.

This includes a huge hurricane-proof window in the master bedroom which frames the spectacular view, a staircase wide enough to accommodate a stair-lift should that be needed in the future, and useful storage built into every applicable nook, including ‘pull down attic access’ in the walk-in wardrobe.

Outside, all the doors are Spanish cedar to match the deck, and the wall lights are solid brass.

Taking advantage of the natural light

was a priority. In addition to the many windows, there are hidden skylights in the roadside planter, bringing light directly into the kitchen, glass panels in the front door, and a window on the gable end of the attic, which adds to the exterior character.

The surrounding landscaping is both attractive and serves a purpose. A roadside planter contains dwarf date palms, lantana and bougainvillea against the wall, but further down, buttonwoods provide privacy and stand up to the wind.

On the water side are bay grapes, sea ox-eye, more buttonwoods, olivewood and cedars as well as ornamental coconut palms. They have also installed five Longtail igloos.

The most complicated challenge was “getting the levels to work and the constraints of the narrow site and the cliff edge,” says Strong. “Everyone looked at it and said ‘no, I don’t think this can be done’”. They were wrong!

KEY CONTRACTORS • • • • •

Carvalho Construction Ltd. Carvalho’s Custom Carpentry Geoff Parker Architects Hamma Galleries Impressionz Painting & Maintenance BUILDINGBERMUDA2023

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here is now a place where tourists can go to mark the most northern part of the Bermuda Triangle creating a photo op for social media.

The City of Hamilton held an official ceremony on July 5, 2022, for the reopening of a renovated Point Pleasant Park, often referred to as Albuoy’s Point, 30

which includes the Bermuda Triangle marker.

A spokesperson for the City of Hamilton says it has “completed some truly spectacular upgrades at the Albuoy’s Point area.”

The new park design pays homage to the Bermuda Triangle, with its walkways

forming a distinct triangular shape.

The upgrades include improved seating and shade, re-grassing of the entire area, up-lighting the trees and revitalisation of the pedestrian areas and waterfront.

The renovations include widening the waterside steps to the lower dock, to improve access for mariners. There BUILDINGBERMUDA2023

plaque in the ground officially marking this location, to create a point of interest in the park and added tourist attraction.

To the side of the plaque, a QR code has been installed. This is similar to the QR Codes installed in Freedom Square last year and other parts of the City. You scan your phone or device over the code and an informative video pops up about the Bermuda Triangle – hosted by town crier Ed Christopher.”

The spokesperson explains, “At the City of Hamilton, we are constantly striving to find new ways to add to the vibrancy of the City, so that we continue to attract visitors and provide attractive, engaging spaces for our visitors and residents to enjoy.”

KEY CONTRACTORS • Cooper Gardner • North Point Contracting

has also been an upgrade to the area’s electrical supply which will expand opportunities for the park as a dynamic event space.

The Jervis Bay Memorial has been relocated to a more prominent place within the park. And Bill Ming’s bronze sculpture ‘Against da Tide’ has found a new home in the park after previously being located on the sidewalk at the entrance to the former Bank of Bermuda building on Front Street.

Hamilton Mayor Charles Gosling comments, “The City of Hamilton has officially marked this spot at Point Pleasant Park as the northern point of the Bermuda Triangle. It has set a bronze BUILDINGBERMUDA2023

31

Hamilton condos with water views and city scenes Well-known property developer Gilbert Lopes’ latest project is a luxury, 12-condo building

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verybody wants a good view when they purchase a property on a tropical island – and the Miramar project is being constructed with precisely that fact in mind.

Residents at the luxurious condominium development on the edge of west Hamilton, will be able to feast their eyes on scenes that are both spectacular and tranquil, offering that unmistakable feeling of Bermuda at its best.

Condos on the west of the property look out to the Great Sound, taking in Hawkins Island and a host of other tiny islands dotted about the sea.

To the south, the bright blue waters of Hamilton Harbour lie beyond some of the island’s most impressive architecture, including the Hamilton Princess, the Bacardi Building with its famous waterfall, and Point House, the iconic HSBC building recently brought into the modern era through a major renovation.

Those facing north and east, meanwhile, can admire the city skyline, where the 19th Century Cathedral of the Most Holy Trinity pokes above the multicoloured buildings that make up the commercial heart of Bermuda.

No matter which way you look, it’s a sight for sore eyes.

Gilbert Lopes, the owner of GL Construction, the developer for the project, says: “They are breathtaking views from up here. Everybody looks for a view when they are buying a property in Bermuda, so we want to let them see the sights as much as they can.

“From this height, you can also see things from a different angle. Everyone sees the Bacardi Building from the road and can see how beautifully kept it all is.

But from up here on the balcony, I was looking down at it and could even see the guy brushing the grass with a broom!”

Miramar, which will comprise 12 spacious condos spread across three floors, is being constructed on the former site of an old mansion on Sharon Lane, off 32

Woodbourne Avenue.

Each apartment has a total of 1,480 sq. ft. of living space, including an open plan area featuring a kitchen, dining space, and living room. There are two bedrooms with adjoining bathrooms, one at either end of the unit.

There are 120 sq. ft. balconies to make the most of those dazzling views, while large windows and sliding doors mean you can appreciate the sights from within the living area too.

There are four condos on every floor, and each is a corner unit, guaranteeing a sense of separation from the neighbours.

“Whenever we’ve built this kind of development before, we have found nobody wants to be stuck in the middle unit,” Lopes explains.

“Everyone always wants the end unit.

In this case, every unit is the end unit.”

Lopes says the living area will have a modern, light, and sleek feel thanks to the quality of the finishing of the large windows and vinyl 10ft slider doors, stone tile, and Shiloh kitchen cabinets.

More luxury is provided in the bathroom, through a lavish 7ft by 3.5ft shower and his and her vanities.

There’s plenty of room to show it all off by having guests over for dinner.

“You could imagine entertaining here.

It’s spacious. You could easily have a

family around for dinner and then have a good time in the living area,” Lopes says.

West Hamilton has received a new lease of life since the Green family bought the Princess a decade ago and poured millions of dollars into upgrades, a trend Lopes says continued with the Point House development.

One of the best advantages of living in west Hamilton, of course, is that you don’t have to go far for everything you need.

Work is walking distance for anyone with a job in the city, and a stone’s throw from the reinsurance hub of Bermudiana Road. Woodbourne Chemist, Miles Market, l’Artisan Boulangerie and a host of upmarket restaurants are equally close by.

“Whenever anyone asks what are the three things people want the most when they’re looking to buy a property, I tell them location, location, location,” Lopes says.

“Here you are walking distance from the pharmacy, restaurants, grocery store and the bakery.

“Even just to get deliveries, you get so much of a better service when you’re located somewhere like this.”

Using experience gleaned from his Hamilton residential projects such as Six and Ten on Dundonald Street, Lopes has paid attention to detail to ensure BUILDINGBERMUDA2023

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Apartments all have a laundry room, with side-by-side washer and dryer and an in-built ironing board, while a trash shoot makes life that little bit easier.

“You don’t want people carrying trash in the elevator or stairs,” Lopes explains.

“We’ve done this on other properties, and I hear so many people appreciative of not having to put the trash out. Just put it in the shoot!”

Underground parking provides one space for each unit, with extra parking for guests outside. Storage space is also available on the underground floor.

The project is scheduled for completion in Spring 2023, and condos are listed for $1,275,000 to $1,495,000.

“It’s open to Bermudians and some of them will live here, but some will use it as an investment property and rent it out,” Lopes says.

After a tough time for Bermuda’s economy during the Covid-19 pandemic, Lopes is optimistic the future is bright for the real estate market.

“I wish I had 100 more properties to sell,” he says.

Plans for the development were originally approved 15 years ago but required some amendments before work could begin.

“I brought it up to the standards that are people are looking for today,” Lopes says.

“I’m very happy with it. You have a vision for a project, and you see things and you change them.

“Then you see the concrete blocks go up and it’s exciting watching it become a reality. Every job I do gives me a lot of satisfaction.”

KEY CONTRACTORS

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Preserving our past Commissioner’s House verandah restoration maintains the original aesthetic and conserves its historic value

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ommissioner’s House dominates the Dockyard skyline and since it was built two hundred years ago, has become an icon of the West End. However, with its location exposed to the harsh Bermuda elements, the building requires constant care and conservation.

Most recently, the dark red columns, hand railing and concrete floor of the wrap around verandah have all been repaired or replaced.

“The reason the floor needed rebuilding”, says Michael Tatem of contractor Crisson Construction, “was that the existing verandah was a precast system of concreate slabs that were laid in between steel beams. They were 34

about four inches thick and were prestressed. When they manufacture these in the factory, they have reinforcing wire running through the slab. And then they cut the slab to the size you want, and the wire that’s prestressed in slab is exposed at the end.”

“What should have happened when the building was restored in the 1990’s”, explains Tatem, “is the end of the slab needed to be sealed where the rebar sticks out, otherwise it rusts.”

Although a four-inch topping slab was put over the pre-cast slab, over a period of time, rainwater ingressed through that slab into the precast slabs and rusted the rebars that were prestressed.

When rebar rusts, it expands and the concrete falls away. This was happening at Commissioner’s House, it was becoming unsafe, and big pieces were dropping away.

Tatem says the four-inch slabs were jackhammered off the top, and then the pre-cast slabs were removed, all the way around the verandah.

“Once all the concrete was removed, the supporting steel beams were exposed.

We then removed the rubber membrane from the steel beams and had them sandblasted. The handrails and columns were sandblasted at the same time. Then a 3-part paint system was used — primer, rust proofing and topcoat.”

On inspection of the exposed steel beams, Crisson Construction found that some of the connections were not supported properly. Tatum points out that “the engineer had to redesign some of those connections. Each one of those BUILDINGBERMUDA2023

connections had to be modified and a new plate, shims and other work had to be undertaken on the beams. There are 39 of those beams that all had to be repaired.”

“In order to replace the floor slabs, we had scaffolding all around the building so that we could create the concrete forms.

Then we installed two layers of rebar. The slabs are now eight inches thick instead of four — we poured them right in place, as opposed to pre-formed.”

The entire project took six months, and the Commissioner’s House verandah is now well-prepared to withstand several more decades of salt spray and hurricane strength winds.

KEY CONTRACTORS • Crisson Construction Limited • Brunel Engineering Consultants

BUILDINGBERMUDA2023

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Housing development seeing new life as hotel The former Grand Atlantic low-cost housing project is being converted into an upscale Hilton brand resort

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f you’re wondering what the luxurious new clifftop condo-hotel on South Shore is going to look like when it opens next June, the clue is in the name.

The Bermudiana Beach Hotel will bring together everything we know and love about our paradise island, from its pastel-coloured units with their shiny white roofs to the longtails swooping above the glorious blue waters that crash on the pink sands of the beach down below.

Lush gardens will be created in between the condos, featuring local flora and trees such as palms to deliver a truly Bermudian experience for visitors and 36

residents alike.

Paul Martin, the general manager at Bermuda Housing Corporation who is overseeing the project, says: “One visit to the property and you will see the Bermudian architecture. It is not a typical hotel building but more like a Bermudian residential community with the pastel colours and white roofs.”

The resort – a 3.5-star Tapestry Collection by the Hilton Hotel – includes 110 hotel keys spread across eight condo buildings, a two-storey reception building and four-storey amenity building featuring a full-service restaurant, recreation area, three meeting rooms,

indoor gym, spa, and support offices.

It will also boast an events lawn with support kitchen and bathroom, a pool with deck, cabanas, bar and grill, a fire-pit seating area and an outdoor fitness area.

Some of the units will offer panoramic views of the water, and others will overlook the tranquil gardens.

“The property has one of the most spectacular views of the South Shore, with breathtaking views of the sunrise,” Martin says.

“In the fall and spring, you can spot the whales as they migrate past Bermuda.

There are also some wonderful beaches in front of the property and running along BUILDINGBERMUDA2023

the South Shore.”

Motorists who have passed the construction site in Warwick may be pleased to hear the green building near to the roadside will be repainted pink, to better complement the yellow, peach, and light blue shades of the other properties.

A Bermuda moongate will take pride of place in the gardens, and there are plans for a replica cannon to commemorate the site’s former role as a battery.

The history of the location is a source of pride for Martin, who recalls huge numbers of visitors flocking to the South Shore during the island’s tourism heyday in the 20th century. The Bermudiana Beach Hotel is being built on the site of the former beach club for the Bermudiana Hotel, which closed 30 years ago, and was located on Pitts Bay Road in Hamilton, where Chubb and AXA XL now have their offices. And in the mid 1980’s it was the site of The Golden Hind restaurant, a sister business to Henry VIII, further along the South Shore.

Efforts have been made to bring the spot back to life for many years, and BUILDINGBERMUDA2023

construction work on a low-cost housing project and hotel started back in 2010.

Plans later evolved into Bermuda’s first branded condo-hotel, in which financing is aided through the sales of units to individual owners.

All condos are fully furnished and available to buy on a 999-year leasehold.

Martin explains: “Your condo can convert into a hotel room or suite when you aren’t here and will be fully managed by the hotel.

“Rentals and upkeep will be carried out to the standards set by Hilton as part of their Tapestry Collection. Having Hilton by our side comes with many other perks, as it is a leading global hospitality company with a large portfolio of properties along with its 24/7/365 reservation system.

“This is an opportunity for both Bermudians and non-Bermudians to purchase a condo in Bermuda which you can stay at for up to 90 days per year, enjoy all the amenities of the hotel and then able to gain revenue over the remaining 275 days as a hotel room with all the work being done by the hotel management.”

The eight condo buildings comprise 94 units, including 16 three-bedroom/threebathroom units; 28 two-bedroom/twobathroom units; 25 one-bedroom/onebathroom units; 25 studio/one-bathroom units. Prices start at $375,000.

With tiled floors, white walls and large glass doors opening out to the balconies, the units have a modern and light feel and make the most of those gorgeous views. There will also be Bermudian artwork on the walls. When staying in residence, owners have access to all hotel amenities and services.

Several design updates for the development were made earlier this year, including the introduction of the reception building, which will contain a business centre, sales office, sundry stores and offices, and a move to centralise amenities in one building.

“These changes allow us to separate the condo hotel rooms from the amenities and back of house while giving us more front-line condos with greater revenue potential and the loss of only one hotel key,” Martin says.

A proposal for a funicular to the beach has been replaced by direct access through stairs and an elevator, which will be protected from the weather, designed to blend into the cliff and strategically placed near the pool.

Martin says: “These will allow faster movement of the guest to and from the beach as compared to the funicular.”

As with most construction projects over the past couple of years, the Covid-19 pandemic has caused supply chain issues, and the opening date has been pushed back from 2020 to 2023.

It was also decided to open in one phase instead of three, which would have meant construction work was still ongoing when the first guests arrived.

“The size of the property would not work well to have an operating hotel in the middle of construction,” Martin says.

“This would not have given a favourable impression to the guest and owners alike.

The June 2023 opening, however, is the original completion date of all phases, so we are keeping to that final date.

“I’m proud of Bermuda and proud of this project. It’s a very positive contribution to the tourism industry in Bermuda.”

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Hotel set for $190 million renovation Fairmont Southampton revamp is due for completion in the fall of 2023, three years after it closed its doors

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t might look and feel very different, but one thing is for sure when Bermuda’s crown jewel hotel reopens next year, the wow factor will still be there.

This will be the first major gut-out in its 50-year history.

It means a complete revamp for some 38

of the hotel’s much-loved features, including the popular Jasmine Lounge, glamorous Windows on the Sound restaurant and magnificent Gold Floor, while the use of lighter, brighter colours will help create a fresh and modern vibe throughout the building.

A fly-through video released in March

2022 by owners Westend Properties, offers a snapshot of the upgrades guests can look forward to.

From the moment people walk through the front door, they will know it’s no longer business as usual at the grand old hotel.

The reception area is undergoing a makeover, with the introduction of sparkling individual stations, shiny white tables, safari-style bamboo fans and sleek Art Deco.

For many years, the Jasmine Lounge has been a destination in itself – a place to watch live bands perform, grab a light meal away from the hustle and bustle of town or unwind with a glass of wine before an evening sampling the Fairmont’s classy restaurants.

Now, people will be able to enjoy all that against a backdrop of tropical paradise, with paintings of palm trees and Bermuda artwork behind the bar and throughout the lounge. Hardwood flooring replaces the carpets, the tables are BUILDINGBERMUDA2023

taller, the colours are whiter and brighter with a sprinkling of bamboo rattan. The menu is under wraps, but the appearance of a sushi bar in the background of the video will be welcome news for many.

It adds up to a whole new ambience — the quaint old man’s club has given way to the elegant cocktail bar of the 21st century.

The vast and imposing Windows on the Sound restaurant has long been renowned for its spectacular views of the ocean, while its sumptuous brunch buffets have been enjoyed by visitors as well as Bermudian families for years.

The fly-through video suggests copious use of plants, including palm trees in giant stone pots, will give the restaurant an outdoorsy freshness; excessive use of whites, greens and light wood create a natural setting to complement those deep blues in the background. The removal of the banquettes and introduction of movable tables should also add some flexibility when it comes to hosting events.

BUILDINGBERMUDA2023

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Green is also the colour of choice in the Pre-Function Area and Ballroom, where plants are tied in with the décor, including a leaf-patterned carpet, to add an air of relaxation to those formal occasions.

The Duplex Suite, meanwhile, is invigorated with splashes of white, green, and blue amid some displays of modern artwork. Although it doesn’t lose its sense of fanciness, the furniture comes with soft angles that lend themselves to a familyfriendly aura.

Up at the top of the building, the Gold Floor will add a touch of cheeriness to its regal tones without losing any of its ability to take your breath away.

Much lighter wood, plenty of white and the removal of heavy pink dramatically lifts the mood, while tables are closer together to make it easier for guests to socialise. A trip to the sixth floor may now seem less like a visit to the queen’s palace, and more of a chance to connect with your friends in a vibrant setting.

Miami-based Gencom, the managing partner of Westend Properties, bought the hotel in 2019, and has previously announced that almost half of the renovation investment would be spent upgrading the nearly 600 rooms.

Karim Alibhai, the founder, and principal of Gencom, told The Royal Gazette that $90 million would go

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towards improving rooms, with new bathrooms, flooring, furnishings, and balconies.

Mr. Alibhai said $30 million would go on public areas, including expanded meeting space; more than $25 million on

a beach club and surrounding amenities, including an additional pool; and $50 million on infrastructure.

Westend Properties has also revealed that a “reimagined” Beach Club will feature new indoor and outdoor event

BUILDINGBERMUDA2023

spaces, the Ocean Club will be converted into an events venue, and an outdoor events lawn will be constructed, adding 17,500 sq. ft. of event space to the existing 41,000 sq. ft.

The hotel, of course, has held a special place in Bermuda’s hearts since it opened under the name The Southampton Princess on August 17, 1972, as the brainchild of American shipping magnate Daniel Ludwig.

It was described in a Royal Gazette leader that day as “one of the world’s most attractive resorts – the epitome of all that is desired in an island of such character, distinction and tradition”.

The Gazette’s editor wrote: “It occupies a site from which such magnificent views can be obtained, and the building elevation is of such splendour that it commands attraction. The amenities it offers are such that probably nowhere in the world can they be bettered.

“In short, the Southampton Princess is of the very best. And that is what Bermuda must have. Nothing short of the best is good enough when it is a question of meeting the requirements of an industry which is our very lifeline.”

Fifty years on, the hotel can count BUILDINGBERMUDA2023

numerous global dignitaries, including royal family members, US presidents and British prime ministers, among its former guests.

Its name changed to Fairmont Southampton after being taken over by Canadian Pacific Hotels in 1998, but its importance within the island’s tourism industry is unwavering – boasting a

quarter of Bermuda’s total guest rooms and responsible for nearly a third of air arrivals to the island before its temporary closure.

Wedding parties, honeymooners, conference visitors, tourists keen for a luxurious break and residents will all be eagerly awaiting to enjoy the transformation.

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Boutique hotel community development Nautilus is a new resort for luxury-seeking vacationers who want to own

A

mong the many kinds of resorts worldwide, boutique hotel communities, made up of solely full-ownership condominiums, have proved popular in recent years. A home and a hotel in one, these residences appeal to those who seek a private, upscale 42

vacation home, with the perks and services of hotel living.

One of the newest of these in Bermuda is Nautilus in Warwick. Located on a two-acre plot of land directly west of Azura Bermuda, the Nautilus resort is an exclusive collection of oceanfront

residences. Its official Tourism Investment Order was confirmed by Bermuda Government in 2021, and development and construction launched soon after.

Greymane has been appointed official Project Manager for the build, with Will Irvine of Lighthouse Construction coordinating internally for the development group at Island Realty.

Nautilus residences provide owners and their guests a turn-key hotel residence with valuable flexibility in mind: to use as a second home base, and when desired, to have their residence professionally managed and rented to hotel guests for income.

Alex DeCouto, President of Greymane, said, “The Nautilus project represents another outstanding opportunity to continue our success with Island Realty in the development of premium hospitality BUILDINGBERMUDA2023

RESIDENTIAL & COMMERCIAL

Working together is

SUCCESS At Keen Ltd.

products in another stunning South Shore location. We’ve developed trust and understanding that has no doubt contributed to our historical success over the years. We are greatly looking forward to getting ‘stuck in’ on another project with them.”

The first development step at Nautilus was the transformation of the original Nautilus House, which sits on the hill at the heart of the property with sweeping views of the South Shore. The house has undergone a thoughtful renovation and contemporary expansion.

Nautilus House will ultimately become three hotel residences, all with full-time access to a small spa pool surrounded by a Zen garden. The renovation of the top floor of Nautilus House completed in May 2022 and is now a spectacular 3,000 sq. ft. 3-bedroom hotel residence.

BUILDINGBERMUDA2023

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At the house’s garden level are two ocean-view residences — a 750 sq. ft. studio and a 1,600 sq. ft. two-bedroom.

Like the residence on the floor above, these hotel residences seamlessly combine traditional Bermudian architecture with modern open plan living.

In addition, work has begun on an ambitious new oceanfront 19,000 sq. ft. building called Nautilus Beach Residences, which will nestle into the hillside below Nautilus House, directly overlooking the beach. The building contains 12 hotel residences, all of which are now under contract or reservation. This includes three 1-bedroom units, two 2-bedroom units and seven 3-bedroom units.

Natural to any oceanfront development on this part of the Island, a large part of the foundation work for the Nautilus resort has been the repair and stabilisation of the cliffs along the beach, and the expansion of the existing beach path down to the water’s edge. This has special significance at Nautilus because of its incorporation of a unique amenity — a new saltwater ocean pool at beach level.

John Bush, President of Island Realty,

was inspired by the iconic beach pools along the coast in Sydney, Australia, and thus developed a 25-yard lap pool, anchored by palm trees, and fed directly by the ocean.

Aside from being a thrilling amenity for the Nautilus resort, the ocean pool’s concrete foundations will provide excellent protection from cliff erosion.

Additional Nautilus hotel residences will be offered to the real estate market in the summer and autumn of 2022, including

BUILDING INSPIRATION TOGETHER Proud to be a part of the stunning Nautilus project currently under development on South Shore in Warwick.

greymane.bm / info@greymane.bm

44

BUILDINGBERMUDA2023

the popular 3-bedroom category, allowing owners spacious interiors and multiple lock-off combinations for personal usage and hotel income generation.

The Residences at Nautilus will have high-end amenities in addition to the Ocean Pool and Spa Pool, including fitness center access, and a new indoor restaurant, providing the resort with a year-round food and beverage service.

The final buildings at Nautilus, in addition to Nautilus House and Nautilus Beach Residences, are still in the design and planning process. It is envisioned that construction will complete by the end of 2024.

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45

Annette +MX^QEYVMGI

Building a career in facilities management &RRIXXI +MX^QEYVMGI XIPPW LS[ WLI FIGEQI E UYEPMǻIH JEGMPMXMIW QEREKIV

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hile working as an office manager, Annette Fitzmaurice says she found herself taking on more and more building management tasks. “The landlords where I previously worked owned five buildings, and the facilities manager couldn’t be in all five places at once, so in certain circumstances, I did find myself doing more tasks relating to the physical aspects of the office than perhaps I had originally been employed to do — I enjoyed it and I was happy to do it of course.”

The company Annette worked for then, has a culture of learning and development and Annette was encouraged to sign up for courses and better herself in any way she chose. “The firm was planning office renovations, so I tried a Project Management course. It was an online, self-paced course, and I found it difficult to dedicate myself to this style of learning.

46

I felt I needed more of a structure, and other people learning alongside me with whom I could interact, so there’s some accountability between us. I found out about the facilities management course at Bermuda College and felt that it would be a good fit for me.”

The facilities management course is developed by BOMI (Building Owners and Managers Institute) and offered through Bermuda College’s PACE division. (Professional and Career Education). It leads to a Facilities Management Administrator (FMA) designation, a designation that opens doors to a career managing any type of property — commercial buildings, condominium developments, sports grounds — as well as project management and construction management.

Annette explains that there are eight ‘modules’ to the course, each of which is

taught in one semester. “There is what I call a rolling admission. That may not be the official description, but it’s how I would describe it, because you can start the course at any time, and work your way through each of the eight modules, one semester at a time. I started in 2019, and we had a good number of live classes before Covid hit, and then we went to Zoom, and then back to live classes.”

Annette’s employers paid for her tuition; however, funding is available to those that qualify through the Government’s National Training Board.

“Everyone on the course had a full-time job” remarked Annette. “I not only had a full and a part-time job, I was on my daughter’s PTA, and heavily involved in other community activities. When I look back, I don’t know how I did it, but it does go to show that it’s possible to study BUILDINGBERMUDA2023

at Bermuda College even if your life is already very full.”

“The lecturer, Mr. Henry Ming, was just fantastic, a wonderful teacher,” Annette continues.

“He’s been in this role for many years and is very experienced. He seems to enjoy it, and that rubs off on the students. He wants everyone to succeed and do well in their careers in facilities management. One little story I’ll share. I was struggling to understand something technical about air conditioning. Mr. Ming arranged for us to go into the Bermuda College air conditioning room, and a fellow student also arranged a field trip to where he works to look at the air conditioning system in that building. The ‘hands on’, real world experience really helped me.”

Annette’s current role is VP Facilities at Sompo International. “We’re based in Waterloo House, on Pitts Bay Road. This is a fairly new building, about six years old. I love being here and I love my job.”

One of the unexpected benefits of completing the BOMI course at Bermuda College was, for Annette, the networking and contacts made among the students.

“If any of us have any questions, we can reach out to each other for advice and help. Someone might call me and ask if I know of a good plumber, and if there’s an issue I’m having a problem dealing with, there’s always someone within the facilities management community for me to call for their suggestions.”

Facilities management may seem like a male dominated field, but Annette says “I don’t know if my experience is Instructor Henry Ming

different to anyone else, but I have never felt any resentment or had any unpleasant experiences just because I’m a woman working in this field. Everyone I’ve worked with — contractors, plumbers, electricians, locksmiths — has been happy to help me, happy to explain things to me if there’s something very technical or new that I haven’t come across before. I don’t feel that being a woman, colleagues look down on me or question: what is she doing here in that position?”.

“Sometimes in meetings, the room

might be full of men, and I am the only female, but I have never felt that I don’t belong in that room. There were a couple of other women on the BOMI course with me, so I’m not the only one looking more widely at career fields that may have traditionally been dominated by men. I would definitely recommend this type of work, and the Bermuda College course to others — men and women. I didn’t think that I would end up working in facilities management, but I am enjoying it a lot.

No two days are ever alike.”

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BOMI Curriculum The Design, Operations and Maintenance of Building Systems, Part I The Design, Operations and Maintenance of Building Systems, Part II Fundamentals of Facilities Management Technologies for Facilities Management Facilities Planning and Project Management Real Estate Investment and Finance Environmental Health and Safety Ethics is Good Business

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BUILDINGBERMUDA2023

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T

he primary role of facilities management in dealing with Covid-19, indeed for facilities management in general, is to create a safe workplace.

On the surface (no pun intended) that means evaluating cleaning practices, workplace-specific sanitization, setting standards and putting programmes in place, including preventative maintenance, to ensure there is nowhere for the virus to linger.

But that’s just the basics. The pandemic has completely changed the way we work — from social distancing, to remote and hybrid working — and how we use and manage office spaces.

This has created a major shift in responsibilities for facilities managers.

Flexibility and adaptability have become more important than ever before.

Communication and cooperation with every department within the company is critical to ensure success in transitioning to the new work environment. Regular phone calls or meetings to develop close alignment with the heads or supervisors of departments help overcome challenges BASFM offers complete commercial & residential facilities management and cleaning services for all budgets. We offer various packages which include everything from complete facilities management to ad hoc hourly services.

19 Bakery Lane info@basfm.bm (441) 279-2050

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Internal and external building cleaning Garbage removal Ordering and supply of all cleaning materials Deep cleaning Additional deep cleaning and support for international standards Covid-19 touchpoint cleaning

Preventative maintenance planning Asset Management and asset life cycle planning

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Changing tides for facilities managers Facilities managers are becoming critical leaders in the postpandemic era of new workspace concepts and ensure progress and success in working towards the ‘new normal’.

Over and above the short-term cleaning and sanitizing of the building, facilities managers are focusing on more long-term, sustainable solutions for creating a healthy building.

Improving indoor air quality (IAQ) and indoor environmental quality (IEQ) are areas facilities managers are tackling, and an understanding of the technologies that create and preserve these are essential.

The first step is often an analysis of the current state of the building and its assets, including HVAC and other systems, for energy efficiency and cleanliness. Finding ways to improve these assets costeffectively and sustainably is the challenge.

Can the building be retrofitted, can more air purifiers be added to the existing system, and are there new technologies and other solutions that can be explored?

Another developing area facilities managers are coming to understand, is the holistic nature of the workplace — and here they can play a pivotal role.

Some are working with architects and interior designers to incorporate IEQ improvements for comfort, and looking at the use of space, technologies and furniture that will optimise workplace productivity, staff engagement and

retention, and create better business outcomes for the company. There is also the cost of the real estate – are there efficient ways to reduce the square footage through remote working models?

As we emerge from the emergency actions required to deal with the pandemic, more emphasis is being put back on sustainability. Facilities managers are at the forefront of this effort, refocusing on recycling practices for lights, refrigerants, trash and other areas, such as using greenfocused contractors as preferred suppliers.

Energy efficiency is becoming more and more important and the use of renewables in Bermuda is growing significantly.

Installing solar panels is something most, if not every, building owner must surely be considering.

The attitude of management and staff plays a crucial role in achieving an ecofriendly building, and effective facilities managers not only introduce green initiatives, but champion and encourage the implementation, and celebrate with all of the staff whenever eco-friendly goals are achieved.

Today’s facilities managers do a lot more than create safe, comfortable environments in which to work. They save resources and costs, help increase productivity, and contribute their part to saving the planet.

BUILDINGBERMUDA2023

Creating Lasting Impressions Through Cleaning The pandemic has elevated the importance of cleaning and cleaners

I

t’s sometimes hard to remember what life was like before March 2020. Pre-lockdowns there were no masks, Zoom meetings were a rarity, the receptionist was not behind Plexiglass, no one in the office took your temperature, and we didn’t think twice about who cleaned our office.

Did we ever question whether our desk had been sanitized or who cleaned our office?

There is now a higher awareness of the importance of disinfecting and cleaning, and because of it, a greater appreciation of the wonderful folks who carry out that essential service. What for some, might have been an inconvenience if a cleaner was mopping a floor, is now a welcome sight.

Out of sight, out of mind Pre-pandemic, cleaners were asked to work behind the scenes, after everyone had left the office or on weekends. These days, it’s reassuring to see professional cleaners at work — and some facilities managers even request daytime cleaning. It provides peace of mind to customers and staff to know that efforts are being made to ensure there are no viruses lingering on surfaces within the building. It shows the employer cares, and helps the employees feel safe.

A recent study by the Cleaning Coalition of America (CCA), showed that nearly half of the 1,600 survey participants, 43%, are still worried about returning to the office.

The vast majority of respondents, 89.9%, believe workplace cleaning protocols are very or somewhat important When asked to rank their greatest impediment to returning to the office, 35% pointed to Covid infection rates and vaccination rates second, 17.4%.

While cleaning practices weren’t a major priority for employees pre-Covid, 66% of office workers say they find it extremely important now. For 62% of employees, simply seeing sanitation professionals regularly at their workplace made them feel safer.

Worryingly for employers, 39% say improper cleaning at their workplace might lead them to change jobs.

BUILDINGBERMUDA2023

Cleaning for health There have been added benefits to the increased focus on cleaning due to Covid-19. More regular and improved cleaning efforts have also prevented other illnesses and lowered the risk for staff who suffer from asthma and allergies, by reducing other environmental hazards, such as dust, in the workplace.

The risk of infection from surfaces may be relatively low, but it does still exist. And offices, shops, and other buildings benefit

from the regular wipe-down of telephones, elevators buttons, doorknobs, handrails, and cleaning and sanitizing of bathrooms.

Professional commercial cleaning companies can advise their customers on the most efficient schedule to meet their unique needs while staying within their budgets.

It’s a reality that upgrading cleaning can be cost-prohibitive for some organisations.

The good news is that outsourcing is a proven method and there are several professional cleaning companies on the island that can provide highly experienced cleaning for a fraction of the price of maintaining a similar service in-house — Atlantic Cleaning and Maintenance, Bermuda Elite Cleaners and Marshall’s Maintenance being among the finest.

Building owners and employers should never skimp on cleaning services. It’s hard to put a price on the value of retaining employees and customers and helping them feel safe.

Cleaning and cleaners have never been more important. It’s time to celebrate them.

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How clean is your building?

Now, more than ever, it’s important to not let your maintenance priorities slip.

C

OVID-19 has made the need for commercial cleaning services more urgent than ever. But some may be thinking, what is the point of investing in good commercial cleaning when there are so few people around to appreciate it?

If you want a space that is safe, clean and inviting, you need commercial cleaning. Plus, with less staff on hand, it’s likely that you simply don’t have the manpower needed to accomplish this task to a good professional standard.

Here’s why commercial cleaning is so important, especially now.

Commercial Cleaning Can Help Against Viral Infections For an organisation to maintain its competitive edge, it needs proper policies, procedures and most importantly, preparation to handle the various tasks that will be expected of any high-powered company.

Of course, this is something you were aware of even before the pandemic turned our world upside down. COVID-19 continues to keep us on our toes with constant changes in procedure and lockdown protocol. Still, it makes it more

50

critical than ever that you do all you can to stay in business and a healthy building — as in one with the right procedures is a high priority for businesses that want to keep running at levels as close to normal as possible.

Commercial Cleaning Follows Health & Safety Protocols Opening back up after lockdowns requires a lot of planning and consideration, and you have probably already implemented a variety of new procedures. But if you want to entice both customers and employees out of their safe home cocoons, then you need to do something to make your company stand out as polished and ready.

The major concern for businesses right now is meeting health and safety standards so that you can operate without risk. It’s hard to keep up with all the new requirements and ensure everything is perfect but luckily, this isn’t something you have to struggle with alone.

Good commercial cleaners have been keeping up with all the practices and protocols required for business, particularly in the area of cleaning and disinfection. Besides, it’s not practical

to expect all your employees to know precisely what new safety standards they need to meet and expect them to become cleaners on top of the jobs they already do as normal full-time workers.

Commercial Cleaning Provides Complete Disinfection of your Workplace Basically, COVID-19 or not, you have a business that needs to operate. And to do that you need companies you can trust to handle the cleaning and safety requirements without distracting attention from your business. Sure, your employees can follow basic protocols like washing their hands and doing simple sanitizing of communal areas, but only commercial cleaners can provide the detailed and complete disinfection of your workspace which is needed.

That’s not even to touch on the unfortunate circumstance where an employee of yours becomes infected.

If that happens, it’s more critical than ever to deep clean the area so that you can get back to normal business as fast as possible, rather than being forced to remain closed, hemorrhaging money.

And that’s where reliable professional BUILDINGBERMUDA2023

stairway bannisters and door handles.

You want to make sure that there’s comprehensive deep cleaning available, targeting the most obvious areas, but also hitting locations where bacteria can settle and spread, such as window ledges, around radiators or most critically, below desks and other sitting areas.

Closing Thoughts It’s easy to forget how important commercial cleaning is but hopefully this article has helped explain why it’s essential. When you have a good commercial cleaning company keeping your workplace safe from COVID-19, you can focus on the core business tasks that’ll make your business boom.

Just make sure when you’re selecting a cleaner that they have all the stringent procedures necessary and that they have a reliable team you can count on at any given moment.

To learn more about the importance of high quality commercial cleaning, call Atlantic Cleaning & Maintenance Ltd. (441) 236-4051.

Email info@atlanticcleaning.bm . cleaning services can come in.

Companies like ours, Atlantic Cleaning & Maintenance Ltd., can provide the services you need to remain focused on your job, to keep your company up and running, clean and safe. Most importantly, we do it quickly and effectively, meaning this is one item you can immediately check off your list of concerns.

What You Should Look For Techniques are one area that you want to focus on. Look for companies that offer services like electrostatic disinfection, where a positively charged disinfectant Atlantic Cleaning and Maintenance Ltd is an exceptional full service janitorial is sprayed throughout the room company, offering a wide range of nce Ltd. is an exceptional enveloping hard surfaces for the most professional commercial and residential thorough coverage. This technique can be services:

. Commercial & Residential Cleaning completed as a preventative measure or dential services. . Office Cleaning to disinfect a COVID-19 contaminated . Post Construction Cleaning area. , Comprehensive Floor Care ter Damage . Carpet Steam Cleaning Another thing is to check their traction . Mold Treatment company procedures. The first thing .Services Window Cleaning should be a risk assessment of the whole ry. & Drapery Fire & Water Damage . Water Extraction building before even beginning to identify ve & Marine . Custodial Services specific areas that need attention and care. Washing . Upholstery & Drapery 441-236-4051 | 441-333-4050 vices Next, they should provide regular touch. Automotive & Marine info@atlanticcleaning.bm | www.AtlanticCleaning.bm . Pressure Washing point cleaning of commonly frequented . Maid Services areas like telephones, light switches, BUILDINGBERMUDA2023

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Committed to a sustainable path As one of the world’s largest multiline property and casualty insurers, Chubb has a responsibility to control our ecological footprint in the communities in which we work and live. By introducing numerous environmental initiatives, we strive to reduce our impact on the local environment and are committed to promoting a healthy and sustainable planet.

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The Chubb Building in Bermuda is LEED Gold® and is using the LEED Dynamic Plaque™ to manage its building performance. The LEED Dynamic Plaque measures and displays current building performance data spanning energy, water, waste, transportation and human experience. Learn more at LEEDon.io.

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