Issuu

APRIL/MAY 2021

RETROFIT

INCENTIVES

VISIONS OF THE NORTH

VISIBLE VAULT ILLUMINATES WINNIPEG ART GALLERY’S NEW INUIT ART CENTRE

AHEAD OF THE CURVE

LEADERSHIP ADVICE FROM THE FIELD

DE-TOXIFY YOUR FACILITY

PA R T O F T H E

P A R T

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O F

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MAINTAINING YOUR BUILDING’S FIRE ALARM SYSTEM MADE EASY WITH ECAO REGISTERED FIRE ALARM CONTRACTORS What Building Owners, Property Owners and Managers need to know There are a lot of fire regulations and practices for which building owners and property managers are responsible. Everyone knows that fires are costly for building owners and property managers. The Electrical Contractors Association of Ontario (ECAO) hopes it can help support property owners and managers by ensuring buildings have properly installed and maintained fire alarm systems. Electrical Contractors with the ECAO are your one stop service professionals for all your skilled electrical work and fire alarm needs. Our members have years of recognized experience & extensive training in all aspects of electrical construction work including: • Commercial • Industrial • Residential • Communications • Fire Alarm specializing in Installation, Testing, Verification & Repairs

Electrical Contractors Association of Ontario 10 Carlson Court, 7th Floor, Suite 702 Toronto, Ontario M9W 6L2 www.ecao.org ecao@ecao.org

BE PART OF

CANADA’S LEADING CONFERENCE

for Building Owners and Property, Facility and Operations Managers

To be held virtually on June 16, 2021

SHOW ’21

THEME: Facing The Future TOGETHER

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PHOTO BY LINDSAY REID.

[ contents ]

19 ON THE COVER: Qilak is the expansive main gallery at Qaumajuq. Located on the building’s third level, it provides 8,000 square feet of open, flexible exhibition space dedicated to the display of Inuit art.

20 RETROFIT FUNDS TARGET COMMUNITY BUILDINGS New federal programs promise opportunities to improve energy performance and lower greenhouse gas emissions.

24 A BRIDGE TO THE NORTH Winnipeg Art Gallery reimagines traditional museum model at its brand new centre for Inuit art.

30 SCORING ZERO CARBON GOALS AMPED Sports Lab and Ice Complex in Ottawa journeys to zero carbon.

32 MATERIALS MATTER What toxic chemicals are lurking in our buildings and what to do about them.

42 BRIGHT IDEAS New LEDs come in all sizes for function and flair.

columns 8 12 16 38 46

FM ERGONOMICS MANAGEMENT MEMO FM LEGAL FM LIGHTING LAST WORD

department 6 OBSERVATIONS 7 FOUNDATIONS

[ observations ] EQUITY OF HYBRID WORK

here’s been plenty of information on the hybrid workplace over the past year. A long list of surveys has made its way through media outlets and back again. One of the latest, from WeWork and Workplace Intelligence, an HR research and advisory firm, found 64 per cent of employees would personally pay to access office space of their choice. Outside the company HQ and home, employees want to spend 34 per cent of their time at satellite offices, co-working/flexible shared spaces or public “third spaces” like libraries and cafes. Workers who can afford to pay for non-traditional office space, or who simply have more choices at their fingertips, brings into question the topic of workplace equity in post-COVID times. It’s an issue already simmering as more leaders embrace the hybrid model. During a seminar at IFMA’s Facility Fusion in April, one attendee anonymously expressed the growing animosity from boots-on-theground maintenance teams towards work-from-home teams at one particular organization. Cheryl Duvall, regional consulting practice area leader at Gensler, said it’s a topic not unique to space-dependent jobs; rather, it can occur across departments and divisions, hinging on management oversight. Her advice? Have open conversations, be transparent, encourage people to talk and devise their own resolutions to make the workplace more equitable so all team members feel valued. In the case of disgruntled employees, make sure it’s on the radar of human resources who should be thinking about attracting and retaining. “This will definitely impact your workforce in many ways,” she said. Healthy workplaces are at the forefront of post-COVID-19 discussions, as pressure intensifies to support physical, social and emotional well-being within the built environment. In this, our sustainability and innovation issue, one researcher gives the low-down on all the unhealthy chemicals seeping through our facilities. We also bring forth a crop of articles on retrofitting as Canada sharpens its carbon reduction targets. Plus, our round-up of new products looks at the latest in LEDs for our lighting focus. Gracing the cover this month is Qaumajuq, the new centre for Inuit art at the Winnipeg Art Gallery. On page 25, you can read more about this museum that opened in March after 10 years in the making, guided closely by Inuit artists and Indigenous advisors as an act of reconciliation. When we can finally gather indoors, there will be beautiful museums to visit such as this. REBECCA MELNYK EDITOR, CANADIAN FACILITY MANAGEMENT & DESIGN REBECCAM@MEDIAEDGE.CA

APRIL/MAY 2021 Volume 36, Issue No.1

EDITOR: Rebecca Melnyk rebeccam@mediaedge.ca SENIOR DESIGNER: Annette Carlucci annettec@mediaedge.ca GRAPHIC DESIGNER: Thuy Huynh roxyh@mediaedge.ca WEB DESIGNER: Rick Evangelista ricke@mediaedge.ca PRODUCTION MANAGER: Rachel Selbie rachels@mediaedge.ca CONTRIBUTORS: Jessyca Greenwood, Linda Miller, Thomas Mueller, Kevin Spencer, Robert Sonneman, Rebecca Stamm CIRCULATION: Rob Osiecki circulation@mediaedge.ca (416) 512-8186 ext. 234 PRESIDENT: Kevin Brown kevinb@mediaedge.ca GROUP PUBLISHER: Sean Foley seanf@mediaedge.ca DIRECTOR OF DIGITAL MEDIA: Steven Chester stevenc@mediaedge.ca

Canadian Facility Management & Design (CFM&D) magazine is published five times a year by MediaEdge Communications Inc., 2001 Sheppard Avenue East, Suite 500 | Toronto, Ontario M2J 4Z8 Tel (416) 512-8186; Fax 416-512-8344 email: circulation@mediaedge.ca SUBSCRIPTIONS Canada 1 yr $50* 2 yr $90* USA 1 yr $75* 2 yr $140* Int 1 yr $100* 2 yr $180* Single Copy Sales Canada $15* * Plus applicable taxes. Authors: CFM&D magazine accepts unsolicited query letters and article suggestions. Manufacturers: Those wishing to have their products reviewed should contact the publisher or send information to the attention of the editor. Sworn Statement of Circulation: Available from the publisher upon written request. Although Canadian Facility Management & Design makes every effort to ensure the accuracy of the information published, we cannot be held liable for any errors or omissions, however caused. Printed in Canada. Copyright 2021 Canada Post Canadian Publications Mail Sales Product Agreement no. 40063056 ISSN 1193-7505 Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: MediaEdge Communications Inc., 2001 Sheppard Avenue East, Suite 500, Toronto, Ontario M2J 4Z8

[ foundations ] FEDERAL BUDGET 2021 BY THE NUMBERS

$154.6 MILLION

$100 MILLION

$28.7 MILLION

$70

MILLION

$15

MILLION

The amount designated for correctional facilities during 2021 to 2022 to limit the spread of COVID-19 and keep staff and inmates safe. This includes the procurement of PPE, better cleaning protocols, and support for increased use of IT for remote work.

This amount injected into Canada’s Enabling Accessibility Fund will significantly amplify funding for accessibility upgrades. Also promised: an extra $50 million in each of the next two fiscal years, to be added to the annual budget of $20.65 million allocated in the 2017-18 budget.

The amount allocated over five years, starting this year and $5.8 million ongoing, for the Parks Canada Agency to implement new legislation for a transparent designation framework as well as the sustainable protection of more than 300 federally-owned historic places.

The amount earmarked for supporting music venues and musicians over three years. This includes up to $50 million in 2021 to 2022 to help live music venues weather the pandemic.

The amount allocated over the next year to help arts and heritage institutions upgrade their facilities to meet public health guidelines.

HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS CONTEMPLATE PLASTIC WASTE Toronto’s University Health Network (UHN) and health care facilities in British Columbia’s lower mainland are piloting an effort to curb the volume of personal protective equipment (PPE) and medical singleuse plastics (mSUP) discarded to landfill. The initiative, sponsored by the Canadian Coalition for Green Health Care, is one of five projects recently receiving federal funding to advance approaches to reduce plastic waste and recapture it for new purposes. “Ultimately, we hope to demonstrate that applying a circular economy lens to purchasing decisions in hospitals can both save money and our planet,” explains Neil Ritchie, executive director of the Green Health Care Coalition. To do so, project partners and advisors will explore options to reduce, reuse and recycle PPE and mSUP before disposal. They will study the feasibility of, and develop protocol for, reclaiming various materials that have previously been viewed as single-use items. That also involves working with waste services providers to identify required processing capacity at recycling facilities, as well as required collection and storage procedures within health care facilities, and measures for safe handling at all points of the circular journey. “We will conduct important first-person research that can inform the sector on best practices for PPE waste management. It will also help develop operational expertise among the various stakeholders engaged in the acquisition, use/re-use, recycling and disposal of PPEs and selected mSUPs,” Ritchie affirms.

PLACES The first fully-mobile shared office space for B.C. Public Service employees opened in Langford. The new Westhills ShareSpace, designed by Western Interior Design Group, is a flexible co-working office that provides government employees with alternative workplace options. The new British High Commission in Ottawa aims to be the greenest building in the U.K. diplomatic network. Designed by HOK, it will capture passive solar heat, reduce water usage by 40 per cent, and incorporate locally sourced recycled construction materials. Hines is partnering with Reliance Properties to build the first Vancouver office tower designed in response to COVID-19. The 32-storey building will incorporate new health, safety, and wellness initiatives into the architecture. Stantec, Populous and S2 Architecture broke ground on the $500-million BMO Centre expansion in Calgary’s developing Culture + Entertainment District. When it opens in 2024, it will be the largest convention facility in western Canada. - Full stories available on the REMI Network April/May 2021 CFM&D 7

[ fm ergonomics ] BY LINDA MILLER

RETURNING TO THE OFFICE The growing supply of COVID-19 vaccines has generated much excitement over the past couple of months, especially because it might mean getting back to normal. But when that happens, will everyone go back to the office?

• Keeping employees permanently working from home • Returning full-time to the office, and; • Developing a hybrid model— working part-time at the office and part-time at home. Each of these approaches has their own opportunities and challenges. In this article, we are going to focus on the last one. THE HYBRID MODEL

n the last year, with millions of office workers transitioning to work remotely at home, many workstation set-ups and work environments have been less than optimal, resulting in the awkward postures and the development of poor health habits.[1] Poor postures, lack of movement, and long workdays have also led to individuals experiencing new discomforts and injuries or aggravating pre-existing ones.[2] Early surveys and assessments conducted by ergonomists anecdotally suggest there are higher numbers of

workers reporting low back, upper back and neck, shoulder, and wrist discomfort due to poor workstation set-ups and lack of movement.[3] Additionally, a significant number of employees are reporting severe eye strain and headaches, likely a function of hours spent on the computer viewing at fixed distances and minimal breaks away from the computer.[4] Many have speculated that there will be a variety of approaches when retur ning to nor mal. For office workers, employers are considering: [5,6,7]

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For those encouraging a hybrid model, employers will likely have workspaces that are shared rather than dedicated to one worker. To support this model, shared workstations will need to be adaptable to the varying needs of multiple employees.Variances in size and stature and differences in how tasks are carried out must all be considered when setting up a hybrid work model. To meet the diverse needs of workers, the employer will likely have to provide a height-adjustable workstation, adjustable monitor supports and an adjustable chair. For employees transitioning daily between different workstations, management may want to standardize equipment so employees can easily learn how to adjust equipment and not have to relearn each workstation type. Standardization of chairs may be somewhat difficult, especially if you have smaller or larger persons sharing the same workstation. However, most chair models today come in a range of sizes to help minimize the need to learn a variety of lever adjustments. Keep education and training simple, make it interactive, and provide it through multiple mediums, such as short lunch and learns, online learning, and review of key equipment adjustments (short videos or pamphlets). Returning

to the office for many will be exciting, but could still be very overwhelming for a multitude of reasons. Regardless, if an employer is moving to a hybrid model or returning full-time to the office, it will be important to revisit ergonomics education and training on how to adjust workstations, chairs, and monitors. In many cases, individuals who have adapted to poor equipment setup at home will need to be educated on proper positioning of the monitor (height and distance) especially if they have worked off a laptop. If the staff member has sat at a dining room table with a dining room chair, they have likely developed very poor postures and may have forgotten what good posture is and looks like. Reviewing key ergonomic principles and educating staff on equipment adjustment and workstation setup can go a long way in helping staff regain good working postures. Education should also include the importance of incorporating regular movement and postural change— two principles that have likely been overlooked since transitioning to home. Recently, the Conference Board of Canada suggested that many employees were working longer hours with fewer breaks resulting in long periods spent in a seated posture. Reinforcing the importance of movement breaks and incorporating reminders to get up and move may need to be considered since individuals could have developed habits of not getting up on a regular basis, eating lunch at their desk, or even being afraid of moving from their workstation to common areas. If the employer has provided a sit-stand workstation, consider education on proper sitting and standing posture. Encourage individuals to slowly start developing a tolerance for standing, especially if they have been primarily sitting at home. Finally, educate employees on the importance of rotating between sitting, standing, and moving every hour. | CFM&D References 1. https://www.inc.com/sophie-downes/remote-work-homeergonomics-stress-back-pain-health.html 2. https://www.ctvnews.ca/health/working-from-home-causingan-increase-in-foot-pain-injuries-experts-say-1.5271135 3. https://www.hrreporter.com/focus-areas/culture-andengagement/ergonomics-challenge-many-remote-workerssurvey/332022 4. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/protect-your-eyesfrom-strain-1.5776459 5. https://globalworkplaceanalytics.com/how-many-people-could-

complete. trusted. solutions.

work-from-home 6. https://usefyi.com/future-of-remote-work/ 7. https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/future-of-work/ whats-next-for-remote-work-an-analysis-of-2000-tasks-800jobs-and-nine-countries Linda Miller, OT (c), OTD, CCPE, is president and certified ergonomist for EWI Works International Inc., Clinical Associate Professor, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Department of Preventive Medicine, University of Alberta. Linda also

You can play a pivotal role in helping keep your facilities safe by implementing a comprehensive facility cleaning program. SC Johnson Professional has a range of products you can trust to help you clean and sanitize workspaces.

recently became a part of WELL’s global concept advisory on movement. She can be reached at lmiller@ewiworks.com.

April/May 2021 CFM&D 9

SPONSORED CONTENT

Black & McDonald is one of Canada’s leading integrated multi-trade construction and facility service providers.

A CENTURY OF SUCCESS Celebrating Black & McDonald’s 100-Year Legacy

rom its origin in 1921 as a Toronto-based electrical contractor, Black & McDonald has evolved into a multi-trade service provider with 30+ offices operating throughout North America. Built on the founding principles to “Do Things Right” and “Deliver Lasting Value,” the familyowned company now completes over $1.5 billion in sales per year and employs more than 5,000 people from coast to coast. Reaching the 100-year mark is a great achievement for any business, and for Black & McDonald, it is a testament to the people, partnerships and meaningful moments that continue to shape its legacy — one that began as a two-man operation in 1921 when founding partners William R. Black and William J. McDonald launched their electrical wiring service. “So many people have contributed to make this achievement possible,” said Ian McDonald, Co-President & CEO. “For the past 100 years, the support from our employee group, our client base, our suppliers, and the communities in which we operate, has been incredible. We are very appreciative of this support and we will strive to continue to be worthy of it going forward.” Rapid growth through the decades For two decades, World War I veterans William R. Black and William J. (W.J.) McDonald enjoyed success together as electrical contractors serving small businesses and households in the Toronto area. When Black passed away

in 1946, W.J. took over sole proprietorship and was later joined by his sons, John and Bill, in the 1950s. By the early 70s, Black & McDonald had grown out of its humble roots into a national network of Canadian offices offering a range of services that included electrical and mechanical contracting, sheet metal fabrication, HVAC and refrigeration maintenance and repair, and utility contracting. This expansion continued through the 80s with the addition of design engineering and facility management and operations capabilities. By the mid90s, Black & McDonald had entered the U.S. market with utility construction and asset management services. Today, the multi-trade company fulfils all building lifecycle needs and holds facility management contracts for multiple operations, including hospitals, museums, airports, industrial plants, office complexes and military bases. Led by third generation family members Ian and Bruce McDonald, it continues to adhere to the same core values that steered it so successfully in the beginning: to provide a quality service at a fair price and to treat people respectfully. Looking ahead, Black & McDonald envisions a continued path of planned growth and profitability guided by a promise to put customer satisfaction and quality first; to remain true to its longstanding code of business while honouring a commitment to health, safety and environmental responsibility into the next century and beyond.

SPONSORED CONTENT

100 YEARS OF MILESTONES 1921: W.R. Black and W.J. McDonald form partnership in Toronto. 1946: W.J. McDonald acquires 100% ownership in Black & McDonald. 1950: Black & McDonald enters the ventilation and A/C markets. 1955: Corporate headquarters opens at 101 Parliament St. in Toronto. 1955: Quebec office opens. 1957: H.J. and W.L. McDonald assume leadership. 1958: Black & McDonald enters the plumbing and heating markets. 1971: Our Founder W.J. McDonald.

Success driven by adaptability, innovation and staying true to its founding principles Black & McDonald has experienced continued change in its 100-year history, surviving the Great Depression, WWII, several recessions, and now a pandemic. The ability to adapt quickly, develop new services effectively, and remain on the cusp of new technology has been central to its success. Today, Black & McDonald proudly offers multiple products and services in the following core areas: • Electrical and Mechanical construction services – Black & McDonald provides turnkey solutions for a wide range of applications including commercial buildings, institutional facilities, airports, mission critical data centres, hospitals, pharmaceutical, transit & transportation, water & wastewater treatment, oil & gas, mining, manufacturing, utilities, power generation and renewable energy across North America. • Utility Construction – Serving both private and public sector clients, Black & McDonald has extensive experience in substation design, construction, retrofit, repair and maintenance, including testing and commissioning. We provide construction services for overhead and underground transmission systems, fibre optic cabling, construction of stations, municipal installations, and their related civil construction. • Facility Services – Black & McDonald has extensive experience in operating and maintaining a diverse portfolio of facilities across both the public and private sectors. B&M’s experience covers a varied cross-section of facility types, including commercial offices, healthcare environments, major transportation hubs and airports, cultural facilities, life sciences laboratories, municipal government properties, educational institutions, data centres, utilities infrastructure, and major manufacturing and distribution plants.

Atlantic region business activity begins.

1973: B&M enters the utility market. 1973: Operations begin in Western Canada. 1977: Vancouver and Dartmouth offices open, establishing coast to coast presence. 1984: B&M secures its first Facilities Management contract at Commerce Court in Toronto. 1990: Offshore energy business begins operations in Atlantic Canada. 1997: Ian and Bruce McDonald assume leadership. 1997: B&M begins operations in Kansas City, U.S. 2008: B&M begins first public-private partnership project at the Kelowna Vernon Hospitals in B.C. 2013: Women’s College Hospital redevelopment begins; B&M awarded 30-year FMO contract. 2019: B&M awarded major public-private partnership (P3) contract in Ottawa as part of the Innovate Energy Consortium under the Government of Canada’s Energy Services Acquisition Program (ESAP). 2021: B&M celebrates 100 years of excellence.

For more information on how Black & McDonald can serve you, please visit: www.blackandmcdonald.com.

[ management memo ] BY REBECCA MELNYK

AHEAD OF THE CURVE FM leaders share career-boosting advice

Cheryl Carron, president of integrated facilities management, North America, Sodexo, has this advice for women professionals looking to build their careers: Have confidence. Take risks. Bet on yourself.

uch is a philosophy that has moved her forward in the complex field of facilities management. “You don’t need to be 90 per cent qualified for a role before you embark on it,” she said. “You need to have faith in

yourself—that you can figure out how to figure it out.” She was speaking at the session, Women in FM: A Panel Discussion, which took place at IFMA’s virtual World Workplace 2020 Conference in December. Industry members revealed obstacles they overcame to

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attain their higher-level positions, how future leaders can follow suit, and what trends to take note of. Looking back over the pandemic, as people were exposed to unexpected situations, Carron pointed to the resilience and intelligence that has prevailed. “You need to use that same train of thought as you go looking into other roles in FM,” she advised. “Too often, I see women who say, ‘I don’t think I have what it takes, or enough experience.’ You have everything you need to shoot for the moon. I’m looking for my

replacement. . . get there because we need you in this field.” GET TRAINING TO ELIMINATE SELFDOUBT

With a background working in corporate real estate, a lack of engineering acumen left Carron unsure of how “relevant” she would be to whom she managed. Self-doubt ceased once she immersed herself in learning what made buildings tick. “I remember when I watched my first boiler get installed. . . spending a lot of time with technicians and listening to them, understanding what their day is like. . . and being like a sponge with people I felt knew more than I did. Really, I learned a lot over time.” Her financi a l k n ow - h ow — understanding how to run a FM bu s i n e s s — s k y ro c ke t e d a f t e r entering the field, with help from additional classes and studying commercial finance. “Part of being in outsourcing is you really need to understand money and how you can help your client understand challenges with their own fiscal budgets,” she noted. “So, really understanding the ins and outs of the commercial side of things was an obstacle early on. I made sure that I was going to get all the training I needed.” With a background in hotel management, Tiffany Williams, district manager, campus services, Sodexo, felt her biggest challenge was her “learning journey,” and having confidence in technical knowledge. She suggests finding peers or mentors to job-shadow— watching someone power down a boiler, for instance,— grabbing as many training opportunities as possible, and not being shy about asking questions. “The greatest achievement is having that field credibility with my team who are all technicians and hard FM people,” she added. “When they are impressed that is the biggest boost.”

“You don’t need to be 90 per cent qualified for a role before you embark on it.You need to have faith in yourself—that you can figure out how to figure it out.”

WOMEN BEAR BRUNT OF 2020 REAL ESTATE JOB LOSS Women suffered more than 89 per cent of job losses recorded in Ontario’s real estate, rental and leasing sector last year. Labour force data released in February from the provincial Financial Accountability Office (FAO) shows that COVID-19 delivered a relatively glancing blow to men in real estate roles, who accounted for less than 0.5 per cent of the 355,300 jobs Ontario shed in 2020. In comparison, women were jettisoned from 14,300 of the roughly 16,000 positions the real estate sector trimmed, making up more than 4 per cent of the province’s newly unemployed. That’s generally in keeping with reported trends across the entire labour force. Women absorbed 57 per cent of the layoffs in Ontario, translating to a 5.8 per cent drop from pre-pandemic employment levels, while men experienced a 3.9 per cent decline in employment. The pace of recovery has also been slower for women. That’s most noticeable in the 15-to-24 age cohort, in which women were still 13.2 per cent below February 2020 employment

levels at the end of year, while their male contemporaries were 2.2 per cent shy of the pre-pandemic count. Meanwhile, 49 per cent more women than men in the 25-to-54 age cohort — 104,900 versus 70,200 — simply exited the labour force last year. “In particular, core-age (25-54) working mothers with children under the age of 18 faced greater labour market attachment challenges compared to fathers,” the FAO report states. “Nearly one-fifth of core-age mothers with children under the age of 18 were absent from work, more than twice the share of absence among fathers (9.1 per cent).” Real estate is one of three sectors the FAO report highlights for the disproportionate gender split of layoffs. The others are: Information, Culture and Recreation, in which 27,800 women lost jobs, while 3,000 men were newly employed; and Services other than Public Administration, in which 16,400 women lost jobs and 2,700 additional men were hired. - Full story available on the REMI Network

April/May 2021 CFM&D 13

Before diving into a lear ning program, people should determine what FM sectors are most personally captivating, suggests Jeanie Choi-Kang, senior director of project management services, Sodexo. “Narrow down to areas you are interested in and then connect with people,” she said. “Being able to have those meaningful conversations is where you get the most information.”

complete. trusted. solutions.

KNOW SUBJECT MATTER. BE SUCCINCT.

In an industry that requires cr itical thinking and quickly simplifying complex information, Choi-Kang is constantly reminding people about effective and meaningful communications. To improve executive performance, up-and-coming managers are advised to know their subject matter. “Whenever you’re in front of the decision maker have the compelling story available with data to make your point,” said Williams. “Really talk about what the impact of the decision will be so you are known as the person who has the answers. . . and be confident because you’ll be seen as the go-to person. Always have your knowledge, info and data available.” Carron mused over her own experiences sitting in the “decision-maker” chair, where she is often faced with people who are unprepared to ask for what they want. “Be succinct. I recommend everyone go out and take a communications course because it will help you in everything you do,” she said. “Having effective written and verbal skills in FM are critical, especially when you’re sitting in front of anyone on an executive team. Understand their time is very precious so have your messaging mapped out. Practice if you have to.” CREATE HONEST DIALOGUE

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Facility management is also about managing people. A team member’s reluctance to collaborate may call f o r “ o n e - o n - o n e, c a s u a l , o u t s i d e - t h e - o f f i c e conversations,” to deter mine where resistance is coming from. “Once you find that core reason you will know the next steps for action,” said Choi-Kan. Finding common ground is important. If people don’t understand a vision, they may feel isolated from the process,” added Carron. She suggested showing people “what is in it for them,” but having a stopping point. “At the end of the day, if you’ve been as dynamic as you possibly can, you have to have that tough one-on-one that says, you need to get onboard and if you’re not getting onboard then maybe this is not the environment for you,” she said. “That’s always a tough conversation for any leader to have, but it’s something you need to recognize.” Leaders also know how to foster opportunities for communicating. “As you are building your team, work to create an environment and culture where you can have honest dialogue so people feel comfortable expressing how they feel about a direction,” said Williams.

Allowing people to disagree, but somehow all “get onboard,” is key. “You have to allow for that exchange,” she added. “If you can create that culture you’ll be able to move forward with your vision with a lot less resistance.”

“FM is going to be brought into conversations that we’ve always been on the periphery of discussing.”

COVID-19 TRIGGERS TRENDS

How will the world of facilities management shift post COVID-19? An industry known to centre around problem solving will focus on the human experience, the attraction and retention of employees, and the trust and culture built within a company. “FM is going to be brought into conversations that we’ve always been on the per iphery of discussing because what we do fundamentally provides the backdrop for the human experience,” said Carron. “It’s how do I feel when I walk into a building? Do I feel like it’s clean? Do I feel like it provides me with what I need? Is there a reason for me to

truly be here and productive versus being at home where I am safe? The way our industry is already pivoting is in that direction.” Once the pandemic is over, Williams hopes facilities such as restaurants, grocery stores and airports will commit to the same cleaning standards dictated by COVID-19 safety precautions. “Aesthetics matter. . . as a consumer it’s this feeling of being safe because it’s clean; it’s a perception,” she said. “Sometimes, we let the cleaning slide; it moves

down the priority list. But it really does matter.” Unassigned seating has become a “big work trend that is now reverting.” As Choi-Kang noted, shared spaces pose challenges as they lose their gloss and gleam. “If you sift through all the trends real estate experts are talking about, the just of it is that we are going to get back to the norm, and when we do, we need to think about how we can be more flexible with our work environment, yet have an overall understanding of using technology to collaborate.” | CFM&D

April/May 2021 CFM&D 15

[ fm legal ] BY JESSYCA GREENWOOD

EMPLOYMENT LAW ISSUES DURING COVID-19 public use. Certain sectors are also subject to specific requirements for reopening, and employers should keep themselves informed of these requirements. For in-person workplaces, employers must also screen workers for COVID19 prior to or at the time the employee arrives at work, using the screening tool, to determine whether the employee may enter the workplace. Essential visitors, such as delivery people, need also be screened; this should occur upon their arrival to the workplace. Screening results should be documented and stored in the event that inspectors or public health officials require these results for the purposes of contact tracing.

Since the inception of the COVID-19 pandemic, many employers have been under pressure to act quickly and respond to sudden twists and turns in the law. As societal norms have shifted and an increasing number of employers and employees are adapting to the realities of the virus, employers are facing new (but also familiar) challenges. Below are the top five issues that employers/ managers are facing during these times and some tips on how to limit liability and exposure. EMPLOYEE SAFETY

Employers in all industries have concerns about safety precautions for employees. It is imperative for employers to: • Closely monitor information from official sources about changes in the law with respect to COVID-19; • M a ke e f f o r t s t o c a re f u l l y document, in detail, precautions and steps taken to ensure a safe workplace; • Take additional precautions to ensure the health and safety of all employees including extra cleaning and physical distancing. 16

If an employee becomes infected with COVID-19, their employer should contact public health for guidance on next steps without delay. Under an order issued by the provincial government, employers that are reopening are required to operate in accordance with applicable laws and regulations and comply with public health officials’ advice and instructions regarding sanitation or social distancing. For workplaces that are open to the public, employers must ensure that members of the public maintain a minimum two-metre distance from individuals with whom they did not arrive and maintain frequent cleaning of any washrooms that are available for

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EMPLOYEE REQUESTS FOR LEAVE

Employers may encounter employees who are unable to work due to circumstances related to the pandemic. Circumstances include employees who are sick, in quarantine, must care for their children whose schools and daycares have closed, must care for a family member due to a COVID-19related matter, or who are stranded in another country because of travel restrictions. In such cases, employees can request to take an unpaid Infectious Disease Emergency Leave (the IDEL), which is available for the length of time that COVID-19 remains categorized as an infectious disease. No doctor’s note is required for an employee to request this leave. Despite the fact that this is an unpaid leave, it would be preferable for employers to continue benefits for employees during this time. Employees on the IDEL may also be eligible to apply for government benefits. TERMINATIONS AND LAYOFFS

When it comes to terminating employees during COVID-19, the

regular termination entitlements, which are dependent upon such factors as the terms of an employee’s contract, the employer’s payroll, and an employee’s length of employment will apply. During COVID-19, many employers are “laying off ” their employees. However, employees who have reduced or completely cut hours as a result of the pandemic from March 1, 2020 onwards are deemed to be on the IDEL which, at the current time, lasts until July 3, 2021. Not all employees in this situation are considered to be on this leave. Exceptions to this designation include: alreadyterminated employees; employees whose layoffs are deemed to be terminations under the Employment Standards Act, 2000 (the ESA), prior to May 29, 2020, when the layoff period expired; employees who were constructively dismissed and then resigned within a reasonable period prior to May 29, 2020; employees whose layoffs were the result of their employers’ businesses being permanently discontinued from March 1, 2020 onwards; and employees who were provided with notice of termination pursuant to the ESA since March 1, 2020, except in cases where the notice is withdrawn. COMMUNICATIONS, ENGAGEMENT & EMPLOYEE MORALE

Many employers have been struggling to maintain employee engagement and morale in the wake of COVID19 and work-from-home realities. Often there is a positive correlation between employee engagement levels and productivity. Remote work, or work from home, is an arrangement that many employers have now transitioned to, but comes with numerous obstacles, especially with respect to time management, routine, and efficient workflow. Many employers may find it challenging to manage employees who are scattered in different locations. To combat these difficulties, employers should maintain regular communications, arrange check-ins with employees, and create and implement systems that allow employees to work virtually. Employers may consider whether

they need to update their policies to include a remote worker policy or to reinforce confidentiality while working remotely. VACCINES

Though the subject of vaccines may still be a relatively new one for many employers, it is one that will become more and more relevant as an increasing number of vaccines are rolled out and a greater number of individuals are inoculated. With several cases demonstrating the potentially negative impacts of vaccines, amongst other factors, there is no doubt that some employers will encounter employees who are reluctant to get vaccinated. In cases where an employer wants an employee to get vaccinated, the employer may first consider providing the employee with information about vaccine science, public health, and economic benefits, to encourage the employee to get vaccinated. An employer may even consider providing incentives to employees, such as: days off after the employee gets vaccinated, paid time vacation time for those who have been fully vaccinated, or gift cards. However, employees may refuse vaccines for reasons such as religious beliefs or medical reasons, and requiring these employees to undergo inoculation would be a human rights violation. Employers can consider the following options: request that the employee conduct their work remotely or separately; or terminate the employee. If the latter, which is an option that should be exercised only as a last resort, a solid termination package should be provided to the employee. Refusal to be vaccinated is unlikely to be a just ground for a termination with cause, given the high bar for

establishing cause in terminations. So long as the employer’s requirement for the employee to be vaccinated does not violate any human rights protections, the employer can consider pursuing a termination without cause. However, it may be preferable for employers to tread carefully in the meantime and keep aware of further guidance from public health and government authorities before making any potentially risky decisions on termination. Employers should consider issues related to privacy and the collection of private health information. Elements that should be carefully considered include the type of information that is being collected about an employee’s health and vaccination status, the use and disclosure of such information, and the steps taken to safeguard this information. The employer needs to strike a balance between the employer’s safety interest with the employee’s right to privacy and may also consider obtaining express written consent for the collection of such medical information. WHAT’S NEXT?

The COVID-19 pandemic has generated issues that the majority of employers/managers had never before faced. As this public health situation continues, conversations around employment issues will shift. New concerns will arise. Other situations will become familiar. Many of these issues have the potential to remain at the forefront for employers in the years to come, even if they eventually fade into the background. Consider how to keep your workforce safe, healthy and how mental wellness also plays a part in productivity and success. | CFM&D

Jessyca Greenwood is a lawyer at SpringLaw. She has more than a decade of experience as a trial lawyer with a focus on criminal law, professional misconduct, mental health advocacy, and with the way these areas intersect with the workplace. She also brings to her practice a deep knowledge of the impact mental health has on businesses, workers and employers. jgreenwood@springlaw.ca @jessycadefence A helpful resource for employers navigating COVID-19-related issues can be found at: https://www.springlaw.ca/coronavirus-resources/

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TECH TO THE RESCUE

s facility managers observed World FM Day on May 12, the predominant topic of conversation in the industry remained the effects and implications of the pandemic. Having spent most of 2020 adapting to changing safety protocols, the implications for facility design, construction, and maintenance are still top-of-mind. For the most part, repair maintenance activities have carried on throughout all the pivoting, adapting, shutdowns, lockdowns, and “new normals”, having been deemed essential and, therefore, exempt from some of even the strictest lockdown situations across the country. They faced the outbreak directly, with all the modiﬁcations to safety protocols that involved. Now, as vaccines roll out and local and regional economies start to emerge from hiding, such companies

provide useful examples to look to for reinvented approaches to safety, project delivery, coordination, and customer service. What has changed? Neil Winters, service manager at Flynn Group of Companies, had a front-row seat to some of those changing processes and their impact on facility management and repair and maintenance services. “It’s a little different now,” he understates. Indeed, most companies not involved in food preparation and delivery, handwashing previously received virtually no procedural attention, and soldiering through a cough or cold was a badge of honour. Last year, we all suddenly received refresher training on how to wash our hands,

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and it now seems like the phrase “social distancing” has always been with us. Facility management and its associated trades have seen their share of changes. For repair and maintenance crews at Flynn Group of Companies, interacting with customers has indeed become “a little different”. “Some of the in-person things changed,” Winters says. “We used to make a point of meeting the customer, shaking hands, giving our business card. It was part of our customer service process. Now there’s access protocols. The only time we go inside the [customer’s] building now is for essential leak investigation. And that only happens after we’ve made contact with the customer over the phone and we’ve decided we really need to get inside to have a look. So we’re asking a lot more questions when the call ﬁrst comes in, and we’re deciding some of those things before we even arrive.” Technology to the rescue Years ago, Flynn began developing its own mobile technology to meet the needs of their customers and employees. Founded in 1978, Flynn is now the leading contractor in North America for the total building envelope. Their suite of apps, built and maintained by an in-house development team, includes a service call request app, and a “coaching” app that pairs experienced tradespeople with rookies during their ﬁrst months on the job. “We’ve always pushed communication,” Winters says. “We have the Flynn service app, where you receive the service call, make contact with the customer, document the work, take photos, and sent a report to the customer all from the app.” The original intent was to drive performance and develop people, but during the pandemic, the technology has paid off in new ways. “All the things we did before that really set us apart, well, now it just looks like common sense. Of course you would send photos from your phone, and of course [the customer] would want to tap to schedule a repair.” Like many companies with pre-existing processes and technology well-suited to the new reality and customer

www.FlynnCompanies.com expectations, Flynn has been able to adapt faster and easier. “These are things that now are going to be expected,” adds Winters. What’s next Some things from the pre-pandemic world won’t change. “There’s so much for facility managers to worry about. Furniture, flooring, HVAC systems, cleaning, to name a few. Honestly, when they call a company like Flynn, they’re doing it because they know we’ve got our safety culture, the right processes in place, and the right trained people.” They can keep their focus on the long-term health of the building.” Flynn’s Service department tagline, “We have you covered, coast to coast,” reflects the company’s national coverage and all-hours response capability. This past year, it may also have reflected a certain peace of mind, as, like many other companies across North America, Flynn was well-equipped to meet a challenge few saw coming.

SUSTAINABILITY

RETROFIT FUNDS TARGET COMMUNITY BUILDINGS

Two distinct, but complementary new federal programs are promising funds for community buildings. The Green and Inclusive Community Buildings program will provide $1.5 billion over five years for capital upgrades, major retrofits or new construction of buildings that provide non-commercial services to the public. The Community Buildings Retrofit initiative will be administered through the Federation of Canadian Municipalities’ (FCM) Green Municipal Fund, and will make up to $167 million available over six years to improve energy performance and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in recreational and cultural facilities owned by local governments or not-for-profit operators.

ogether, the programs offer varied project streams for somewhat different but often overlapping proponents, but both are focused on meeting GHG reduction targets and are aligned with the government’s pledge to invest $15 billion in measures to address climate change and boost the green economy. They are also framed as a counterpart to the $2-billion commitment for large-scale commercial building retrofits announced last fall.

“Our community buildings, like arenas, librar ies and recreation centres, are important parts of our towns and cities across the country. Upgrading our existing community buildings and building new, g reen centres will help Canadians create healthier and more vibrant communities,” says Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Environment and Climate Change. “By working together, we can cut pollution, help communities save on energy costs and create good jobs.”

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GREEN AND INCLUSIVE COMMUNITY BUILDINGS PROGRAM

The $1.5 billion fund will be dispersed through two streams: a competitive process for eligible applicants with project costs in the range of $3 million to $25 million; and funds for smaller and medium sized retrofit projects in the range of $100,000 to $3 million, which will be allocated to eligible recipients on a first-come, first-served basis until depleted. Both streams are open to provincial/territorial and local governments, their associated agencies

and incorporated not-for-profit organizations, while $150 million is specifically targeted for Indigenous project proponents. Candidate buildings must be publicly accessible and host services that “play a meaningful role in fostering inclusion in society and combatting systemic inequities”. That includes community culture, recreation, health and wellness facilities, mobile structures such as mobile libraries and health clinics, and Indigenous health, social and education facilities. New construction typically must be netzero-carbon or net-zero-carbonready, but building proponents in remote or Northern communities will also have the option of exceeding requirements of the 2017 National Energy Code if it is too onerous to achieve net-zero-carbon. The largest share of the funding — up to $860 million — will be directed to retrofits in the categories of small ($100,000 to $250,000), medium ($250,000 to $3 million) and large ($3 to $25 million) projects.To qualify, projects must meet a prescribed threshold for energy performance, and retrofits must be completed during the period between April 1, 2021 and March 31, 2026. Projects that can be quickly underway will receive a scoring advantage. Gene r a l l y, a 2 5 p e r c e n t improvement over baseline energy use is expected, although that requirement could be waived in select cases. Proposed projects that can deliver a higher level of energy efficiency and greater GHG reductions through minimization of embodied carbon will have an edge, as will projects that incorporate climate change resilience. “Making every building greener is critical for Canada’s sustainable development and net-zero emissions future,” submits Thomas Mueller, president and chief executive officer of the Canada Green Building Council. “In addition to the positive environmental outcomes, green building has the power to improve

occupant health, promote well-being and support learning outcomes — benefits that all Canadians should enjoy.” Funding can also cover various accessibility and health and safety upgrades, provided the project also meets energy and sustainability prerequisites. All accessibility measures must meet or surpass the highest published standard within the jurisdiction to qualify. Underserved or high-needs communities will get preference in allocations for new construction projects. New construction automatically falls into the large project category, along with major retrofits valued at $3 million and $25 million, with funds to be awarded through a competitive process. Funds cannot be used to build new administrative buildings, hospitals, emergency services (police, fire, paramedic) stations for non-Indigenous communities, daycare centres, shelters for non-Indigenous patrons, multifamily housing, hospices or educational facilities for non-Indigenous communities. Applications can be submitted via Infrastructure Canada’s portal for both streams of the program. Proponents in the competitive stream have until July 6, 2021 to apply. COMMUNITY BUILDINGS RETROFIT INITIATIVE

The FCM retrofit program will provide grants and grant-loan combos for energy-use monitoring, recommissioning and retrocommissioning, pre-project feasibility studies and capital projects — limited to one per municipality for each program category. That ranges from a maximum of $25,000 to cover up to 80 per cent of the eligible costs of implementing energy-use monitoring to a maximum of $5 million to cover up to 80 per cent of eligible costs of capital projects. “With community buildings like arenas, pools and recreation centres emitting some of the highest levels of municipal GHGs, successful retrofit projects can have a significant impact on climate change efforts,” maintains Garth

Frizzell, president of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities. “Together, we can improve our community infrastructure and work to meet Canada’s climate change goals.” Two types of capital undertakings will be funded: GHG impact projects involving retrofits that reduce emissions by at least 30 per cent compared to the initial baseline; and GHG reduction pathway projects enabling a phased process toward achieving near-netzero emissions. Proponents can attain a combined grant and loan of up to $5 million to cover 80 per cent of eligible costs, with a maximum of 25 per cent or $1.25 million in the form of a grant. Recipients of GHG reduction pathway funding must first complete a feasibility study, for which they can also receive grants of up to $65,000 for one building or $200,000 for a portfolio of buildings. Recommissioning and retrocommissioning grants max out at $55,000 or up to 60 per cent of eligible costs. This could be applied to a single building or a portfolio of buildings. Seven of Canada’s largest m u n i c i p a l i t i e s — Va n c o u v e r , Edmonton, Calgary, Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal and Halifax—which have access to a $183-million federal fund through their participation in the Low Carbon Cities Canada initiative, are not eligible this program. For now, Quebec municipalities are also on hold until an agreement between FCM and the Quebec government is finalized, but it is expected they will be invited to apply in the future. Otherwise, Canadian municipalities and municipal partners — which might include municipally owned corporations, other agencies delivering municipal services, non-governmental and not-for-profit organizations, private-sector entities, Indigenous communities or research institutes — can apply. Typically, FCM accepts and processes applications yearround, until annual fund allocations are depleted. After that, incoming applications will be deferred until the next fiscal year. | CFM&D -REMI Network April/May 2021 CFM&D 21

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Raising the alarm:

The need for certified fire safety support

voidable disasters and regulatory changes have underscored the need for stronger fire prevention measures in recent years. And for facility owners and managers, this means applying extra due diligence when adopting the fire safety systems, training, and certified professionals to keep occupants safe. “Fire prevention is an important component of a health and safety program,” states the Workplace Safety & Prevention Services. “An effective prevention program will provide your employees with the tools and information they need to work safely and protect themselves and your business from the devastation of fire.” What does an effective fire prevention program look like? The nuances can vary from one building to the next, but by and large, it means providing consistent training and messaging to occupants and guests on how to properly respond when a fire breaks out. Moreover, it’s one that embeds the protocols, prevention guidelines,

and evacuation strategies that align with one’s industryspecific legislations. Yet, while awareness and training are crucial to fire safety, they are not the complete solution. When an emergency strikes, occupants must be alerted immediately. Herein, it is critical to combine fire response training with fire safety systems that are correctly installed, tested, and maintained. “Both sides of the fire equation put their life on that fire alarm system,” says Essa Fire Chief and president of the Ontario Association of Fire Chiefs, Cynthia Ross Tustin. “The people in the building rely on it for themselves and their children to be notified to get out of the building, and the fire department relies on the quality of that fire alarm system - that it’s installed properly, maintained properly.” “For us, it’s easier to fight a fire in a building that’s empty,” she adds. “We want to arrive when everyone’s been notified and waiting on the lawn for us.”

SPONSORED CONTENT Certified support Ontario’s facility stakeholders are not alone in managing crucial fire safety responsibilities. Today, they have access to certified fire safety system installation and maintenance professionals who can help ensure systems will perform to expectation and that buildings (and their teams) meet the most up-to-date Fire Code regulations. “That’s where our Certi-Fire program comes in,” says Cathy Frederickson, a spokesperson with Electrical Contractors Association of Ontario (ECAO). “The fire alarm and protection industry is continually changing, and one of the key changes has been in legislation regarding the installation and testing of fire alarm systems. It is important to keep up with technology by undergoing comprehensive training with new skills and standards. Hence, we are proud of our certified fire alarm electricians, and to provide them with the professional training and certification approved by the OFM to meet the requirements and resolve all types of fire alarm concerns.” The Certi-Fire Program has evolved over 20 years to meet the requirements of the Ontario Fire Code O. Reg. 213/07. It is also one of only two fire system certification courses of its kind recognized by the Ontario Fire Marshal. Through the four-level program, 309A licensed electricians undergo 160 hours of intense academic and hands-on training covering all facets of fire system installation, testing, verification, and maintenance, as well as Fire Code regulations. Recertification (Level 5) is mandatory every five years to stay current with changes of the code and standard. “Typical life safety systems -- your smoke detectors to your carbon monoxide detectors - that’s all you see. But how it was installed, and how it was wired behind the walls, is what makes the system function and keep you safe,” says Dave Kester, Certi-Fire electrician with ProWave Electric, adding, “Certi-Fire ensures not only that your [building’s] life safety outside of your walls is in good working order, but ensures the installation itself is good.” “Fire alarm systems are complicated and different from typical electric work,” adds Mark Llyod, T. Lloyd Electric, an ECAO Registered Fire Alarm Contractor. “Participating Certi-Fire ensures our clients have a fully functional, codecompliant system.” With required recertification every five years, the intent of ECAO’s Cert-Fire program is to produce electricians who can not only provide a full breadth of electrical services but tackle a building’s full fire safety needs. And to date, the program has certified nearly 2450 professionals to do just that. It takes a team Fire safety is as much about systems as it is people. It’s programs like ECAO’s Certi-Fire and the Association’s additional facility manager awareness training initiatives that are working to unite all building stakeholders in turning down the heat. “Certi-Fire training is critical,” insists Monte McNaughton, Ontario Minister of Labour, Training and Skills Development. “It’s very important that we protect families, people, and businesses right across the province. It’s all about that consumer protection, and this training is essential to that goal.”

Certi-Fire is supported by the Joint Electrical Promotion Plan (JEPP), which is managed and funded by the Electrical Contractors Association of Ontario (ECAO) together with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Construction Council of Ontario (IBEW CCO). Learn more about ECAO’s CertiFire program at www.certifire.org and find more building owner/manager fire safety training initiatives at www.ecao.org/all-your-fire-alarm-needs.

FACILITY DESIGN

A BRIDGE TO THE NORTH After more than a decade in the making, the Winnipeg Art Gallery has opened its new home for the world’s largest Inuit art collection. Named by an Indigenous Language Keeper Circle, Qaumajuq decolonizes and liberates the traditional museum model with novel features like a visible vault. BY REBECCA MELNYK

Qaumajuq is located on Treaty 1, the original lands of Anishinaabe, Ininiwak, Anishininiwak, Dakota, and Dene peoples, and the homeland of the Métis Nation.

10-day expedition through the small c ommuni ti e s of Nunavut. Visiting the homes and studios of Indigenous artists and elders. Taking in the Arctic landscapes of Cape Dorset, Rankin Inlet and Pangniqtuuq. It was a trip

that helped inspire Qaumajuq, the new centre for Inuit art at the Winnipeg Art Gallery (WAG). Qaumajuq, meaning “it is bright” or “it is lit” in Inuktitut, opened this past March, but the 40,000-square-foot addition has been almost a decade in the making. Back in 2013, the project team including WAG’s Director and

CEO Stephen D. Borys and architect Michael Maltzan, who won the contract through an international competition of 125 submissions, travelled to the Arctic to gather ideas. From there, the design evolved, grounded in the land, light and peoples of the North. “Their relationship to the landscape, the dynamic of the seasons, it all

April/May 2021 CFM&D 25

PHOTOS BY LINDSAY REID

FACILITY DESIGN

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FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: The research centre was named Niizhwaaso, seven in Ojibway, in honour of the Indigenous group of seven. Located on the second floor mezzanine is a reading room with access to gallery archives and the library (far left); Figural skylights in the ceiling infuse the gallery with light that illuminates the work on display; In the entrance hall, the glass and chrome visible vault becomes a jewel-like case for the WAG’s collection of Inuit sculptures. Photos by Lindsay Reid.

kept feeling to me like it wasn’t a constrained, linear culture, but one that had a great deal of fluidity in it,” says Maltzan. “The building is trying to capture some of that spirit.” Forms of contemporary Inuit art are constantly evolving in scale and medium, from paper and weaving to video art. Maltzan, who is based in Los Angeles, intended to disrupt the typical ways in which art of the North is displayed, creating spaces that will serve a new generation of Inuit artists. “There’s been an argument that art looks the best and feels most alive in a space that is similar to the studio space in which the art was created,” he says. “For Inuit art the studio has been the North itself, in its vastness, scale and light.”

“When you’re able to dismantle some of the structure and ideas and formats in which you presented a culture, it’s kind of liberating.”

This idea plays out through small intimate galleries and a main exhibition space named Qilak, meaning “sky”—a 8,000-square-foot gallery with 34foot ceilings, twenty-two skylights and monumental, sculptural white walls that evoke Arctic landscapes. “It doesn’t have the traditional four silos and four corners of a gallery,”

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Maltzan observes. “It feels much more fluid and is likely going to give each of the subsequent shows that happen their own personality.” Together, the interior spaces, the natural light, the vistas within, complement the scalloped fluidity of the white granite façade, which was intended to “engage playfully” with

the Winnipeg daylight and connect seamlessly to the original WAG building, designed in 1971 by Gustavo De Rosa. Much time was spent searching for a design that would be a strong presence on its own, in contrast to the sharper, prismatic forms of the WAG. “The two buildings together form a more complete assemblage with a strong urban public front on every side of the block,” Maltzan adds. VAULT ON VIEW

Upon approaching the building, the public is immediately pulled into the life happening inside. A goal for the new gallery was to create a more transparent and accessible experience, which is partly fulfilled with the

addition of a three-storey visible vault that holds close to 5,000 Inuit sculptures, located on the ground floor entrance hall. It’s the largest of its kind in the world, says Borys. Unlike other museum vaults that are tucked away in basements, off-site and secured, patrons get to observe and digitally engage with the artifacts. “This is a very secure space; it’s climate controlled but very visually accessible, and the way we can do that is because a large chunk of the Inuit collection is stone and stone is resilient with light,” he says. “It’s a way for the audience to not just see thousands of artworks, but you can also see curators working within the space.”

As Maltzan notes, there’s been an increasing trend in making hidden collections much more a part of the visitors’ experience, that plausibly started in the 1970s with Arthur Erickson’s Museum of Anthropology in Vancouver. “I think the most forceful, most dynamic presentations of a collection are [presenting] them right at the front door of the museums,” he says. “The visible vault space you can see from the outside; you don’t even have to enter the centre to get a sense of the art.” Overall, the WAG houses the largest public art collection of Inuit art in the world, with close to 14,000 objects and another 7,400 on long-term loan from the Nunavut government. But before the $55-million addition, at any April/May 2021 CFM&D 27

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FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: The façade is composed of Bethel white granite, from a quarry in Bethel, Vermont. (top); The Learning Steps (Ilipvik) is a multi-purpose room encircled by glass and designed to accommodate orientations, lectures, and screenings. When light-controlled activities are required, curtains and shades enclose the room with Inuit artwork (bottom left); Qaumajuq is part of the Manitoba Green Building Program and is targeted to achieve Power Smart Designation and LEED V4 Building Design & Construction certification (bottom right). Photos by Lindsay Reid.

given time, less than 10 per cent of the collection was ever on view and exhibited within a more colonialformed structure. “When you’re able to dismantle some of the structure and ideas and formats in which you presented a culture, it’s kind of liberating,” says Borys. As Qaumajuq evolved, it became more than a building, but rather a cultural venue for Inuit in Canada and a platform for their voices. What started out as a design project became a response to the 2015 Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s calls to action, with guidance and decolonization work from the WAG’s Indigenous advisors, its name bestowed by an Indigenous Language

Keeper Circle that was inspired by the light pouring into the new centre. Qaumajuq programming bridges the South to the North, with an 85-seat Learning Steps theatre in the main hall. The smart classroom will connect kids in Winnipeg to those in Rankin Inlet and other communities in Nunavut for lectures and performances. A few other features are a research centre, reading rooms on the mezzanine an entrance level near the vault, an outdoor community plaza and new sun-filled art studios and classrooms, with a clay studio, digital media studio, kiln room, and exterior studios for summer and winter activities, such as stone carving and

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ice sculpting. In the WAG building, the interior and exterior walls of the gallery shop have been replaced with glass, with modular shelving added to accommodate a wide range of products. “Every once in a while, I find it’s a perfect kind of storm, where you have a designer and an architect; you have a patron or owner and a project, and they come together and there’s a synergy; there’s a way we work together that’s much greater than what we would have done separately,” says Borys. “This design really reflects many, many visions and voices, which is exciting, and clearly the Inuit had a very strong voice and input.” | CFM&D

DIVERSIFIED CONSTRUCTION

24 HOUR EMERGENCY SERVICE ASPHALT PAVING CONCRETE PAVING SITE servicing LANDSCAPE CONSTRUCTION BUILDING RESTORATION WINTER SNOW SERVICES service@forestgroup.ca 416.524.3000 www.forestgroup.ca

SUSTAINABILITY BY KEVIN SPENCER

SCORING ZERO CARBON GOALS A Case Study

AMPED Sports Lab and Ice Complex in Ottawa, Ontario is a one-stop facility for hockey development, training, and treatment. The facility caters to elite athletic training, as well as recovery and treatment of injuries or chronic problems. It houses a physiotherapy clinic, a 4,000-square-foot gym, and a 120-foot by 65-foot ice rink.

nd, most recently, the facility became the first Zero Carbon Building Performance Standard certified arena—achieved through the Canada Green Building Council’s Zero Carbon Building Program. Modern Niagara, a national contractor and building service provider, led AMPED on the journey. For context, limiting the building’s impact on the environment was

the pr imary objective. Initially, the set goal was to reduce the overall energy consumption in the building by at least 40 per cent. This smart goal would drive the strategy for designing the building’s mechanical, electrical, and building technology systems. A project timeline was established to account for benchmarking, design, installation, and measurement. To help fulfill the objective while limiting costs, the project

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has qualified for two sources of government funding, the Climate Action Incentive Fund and Save On Energy, with a combined value of up to $265,000. To benchmark the building’s energy use, detect f aults, and collect energy use data over time, the team installed an electr ic meter ing system, implemented the Facility ConneX system, and upgraded the building automation system. In the meantime, the team

began to brainstor m and weigh the costs and benefits of a variety of energy conservation measures that would shape the design of the new building systems. The options that were initially brought forward to help achieve the goal included installing a CHP system, reclaiming heat from the ice plant, retrofitting the lighting, and installing rooftop solar panels with battery storage. To ensure that the ideas put forward would result in a 40 per cent reduction in energy consumption, executive leaders in renewable power generation and energy storage escorted the team through a technical deep dive. From their insights, we learned that batteries are expensive and would only be useful in the event of a loss of power at the scale and cost we were contemplating. For a facility of this type, the most beneficial strategy was to tie into the existing electricity grid via a “net metering” connection where the grid becomes the “battery” for storing energy produced by the solar panels when the building does not need the volume of energy being produced. With this information and to overcome this challenge, installing a CHP system would no longer help achieve the goal. It was concluded that the initial design’s costs and prolonged timeline far outweighed its benefits. Back to the drawing board, the team explored other ways to limit the building’s impact on the environment and set a new goal:

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Rooftop solar panels grace the top of the hockey-focused facility.

to eliminate as much carbon-based energy consumption as possible and move towards a carbon-neutral facility. This would be accomplished by targeting the areas of the building that consume natural gas, which is a fossil fuel and consequently emits the highest amounts of carbon into the atmosphere at this facility. Those areas are the ice rink dehumidifier, the domestic hot water heater, and the rooftop air handling units. As part of the new solution, custom AHUs were manufactured through a design process involving the

VRF supplier. In the meantime, the existing dehumidifier was switched from a desiccant wheel made up of a cor rugated solid material that absorbs moisture to a liquid desiccant in the form of a counterflow of air blown through a waterfall over a media material. As the work begins to take shape, data on energy use throughout the building continues to be collected and evaluated, with the overall goal to eliminate natural gas consumption and ultimately limit the building’s impact on the environment. | CFM&D

Kevin Spencer is vice-president of energy solutions at Modern Niagara.

VANCOUVER’S FIRE HALL 17 SETS AGGRESSIVE GOALS Vancouver’s new Fire Hall 17 reflects the city’s design challenge to build a structure that meets the design certification requirements of the CaGBC’s Canada Zero Carbon Building Program. The team is also pursuing LEED Gold certification and, if approved, the building will be the first fire hall in North America to attain Passive House certification. These ambitious targets were set to align with the city’s sustainability policies. According to HCMA Architecture and Design, the building will reduce operational

carbon emissions by 77 per cent, compared with the fire hall it is replacing. The 19,375-square-foot facility features four drive-through apparatus bays, accommodations for two firefighting crews and offices in the main building, and a six-storey hose storage/training tower. Like all fire halls in Canada, the facility will serve as a post-disaster emergency hub, which requires a resilient building that can withstand seismic events.

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[ fm education ] BY REBECCA STAMM

MATERIALS MATTER What toxic chemicals are lurking in our buildings?

Our interior spaces have an enormous impact on our health and productivity. From designing for an active lifestyle to proper lighting, insulation, and acoustics, how we build our buildings matters. One often overlooked aspect of how buildings influence people’s health are the chemicals found in building materials.

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lobally, there are limited regulations of chemicals used within building products, and unfortunately there are toxic chemicals found in some everyday building products that have the potential to harm human and environmental health. Evidence increasingly shows that toxic chemical exposures in general are costing countries billions of dollars and millions of IQ points. Although these toxic chemicals affect all of

us, they are disproportionately impacting the health of children, communities of colour, and lowincome families. Building and construction mater ials contr ibute to these potential exposures. Because we spend an estimated 90 per cent of our time indoors, we are constantly interacting with the materials that sur round us, creating countless opportunities for exposure. Toxic chemicals can have huge and complex impacts on the health and wellbeing of people and the environment not just when installed in indoor spaces, but also throughout a product’s entire life cycle. For example, communities near factor ies can be exposed to air pollution and industr ial waste during the manufacturing of products, worker s can be exposed on the job dur ing the manufactur ing and installation processes, and building occupants can be exposed while the product is in use. Some individuals suffer multiple exposures because they are affected in all of those instances.

“In the age of COVID, it’s also important to consider how chemical exposures influence our ability to fight disease.”

In addition, toxic chemicals can be released when mater ials are disposed of or recycled. When manufacturers use recycled m a t e r i a l s i n n ew p ro d u c t s , sometimes toxic chemicals come along for the r ide, inhibiting a circular economy and exposing more individuals to hazardous chemicals—even those that have been phased out as intentional content in products. For recycling to work and subsequently reduce waste, toxic chemicals must first be eliminated from products. The rise in construction taking place means more materials and greater potential impacts. It is

estimated that over the next 35 years, 2.5 trillion square feet of buildings will be renovated or constructed globally, an area equal to the entire current global building stock. There are many examples of hazardous chemicals in building products, in homes, and ultimately in people. Your choice of drywall could release mercury into the environment. Your paint could have chemicals that interfere with how hormones work in the body. Your insulation could include an asthmagen. Your carpet could introduce toxic “forever” chemicals into your home. Chemicals can migrate from products into the

GREEN EXPERTS ISSUE ANTIMICROBIAL USE WARNING The COVID-19 pandemic has increased demand for antimicrobial chemicals in building products like doorknobs, countertops, and paint. However, a joint statement released by leading green building organizations, architects, and scientists warns that building materials with added antimicrobials have no proven health benefit—and may be harmful. In response to the surge in advertising for antimicrobial products, the statement’s authors sought evidence-based guidance for the building industry. They found that outside of limited studies on copper, no building products with added antimicrobials have been shown to reduce viral infections in people. Worse, many of the chemicals are linked to health and environmental harm, and could produce resistance to the antibiotics we depend on to fight disease. Signed authors include: Healthy Building Network, Green Science Policy Institute, Perkins&Will, International Living Future Institute and Health Product Declaration Collaborative. Additional signatories are Heather Buckley, Assistant Professor, University of Victoria; Erica Hartmann,

Assistant Professor, Northwestern University; Megan R. Schwarzman, Associate Director, Berkeley Center for Green Chemistry; Brightworks Sustainability; ZGF Architects; Health Care Without Harm; Center for Environmental Health; and HKS, Inc. Antimicrobials used in building products include quaternary ammonium compounds, which are associated with asthma—a potential risk factor for severe COVID-19. Triclosan, which can disrupt hormone functioning, is banned in hand soaps but is still used in some building products. However, the identities of the chemicals used in products are often not disclosed. The statement concludes that antimicrobials should not be used in building products when not required for product preservation. The authors urge building product manufacturers to practice truthful advertising and to disclose the compounds they use. They also call for more hazard assessments and research. - REMI Network

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[ fm education ] “Toxic chemicals can be released when materials are disposed of or recycled.”

air in buildings or can deposit on surfaces or dust, where people can be exposed by inhaling or ingesting it or through direct absor ption through our skin. Young children often see greater exposures because of their smaller, developing bodies. They frequently place their hands in their mouths, ingesting dust and the chemicals that lodge on dust particles, and breathe up to three times more air pound-for-pound than adults. Some of these chemicals can

also pass from mothers to babies through the placenta or breast milk. In fact, a study showed that babies may be born with over 200 chemical pollutants already in their blood. In the age of COVID, it’s also important to consider how chemical exposures influence our ability to fight disease. In addition to contr ibuting to underlying conditions that make individuals more susceptible to adverse impacts from COVID-19, such as cancer,

Committed to better performing buildings. Structural Engineering Structural Restoration Building Science Parking Facility Design Structural Glass Engineering Building Energy Modelling

Interior Heart and Surgical Centre | Vancouver, BC

RJC Engineers

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rjc.ca

some chemicals can also impact our immune systems’ ability to fight infectious disease and the effectiveness of vaccines. The COVID crisis has also led to an increase in marketing messages containing questionable health claims around antimicrobials added to myr iad products, including building mater ials. While some p ro d u c t s n e e d a n t i m i c ro b i a l preservatives to protect the product itself from mould, mildew, or spoilage, antimicrobial technologies added to products have not been shown to have any human health benefits. There is no evidence that the addition of antimicrobials to building products lowers the rate of infection; in fact, some antimicrobial substances can cause direct physical har m to human health. So, what can you do? One important step toward safer materials is an understanding of what products are made of and whether or not they are hazardous. We believe you have a right to know what’s in the materials in your buildings, and an increasing number of building product manufacturers are disclosing this information through programs like the Health Product Declaration (HPD) and Declare. Transparency is the first step to understanding and avoiding hazardous impacts on building occupants and throughout the lifecycle of a product. Awareness about these issues is growing, and demand for safer materials is driving innovation. For example, many manufacturers have already phased out the “forever” chemicals once pervasive in carpet, and some large retailers have introduced policies to remove them from the products they sell. Despite the lack of regulatory pressure on chemicals in products, change is still possible. When product specifiers and purchasers know what to ask for and exert their collective power, markets can move for the better.

Try starting with interior finishes, for example: • Prefer products that have disclosed content through Health Product Declarations. • Choose drywall made from natural gypsum and avoid synthetic or FGD gypsum. • Choose paint that is low in VOC content and emissions, and free of alkylphenol ethoxylates (APEs). • Choose a safer flooring product type such as linoleum or ceramic tiles rather than vinyl. • Choose a safer insulation product type such as fiberglass insulation or formaldehyde-free mineral wool insulation. • Avoid building products marketed as “antimicrobial” or “containing antimicrobials” and making health claims.

big impacts within a housing unit, a building, and in the broader environment. Collectively, these individual decisions also influence manufacturers to provide better, more transparent products for us all. Ultimately, this can reduce the hazardous chemicals not just in our buildings, but also in our bodies.

Each decision you make about the materials you use, each step toward using healthier products, can have

of concern that are deemed unnecessary or fail to improve product performance. HBN

Not sure where to beg in? Resources to help you understand toxic chemicals in building products and make safer material selections are available from Healthy Building Network. Check out the product guidance resources for information on safer paints, floors, insulation, and more. | CFM&D

Rebecca Stamm, senior researcher, works with the team at HBN to conduct vital building materials research. She has a B.S. from Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology and M.S. from Purdue University, where she studied Chemical Engineering with a focus on materials. Rebecca has worked extensively in materials research, including more than three years in building materials manufacturing and six years of building product and chemical hazard research and analysis at HBN. Since 2000, HBN has defined the leading edge of healthy building practices that increase transparency in the building products industry, reduce human exposures to hazardous chemicals, and create market incentives for healthier innovations in manufacturing. A team of researchers, engineers, scientists, building experts, and educators work to reduce toxic chemical use, minimize hazards, and eliminate exposure, especially to those chemicals promotes the development of affordable green chemistry solutions that support a healthy, successful, circular economy.

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Sustainability on Display Using digital signage to boost sustainable goals Promoting sustainability is key to leaner, greener, and more resilient facility operations. Getting occupants to notice and take part, however, can be difficult. For this reason, facility managers/owners are increasingly turning to digital signage to get their messages across. Digital signage is nothing new, but its capabilities are expanding. In the days of energy-saving directives and eco-forward attitudes, however, it is proving to be a valuable tool for boosting sustainable activities. “People typically think digital signs are only there to help visitors navigate their way around the building. That's one use, but more and more facilities are also u s i n g t h e m to i n c rea s e a wa re n e s s a b o u t t h e i r environmental activities and encourage occupants and visitors alike to get involved," says Scot Martin, CEO of youRhere. Today, for example, digital signs are being used to advertise sustainability campaigns, promote special events (e.g., Earth Day), broadcast water and energy consumption statistics, or even display real-time public transportation information to encourage alternative forms of transit. Overall, says Martin, there is a growing trend towards using digital signage to capture attention and gather support: "For example, you could program your sign to display information about a major energy-saving campaign project you're launching and upload energy usage stats every month to keep people invested. At the same time, you can use that same screen to share energysaving tips and updates on anything else you're doing." After all, he adds, sustainability is a team effort: “And to keep everyone invested, you need to keep these messages top of mind.” SETTING THE STANDARD T h e s u sta i n a b i l i t y j o u r n e y i s o n e o f co n t i n u a l improvement. Putting environmental programs in place is only step one; the next is tracking and reporting on your programs to continue making gains. Here again, digital signs are an effective way of sharing one's progress and keeping the momentum alive. Facilities can upload monthly updates or celebrate important achievement milestones, and opportunities exist to link digital signs to a facility's control systems and display results automatically or even in real-time.

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These modern communication strategies can also help facility teams hit their eco-certification targets. Programs like BOMA BEST and LEED, for example, require “Tenant Communications” or “Awareness and 3:15 PM

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Ed u cat i o n” i n i t i at i v e s o n t h e pa r t o f p ro g ra m participants, awarding points if they are conveying their sustainable activities effectively. “In other words," notes Martin, "not only do they want certified buildings to be environmentally conscious, but they also want to know there's a communication plan in place to achieve buy in and make them an ongoing initiative, not a ‘one and done’ activity”. Of course, it helps that digital signs are an eco-friendly asset in their own right. For its part, youRhere signs include options such as automatic start-up/shut-down controls to reduce energy usage when buildings are closed and, increasingly, screens are being produced with built-in sensors that allow them to automatically adjust the brightness of the display based on the ambient light in the room real-time (aka “Eco-Mode”). Moreover, the use of digital signage over posters and paper-based signs decreases printing requirements, reduces waste, and lessens their environmental impact. SIGN OF THE TIMES There are many benefits to sustainable operations. And for facilities, they extend beyond saving costs and achieving industry certifications. With more and more individuals seeking eco-conscious lifestyles at home and where they work, there's value in displaying one's green ambitions for all to see. “Several surveys have shown that employees would prefer to work for an employer that is environmentally conscious, and tenants would rather populate a building that has those same goals," says Martin. "Anything you can do to demonstrate that you're listening and taking action is bound to draw attention." Scot Martin is CEO of youRhere, a leading provider of digital signage solutions for commercial, retail, healthcare and educational properties across Canada. For more information, visit www.youRhere.ca.

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LIGHTING BY ROBERT SONNEMAN

ILLUMINATING THE WAY Advancements in LEDs Design is often evolutionary and only rarely revolutionary, but today, technology has excited a revolution in lighting. Now, more than ever, lighting design and technology are essential to the success of a project. Lighting has become a critical extension and an added value to architecture and designed interiors.

o longer generated by burning fuel or filaments, lighting today is produced by exciting electronic signals that produce luminous energy, otherwise known as the LED — light emitting diode — which is based on the electroluminescence of semiconductor materials. The quality, performance, and controllability of the light produced by LEDs is realized because of their unique compatibility with digital technologies that permit the incorporation of intelligence into lighting systems. By understanding that electronically generated illumination is a wave in the spectrum of energy we can control and direct, we are able to manage this illumination as a component of a broad-based integrated system of energy and deploy it across multiple applications of a building system. Our electronically managed information, communication, and entertainment will include the quality, colour, intensity, and mood of illumination as a synchronous component of a smart-controlled environment. Understanding certain characteristics of light is important to understanding the functionality and applications of LED illumination. For example, light from illuminating sources takes shape because of the way light propagates through three-dimensional space, obeying properties such as divergence, focusing, reflection, refraction, transmission, absorption, and diffraction. LEDs emit

bright point sources of light, and as such, they do not inherently work well in illuminating across large spaces. Of course, this functionality has been solved by the development of larger-scale luminaires that are created by arranging multiple LEDs into a broad array of

emotional well-being with the colour control of a dynamic lighting system. For example, we can implement the progression of colour tuning to align with natural daylight over the course of a day. Tunable white, warm dimming, and full-spectrum colour control connects the relationship of people, their moods, performance, and state of being to the dynamically, electronically lit environment. Of course, the possibilities of imposing subtle or intense colours on independent

“Lighting is no longer just an accessory to a designed environment.” diodes. Additionally, the optical lensing and photometrically designed reflectors built into luminaires produce a broad distribution of balanced illumination. Technology provides the ability to manage the intensity, colour, and distribution of illumination from multiple sources at varying intensities and optical focuses within a space. Control and management of the visual experience and the extensive range of available applications have extended the possibilities of realization, perception, and utility of the lighting performance within a built environment. In addition, we can now impact the dynamics of human interaction and

surfaces or environments dramatically changes the mood, intensity focus, and perception of the physical environment. As such, lighting is no longer just an accessory to a designed environment. Rather, the dynamic capabilities of technologically sophisticated lighting within a space impact the emotional, physical, and psychological experience. It impacts the perception, utility, performance, and well-being of people as a synchronous component of a smartcontrolled environment. Science and technology can be enablers of art and design. Now, more than ever, it is exciting to discover the possibility of what’s next. | CFM&D

Robert Sonneman is the visionary behind SONNEMAN – A Way of Light. His awardwinning designs have been at the forefront of the design world for over 50 years, as he continues to push the boundaries of innovation to achieve the perfect balance between art and technology. His focus today is on using the latest technology to innovate new directions for modern lighting.

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LIGHTING BY REBECCA MELNYK

CIRCADIAN LIGHTING FOR THE SPECTRUM Circadian lighting plays a special role in facilities management as long-term care homes and schools increasingly look to enhance well-being among seniors and children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) who all rely on daily routines.

n “The Power of Routine,” the Illuminating Engineering Society’s (IES) first ever virtual webinar, which took place last fall, Connie Samla, a lighting specialist with the Sacramento Municipal Utility District’s (SMUD) Energy Education and Technology Center, discussed how correlated colour temperature changes throughout the day can reinforce routines and ease transitions between activities.

‘A PRIMARY SYNCHRONIZER’

Light is a “primary synchronizer” of humans’ circadian rhythms—a natural process that regulates the sleep-wake cycle and is tied to a person’s 24-hour body clock. Using light in humancentric design can have profound effects on people’s day-to-day lives. It jumpstarts the human system to stay awake or relax and fall asleep. Hormones control much of this internal rhythm. The deepest sleep happens at 2 a.m., with sleep hormone melatonin secreted at night and stopping sometime in the morning. Serotonin sets in as the day hormone, with alertness at its height by 10 a.m. The idea is that these two hormones coincide on a regular basis to optimize one’s best self. The advancement of LEDs has helped to achieve this feat, specifically tunable white LED lighting fixtures that are capable of adjusting colour temperature and intensity, from very warm to very cool. The appearance of light sources is measured and described using a metric called Correlated Colour Temperature (CCT). This system uses degrees in Kelvin as the units of measure. Lights that appear warmer have lower CCTs Cooler

lights have higher CCTs. Warmer tones are recommended in the evening and higher CCTs for the morning. IMPROVING CHILDRENS’ LIVES

Children with special needs depend on daily routines. Those with ASD often suffer from sensory overload. Lights bring too much glare, sounds bring too much noise, and some can’t stand the touch of water. Meltdowns often ensue. Beginning with a U.S-based elementary school in 2018, researchers installed and tested tunable white LED lighting systems in three classrooms, since the school board was already looking to revamp its lighting fixtures across the board. Two classrooms were used for teaching students with ASD, while a fifth grade classroom taught students without ASD. Original lighting averaged 570 to 910 lux at desk level, compared to new lighting that averaged 300 lux at desk level—much less stimulating and easier on the eyes. Twenty-four 2 x 4 recessed fluorescent luminaires were switched up for twelve 2 x 2 recessed tunable white LED luminaires that moved from 2700 to 6500 K. The teacher could also use a touchpad controller to manage the light for calming students. The lighting system offered an improved working and learning environment. The dimming colour tuning offered an effective cue to get students’ attention, while instantly changing the whole dynamic of the room. Teachers being able to dim the lights to a warm colour also helped reduce meltdowns and allowed children to transition into the daily activities.

BEYOND SCHOOL-HOUR CYCLES

“Lighting for the Spectrum,” a more recent study completed in 2019 alongside behavioural specialists at the UC Davis Mind Institute, saw the installation of these lighting systems in the homes of students with ASD. After all, circadian rhythms are 24-hour cycles, not just school-hour cycles. To help children and their parents or guardians sleep better, the project aimed to reinforce routines and transitions, avoid exposure to blue-white light at night and provide lighting for safe nighttime navigation. Over the course of 29 weeks to six months, it included 33 families with children aged five to 10 years old, living in both apartments and large single-family homes. Researchers discovered that the families used either too much light or no light at all. There were various dimmers and daylight colour light bulbs in the child’s room and bathroom.The team replaced these items with a circadian routine, including time-based light with customizable scheduling. The temperature would range from 6500 to 6600 K at wake up and slowly dim down to 2200 K for night-time navigation, as many children were scared of the dark, which caused bed-wetting at night. Equipment, including tunable light bulbs, fixtures and light-strips, and wireless dimmers, switches and motion sensors, all created various types of routines catering to different children. Overall, families in the study reported significant improvements in daily routines, behaviours and activities, including sleep, with 77 per cent of respondents saying the lighting system was “high impact” to “life changing.”The time it took children to go to bed trended downward and stayed that way, albeit for some rough patches here and there. | CFM&D - Full Story Available on the REMI Network April/May 2021 CFM&D 39

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THE BENEFITS OF Building Energy Modelling Simulating the future

Building Energy Modelling (BEM) is a versatile, multipurpose tool used in both new construction and existing buildings. Now mandatory for all new builds in many jurisdictions throughout Canada, energy modelling can help inform decision-making at the design-stage; show code compliance; achieve green building certification; and guide policy and code development as the world collectively seeks out new ways to reduce its carbon footprint. “An energy model is a computer simulation of a building that takes into consideration the architectural geometry, building enclosure systems, mechanical and electrical systems,” explains Mohammad Fakoor, Senior Building Performance Engineer with RJC Engineers. “It can be used to simulate the thermal performance of a building in order to calculate the Thermal Energy Demand Intensity (TEDI), Total Energy Use Intensity (TEUI), and Greenhouse Gas Emission Intensity (GHGI).” The simulation software works by enacting a

mathematical model that provides an approximate representation of a building. It requires a vast amount of data input, as well as a qualified energy modeller to achieve optimal results. Terry Bergen, Managing Principal at RJC Engineers’ Victoria office is a huge advocate of this technology, calling it “the most powerful design-assist tool available to a project team.” According to Bergen, a well-prepared energy model will account for the following factors: -

Building mass, shape and orientation; Neighbourhood effects of surrounding buildings; Building structure; Enclosure and façade performance; Mechanical and HVAC loads; Electrical loads and lighting intensity; Future climate loads.

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When inputted correctly, the benefits delivered can be invaluable for building owners, designers and occupants alike. Projections can play a significant role in determining Energy Conservation Measures (ECMs), leading to reduced operating and maintenance costs over the life cycle of the building. They also lead to improved occupant thermal comfort and a lowered carbon footprint. In new buildings, design-assist iterations can help the design team determine the most suitable form of the building, and the impact of design choices on energy efficiency.

may be R10. Factoring in building structure, linear transmittances, and thermal bridging, the correct value would be R5 or less.” When done accurately, energy modelling can lead to more cost-effective energy conservation measures and a long-term reduction in energy consumption. Well-prepared energy models can also be used to perform thermal comfort studies to forecast occupant comfort under different meteorological data, including future climate projections.

Energy modelling and the future Energy modelling has been a part of the building code for more than a decade; however, with Canada’s commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 30% by 2030, the importance of this multipurpose building tool is more pronounced than ever.

Getting reliable results Although the end results may not represent the actual energy consumption of a building, the overall reliability of an energy model is largely dependent on the component information being as accurate and meaningful as possible. For example, Bergen points to the performance values of a building enclosure, stating that they should account for the effects of thermal bridging and linear transmittance to be accurate. “A frame wall with R20 batt insulation must not be input into the model as an R20 assembly,” he says. “Accounting for wall framing and thermal bridging, the clear effective value

“Different provinces across the country are adopting more contemporary energy codes and standards to advance the energy performance of buildings” says Fakoor. “For example, both the British Columbia and the City of Toronto have adopted new stringent energy standards using a passive house philosophy, with the goal of “net-zero ready” buildings by 2030. We anticipate that energy modelling will become an inevitable part of the building design in the future, and more qualified practitioners will be employed to meet the demand.” To find out more about energy modelling, please visit www.rjc.ca

Terry Bergen

CTech, CCCA, LEED® AP | Managing Principal

Mohammad Fakoor

PhD, P.Eng., CEA, CPHD, LEED® AP BD+C

FOCUS ON LIGHTING

BRIGHT IDEAS From grand, celestial-inspired pendants to miniature lights on ultra-thin track rails, the latest round of LEDs offers a wide variety of applications for various types of spaces.

Quadrant by Eureka features a glowing sphere and interlocking felted panels that reduce ambient noise. Designed for open areas or rooms where the surface material of the floor, walls, and ceiling reflect sound, it is offered in heights of 23, 35 or 47 inches. Standard colours are charcoal or silver grey, and the shade is also available in a wide array of premium colours for mixing, matching and dynamic arrangements. A highperformance LED module is mounted on an extruded aluminum heatsink, with many control options available.

SONNEMAN–A Way of Light its celestial-inspired Constellation line with scalable fixtures like Hedron LED Pendant. The globelike composition of radiant LED hubs connected by the structural tension of minimal coaxial rods creates the appearance of a floating celestial body above a table or display. At a height of 45.75 inches and 45 inches in diameter it is available in Satin Nickel with White Optical Acrylic shades or Polished Black Nickel with Clear Faceted Acrylic shades.

Pista, a configurable product by Modular Lighting Instruments, showcases slimmer magnetic track rails, miniature light fixtures, and ultra-thin suspension cables. Designers can play with different modules on single or multiple track rails in different lengths, light effects, and colours. Available in a variety of new LED modules, it features suspended and recessed profiles, in either a black or white structure. 42 CFM&D | Part of the REMI network | www.REMInetwork.com

Lance by Meteor Lighting is a new range of direct and indirect wall luminaires designed for facility exteriors. Available in four and six-inch apertures, it offers uniform shielded light that creates strong visual rhythm within a space, and enlivens a variety of outdoor facades. Lance delivers a lumen package range of 1,620 lm to 10,000 lm mixed with RGBW colour changing compatibility.

ENVEX™ Series from Lithonia Lighting is a high-performance recessed ambient luminaire designed to meet intense specification requirements with ease. The timeless look fits in any space without distracting from the beauty of the architecture. ENVEX is available in two designs, both offering volumetric distribution. Each fully-luminous design is visually comfortable for occupants, and ideal for offices, schools and healthcare.

Hollowcore by Luminis is a modern take on a classic shape, suitable for both traditional high bay applications and more contemporary spaces. With a circular LED light engine and an open centre concept, Hollowcore is designed to optimize and deliver light evenly and where needed. It delivers up to 13,000 lumens of uniform light with a batwing distribution for minimal cave effect. Available in a range of colour temperatures from 2700K to 4000K, it can be installed in open areas to illuminate lower building levels.

Juno welcomes new lumen packages to its TracLites™ family. The R610L and R612L Integral Driver LED Cylinder track fixtures come in 2200 lumens and 3300 lumens, while consuming only 21 watts and 37 watts, respectively. Suited for retail, hospitality, and commercial settings, each fixture can be specified with a variety of CCTs, CRIs, and beam distributions. It comes with a nested yoke arm for straight-down aiming and deep source regression to maximize glare control.

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A brand new day for

FIRST ONSITE

ith decades of experience in the field, FirstOnSite Restoration is taking the next step. On March 29, the disaster restoration specialist united its eight sister companies from Canada, the U.S., and Puerto Rico under the singular and evolved FIRST ONSITE name and brand. “FIRST ONSITE is looking to redefine the industry with its unwavering mission to be the first to help, support and lead in the face of disaster,” said Dave Demos, Chief Executive Officer of FIRST ONSITE, Canada. “This shared promise aligns our collective efforts and positions us to be the only restoration partner Canadian businesses and homeowners will ever need.” For more on this industry rebranding, and what it will bring to the property management community, we reached out to Janine Yetke, Canadian Director of Marketing for First Onsite Property Restoration. This is a big move for FIRST ONSITE. It is. And we’ve been looking forward to it for a while. Until now, we’ve been operating under several names, including Quebec’s Restauration PremièreAction, Interstate Restoration, Interstate Hawaii, Trilink Restoration Services, Super Restoration, CATCO, Rolyn and Perfection Property Restoration. Now, we’re going to be known solely as FIRST ONSITE, which will help us form greater cohesion between our 80-plus branches and position the company as one North American force in property restoration.

What was the motivation to rebrand? We’re constantly moving forward as a company and looking for ways to be a stronger restoration partner for our clients. Our brand promise, which we strive to live by, is to be the only partner our clients will ever need. The brand journey we’ve been living for many months continues on as our teams come together under our shared promise. This North American rebrand helps form the foundation for a common operating platform that delivers greater consistency and efficiency between our 2,200-plus team members and for everything we do.

Why is that consistency of service important? We work with a lot of multinational companies that have multiple properties under their portfolio. If they’re working with us, they want to know we’re providing the same project management experience, reporting experience, and onsite responses from one site to the next – even if it’s across the country or the continent. So, it’s the ability to be more consistent in our responses, and draw on the full resources of our company that makes a difference for our clients.

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Can you give us an example of that consistency in action? One of the best examples is our recent work in Texas during the polar vortex storm. This was a huge disaster event with a lot of property and infrastructure damage that required quick and decisive actions. This was an example where having a massive North American network to draw from was very helpful in dealing with that situation. We were able to tap into the full breadth of our people, equipment, and resources to deal with those problems and show our clients the value of having all our brands coming together to make it happen. Similarly, when our Canadian clients suffer losses, they know that we can mobilize anywhere, anytime, and in the case of catastrophes like the wildfire and flooding events in Fort McMurray, with incredible scale. Having a consistent approach, and access to resources and teams across North America provides peace of mind to our clients when they are facing distressing situations.

What’s next for FIRST ONSITE? We are constantly seeking new ways to bring more value to our clients. One of the areas we’re really investing in is the area of preparedness and property resilience, which means working with clients to design and implement emergency preparedness plans so they know exactly how to respond when they’re hit with a disaster and exactly how we’re going to support them every step of the way. We’re also intent on drawing on the depth of expertise within our various industry specialties to meet clients’ unique needs. Besides our scale to handle large jobs and mobilize massive amounts of resources, we have regional expertise in various specialties. With our one company approach, we’re working closely to learn and share skills among our teams. That approach, combined with our local knowledge, allows us to serve our key commercial clients in all asset classes, especially those supporting critical businesses in our communities. So, it’s looking for opportunities like this within our growing network to share perspectives and best practices. FIRST ONSITE [www.firstonsite.ca] is a leader in disaster remediation, property restoration and reconstruction services, helping North America Restore, Rebuild, and Rise after catastrophic events of every kind. Learn more about the FIRST ONSITE rebranding at becomingfirstonsite.com.

[ last word ] BY THOMAS MUELLER

RETROFIT REMEDY Canada has set its sights on significant carbon reductions by 2030 and complete decarbonization by 2050. Such ambitious goals will no doubt change how Canadians live, work and get around. As a result, the transition to a low-carbon economy creates apprehension in some, but in others, it drives anticipation of the potential for innovation and economic growth.

anada’s building sector has the potential to benefit from such a shift. Today, buildings account for about 30 per cent of Canada’s carbon emissions when building operations, construction and materials are considered. It ranks among the top sectors for carbon emissions reduction and as such, is a significant target for policy makers and, increasingly, investors through sustainable finance mechanisms. Over the years, many reports have shown that buildings represent the low hanging fruit when it comes to carbon emissions and it is the only sector where improvements go hand in hand with positive returns on investment. However, new green building construction alone won’t deliver on Canada’s 2030 greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction targets. CaGBC research found that national targets can only be reached if the emissions from the large existing institutional, commercial, and multi-residential buildings are reduced at scale. While builders and developers are increasingly adopting green building approaches, owners and managers are not yet broadly retrofitting existing properties at a level that would yield meaningful carbon emissions reductions. Increasing the scope, scale, and speed of improving the carbon performance of existing buildings is crucial. To slash building sector GHG emissions by 17 per cent below 2005 levels, Canada would have to have constructed all new large buildings to zero carbon performance starting in 2017 and through to 2030. In the same time frame, the industry could

capture a maximum 51 per cent reduction by retrofitting existing buildings to low carbon. SMART INVESTMENTS

As pressures to meet mandated carbon targets by 2030 and 2050 increase, the cost of inaction will continue to grow. The Supreme Court ruled in favour of the federal government’s carbon pricing plan on March 25, which will increase the price of carbon to $50 per tonne in 2022 and $170 by 2030. Further, every new building that is not built to zero carbon today will inevitably require major investments to upgrade its mechanical equipment, ventilation system, and potentially building envelope in the next 30 years. With the right market signals and incentives, Canada can create a retrofit economy now that would yield skilled jobs for the Canadian economy, operational savings from energy and carbon reduction and better, healthier buildings for Canadians. The recent allocation of $2 billion from the Canada Infrastructure Bank for building retrofits, for example, provides a pathway for financing large scale renewal of existing buildings. Industry-trusted standards, methodologies, and certification will have to come into play to verify performance and ensure we are making progress. Tools such as the Investor Confidence Project (ICP), and its Investor Ready Energy Efficiency (IREE) certification are helping secure financing to support much-needed energy efficiency upgrades.

ICP provides a global underwriting standard for the evaluation of energy efficiency retrofit projects, with the IREE certification providing a thirdparty assessment that gives investors the confidence that energy savings will materialize. Projects such as Efficiency Capital’s retrofit of WoodGreen Community Housing show how innovative investment approaches can fund much-needed improvements to unlock utility and carbon savings. ZERO CARBON CLOSER THAN PRESUMED

While relatively new in the market, the Zero Carbon Building Standard has received tremendous interest as the building sector looks for ways to eliminate carbon.The standard applies to new and existing buildings and balances the rigour required to ensure zero carbon performance with the flexibility needed to encourage widespread adoption. As a result, a variety of building types and sizes target and achieve zero carbon — from office towers to fire halls and warehouses — across the country. Such divergent projects prove that zero carbon is within reach for existing buildings. Green building continues to advance new solutions and drive innovation to create the low carbon building stock needed in the future. However, it is the owners and operators of existing buildings and investors that will ultimately have the most significant impact on whether Canada will meet its carbon reduction targets. Reduction of carbon emissions of 30 per cent or more across entire portfolios are required. Owners are well

Thomas Mueller is the president and CEO of Canada Green Building Council.

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